Challenges for Corporate Communications in the Digital Age

 Today‘s challenges for corporations Business environment  Declining trust in corporations and top management  Rising demand,  for transparency  Dauntlessness of, employees caused by permanent change  Pressure on existing business models  Stronger regulation and influence by authorities Communication environment  Trends towards speed, online, videos, emotions, stories, rationalization  Rise of participate patterns („social“ communication)  Fragmentation of public spheres  New content formats and modes of production. Stakeholders demand communication. Corporations seek advantages through communication Maintaining interpretive dominance Initiating understanding and acceptance Regaining trust and reputation      .   Current status of strategic communication 87% of communication professionals report a rising importance of communication for organizational success within the last 12 months 62% confirm that the influence and status of the communication function has increased But only 15% say that communication budgets have been increased above the average of other functions European Communication Monitor 2013

Barriers affecting professionalization of communication 84% lack of understanding of communication within top management 75% difficulties of communication professionals to prove the impact of communication on organizational goals 46% - 33% missing management and business competencies by communication professionals European Communication Monitor 2012

Lack of key expectations of top executives, are not geared towards external communication Relevance Performance Discipline, Internal communication (with employees, managers)   Marketing communication (with customers, re-sellers, suppliers, Financial communication (with investors, banks, owners)   Political communication (with the government, authorities, parties), Communication with society (NGOs, critics, local communities, universities, associations

 Difficulties in Linking business strategy and communication Building and maintaining trust Coping with the digital evolution and the social web dealing with sustainable development and social responsibility top issues for strategic communication.

   Communication Monitor   Managing communication activities and co-workers (planning, organizing, leading staff, budgeting, evaluating processes and strategies, justifying communication spending, preparing for crises) Operational communication (talking to colleagues and journalists, writing press releases and print/online texts, producing communication media, monitoring results of our activities, organizing events etc.) Coaching, training and educating members of the organization or clients (on the vision, mission and other communication related issues as well as upgrading their communicative competence, preparing them for communicating with the media, stakeholders etc.) Aligning communication, the organization / client and its stakeholders (studying business and social research reports, identifying organizational goals, monitoring public issues and stakeholder expectations, debating visions and business strategies with top management and other departments, developing scenarios, building legitimacy) European communication professionals spend their productive time at work for …By Madelemo Hardson