Organizations strategies and strategic communication

Teacher(s)

Agie De Selsaeten Sandrine; Goedseels Emmanuel;

Language

English

Main themes

Communication can only be strategic. Any action should be integrated in a full communication plan that has been designed to reach defined communication objectives with a thought-out strategy.
This course will cover all elements of strategic communications, starting from the place of the communication leadership in the hierarchy of an organisation to the measurement of communication actions.  This course aims at teaching how to build a strategic communication plan through:

• Organisation standards: corporate objectives, structure, budget...
• Situation analysis: audits, mapping, intelligence gathering, opportunities, vulnerabilities,...
• Communication basics and prerequisites:  mission, vision, objectives, strategy, messaging, stakeholders and audiences ;
• Communication disciplines: corporate communication, brand communication, social-media relations, crisis and issue management, public affairs, financial communication, internal communication,...
• Evaluation: KPI's and measurement

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1.	Understand the notions of strategic thinking in communication ;
2.	Understand the process that leads from a strategic analysis to the definition of a specific strategy ;
3.	Know the different stages of development of a communication plan in connection with the overall strategy of an organization (private, large or SME, public, non-profit,...) ;
4.	Define communication objectives and communication strategies ;
5.	Develop messages addressed to specific audiences and stakeholders ;
6.	Know, assess and use the main types of communication disciplines.

Content

Communication can only be strategic. Any action should be integrated in a full communication plan that has been designed to reach defined communication objectives with a thought-out strategy.
While this course is held in English, the central focus is not on language teaching. It is given by non- native English professors who will put students into a business environment where mainly “international English” is spoken, with specific terms and jargon linked to the communication sector.
This course will cover all elements of strategic communications, starting from the place of the communication management team in the hierarchy of an organisation all the way to the measurement of communication actions. This course aims at teaching how to build a strategic communication plan through:

• Organisation standards: corporate objectives, structure, budget, …
  
• Situation analysis: audits, mapping, intelligence gathering, opportunities, vulnerabilities, …
  
• Communication basics and prerequisites: mission, vision, objectives, strategy, messaging, stakeholders and audiences
  
• Communication disciplines: corporate communication, brand communication, social-media relations, crisis and issue management, public affairs, financial communication, internal communication, …
  
• Evaluation: KPI’s and measurement
  

Teaching methods

Lecture with case studies and exercises

Evaluation methods

Written examination partly on content of the course and definitions, partly on case solving (to develop a strategy and to elaborate a communication action plan). 

Bibliography

Gregory, Anne (2015). Planning and Managing Public Relations Campaigns: A Strategic Approach (PR In Practice). Kogan Page
Starbuck, W. H. (2006). Organizational Realities: Studies of Strategizing and Organizing. OUP Oxford.

Faculty or entity

COMU