Strategic Corporate Communication

Book excerpt: Strategic Corporate Communication: Core Concepts for Managing Your Career and Your Clients' Brands introduces readers to essential strategies in corporate communication. The book centers upon the idea that in order to be successful, communication professionals not only require outward-facing competencies to represent and serve clients, but also personal competencies of self-awareness and self-positioning to manage their careers. The text grounds corporate communication in theoretical research and marketplace practices that demonstrate foundational corporate communication elements such as strategy, brand, storytelling, communities, messaging, context, ethics, influence, research and measurement, leadership and management, and change. Each chapter introduces relevant theory related to a particular topic, ways in which the information can support career planning, and how the content and skills covered in the chapter apply in the context of the work environment or future interactions with clients. Practical application opportunities at both the personal and organizational level encourage careful reflection throughout. The inclusion of SWOT exercises and case studies with guiding questions inspires critical thinking and further exploration. Strategic Corporate Communication is an ideal text for upper-division undergraduate and graduate-level courses in strategic, public relations, corporate, branding, professional, and marketing communication. Ross Brinkert is an award-winning teacher, associate professor, and was inaugural chair of the Corporate Communication Program at Penn State Abington. He holds a Ph.D. in communication sciences from Temple University. Dr. Brinkert's research and applied work address how increasing the engagement of organizational leaders may increase engagement throughout the entire organization. Lisa V. Chewning is an award-winning teacher, associate professor, and chair of the Corporate Communication Program at Penn State Abington. She holds a Ph.D. in communication from Rutgers University. Dr. Chewning's research combines theoretical and applied perspectives to further understand the role of communication in human organization.