Page 27 - E-BOOK PULSE@FASS ISU NO.01/2023

FACULTY OPINION PIECE
FACULTY OPINION PIECE A Case for Strategic
Communication from Organizational Standpoint

"Strategic" can be referred to as a practice or tactic used in putting a strategy into action.
Strategic from an organisational standpoint is an organisational competition to dominate
and gain market share advantage. Similarly, strategic communication is linked to an
organisation's efforts to communicate purposefully in order to achieve a specific mission and
goal that has been set.

Hence, strategic communication can be defined as a communication concept, data, or
process that, through careful planning, fulfils the organisation's long-term plan by
coordinating communication activities for commercial and non-commercial business
purposes. To be more specific, strategic communication can be seen as a purposeful
communication process that is carefully planned, implemented, and evaluated in order to
achieve a specific goal. It is considered a communication that
is in line with the mission and focused goals. The By Dr Muhammad Zaiamri bin Zainal Abidin
implementation in organisational context focuses on how Media Studies and Communication Department
organisations portray and promote their entities through disseminate communication in ways as well as a specific
purposeful activities performed by leaders, employees, and purpose to the target audience. The implementation of
communication practitioners. This point is consistent with the strategic communication is not only applicable to achieving
definition of strategic communication as "communication in an organisation's mission and goals, but it can also be used in
the form of information, change, persuasion, and overcoming a crisis. Strategic communication has a planned
construction relationships used to achieve the organisation's and proactive nature that can help organisations prevent any
mission and goals". crisis from occurring. It is because it can influence the
organisation's audience, which impacts the audience on a
The process of creating symbols is also associated with the larger scale, influencing local and global effects. Strategic
implementation of strategic communication in the context of communication can be implemented in various forms and
organisation. This is accomplished through the use of contexts, depending on its ability to effectively spread
communication approaches such as public relations, communication on a small or large scale.
advertising, and marketing, which serve as strategies for
creating specific symbols in the implementation of strategic Strategic communication practices also do not promote the
communication. Each of these approaches brings its own concepts of linearity or monologic communication in
communication delivery method, depending on the message organisational management. In traditional communication,
of the organisation and the audience involved. the sender is more dominant in controlling the message and
meaning that is disseminated to the audience, but the
The symbolic aspect acts to influence the audience through situation is different in strategic communication. Where the
the dissemination of organisational messages in order to message and meaning of the process are thought to be
achieve the mission and focused goals. Through the creation negotiated between the sender and receiver of
of this symbolism, the organisation attempts to create a communication. In fact, the recipient has the ability to
shared meaning or value with the audience. To ensure that, influence the meaning and control the acceptance or
this symbolism can be formed through the dissemination of rejection of the communication's content. This demonstrates
purposeful communication that uses appropriate and that the process and outcome of communication today are
effective communication channels in carrying the also affected by the recipient. This practice is based on the
organisation's message in order to dominate market share, belief that effective communication requires not only the use
build a positive reputation, win political campaigns, and of the appropriate channel, but also the development of
enforce social change. bilateral relationships and trust between the sender and
receiver of the message.
Strategic communication is so effective when it is used to
disseminate information and influence the intended As a result, we can define strategic communication as a
audience. With the evolution of technology and diverse purposeful communication practice that is designed and
audience segments, organisational communication implemented to achieve the organisation's mission and goals.
management must be done strategically. It is important for The implementation of this strategic communication is critical
organisations to implement strategic communication in for organisations to create effective communication, either
communication management in order to deliver the internally or externally, through systematic management. This
organisation's message accurately and effectively which includes activities such as planning, implementation, and
aligns with the strategic communication capabilities in evaluation based on the achievement of the organisation's
providing opportunities for organisations to create and mission and goals.

26 | Pulse @ FASS