not all problems are communication problems
TRANSCRIPT
An increasing interest
for communication as a strategic means
• Communication skills increasingly important for CEO’s and
other senior management functions
• Growing number of communicators with senior positions
• Growing market for PR-consultants and advertising agencies
• Communication as a specific area in business education
Number of members in
Swedish Public Relations Association
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
1975 1980 1985 1993 1998 2001 2006 2010
High expectations
on what you can do with communication
• Govern individuals
• Fast, predictable and lasting effects on attitudes and
behaviours
• Simple and cost efficient
However reasonable expectations would be
• Inform individuals
• Weak, unforeseeable and temporary effects on attention and
knowledge
• Confirmation of already existing attitudes and behaviours
Extensive disappointments
• We didn’t get through
• People didn’t listen to our message
• People misunderstood our message
Communication the right solution?
• Engineering (extend public transportation, give way for
cyclists in traffic etc.)
• Enforcement (road tolls, prohibiting cars during specific
times.)
• Education (information campaign promoting buses and
trams.)
Why communication
when other means are better?
• Lack of analysis – we don’t know what the problem is
• The communicator’s position in the organization is weak
• Other means are to expensive or to controversial
• There is no interest in solving the problem but one want to show determination.
Implications for communicators?
• Can’t assume that all problems are communication problems.
• Must be able to do unprejudiced analyses of a situation
• Need to be a part of a project on an early stage to be able to
contribute with her expertise on solutions for different kinds of
problems
• Need to understand all operations in the organization she
works for to be able to suggest other solutions where
applicable