CORPORATE COMMUNICATION UNITS’ FUNCTIONS IN STRATEGIC PLANNING: CASE OF KAYSERI’S TOP INDUSTRIAL COMPANIES

Authors : H. Nur GORKEMLI, Betul CETINKAYA

Pages : 566-575

Doi:10.7456/10704100/004

View : 11 | Download : 9

Publication Date : 2017-10-01

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Strategic plans, which cover a wide range of processes such as including analyzing inner and outer environment, determining objectives, planning, implementing and evaluating, have been used as a managerial tool for organizations since 1960s. Under heavy competitive environment and political/economic uncertainties of countries, it is possible to say that it becomes a necessity to have strategic plans in order to overcome possible obstacles, set competitive advantage and achieve corporate goals. Due to their crucial position with the managerial team, corporate communication departments of organizations play a key role during implementation of strategic plans in various phases. Aim of this study is to understand the role of corporate communication units during different stages of strategic plans in top level companies. In this study, after giving brief information about strategic planning and its advantages to organizations, role of corporate communication departments in strategic management process will be discussed. Later, strategic planning practices of city of Kayseri’s companies that were in the top 1000 in Istanbul Chamber of Industry list in 2015 will be focused in terms of corporate communication axis. Only 16 companies accepted to participate in the study although 28 companies existed in the list. Study showed that besides its various benefits, companies found strategic planning as a bureaucratic and time-demanding activity. Most of the companies didn’t share their strategic plans in their corporate web-sites. Meetings and e-mails were the most popular tools while communicating shareholders in every stage of plans. Majority of the companies had crisis management, social responsibility and corporate reputation strategies in their plans; however, only a small group had sponsorship strategies.   
Keywords : strategic plans, strategic management, corporate communication, industrial establishments, Kayseri