Answer to Question #232306 in Marketing for Kay

Question

Fambi Limited is a mining company that operates in South Africa. Due to global economic
factors such as low commodity prices and local factors such as electricity load shedding,
the company’s financial performance has been subdued with the result that it has failed
to pay dividends to its shareholders in the last two years. Moreover, its operations have
been crippled by frequent workers’ strikes. Furthermore, some of the employees are not
aware of the company’s strategic direction. Clearly, the company’s relations with its
stakeholders are strained. In order to create and nourish stakeholder relationships, the
company should embrace communication integration. As a public relations consultant to
the company answer the following questions:

1. Describe the role of communication in the life of an organisation like Fambi Limited.
(10)
2. Explain the following fields of organisational communication:
ï‚· Marketing communication (5)
ï‚· Public relations (5)

Answer 1

1.     Effective Communication is significant for managers in the organizations as it enables them to perform the basic functions of management that is controlling, leading, planning and organizing.  Communication helps managers to perform their jobs and responsibilities. Communication also serves as a foundation for planning. All the essential information must be communicated to the managers who in-turn must communicate the plans so as to implement them. Organizing also requires effective communication with others about their job task.   In an organization communication also facilitates the flow of information and understanding               between different people and departments through different media using all the channels and networks. Communication bridges the gap between individuals and groups through flow of information and understanding between them.

2.     (a)Marketing communication is the messages and media that marketers use to converse with target markets. Marketing communication channels focus on any way a business converses a message to its desired market. The process allows the public to know or understand a brand. Examples of marketing communication includes advertising, personal selling, direct marketing, sponsorship, communication, social media and promotion to public relations.

     (b) Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics. Public relations specialists manage an organization's public image and character. The specialists help the organization to communicate with their public and work on developing a positive relationship between the two.