Over the past decade corporate communications has become recognised as one of the most

valued strategic tools; yet it is among the most under-researched; as is the role of the director of
corporate communications. Is his role strategic, for instance? It is under researched partly
because, as Wright (1995) identified in American research, there are only a small number of what
he refers to as communication executives in the US; they are busy individuals paid very large
salaries and they are not noted for filling out questionnaires or otherwise participating in
academic research. It is widely accepted that corporate communications has a crucial role to play
in what Winner (1993) calls the total business system. However, there is still no universally
accepted definition of the concept; for example, Harlow identified several hundred different
definitions (quoted in Winner, 1993). In this research, a working definition is given as follows:

Corporate communications is the strategic management process by which an organisation

communicates with its various audiences to the mutual benefits of both and to its improved
competitive advantage.
The role of the communications executive is still embryonic as an established function (White
and Mazur, 1995). It is misunderstood in many organisations. This makes the task less clear cut.
Yet Moore et al (Quoted by Kitchen, 1993) suggest that it is one of the most essential. Its
importance as an early warning system is beyond dispute (Lauzen, 1995). Tench and Yeomans
(2006, p. 335) trace the origins of internal communication to business and industrial journalism
in the late 1940s. The authors claim journalists were attracted by generous salaries to write for
staff journals, publishing news and information relating to the organisation. It was thought that
better informed employees, would be better motivated and thus make bigger contributions to the
productivity of the organisation (Tench and Yeomans, 2006, p. 335). As the authors suggest, this
view is still applicable today, with empirical and theoretical work published since, further
validating these claims. Indeed, Robson and Tourish (2005, p. 213) state, "There is now a
substantial literature that suggests that internal communications helps to improve the likelihood
of an organisation being successful". Even so, internal communication is regarded as an
understudied area within public relations (Tench and Yeomans, 2006, p. 337; Welch and Jackson,
2007, p. 178), with scholars calling for further research on internal communication to derive a
better understanding of its mandates, scope and focus (Forman and Argenti, 2005; cited in Welch

and

Jackson,

2007,

p.

178).

2.0 formal communications

Apple Inc. fully realizes the role of employees and vendors for its overall success. It is also
aware that with change in culture and business environment, employees and their attitudes,
beliefs are changing and they need to be treated in different ways. To understand the values and
attitudes of employees to gain their loyalty and productivity, effective communication among and
with employees is very crucial. Apple Inc. creates an online forum for employees to voice their
opinions, ideas and concerns. Employees will participate in surveys about the working conditions
and the environment they are placed under and if there is need for change. This will help board
of Directors and the management teams know where their focus should be placed on and which
employees and store locations arent following the standard practices set by Apple Inc. Hold
monthly meetings with stakeholders. This will allow them to have a one-on-one experience with
management where they can discuss all pertinent information regarding the brand. At the same
time, Apple provides stakeholders to discuss amongst each other any rising issues or concerns.
Produce monthly newsletters for employees. This will provide them with all the insight on the
direction Apple Inc. is taking and any urgent news. A newsletter shows employees that Apple

Inc. cares about not only the brand but the people working behind it. Its also an easy and
efficient way to inform all employees in a uniformed manner.

Informal communication

The concept of evangelism is an important component of Apples culture. Corporate

evangelists refer to people who extensively promote a corporations products. Apple
even had a chief evangelist whose job was to spread the message about Apple and
gain support for its products. However, as the name evangelism implies, the role of
evangelist takes on greater meaning. Evangelists believe strongly in the company
and will spread that belief to others, who in turn will convince other people.
Therefore, evangelists are not only employees but loyal customers as well. In this
way, Apple was able to form what it refers to as a Mac cultcustomers who are
very loyal to Apples Mac computers and who will spread a positive message about
Macs to their friends and families. Successful evangelism can only occur with
dedicated, enthusiastic employees who are willing to spread the word about Apple.
When Jobs returned to Apple, he instituted two cultural changes: he encouraged
debate on ideas, and he created a vision that employees could believe in. By
implementing these two changes, employees felt that their input was important and
that they were a part of something bigger than themselves. Such feelings have
created a sense of loyalty among many at Apple. Apple prides itself on its unique
corporate culture. On its job site for corporate employees, it ensures potential
applicants that the organization has a flat structure, lacking the layers of
bureaucracy of other corporations. Apple also emphasizes that it does not adhere to
normal work environments in which employees are at their stations from 9:00 a.m.
to 5:00 p.m. Instead, Apple markets itself as a fast-paced, innovative, and
collaborative environment committed toward doing things the right way. By
offering both challenges and benefits to applicants, Apple hopes to attract those
who fit best with its corporate culture. Apple has tried to ensure that its employees
and those with which they work display appropriate conduct in all situations. It
bases its success on creating innovative, high-quality products and services and on
demonstrating integrity in every business interaction. According to Apple, four

main principles contribute to integrity: honesty, respect, confidentiality, and

compliance.

3.0