Account

INSTITUTIONALISING THE STRATEGIC ROLE OF CORPORATE
COMMUNICATION/PUBLIC RELATIONS THROUGH ITS
CONTRIBUTION TO ENTERPRISE STRATEGY AND ENTERPRISE
GOVERNANCE
Paper submitted to the 10th Annual EUPRERA Conference, to be held in Milan from 16-18 October 2008 by Benita Steyn
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
SOUTH AFRICA
[e-mail]
and
Lynne Niemann
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
SOUTH AFRICA [e-mail] Key words:
Enterprise strategy, corporate governance, sustainability, social responsibility, corporate social performance, strategic role of corporate communication, role of the public relations strategist role, Triple Bottom Line, non-financial goals, environmental monitoring, ROI
This paper is based on the Master’s dissertation (MTech Public Relations Management) of
Lynne Niemann. The supervisor was Benita Steyn.
1
INSTITUTIONALISING THE STRATEGIC ROLE OF CORPORATE
COMMUNICATION THROUGH ITS CONTRIBUTION TO ENTERPRISE
STRATEGY AND ENTERPRISE GOVERNANCE
1. INTRODUCTION
In the new business paradigm with its focus on social, environmental and economic sustainability -- characterised by a Triple Bottom Line approach to strategic management -- organisations are increasingly ‘regulated’ by societal expectations for good corporate governance, socially responsible and ethical behaviour, rather than by the law. The
‘business of business’ is no longer only business (‘Profit’) and shareholders are no longer the only important stakeholders. In their strategic decision making and behaviour, private and public sector organisations now need to consider the environment (‘Planet’) as well as strategic stakeholders such as employees, customers, regulators, the community, the media, activists and a myriad of others (‘People’). In this new era, society might even be considered the most ‘strategic’ stakeholder.
Organisations of the 21st century therefore have to consider/fulfil/adapt to societal expectations, values,

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