Chapter 5
Historically, investor relations is a new concept as prior to the 1920’s only the ultra elite had the financial resources to invest. With new technology, the 401K and employee stock options, just about every middle class American has an interest in business investment and therefore those businesses who cater to and groom the middle class investor will have a greater potential for success.
It seems that the more Americans who are invested in the stock market and therefore the business of America, the greater stability the market has and insulation from dramatic shifts to do single large investors who sell large blocks of their holdings at one time. That said, when panic does hit the market, larger shifts and rifts can occur.
Chapter 5 Examples
The closest example I can think of is a commercial that Toyota was running for it's American headquarters it which it showed how in the selection and creation of their plant, Toyota had cleaned up a toxic waste dump and returned the area to it's original natural glory with deer tromping around and birds singing. It seemed clear that the company was trying to boost individual investor confidence by illustrating what positive environmental impact is achieved when you help Toyota expand. I went a head and bought more Haliburton and made out like a bandit with the "mean and evil" oil company while Toyota has deer to watch in the backyard of their American headquarters. LOL
Monday, February 22, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Chapter 4
Summery
An increasingly larger portion of any organization's public relations is in fact, community relations. In it's most simple form, community relations is a function of making the place where one lives and works a more desirable place to be. Improving the quality of life, safe streets, police, fire, work for all who want it, higher paying jobs and cultural enrichment are just some of those things that make a community a desired place to live and work.
There are two standard versions or levels of community relations. The old standard kept an "arms length" between the business and the organizations they helped. Typically the old standard would donate money and gently encourage the employees to join or volunteer their time. The new standard can certainly employ some of the old standard when it seems to work for a particular situation but most often there is an expectation for an official representative to serve on a board and have more direct input on shaping the activities and future of the community.
As with almost all successful endeavors, a community relations plan must be planned, organized and systematized. Discussions and decisions must be made on which groups in the community are to be targeted, behaviors to be motivated and how you are going to motivate them. You have to decide whether to own or simply participate in the issue. Will you make your involvement official or just encourage employees to join. And finally, you must decide how you will reach the opinion leaders in the community to ensure your goal is met.
Examples
The group now known as Destination Bayfront followed much of the same process as is identified in the necessary elements of community relations. They first conceptualized the need to increase the quality and desirability of working and living in Corpus Christi by revitalizing the bay front and coliseum. Identifying what was missing, researching most likely strategy, targeting key groups and needed motivations and then moving forward with a plan to achieve their goal. They chose to form an organization and "own" the project instead of passing that obligation on to another and simply being members.
An increasingly larger portion of any organization's public relations is in fact, community relations. In it's most simple form, community relations is a function of making the place where one lives and works a more desirable place to be. Improving the quality of life, safe streets, police, fire, work for all who want it, higher paying jobs and cultural enrichment are just some of those things that make a community a desired place to live and work.
There are two standard versions or levels of community relations. The old standard kept an "arms length" between the business and the organizations they helped. Typically the old standard would donate money and gently encourage the employees to join or volunteer their time. The new standard can certainly employ some of the old standard when it seems to work for a particular situation but most often there is an expectation for an official representative to serve on a board and have more direct input on shaping the activities and future of the community.
As with almost all successful endeavors, a community relations plan must be planned, organized and systematized. Discussions and decisions must be made on which groups in the community are to be targeted, behaviors to be motivated and how you are going to motivate them. You have to decide whether to own or simply participate in the issue. Will you make your involvement official or just encourage employees to join. And finally, you must decide how you will reach the opinion leaders in the community to ensure your goal is met.
Examples
The group now known as Destination Bayfront followed much of the same process as is identified in the necessary elements of community relations. They first conceptualized the need to increase the quality and desirability of working and living in Corpus Christi by revitalizing the bay front and coliseum. Identifying what was missing, researching most likely strategy, targeting key groups and needed motivations and then moving forward with a plan to achieve their goal. They chose to form an organization and "own" the project instead of passing that obligation on to another and simply being members.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Chapter 3
Chapter 3 Summery
This chapter focuses on employee relations as the most critical factor in the success of a business and what lengths successful businesses have gone to in order to preserve, protect and promote this relationship.
As the first public of any organization is it’s employees and it is the employees who actually generate profit, their care should be given the highest priority even over that of the CEO. Unfortunately, in today’s business climate it is far more common to see employees and their pay as only a cost that has to be passed on in the price of goods and services and therefore the less you pay them, the lower the cost offered on the goods and services. It seems that this understanding of a business model allows for the most quantifiable measurement in calculation of cost verses return on investment. Those who have proven their true superiority in business have proven that there is often a far greater positive return when investment is made in employee relations as was once more common in the United States.
Good and trusted communication is the keystone of employee relations. Employees must be told first the information that affects them, both the good and the bad and this information should come directly from their employer. Timeliness is also critical as employees are expected to meet timelines, deadlines and pass information up the chain of command as it happens, so should the employer when it comes it information that affects them.
The critical factor of trust is essential both in the sources and the medium. Immediate supervisors are the first preference and face-to-face is the preferred form of delivery. If an employee doesn’t trust the individual to tell them the truth or critical information is left on a bulletin board unnoticed until it’s too late to act, employee relations will suffer.
Chapter 3 Examples
In a previous job, I worked for a business that only communicated with it’s employees when a problem arouse that management wanted to address or when they wanted to terminate the employee. A great sense of paranoia developed as a result and on the rare occasions when management wanted to discuss a minor issue, employee anxiety typically made the meeting for more tense and confrontational due to the employee being on guard and defensive. To compound the problem, the immediate supervisor had been caught in direct contradiction to the truth or failed to relay information critical to the employee altogether. Almost all communication was face-to-face but this was done as a way to deny previous statements or failure to communicate relevant information. After a time, employees accepted the general security of their jobs but lacked the support and confidence to be as productive and quality gradually began to slip.
This chapter focuses on employee relations as the most critical factor in the success of a business and what lengths successful businesses have gone to in order to preserve, protect and promote this relationship.
As the first public of any organization is it’s employees and it is the employees who actually generate profit, their care should be given the highest priority even over that of the CEO. Unfortunately, in today’s business climate it is far more common to see employees and their pay as only a cost that has to be passed on in the price of goods and services and therefore the less you pay them, the lower the cost offered on the goods and services. It seems that this understanding of a business model allows for the most quantifiable measurement in calculation of cost verses return on investment. Those who have proven their true superiority in business have proven that there is often a far greater positive return when investment is made in employee relations as was once more common in the United States.
Good and trusted communication is the keystone of employee relations. Employees must be told first the information that affects them, both the good and the bad and this information should come directly from their employer. Timeliness is also critical as employees are expected to meet timelines, deadlines and pass information up the chain of command as it happens, so should the employer when it comes it information that affects them.
The critical factor of trust is essential both in the sources and the medium. Immediate supervisors are the first preference and face-to-face is the preferred form of delivery. If an employee doesn’t trust the individual to tell them the truth or critical information is left on a bulletin board unnoticed until it’s too late to act, employee relations will suffer.
Chapter 3 Examples
In a previous job, I worked for a business that only communicated with it’s employees when a problem arouse that management wanted to address or when they wanted to terminate the employee. A great sense of paranoia developed as a result and on the rare occasions when management wanted to discuss a minor issue, employee anxiety typically made the meeting for more tense and confrontational due to the employee being on guard and defensive. To compound the problem, the immediate supervisor had been caught in direct contradiction to the truth or failed to relay information critical to the employee altogether. Almost all communication was face-to-face but this was done as a way to deny previous statements or failure to communicate relevant information. After a time, employees accepted the general security of their jobs but lacked the support and confidence to be as productive and quality gradually began to slip.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Chapter 2
Chapter 2 covers the basic structure of public relations. In the basic structure of any pro-active or re-active public relations strategy is the understanding of what makes people do what they do and how to focus and drive them toward a desired action or end.
The basic public relations model identifies the typical five phases that individuals go through before taking action but at any one of the five the possibility exists for action to occur. The stages are awareness, latent readiness, triggering events, preparatory or intermediate behavior, relationship building and ultimate desired behavior.
The chapter also seeks to make recognition of the naturally occurring trigger events that can be capitalized on as well as those constructed and the need to filter or diffuse competing triggers that lead to contradictory behavior.
One of the key points is the emphasis on research. The military’s success in battle is almost always contingent upon the quality of intelligence and it seems this is an appropriate analogy to the importance of research in public relations.
Finally, the chapter gives the new strategy for the modern age of public relations which outlines affecting mores, which are followed by laws to reinforce the new mores and finally an engineered solution where consequences are brought to bear for those who do not behave as desired.
The basic public relations model identifies the typical five phases that individuals go through before taking action but at any one of the five the possibility exists for action to occur. The stages are awareness, latent readiness, triggering events, preparatory or intermediate behavior, relationship building and ultimate desired behavior.
The chapter also seeks to make recognition of the naturally occurring trigger events that can be capitalized on as well as those constructed and the need to filter or diffuse competing triggers that lead to contradictory behavior.
One of the key points is the emphasis on research. The military’s success in battle is almost always contingent upon the quality of intelligence and it seems this is an appropriate analogy to the importance of research in public relations.
Finally, the chapter gives the new strategy for the modern age of public relations which outlines affecting mores, which are followed by laws to reinforce the new mores and finally an engineered solution where consequences are brought to bear for those who do not behave as desired.
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