Communicate the Culture essay
Internal and external stakeholders
Today, Nokia faces the problem of the change of its communication strategies to improve its organizational culture and, therefore, its marketing performance. In this regard, the company should take into consideration the position and effects of new communication strategies on both internal and external stakeholders. Among internal stakeholders, it is possible to distinguish employees of the company, managers and shareholders. As for external stakeholders, it important to focus on customers, whose position and attitude to the brand and products of the company are of the utmost importance. The position of both internal and external stakeholders affects the communication strategies of the company because Nokia has to reach its stakeholders. Otherwise, the communication of the company with its stakeholders will be pointless and it will have no positive effect on the organizational culture and performance.
The effectiveness of existing communication strategies
The contemporary business environment is rapidly changing and many organizations are forced to introduce changes in their organizational structure, design, and business development. In such a situation, organizations can develop effective marketing strategies on the condition of their preparedness to changes. The development of modern organization is dependent on their ability to introduce changes and to adapt to changes, which occur in their business environment. In this respect, it is possible to refer to the experience of Nokia, the company, which holds the leading position in the mobile phone industry. Nokia operates in highly technological industry and, similarly to other companies, operating in high tech industries, the company has to develop changes to maintain its competitive position and to improve its marketing position. At this point, it is important to place emphasis on the fact that the development of strategic change management becomes crucial for the successful business development of modern organizations, such as Nokia. The strategic change management contributes to the development of effective long-run strategies to develop their business and to adapt to changes that occur both internally and externally. At this point, it is worth mentioning the fact that organizations should come prepared to internal changes, which occur within organizations, and external changes, which occur under the impact of external factors, including changes in the industry and market. In such a context, the role of strategic change management can hardly be underestimated and organizations should be capable to introduce efficient strategies to introduce changes to improve their organizational performance and position in the market.
Obviously, existing communication strategies are ineffective and the company suffers from the persistent communication gap, especially in regard to the company-customer communication. What is meant here is the fact that Nokia has a significant potential to introduce new products, which may be popular and attractive for customers. However, the company often fails to introduce them because Nokia’s culture of complacency leads to the situation, when the company almost ignores needs and wants of customers and expects that customers will buy its products just because they are manufactured by Nokia.
New communication strategies for stakeholders
Obviously, Nokia needs to improve its communication with key stakeholders, especially customers and employees. To meet this goal, Nokia has to communicate the change to employees. Employees should understand the ultimate goals of the change and their benefits from the change (Handy 2005). In addition, Nokia should stimulate the involvement of employees in the elaboration of the change. In such a way, they will support the change because they feel that they have created the change. Also, the motivation of employees is important to support and introduce the change, including both material and non-material motivators.
In this regard, the company should use the full potential of the leadership. At this point, it is possible to recommend using of transformational leadership style, which is particularly effective in organizations conducted substantial changes. Alternatively, Nokia should use steward leadership, which implies that leaders perform the role of stewards and guides for their employees, helping them to pass through the change. Finally, the company should grant employees with larger autonomy that will stimulate their creative and innovative work (Chaney and Martin, 2005). The autonomy of employees is very helpful because they do not feel the pressure from the part of managers in the course of the introduction of the change. They feel being free in their work that naturally stimulates their innovative activities.
In fact, the company can improve its communication with employees through engagement of employees in the elaboration of marketing strategies and internal business processes within the organization. In this respect, the company should provide employees with the possibility to communicate effectively with managers of the company. For instance, the company can use video conferencing, audio-visual means of communication to provide employees with the possibility to contact managers or to make their suggestions concerning improvements of business processes or other changes to managers as well as top executives of the company.
In order to improve the communication with customers, Nokia should develop its customer relations management. In addition, the company can use the balanced score cards approach to study needs and expectations of customers. On the ground of the analysis of information collected in terms of the balanced score cards approach, Nokia can introduce changes to improve its products and services. Moreover, the company can use the full potential of modern telecommunication systems and provide customers with the possibility to provide their feedback concerning products and services of the company directly to the company from their phones. In addition, the company should participate in social events, sponsor sport events, and develop its charity activities to improve its public image and to inform the public about effective ways to communicate with the company as well as to provide them with detailed information about its new policies, products and services.
