Abstract
M.A.
The advent of globalisation, and the proliferation of multinational organisations
(MNOs), have created new dynamics for communicators within organisations whose
operations span geographical and/or cultural boundaries. While many theorists have
looked at the communication approaches common within MNOs, and advanced the
need for standardisation, localisation, and adaptation, few studies have looked at
communication within MNOs in terms of the creation and design of consistent
message strategy. More so, the bulk of research in the field relates to a western
market context. This differs notably from the realities in an emerging market context.
This research attempts to provide clarity about the aspects that influence corporate
communication message strategy within MNOs, and the extent to which multicultural
variables are taken into account in the design of message strategy for diverse cultural
contexts.
The research examines how corporate message strategy is determined by
MNOs, and how the message strategy is designed to accommodate the diverse
cultural characteristics reflected in the different contexts in which multinational
companies (MNCs) operate. The study also attempts to understand how
organisational structures (such as the culture of organisations, and/or the
management approaches that they adopt and encourage) shape the message strategy
for (MNCs); and, how the message strategy differs when it is built into a modernist,
versus a post-modernist paradigm.
It is argued that MNOs exhibit different cultures, and generally adopt one of
three management approaches. These have an impact on the communication strategy
and, consequently, on the message strategy. Organisations with an open and flexible
culture tend to be more localised in their approach to communication strategies; while
closed organisations, described as rigid and strict, tend to be more standardised in
their approach to communication and message strategy. However, several
organisations have found a middle ground between the extremes of centralisation and
decentralisation with a third approach – that is, coordinated decentralisation.
Consistent with the management approach, organisations tend to use the adaptation
approach in their communication strategies when they are challenged by the extremes
of localisation and standardisation.