Study guide: Mastering Political and Organizational Communication

Oral Communication Course Revision Sheet

1. 📌 Essentials

• Classic Communication Model: Source, Message, Channel, Receiver.
• Agenda-setting: Media and politicians influence public issue perception.
• Hegemonic Model: Power elites control societal norms via media, education, discourse.
• ediatisation: Media shapes political communication; emphasizes formats like/social media.
• Political Marketing: Uses commercial marketing techniques in politics.
• Brand Equity (Keller’s Pyramid): Salience, Performance/Imagery, Judgments/Feelings, Resonance.
• Brand Resonance: Deep loyalty, advocacy, emotional attachment.
• Customer vs Financial Brand Equity: Perception/loyalty vs monetary valuation.
• Sustainable Marketing: Meets current needs without harming future societal/environmental capacity.
• Corporate Communication: Strategic management of internal/external messages, including identity and reputation.
• PR Models: Press Agentry, Public Information, Two-way Asymmetric, Two-way Symmetric.
• Stakeholder Expectations: Different for customers, employees, media, government.
• Image vs Reputation: Immediate perception vs long-term trust.
• Organizational Culture Models: Role, Achievement, Power, Support.
• Cultural Web: Rituals, Stories, Symbols, Power, Structure, Control systems.

2. 🧩 Key Structures & Components

• Source / Sender: Initiates the message.
• Message: Content conveyed.
• Channel: Medium (TV, social media, print).
• Receiver / Audience: Interprets the message.
• Media Platforms: TV, social media, press, radio.
• Brand Elements: Logo, slogan, identity, image.
• Stakeholders: Customers, employees, media, government.
• Organizational Culture: Rituals, stories, symbols, power dynamics.
• PR Channels: Press releases, social media, events.
• Cultural Web Elements: Rituals, stories, symbols, power, structure, control.

3. 🔬 Functions, Mechanisms & Relationships

• Communication flow: Source → Message → Channel → Receiver.
• Agenda-setting: Media focus shifts public concern.
• Hegemony: Elites influence societal norms through discourse.
• Mediatisation: Media formats shape political and social messaging.
• Brand building: Hierarchical pyramid from salience to resonance.
• Resonance: Achieved through emotional loyalty, advocacy.
• Corporate strategy: Aligns internal culture with external reputation.
• PR models: Symmetric model fosters mutual understanding; asymmetric persuades.
• Stakeholder management: Balances expectations to maintain reputation.
• Image vs reputation: Immediate perception vs accumulated trust over time.
• Organizational culture: Shapes behavior, decision-making, and identity.

4. 📊 Comparative Table

5. 🗂️ Hierarchical Diagram

Communication System
 ├─ Sender / Source
 │    ├─ Creates Message
 │    └─ Selects Channel
 ├─ Message Transmission
 │    └─ Via Media Platforms
 └─ Receiver / Audience
      └─ Interprets and Responds

Organizational Culture
 ├─ Rituals
 ├─ Stories
 ├─ Symbols
 ├─ Power
 ├─ Structure
 └─ Control Systems

6. ⚠️ High-Yield Pitfalls & Confusions

• Confusing image (immediate perception) with reputation (long-term trust).
• Overlooking the hierarchical nature of Keller’s Pyramid.
• Misinterpreting hegemonic control as direct political power rather than cultural influence.
• Assuming mediatisation only involves social media, ignoring traditional media formats.
• Mixing up PR models: symmetric (balanced) vs asymmetric (persuasive).
• Ignoring stakeholder expectations specific to each group.
• Confusing organizational culture types: e.g., Power vs Role cultures.
• Overgeneralizing media influence without considering audience interpretation.

7. ✅ Final Exam Checklist

• Understand the classic communication model and its components.
• Explain agenda-setting and provide examples.
• Describe hegemonic control and its societal impact.
• Define mediatisation and its role in political/social communication.
• Outline Keller’s Pyramid and how brand resonance is achieved.
• Differentiate customer vs financial brand equity.
• Identify the four types of societal marketing and their characteristics.
• Recognize criticisms of marketing (individual, societal, business).
• Summarize corporate communication strategies and goals.
• Describe corporate credibility dimensions.
• Explain ICC and its importance.
• List and compare PR models; highlight ethical considerations.
• Clarify stakeholder expectations for different groups.
• Differentiate image and reputation.
• Describe organizational culture models and their elements.
• Recognize cultural web elements and their significance in organizational analysis.

End of Revision Sheet