Corporate Communications: Theory and Practice

Per V. Jenster (Professor of Strategic Marketing, China Europe International Business School, Shanghai, People's Republic of China)

European Journal of Marketing

ISSN: 0309-0566

Article publication date: 1 July 2006

1146

Keywords

Citation

Jenster, P.V. (2006), "Corporate Communications: Theory and Practice", European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 40 No. 7/8, pp. 909-910. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090560610670061

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2006, Emerald Group Publishing Limited


Cornelissen (2004) provides a well‐structured, comprehensive treatment of the subject of corporate communications, its function, strategies, as well as organizational and managerial issues of relevance to both researchers and academics. The author ensures that both conceptual frameworks and concepts are supported with examples and case studies from both Europe and the USA. What I particularly appreciate is that the author also provides insights into the corporate communications profession and also deals with the professionalism of the area. As such, Joep Cornelissen has attempted to provide depth, breadth and relevance for readers in the academic community and its students (graduate level), as well as managers in the corporate world.

The author has organized the book in three parts, where the first one aims to map the field of corporate communications. The first chapter attempts to connect theory and practice, the second covers corporate communications in a historical perspective while integrating marketing, public relations and corporate communications. The final chapter in Part 1 outlines some theoretical perspectives on stakeholders, identity and reputation. Part 2 focuses on corporate communications in practice, by first covering communications strategy, then discussing the organisation of communication and finally placing the roles of the communication practitioners. Part 3 looks at the future of communications, but ends up with a regrettably short look at the challenges ahead for corporate communication. Each chapter is well organised, starting with an overview of central themes, clearly structured sections, only interrupted by illustrative cases, and concluding with a chapter summary, key terms used, and a rather complete section for notes and references. The book ends up with a glossary of corporate communications terms and an index. I find it a book in the best European tradition and a good alternative to much of the US‐anchored literature on corporate communications. The author clearly meets his objectives of providing both breadth and depth to the subject and this will be a most useful book for both students and practitioners, and I suspect that we will see Joep Cornelissen's work in both classrooms as well on executive desks, although the latter group might find parts of the book somewhat dry.

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