Strategic communications in public governance: basic principles and conceptual approaches

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Strategic communications in public governance: basic principles and conceptual approaches

Storozhenko L.G. State University of Telecommunications,

Petkun S.M. State University of Telecommunications

Introduction

The term «strategic communications» has relatively recently become actively used in the scientific and practical sphere of public activity. At the beginning of the XXI century. this concept was used mainly in military, political and scientific circles in Western Europe and the United States. Today, however, the definition of «strategic communications» is an integral part of the field of social communications; the term is actively used in regulations and research studies of domestic and foreign researchers. However, currently there is no single approach to understanding this concept as a system complex with a clear structure, characteristics, objectives, principles, scope and more.

Given the need to develop a unified communication strategy that would combine the full range of communication methods and tools aimed at promoting state interests, studying the system of strategic communications as part of political and social discourse is particularly important and promising.

In addition, the dynamic development of communication in society, its active integration into all spheres of life, the emergence of new channels of communication require rethinking and developing modern principles of strategic communication as fundamental ideas and rules that form the basis of information relations and behavior of participants in the communication process.

Among domestic researchers of problems of strategic communications it is necessary to note works of D. Dubov [2], V. Lipkan [3], A. Melnik, O. Obolensky, A. Vasina, L. Gordienko [4], G. Pocheptsov [5], S. Solovyov [6] and other

scholars who consider various aspects of strategic communications as a modern tool for achieving goals in social institutions. The study of foreign scholars, including: R. Brooks [8], D. Havra [1], D. Gage [10], E. Goldman, is devoted to the issues of origin, development, features of functioning and principles of strategic communications [11], K. Paul [13], M. Price [14], K. Tikhomirova [7], K. Hallahan [12] and others.

The purpose of the study to consider conceptual approaches to the definition of «strategic communications»; define and characterize the basic principles of strategic communications.

Presenting main material

Strategic communications - a term that by the beginning of the XXI century. used mostly in military, political and scientific circles in the United States and Western European countries. Therefore, the theoretical component of the development of concepts of strategic communications and their practical application by representatives of these countries deserve special attention and research.

In 2017, the world published a collection of articles «Strategic Communication: New Agendas in Communication» (Strategic Communications: A New Agenda in Communication), the authors of which outlined the latest trends in the development and operation of strategic communications. At present, the theoretical definition of strategic communications proposed by the compilers of the collection can be considered well- established: communications are characterized as strategic in terms of obtaining the expected result. This result can be an attitude to something, beliefs or knowledge; can mean modifying or creating something. The authors consider the development of the information society, scientific and technological progress and global social changes to be natural factors in the formation of concepts of strategic communications.

M. Price, Director of the Center for the Study of Global Communications at the University of Pennsylvania, in his work «Free Expression, Globalism and New Strategic Communication» [14] to develop communication tools to achieve global goals scale attempts to equate the interpretation of strategic communications in the military-political and corporate spheres. The scientist emphasizes the dominance of two global trends in the modern world. On the one hand, the process of mass dissemination of digital technologies gives access to each subject of communication to the end user; on the other hand - the modernization of methods and tools to influence public opinion, strengthening the role of the state in shaping the information environment marks the sphere of communication activities, which can be nominated for strategic communications.

According to M. Price, the term «strategic communications» contains strategic forms and content of communication that serve to achieve a wide range of goals and are based on a specific understanding of the problem/situation. The researcher identifies the so-called «actors» of global scale (states, large corporations, international non-governmental organizations, etc.) as the main subjects of strategic communications [14, 19].

In addition, given the global key function of strategic communications - the formation and maintenance of state legitimacy, M. Price proposes to consider strategic communications as independent and effective efforts, initiated outside society and aimed at reaching consensus with him on vital issues [14]. M. Price characterizes strategic communications as a specific type of communication in which the process of implementing a communication strategy may differ «from the planned route», be dynamic and multivariate, with unpredictable results. For example, a clearly planned out-ofsociety communication strategy becomes an organic part of it, or, conversely, a communication campaign that should not affect the target audience, affects social values and changes them.

A slightly different conceptual approach to the

interpretation of social communications is observed in K. Hallahan and his colleagues in the article «Defining Strategic Communication» («Defining Strategic Communications»). Scholars consider the concept as purposeful communication carried out by an institution/organization in order to achieve its goals. In particular, researchers highlight aspects that contribute to the formation of the concept of strategic communications in the corporate sector, among which the main - the differentiation of target audiences and communication channels, due to the development of information society and the rapid spread of digital technologies. According to K. Hallahan, institutions/organizations over time have to understand that different types of corporate communications (intra-corporate communications, marketing, PR) have not only a common goal, but also strategies to achieve it - a synthesis of communication channels and forms of information [12, 4].

It should be noted that the synthesis of various aspects of communication makes it possible to maximize the achievement of strategic goals. After all, certain types of communication activities aimed at solving specific tasks of their sector (for example, marketers advertise and promote their products in the market to increase the number of buyers/consumers; PR-tasks - forming the image of corporate structure, establishing positive communication with target audience) important and necessary for the institution/organization, and at the same time, insufficient to achieve the strategic goal. Thus, the integration of different types of communication activities for the effective functioning of the corporate institution determines the «birth» of strategic communication, the essence of which is to influence the target audience in order to achieve the desired result.

Close to this understanding of the concept is Paul's interpretation, according to which strategic communications are characterized as coordinated actions, messages, images or other types of relations aimed at informing, influencing, convincing the target audience [13, 17]. D. Gage considers strategic communications as a process of synchronization of actions, images and words, which aims to achieve the desired effect [10, 54].

A similar interpretation is observed in the report of scientists from the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House): strategic communications are considered as a system of interconnected coordinated actions carried out at the strategic, operational and tactical levels of government; a system aimed at achieving an understanding of the interests and needs of the target audience, which reveals effective methods and mechanisms for activating and supporting certain types of behavior on the part of this audience [9].

E. Goldman's opinion is interesting, noting that the basis of strategic communications is perception management, in which the coordination of information flows (ideas, actions, decisions), aimed at aligning the position of the target audience with public policy goals. The researcher notes that communications become strategic under certain conditions: adaptation of key messages to a wide target audience; continuous communication; focusing communication on the interests and needs of the addressees, not the addressees; one-way coordination of key messages, decisions and actions to achieve strategic goals [11]. The American researcher R. Brooks is convinced that in the concept of «strategic communications» the dominant role belongs to «strategy» and not «communication» [8].

The conceptual approach of the Russian scientist K. Tikhomirova differs from the previous scientific vision and is based on the study of the concept through the prism of terminology. Thus, the researcher considers the definition of «strategic communications» as a two-component phrase with a core component of «communication» and dependent - «strategic», which determines the type of communication. K. Tikhomirova interprets strategic communications as principles of communication process management. In addition, according to the scientist, strategic communications involves the creation of the so-called communication strategy - a large-scale long-term program aimed at achieving the goal through the use of communication resources and space [7].

Another approach is suggested by Professor D. Havra. The scientist generally considers strategic communications as communications that ensure the development and implementation of the strategy of the social subject through special (communication) resources, tools, instruments, technologies [1]. The researcher analyzes the term «strategy» as a concept used in the field of military affairs and business, and is currently active in the field of foreign and domestic policy. According to the scientist, strategy should be understood as a way of organizing complex activities, a specially designed, based on long-term planning program of action to achieve the ultimate goal [1, 230]. At the same time, the main tasks of D. Havra's strategy determine the effective use of resources to achieve a key (strategic) goal. Yes, if the subject is a business structure, we should talk about business strategy; in the case of the armed forces of the state - the military strategy; if the role of the subject is performed by a separate state - it is a national or international level of strategy [1, 231]. Depending on the type of subject and the corresponding strategic level, we can talk about the areas and levels of strategic communication in general.

Therefore, the scope of strategic communications can include business, socio-cultural sector, foreign and domestic policy of any organization/institution or state, military affairs, international relations and more. The application of the so-called level criterion makes it possible to consider strategic communications at different levels of the socio-spatial hierarchy - from local to global. In general, strategic communications are communications that ensure the development and implementation of the strategy of the social subject through special (communication) resources, tools, instruments, technologies [1, 231].

According to the leading Ukrainian scientist in the field of social communications G. Pocheptsov, a feature of strategic communications is their implementation through the transformation of information space in other forms: social, economic, military, political, diplomatic, which proves their universality and adaptability to different strategic goals and areas [5, 28].

Most domestic scholars agree that strategic communications as a tool to achieve the goal are used in a wide range of social institutions - from local enterprises/organizations to government and international relations. That is why it is difficult to find a single universal definition of the concept [2, 10].

D. Dubov tries to determine the universal characteristics of strategic communications: information, influence and persuasion as factors of promotion of interests and goals; formation of clear goals within the strategic communication that affects the position of the target audience; coordination and deconflict as a prerequisite for avoiding conflicts between different parties as a result of information activities; communication in the form of action (behavior, actions, etc.) and eliminating the boundaries between verbal and nonverbal communication [2, 13].

Appealing to the opinion of V. Lipkan, we focus on the key task of strategic communications - ensuring the realization of national interests [3], which are implemented through public policy in the areas of functioning and development of media space, information society development, informatization and protection of information human rights. information security and e-government, etc.

The above functional tasks determine the principles of strategic communication, which means certain ideas, rules, patterns on which their organization and practical application are based [4, 37].

A rather successful attempt to systematize the principles of strategic communications belongs to the Ukrainian scientist

S. Solovyov. In particular, the researcher identifies the following key aspects: coordination of the use of information tools at all stages of policy implementation; consistency and coherence of actions of state and non-state entities; purposeful support of national goals; research of reactions and taking into account the needs of the target audience; maintaining feedback from the target audience [6].

As we can see, such a list is meaningful, but not exhaustive. We believe that a significant addition to this classification can be the basic principles of strategic communications, taking into account the adapted classical provisions of military strategy, highlighted by E. Goldman. Thus, according to the researcher, the principle of objectivity is determined by a clear formulation of political goals, understanding of the target audience, adaptation of key messages to the interests of this audience; the principle of mass is characterized by the use of all types of communication models, means and time intervals, the strengthening of words by actions to eliminate the boundaries of perception; the principle of suddenness involves the use of words that can disarm the actions and deeds of the enemy, but not harm him and attract those who doubt; with the help of the principle of proactivity there is a purposeful and proactive formation of the information environment, not limited to the reaction to the words and actions of the opponent; the principle of flexibility involves the perception and tracking of the environment, adaptability and adjustment of actions in accordance with changes in the context of communication, delegation of tasks and powers to lower levels of government to ensure speed of response; the principle of efficiency and use of force is characterized by the concentration of all resources on key goals; using the principle of unity of management is the definition/appointment of the body/head of management in order to coordinate and synchronize the main actions, the implementation of operational/non-operational management; the security principle

determines compliance with security requirements and communication with all participants in the communication infrastructure; the principle of simplicity involves the use of clear, unambiguous and consistent key messages and actions aimed at achieving a political goal [11].

We consider this list of principles of strategic communications to be basic, as the constant transformation of the information space requires the improvement and expansion of scientific and theoretical approaches, the application of new progressive practices. In addition, the dynamic development of communication in society, its active integration into all spheres of life, changing communication channels require rethinking and developing modern principles of strategic communication, which may include: the principle of reliability - information used in communication must be true, correctly interpreted, communication actions must be clearly coordinated and trust the target audience; the principle of dialogicity aims to ensure effective communication by involving the target audience in multilateral dialogue and consensus building; Continuity is considered to be an important aspect for the full functioning of strategic communications. influence tools that, if necessary, are synchronized with other functions to obtain the desired result; Due to the fact that strategic communications do not have informational, spatial, temporal and classroom limitations, we can talk about the separation of the principle of scale as an integral part of the strategic communication process; the principle of correlation - another aspect that undoubtedly significantly affects the functioning of strategic communications and due to personal experience, mentality, spiritual and cultural values, political beliefs of the target audience, because it is the audience correlates received and processed information with the outside world through the prism of the world; Finally, we can highlight the principle of synchronicity, according to which strategic communications is given a leading role in an important component of strategic management and implementation of national strategy as a whole.

Conclusions

Having considered the main approaches to understanding the concept, we can identify the following main conceptual characteristics of strategic communications: the formation of the information environment; information support and provision of information to society; interpretation of actions as information; influence on the target audience, build trust and support feedback; ability to take into account the needs of the audience and explore reactions to various events and messages; establishing activities and coordinating communication between the subjects of state and corporate institutions in order to strengthen the strategic effect; identification and achievement of state interests at the national and international levels; formation of a stable political image of the state; effective interaction between politicians in order to achieve common (cultural, social, economic, political, etc.) goals; establishing structural cooperation in the field of strategic communications through the introduction of effective communication mechanisms, etc.

These conceptual characteristics determine the observance of a number of principles (ideas, rules, patterns) of strategic communications, previously defined and supplemented by the authors: the principle of reliability, dialogicity, continuity, focus on results, scale, correlation, synchronicity.

strategic communication information

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