What is Corporate Communication What is Corporate Communication Writing?Writing?

The act of writing to promote or boost the The act of writing to promote or boost the image and identity of an organisation.image and identity of an organisation.

The act of writing to inform the publics of The act of writing to inform the publics of any important information of an any important information of an organisation.organisation.

Most of the information is about financial Most of the information is about financial status and performance.status and performance.

TYPES OF CC WRITINGTYPES OF CC WRITING

1.1. Press releasesPress releases2.2. Annual reportsAnnual reports3.3. ProspectusProspectus4.4. Financial analysisFinancial analysis5.5. Brochures/pamphlets/leafletsBrochures/pamphlets/leaflets6.6. Fact sheetsFact sheets7.7. Texts of speechesTexts of speeches8.8. Progress reportsProgress reports9.9. Advertising copyAdvertising copy10.10. Etc.Etc.

KLCC Twin Towers Fact SheetKLCC Twin Towers Fact Sheet Number of Storeys: 88Number of Storeys: 88 Overall height: 452 metres above street levelOverall height: 452 metres above street level Location of Skybridge: Level 41and 42Location of Skybridge: Level 41and 42 Height of Skybridge: 170 metres above street levelHeight of Skybridge: 170 metres above street level Length of Skybridge: 58.4 metresLength of Skybridge: 58.4 metres Height of Pinnacle: 73.5 metersHeight of Pinnacle: 73.5 meters Vertical transportations: 29 double-deck high Vertical transportations: 29 double-deck high

speed lifts in each towerspeed lifts in each tower Number of escalators: 10 in each towerNumber of escalators: 10 in each tower Stainless steel cladding: 65,000 sq metresStainless steel cladding: 65,000 sq metres Vision glass: 77,000 sq metresVision glass: 77,000 sq metres Concrete: (various strength up to Grade 80) Concrete: (various strength up to Grade 80)

160,000 cubic metres in the superstructures160,000 cubic metres in the superstructures Steel: 36,910 tonnes of beamsSteel: 36,910 tonnes of beams

trusses and reinforcementstrusses and reinforcements Foundation: 4.5 metres (15 feet) thick raft Foundation: 4.5 metres (15 feet) thick raft

foundation containing 13,200 cubic metres of grade foundation containing 13,200 cubic metres of grade 60 reinforced concrete, weighing approximately 60 reinforced concrete, weighing approximately 32,550 tonnes under each tower, supported by 104 32,550 tonnes under each tower, supported by 104 barret piles varying from 60-115 metres in length.barret piles varying from 60-115 metres in length.

Functions/Purpose of Functions/Purpose of CC WritingCC Writing

To boost the image and identity of the To boost the image and identity of the organisation among the publics.organisation among the publics.

To promote the activity or products of To promote the activity or products of the organisation or company to the the organisation or company to the publics.publics.

To publicise the organisation to the To publicise the organisation to the publics.publics.

To foster good relationship between To foster good relationship between the organisation and the publics.the organisation and the publics.

Competencies required byCompetencies required byCC WriterCC Writer

Must be knowledgeable about the publics Must be knowledgeable about the publics (internal and external), channels of (internal and external), channels of communication and organisation.communication and organisation.

Must possessed broad knowledge of the Must possessed broad knowledge of the business.business.

Must be able to conduct research to know Must be able to conduct research to know what is important and what is not what is important and what is not important to the organisation and the important to the organisation and the publics.publics.

Cont’dCont’d

Must know all the current issues Must know all the current issues related to organizational operations.related to organizational operations.

Must be alert to the changes in Must be alert to the changes in attitude and behaviour of the society.attitude and behaviour of the society.

Must be an expert in communication.Must be an expert in communication.Must posses good writing skills.Must posses good writing skills.Must be able to analyse and predict Must be able to analyse and predict

situations.situations.

Ethics in CC WritingEthics in CC Writing

There are two main guidelines in There are two main guidelines in corporate communication writing:corporate communication writing:Be sensitive to the feelings and Be sensitive to the feelings and

needs of others. Treat others needs of others. Treat others as as how you want to be treated.how you want to be treated.

Be sensitive to the changes in Be sensitive to the changes in society – rules, policy etc.society – rules, policy etc.

Channels of CC WritingChannels of CC Writing IndividualsIndividualsMass Media Mass Media Specialised MediaSpecialised Media

Ethical influencing factors:Ethical influencing factors:Personal StandardPersonal Standard

Organizational and Industry Standards.Organizational and Industry Standards.

Laws and RegulationsLaws and Regulations

CC Practice Standards. CC Practice Standards.

Primary PublicsPrimary Publics

Issues related to writing ethics;Issues related to writing ethics;

1. Plagiarism 1. Plagiarism Using another Using another person’s work or ideas without giving person’s work or ideas without giving credit.credit.

2.2. Copyright issue Copyright issue Information is Information is access-free due to cyber situation.access-free due to cyber situation.

3.3. ““Common knowledge” and “expert Common knowledge” and “expert knowledge” status.knowledge” status.

Writing Ethics

1.1. Another person’s idea, opinion, or Another person’s idea, opinion, or theory.theory.

2.2. Any piece of information that isn’t Any piece of information that isn’t common knowledge, including facts, common knowledge, including facts, statistics, graphs, and drawings.statistics, graphs, and drawings.

3.3. Quotations of another person’s spoken Quotations of another person’s spoken or written words.or written words.

4.4. A paraphrase of another person’s A paraphrase of another person’s spoken or written words.spoken or written words.

What to attribute;

1.1. Using your own words and ideas.Using your own words and ideas.2.2. Paraphrasing by reading over the whole Paraphrasing by reading over the whole

material, and then writing out your idea material, and then writing out your idea without looking at the text.without looking at the text.

3.3. Always adding quotation marks when Always adding quotation marks when quoting word for word.quoting word for word.

4.4. Citing the source and page number when Citing the source and page number when taking notes.taking notes.

5.5. Avoiding cutting and pasting information Avoiding cutting and pasting information from the Web directly into documents in from the Web directly into documents in progress without noting the source.progress without noting the source.

Guidelines for avoidingPlagiarizing another’s work

Case Study – CC/PR EthicsCase Study – CC/PR Ethics

You are the CC/PR professional for a housing You are the CC/PR professional for a housing developer. Your company’s next project is multi-developer. Your company’s next project is multi-family housing for middle-income families. In family housing for middle-income families. In gathering information related to the project, you find gathering information related to the project, you find that the land for the complex was the site of a that the land for the complex was the site of a landfill. A DOE report shows very slow levels landfill. A DOE report shows very slow levels of contaminants that are not life-threatening of contaminants that are not life-threatening hazards. hazards. You discuss this information with your supervising You discuss this information with your supervising boss, who is not a PR professional, and recommend boss, who is not a PR professional, and recommend ways to explain the landfill history in promotional ways to explain the landfill history in promotional Materials (corporate writing). Your boss tells you Materials (corporate writing). Your boss tells you that the landfill information is not to be included in that the landfill information is not to be included in the materials. He does not want this issue the materials. He does not want this issue proactively discussed. What do you do?proactively discussed. What do you do?

Elements to be considered in the case study;Elements to be considered in the case study;

1.1. Define the specific ethical issue and/or Define the specific ethical issue and/or conflict.conflict.

2.2. Identify internal/external factors that may Identify internal/external factors that may influence the decision.influence the decision.

3.3. Identify key values.Identify key values.4.4. Identify the parties who will be affected by Identify the parties who will be affected by

the decision and define the CC/public the decision and define the CC/public relations professional’s obligation to each.relations professional’s obligation to each.

5.5. Select ethical principles to guide the Select ethical principles to guide the decision making process.decision making process.

6.6. Make a decision and justify.Make a decision and justify.

Readability IndexReadability Index

Gunning Fog IndexGunning Fog Index

The Fog Index is a method of The Fog Index is a method of analyzing written material to see how analyzing written material to see how easy it is to read and understand. easy it is to read and understand.

Steps you can use to calculate the Fog Steps you can use to calculate the Fog IndexIndex

1.1. Take a full passage that is around 100 words Take a full passage that is around 100 words (do not omit any sentences). (do not omit any sentences).

2.2. Find the average sentence length (divide the Find the average sentence length (divide the number of words by the number of sentences). number of words by the number of sentences).

3.3. Count the% of complex words (words with three Count the% of complex words (words with three or more syllables - root words), not including or more syllables - root words), not including proper nouns.proper nouns.

4.4. Add the average sentence length and the Add the average sentence length and the percentage of complex words.percentage of complex words.

5.5. Multiply the result by 0.4. Multiply the result by 0.4. 6.6. The score indicate the level of education in The score indicate the level of education in

years required to understand the passage.years required to understand the passage.

Example 1 Example 1 If your target audience is looking for self-If your target audience is looking for self-improvement information online, this is one improvement information online, this is one membership site you just have to be part of. membership site you just have to be part of. There is a section full of products that come with There is a section full of products that come with master resale rights and giveaway rights. master resale rights and giveaway rights. Members also get access to 10 self-Members also get access to 10 self-improvement related articles with private label improvement related articles with private label rights every month. Self Improvement rights every month. Self Improvement Millionaires provides everything you need so Millionaires provides everything you need so you can set up your sales pages and begin you can set up your sales pages and begin selling the products in minutes. One of the first selling the products in minutes. One of the first things that struck many about the Self things that struck many about the Self Improvement Millionaires site was the Improvement Millionaires site was the professional touch - the excellent quality of the professional touch - the excellent quality of the products, sales materials and graphics. (105 words)products, sales materials and graphics. (105 words)

Example 2Example 2Since abstract writing is hard to visualize, it often Since abstract writing is hard to visualize, it often seems as though it makes no sense and all the seems as though it makes no sense and all the words are excessive. Writers in academic fields words are excessive. Writers in academic fields that concern themselves mostly with the abstract, that concern themselves mostly with the abstract, such as philosophy and especially such as philosophy and especially postmodernism, often fail to include extensive postmodernism, often fail to include extensive concrete examples of their ideas, and so a concrete examples of their ideas, and so a superficial examination of their work might lead superficial examination of their work might lead one to believe that it is all nonsense. The one to believe that it is all nonsense. The widespread expectation that scholarly works in widespread expectation that scholarly works in these fields will look at first glance like nonsense these fields will look at first glance like nonsense is the source of humor that pokes fun at these is the source of humor that pokes fun at these fields by comparing actual nonsense with real fields by comparing actual nonsense with real academic writing. (101 words)academic writing. (101 words)