Marketing communication: principles and practice

C O M M U N I C A T I O N I D E O L O G Y
80
Table 4.1
Possible communication behaviours
Communication 
Intention in 
Underlying 
Comment
model in use
communicating
ideology
Press agentry (TELL) Instruct – promotion 
Non-interactive 
The complete truth is 
of the corporation 
(one-way) 
not always told, so 
and its products 
communication 
that a favourable 
through publicity
activities help to 
impression may be 
control the publics 
made
that affect the 
corporation
Public information 
Inform – disseminate We know what facts 
‘Journalists-in-
(TELL)
truthful and accurate are for public 
residence’ try to 
information
consumption
represent the 
interests of both sides
Two-way, 
Consult/involve – 
We’re in control, but Market research may 
asymmetric (SELL)
use feedback to 
we need to know 
ask questions of 
manipulate public 
what will motivate 
customers and 
attitudes into 
you to cooperate 
consumers, but the 
agreeing with the 
with us in our way 
interest is only to the 
corporation’s point 
of thinking to 
extent that this will 
of view
accomplish our goal
help us to get what 
we want from you
Two-way, symmetric Collaborate – attempt Conceives of both 
Conflict resolution 
(NEGOTIATE)
to reach a state of 
parties as partici-
comes through co-
affairs that is 
pating in and 
produced identities, 
acceptable to all by 
engaged in an 
meanings, and 
developing mutual 
exchange
knowledge, in social 
understanding
action 
Source
: Based on Grunig, 1992

---

creating processes. (Fan belts are added to car engines, whereas cream cakes
are added to my stomach!)
The corporation is a contributing and benefiting part of a social network
of value-creators and value-users who are linked by commonalities in their
needs and competences for satisfying them.
COOPERATION, COLLABORATION,
COMPETITION
Marketing may be operated managerially or managerialistically. In examining
the politics of corporate life, Deetz observed that managerialism is a kind of
logic, a set of routine practices, and an ideology. This managerialistic way
of dealing with situations and people is ‘a way of conceptualising, reasoning,
through, and discussing events’ (a ‘discursive genre’) but, it also involves 
‘a set of routine practices, a real structure of rewards, and a code of
C O M M U N I C A T I O N I D E O L O G Y
81
Generative
Productive
Representative
Figure 4.5
The knowledge system processes
Figure 4.6
A value star network

---

representation. It is a way of doing and being in corporations that partially
structures small groups and conflicts with, and at times suppresses, each
group’s other modes of thinking’ (Deetz, 1992: 222).
In much of marketing management, as well as management, and life in
general, competition is taken to be the basis for relating, rather than co-
operation. Tasks are considered central. Yet, interactions arise within relation-
ships. A market interaction is transactional, is entered into independently of
previous or subsequent exchanges, is short-term in outlook, and is primarily
motivated by self-interest. A relational interaction, on the other hand, is a
development of a long-term supportive relationship (see Table 4.2).
The implication of the analysis of relationship characteristics (Table 4.2)
is that managers should, beneficially, attend more to relationships than to
transactions. We examine this further in chapters eleven and twelve when
we review current thinking on internal marketing and relationship marketing.
A collaborative communication strategy focuses on making a relationship
that works for all participants and contributors. An autonomous communi-
cation strategy assumes benefit will arise from depersonalizing interactions
(see also chapter fourteen on strategy formation and implementation).