Business Essentials for Strategic Communicators: Creating Shared Value for the Organization and its Stakeholders

by M. Ragas, E. Culp

Overview

The rise of digital media and the public's demand for transparency has elevated the importance of communication for every business. To have a voice or seat at the table and maximize their full value, a strategic communicator must be able to speak the language and understand business goals, issues, and trends. The challenge is that many communicators don't hold an MBA and didn't study business in college. 
Business Essentials for Strategic Communicators provides communication professionals and students with the essential 'Business 101' knowledge they need to navigate the business world with the best of them. Readers will learn the essentials of financial statements and terminology, the stock market, public companies, and more--all with an eye on how this knowledge helps them do their jobs better as communication professionals. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781137385338
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan
Publication date:	12/17/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	211
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Matthew Ragas is an Associate Professor and Academic Director of the graduate program in Public Relations and Advertising at DePaul University, USA.
Ron Culp is a veteran public relations executive who now serves as Professional Director of the graduate program in Public Relations and Advertising at DePaul University, USA.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents Foreword Gary Sheffer Preface Acknowledgements List of Tables and Figures PART I Introduction to Business Essentials for Communicators 1. Why Knowledge of 'Business 101' Matters PART II Foundational Business Knowledge for Communicators 2. Economics and Economic Indicators 3. Finance and the Stock Market 4. Accounting and Financial Statements 5. The Law and Corporate Disclosure 6. Intangible Assets and Non-Financial Information PART III Focal Areas at the Intersection of Business and Communication 7. Corporate Governance 8. Corporate Social Responsibility 9. Corporate Reputation PART IV Demonstrating and Improving the Business Value of Communication 10. Communication Measurement and Evaluation References Glossary Index About the Authors

Editorial Reviews

Business Essentials for Strategic Communicators provides a broad overview of the business knowledge communications majors need to navigate the future of corporate communication. … Ragas and Culp provide communication educators and students with a well-written account of the importance of ‘business 101’ essentials for strategic communications practice. … Instructor's may find this book useful as a supplementary textbook in introductory strategic communications and public relations courses.” (Ann Marie Major, Journalism & Mass Communication Educator, Vol. 74 (41), 2015)

“The text is perhaps most appropriate and valuable for undergraduates taking applied or strategic communication coursework. … Business Essentials for Strategic Communicators provides a gentle introduction to well-selected key concepts with which undergraduate students should be familiar as they prepare to become effective strategic communicators.” (Nina O’Brien, International Journal of Communication, Issue 9, 2015)

"Few advisers mean more to a CEO than strategic communicators. The very best bring more than a command of messaging and tactics; they offer genuine insight about the business. This book should be the first thing every aspiring communicator reads. It contains the defining lessons on how to earn trust, credibility, and respect."

-Bill McDermott, Chief Executive Officer, SAP

"The days when people in strategic communication could get by without understanding financial numbers is long gone, and this book is the prime tool for teaching them what they need to know."

-Chris Roush, Senior Associate Dean and Walter E. Hussman Sr. Distinguished Scholar, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA

"Never has it been more important for the strategic communicator to have a working knowledge of the business side of the enterprise. More than ever, it's essential for the communications objectives to be tied directly to the business objectives of the organization and it's impossible to correctly make that connection without knowing the essentials of business operations. Ragas and Culp have captured not just the 'nice to have' knowledge, but the really impactful knowledge needed by any communications professional who truly wants to create shared value for the organization and its stakeholders. This is a 'must have' book for any communicator's personal bookshelf."

-Bob 'Pritch' Pritchard, PRSSA 2011-2015 National Faculty Adviser and Faculty Adviser, University of Oklahoma, USA

"At last! Ragas and Culp have delivered the book communicators have long needed to grasp financial and economic fundamentals and enhance their effectiveness as strategic counselors. In clear, comprehensive style, Business Essentials is written for communicators by communicators and is a must have on classroom and office desks."

-Sandra Duhé, Fellow PRSA; Member, Arthur W. Page Society; and Chair of the Division of Communication Studies, Southern Methodist University, USA

"As a communications professional with a graduate business degree, I know first-hand that what Matt Ragas and Ron Culp have put forth in Business Essentials for Strategic Communicators is essential to anyone who aspires to be a successful communicator in today's business environment."

-Mike Fernandez, Corporate Vice President, Cargill

"Business Essentials for Strategic Communicators fills an enormous gap in most strategic communications students' education. It takes them through a range of business topics that are vital for success in the changing world of work. Written by two former business communication professionals, the book explains key issues such as understanding financial statements, the sk market, and corporate social responsibility. The timing couldn't be better for this practical guide for both students and practitioners."

-Jimmy Gentry, Clyde M. Reed Teaching Professor, School of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of Kansas, USA

"Business Essentials for Strategic Communicators is what scholars and students have all been waiting for! The challenge is not to confront future communication specialists with all there is to know about business, but to concentrate on what they need for their work as a consultant, media officer, or future CCO - and CEO counterpart. The authors have managed this enormous task with striking elegance. Moreover, they have succeeded in re-rooting the latest PR developments in the business discourse, thus creating a reliable common ground for every discussion with managers and on management."

-Lars Rademacher, Professor of Public Relations, Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences, Germany

"More than ever, today's communication leaders must be rock solid business executives, with fluency in the language, concepts, and strategies utilized by their C-Suite colleagues in finance, operations, marketing, and legal. Ragas and Culp have delivered an excellent resource to equip today and tomorrow's communicators with the framework and terminology they will need to deliver strategic counsel in all levels of the business. I highly recommend it to anyone in the communications profession, both current senior executives and those who aspire to be."

-Tom Martin, Executive-in-Residence, The College of Charleston, USA

"Years ago I was tasked with creating a 'capstone' course for our program and Public Relations Management was the result, anticipating the graduates' transition from technician to manager. That proved to be easy; finding the perfect textbook was not. Now, finally, Ragas and Culp come to the rescue. Business Essentials for Strategic Communicators is carefully planned, researched, and written for those who covet that 'seat at the table'. The glossary alone is worth the price."

-Maria P. Russell, Fellow PRSA, and Professor of Public Relations and Director, Syracuse University, USA

From the Publisher