Purpose: This study proposes the development of a stakeholder communication framework for manufacturing-based Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Methodology: Employing in-depth interviews with fifteen representatives from manufacturing-SMEs who take-up communication roles at the managerial level, this explorative method interprets, extracts relevant themes to facilitate the development of a stakeholder communication framework for this business sector. Main Findings: This study among key representatives of manufacturing SMEs concluded with the following findings. Firstly, these organizations communicate within the closed-loop stakeholder network with less focus to stakeholders beyond the network. Secondly, SMEs reveal a lack of keenness and understanding of the external business environment or the zone beyond the common network. Finally, with reference to the findings, the study suggests a communication framework for manufacturing SMEs through the incorporation of selected public relation models, roles and levels which is regarded as one that conservatively biased owing to the nature of this sector. Implications: The outcome brings a different perspective to the application of PR, particularly in the area of strategic business communication, which expands the research, application, and the future direction of PR. Novelty: This study enables PR to contribute to organizational competitiveness in the context of communication, which is inevitably vital for the positioning and sustenance of this business sector, particularly with the need to expand the communication portfolio towards stakeholders in the present competitive and globalized setting.
This research aims to position the practices of public relations (PR) at the strategic level of the organization. First, the study explores the scope of PR and its associated practices, while the following objective maps the practices to the strategic and less-strategic concepts of PR. Finally, the study assesses the need for PR practices towards meeting significant needs of the organization. Data collection comprise four methods; literature review, reference to industrial roles and responsibilities, a survey, and interviews with practitioners and senior managers from government linked companies, public listed companies and multinationals in Malaysia to gain insights on what is expected from the PR / communication practitioner. These methods serve to triangulate the findings in the aim towards optimizing the communication portfolio. The data analysis finds that, to elevate the communication portfolio of an organization to significant heights, there is a need to consider the alignment between strategic aspects of PR communication practices, present industrial practices, and formal PR education in the aim to position practitioners which would result in the PR role contributing to business significantly. From such a perspective, PR contributes to strategic business positioning while enhancing its reputation as an esteemed career to pursue. In short, this research explores the potentials of PR for enhanced levels of roles and responsibilities, particularly in its contribution to organizational business outcomes while proving its relevance within a disruptive business ecosystem thus being able to accommodate emerging trends.
The practice of social and environmental responsibility is inevitably vital in the present global scenario. Through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) also described as social responsibility (SR), companies are able to contribute to sustainable development while contributing to the protection of the natural environment, which can be achieved by the usage of natural resources in a responsible manner. However in most cases, SR has been regarded as a burden to business operations rather than a significant and direct contributor towards business revenue. Being part of the supply chain and catering their products to larger organisations, or, in some cases catering directly to the end customer, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) hold accountability to ensure their products are suited to present demands of various stakeholders. This study aims to understand the perception on environmentally related initiatives among selected manufacturing SMEs and to further understand the obstacles that hinder the manufacturing SMEs towards taking-up strategically inclined environmentally related SR. The In-depth interview method had been employed to gauge the response from the selected SME representatives. The research would be significant to understand better on the positioning of SMEs taking-up environmentally related SR practices from a strategic perspective which emphasizes on the 'built-in' concept into the organisation strategy. The initial finding is that, SR has been understood as philanthropy with a connotation of giving out of monetary resources usually taken-up by large organizations on a periodical basis, serving as a tool of publicity. Overall, the potentials of SR are not being realized by the SME representatives with shallow understanding that regards SR as a drawback rather than an industrial strength to be pursued for business competitiveness.
Purpose of the study: This study in Malaysia explores the adoption of strategic social responsibility (SR) practices among manufacturing-based small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Methodology: A qualitative approach employing the in-depth interview method was taken-up for this study. Eight respondents from manufacturing SMEs in Penang were randomly selected from the list published by the National SME Agency, which is also reckoned as SMECorp and participated in the study. The selection of senior level managers as respondents was also based on their understanding of strategic SR initiatives and decision-making capacity within their organizations. In order to further ensure that all respondents were equal in their views, the study avoided any attempt to interfere with or incorporate existing business-related practices of SMEs, which could influence the findings of this study. Main Findings: In order to enable manufacturing SMEs to pursue sustainable and profitable SR practices, the findings first propose a six-phase SR implementation methodology. Secondly, it includes a risk assessment matrix and thirdly, it is followed by a risk transition matrix. The risk assessment and transition matrices serve as determining factors for this sector to pursue such initiatives. Applications of this study: This enables the adoption of SR initiatives which converts to business competitiveness while positioning the SME strategically from social or environmental or both perspectives. Strategic SR helps to position business, thus proving beneficial for this sector that lacks a method to address SR in a benefitting way. This is vital because strategically aligned SR is able to influence business positioning, thus proving beneficial by contributing to the revenue, image, and brand positioning for this sector. Novelty/Originality of this study: Being a preliminary study, the findings identify the steps that are to be taken by manufacturing entities of smaller magnitude for SR-related business positioning.
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