A majority of top communicators report directly to the CEO or president of their organization, and almost all provide some kind of strategic counsel at least weekly, according to the second part of a survey released last week.
The study found that nearly 54 percent of PR execs report to CEOs or presidents, with 93 percent meeting at least once a week to provide counsel. The findings were gleaned from "Corporate Communications Benchmark 1997," which was sponsored by Edelman Public Relations Worldwide, the Opinion Research Corp. and the Integrated Marketing Communications Department of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. Conclusions were drawn from answers supplied by communications officials at 100 major companies, some with a global presence.
The results are promising in two ways: they indicate that not only are PR specialists moving up in the ranks of companies but also that their expertise is trusted and needed by those in upper management. Michael Morley, deputy chairman of Edelman and president of the New York office, said that the results are heartening because they show that a "higher position allows communicators to be more effective."
Other results of the recently released portion of the study indicate that:
- Nearly 90 percent of corporations use external communications agencies;
- Five percent do not outsource work;
- The major responsibility for the effectiveness of an integrated program lies at the corporate level; and
- Companies where seven or more different communications functions fall under the "jurisdiction" of a single corporate communications umbrella report significantly higher levels of communications effectiveness. (Edelman, 312/240-2685)