Strategic Communication and the Stakeholder Concept: Merging Marketing Communication and PR

Corporate communication is a strategic endeavour of two major directions; market and non-market
communication. Within this differentiation, marketing and communication/Public Relations usually operate
separately with a major focus on stakeholder communication since scholars’ research provides evidence for its
sustainable advantage. But with regard to different stakeholders’ requirements, the differentiation between
market and non-market-related communication has diminished and a number of objectives have become both
disciplines’ targets.
This paper suggests an extension for the notion communication and introduces a strategic model merging both
disciplines under the new function of Strategic Communication.
Key Words: Corporate communication, strategic communication, stakeholder concept, unitary perception.