Deciding MNCs Necessity to Localize
The first step of identifying the need to localize
depends on the importance of the host country, or market, to the business strategy of the MNC
OR
on the cultural and geographic distance of the subsidiary from the main office.
An _________ environment or a _____ _____ will limit the extent to which public relations can be localized.
uncollaborative
a centralized structure
this is the key internal factor that supports the localization decision and process.
public relations resources of a client
This author wrote a guide about three-level typology that provides guidance about localization
Zaharna
This perspective assumes that public relations is practiced differently wherever an MNC has operations
polycentric
3 Environmental factors in an MNC’s decision to localize.
(a) policies and regulations,
(b) culture and language,
(c) local activism,
(d) local hostility and skepticism, and (e) relationships with local media.
the extent to which MNCs should localize based on these two key external factors
Industry type and the host country’s media system.
This can affect the trust levels between a client and agency.
organizational culture
Localizing public relations tactics may include adapting these 2 communications styles.
1. verbal,
2. nonverbal,
3. visual communications;
4. rhetorical style;
5. overall communication matrix.
While there was no general consensus about how successful localization should be measured, the most frequently mentioned metrics were these 2 things.
media clips and advertising value equivalency.
These are 2 macro-level organizational variables that should influence decisions about whether and how to localize.
1. the complexity of the organization,
2. its corporate culture,
3. shared expectations of managers and practitioners about public relations
4. public relations participation in organizational decision making
This is considered the best practice, in terms of localization, in cases where government regulation of the industry is high.
localization becomes a business necessity.
Because of the complexities involved in navigating the laws and politics of so many different countries where clients have operations, agencies frequently ______, _____, ______ when planning a campaign.
consults political analysts, international relations consultants, and lawyers
Multiple content analyses determined that localized advertising strategies of MNCs included these 3 things amongst others.
1. the customization of themes,
2. slogans,
3. headlines,
4. subheads,
5. body copy,
6. models,
7. characters,
8. spokespeople,
9. names,
10. layout,
11. background visuals,
12. color,
13. music,
14. commercial length,
15. advertisement size
Some agencies measure success in host countries by comparing the results with global results to demonstrate that local efforts are aligned with global objectives. One complication of this approach is this...
quantitative data is difficult to compare across countries.
This is a potential negative of increasing a subsidiaries autonomy for the sake of facilitating a more effective localization effort
Inconsistent communication about the organization
This type of environment or structure will limit the extent to which public relations can be localized.
An uncollaborative environment or a centralized structure.
3 industry characteristics that can be influenced by the macro-level factors of culture, law, and politics.
(a) an industry’s connection to the consumer (e.g., culture influence)
(b) its regulation by government (e.g., legal influence)
(c) its perception among important stakeholders (e.g., political influence).
The reading identified these three public relations specializations where the associated tactics were likely to be localized.
1. media relations,
2. government relations
3. public affairs
Many large corporations have entered into relationships with multiple public relations agencies. If students are seeking to work at these agencies, they should learn this skill
become multilingual.
List 3 ways localization benefits subsidiaries
1. adapt corporate messages to address the self-interests,
2. expectations, and
3. cultural sensitivities of local stakeholders.
4. prevent issues from developing into crises through environmental scanning conducted at the local level
List 3 internal factors that can enable or constrain them from implementing effective local public relations strategies and tactics.
1. include the size and resources of the MNC,
2. the bandwidth of the public relations department,
3. the degree of collaboration that is likely, given the MNC’s corporate culture and management style.
This was the most frequently mentioned external industry characteristic
connection to the consumer
1. Media pitches
2. News Releases
3. News Conferences
4. Printed Media
5. Spokespeople
6. Opinion leaders / Influencers
7. Special Events
8. Social Media
9. Translation
This was the dumbest quote in the article. *I'll also accept the name of the author
Wakefield proposed that MNCs should
“think global and local and act global and local” (p. 10, italics in original).