Corporate communication plays a critical role in shaping organizational identity, strengthening stakeholder relationships, and protecting brand reputation in today’s fast-changing business environment. This course explores the strategic principles of corporate communication, including branding, media relations, crisis communication, and stakeholder engagement, and explains their significance in modern organizations.

Corporate Communication: Theory and Practice

Recommended experience
Recommended experience
What you'll learn
Develop strategic corporate communication plans to strengthen stakeholder engagement and brand reputation.
Analyze communication challenges and apply crisis, media, and leadership communication strategies effectively.
Measure communication effectiveness using research methods and strategic planning frameworks.
Details to know

Add to your LinkedIn profile
June 2026
13 assignments
See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

There are 13 modules in this course
This module explores the foundations of corporate communication, highlighting key market, societal, and technological trends that shape organizational messaging. Learners will analyze real-world examples, such as Apple's approach, to understand how authentic corporate character aligns with stakeholder-focused strategies.
What's included
1 video3 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
3 readings•Total 25 minutes
- Introduction•15 minutes
- Trends in Corporate Communication•5 minutes
- Case Study: Apple Inc - Acting in Character•5 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Foundations of Corporate Communication Strategy•16 minutes
This module explores how contemporary organizations structure and integrate their corporate communication functions, focusing on the convergence of marketing and public relations. Learners will analyze real-world case studies to understand the drivers, challenges, and strategies for delivering unified stakeholder messaging. Practical frameworks for organizing communication teams and processes are also examined.
What's included
1 video5 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
5 readings•Total 29 minutes
- Introduction•5 minutes
- Case Study: Makeup.Com: an Online Platform for Branded Content from L'Oréal•5 minutes
- Drivers for Integrated Communication•5 minutes
- Case Study: Organization of Corporate Communication•8 minutes
- Organizing Communication at Siemens•6 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Strategic Alignment in Corporate Communication•16 minutes
This module explores how organizations navigate the rapidly evolving digital media landscape to communicate effectively with stakeholders. Learners will examine the strengths of various social platforms, develop integrated communication strategies, and analyze real-world case studies to understand both opportunities and challenges in corporate communication.
What's included
1 video4 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
4 readings•Total 44 minutes
- Introduction•13 minutes
- Case Study: Spotify's 2018 Goals Campaign•14 minutes
- Challenges and Opportunities•10 minutes
- Case Study: Nestle's Response to Greenpeace's Social Media Campaign•7 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Corporate Communication in the Digital Age•16 minutes
This module explores the identification, categorization, and engagement of stakeholders using models such as the power-interest matrix. Learners will examine real-world case studies to understand effective communication strategies and the impact of stakeholder relationships on organizational reputation and success.
What's included
1 video9 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
9 readings•Total 41 minutes
- Introduction•5 minutes
- Nature of Stakes and Stakeholders•4 minutes
- Stakeholder Communication•4 minutes
- Stakeholder Categories•3 minutes
- The Power-Interest Matrix•5 minutes
- British American Tobacco (BAT) and Stakeholder Dialogue•4 minutes
- Stakeholder Engagement•6 minutes
- Case Study: Starbucks Coffee Company and Stakeholder Engagement•5 minutes
- Managing Relations with the Community•5 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Modern Stakeholder Engagement and Organizational Communication•16 minutes
This module explores how organizations develop and communicate a cohesive corporate identity, build strong brands, and manage their reputations among diverse stakeholders. Learners will examine the importance of consistency, alignment, and transparency in corporate communications, and analyze real-world examples of strategic branding decisions.
What's included
1 video6 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
6 readings•Total 35 minutes
- Introduction•3 minutes
- Consistency•8 minutes
- Corporate Branding•5 minutes
- Question for Reflection•5 minutes
- Aligning Identity, Image and Reputation•10 minutes
- Branding the Entire Corporation•4 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Aligning Vision, Culture, and Image for Organizational Success•16 minutes
This module guides learners through the process of aligning communication strategies with organizational goals, crafting audience-specific messages, and planning effective campaigns. Learners will explore message styles, stakeholder analysis, budgeting, and real-world brand storytelling to enhance their strategic communication skills.
What's included
1 video8 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
8 readings•Total 43 minutes
- Introduction•9 minutes
- Strategic Messaging and Content Platforms•4 minutes
- Alternative Message Styles•10 minutes
- Planning and Executing Communication Programmes and Campaigns•4 minutes
- Identify and Prioritize Target Audiences•5 minutes
- Prepare the Budget•4 minutes
- Building a Global Brand•3 minutes
- Telling the Story•4 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Corporate Communication and Strategic Decision-Making•16 minutes
This module explores how research and measurement underpin effective corporate communication strategies. Learners will discover methods for designing evidence-based metrics, evaluating reputation, and tracking the impact of communication campaigns through real-world case studies. Practical tools and frameworks for assessing stakeholder perceptions and campaign effectiveness are also introduced.
What's included
1 video7 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
7 readings•Total 38 minutes
- Introduction•6 minutes
- Case Study: FedEx: From a Portfolio of Brands to a Single Company•4 minutes
- Question for Reflection•3 minutes
- Methods and Measures•6 minutes
- Measuring Corporate Reputation•6 minutes
- Corporate Reputation Research Methods•9 minutes
- Amnesty International's Refugee Nation Campaign•4 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Corporate Reputation and Research in Strategic Communication•16 minutes
This module explores how organizations interact with the media to shape public perception and manage corporate reputation. Learners will examine newsroom processes, media framing, and the impact of news coverage, while analyzing real-world case studies and mastering essential media relations tools.
What's included
1 video6 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
6 readings•Total 35 minutes
- Introduction•5 minutes
- Effects of News Coverage on Corporate Reputation•6 minutes
- Framing News Stories•7 minutes
- Case Study: Facebook's Negative News Coverage•3 minutes
- Media Relations Tools•7 minutes
- Case Study: Amazon's Silent Rise to the Top•7 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Media Relations and Strategic Communication•16 minutes
This module explores effective strategies for fostering open employee communication, building trust through feedback, and leveraging social media to create knowledge-sharing communities. Learners will examine the impact of organizational identification and participation on collaboration and innovation, illustrated by real-world case studies. By the end, participants will understand how communication structures influence employee engagement and organizational success.
What's included
1 video6 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
6 readings•Total 35 minutes
- Introduction•8 minutes
- Employee Communication and Organizational Identification•6 minutes
- Voice, Silence, and Stimulating Employee Participation•6 minutes
- Social Media, Networks and Communities of Practice•6 minutes
- Case Study: Transforming IBM•5 minutes
- Communities of Practice•4 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Balancing Communication for Organizational Success•16 minutes
This module examines how organizations anticipate, respond to, and manage public issues through environmental scanning, strategic communication, and engagement with activist groups. Learners will explore real-world case studies to understand the impact of issues management on reputation and policy influence. Practical strategies for addressing activist pressures and protecting organizational legitimacy are also covered.
What's included
1 video8 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
8 readings•Total 43 minutes
- Introduction•6 minutes
- Environmental Scanning•7 minutes
- Issue-Specific Response Strategies•7 minutes
- Case Study: Gillette's Stance on Masculinity Following the #MeToo Movement•4 minutes
- Influencing Public Policy•4 minutes
- Anti-Corporate Activism•6 minutes
- Case Study: Shell in Nigeria – Issues Management, Activism, and Reputational Damage•4 minutes
- Oil Spills and Environmental Degradation•5 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Effective Issues Management in Organizational Context•16 minutes
This module explores how organizations can prepare for, respond to, and recover from crises by mapping crisis types, assessing stakeholder needs, and crafting effective communication strategies. Learners will examine real-world case studies and analyze the impact of crises on corporate reputation, gaining practical tools for managing organizational challenges.
What's included
1 video7 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
7 readings•Total 37 minutes
- Introduction•4 minutes
- Crisis Management•6 minutes
- Impact of a Crisis on Corporate Reputation•5 minutes
- Communicating about a Crisis•7 minutes
- Crisis Communication Strategies•6 minutes
- Case Study: Tata's Handling of the Mumbai Terrorist Attacks•6 minutes
- The Aftermath of the Crisis•3 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Effective Crisis Response and Reputation Management•16 minutes
This module explores how leaders communicate effectively during organizational change, contrasting different communication strategies and their impact on employee engagement and morale. Through real-world case studies, learners will examine narrative techniques and leadership approaches that drive successful change adoption.
What's included
1 video7 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
7 readings•Total 44 minutes
- Introduction•7 minutes
- Case Study: Cultural Change at Microsoft•5 minutes
- Communicating During a Change•6 minutes
- Spray and Pray•9 minutes
- Effective Leadership Communication•8 minutes
- Case Study: British Airways: Change and Leadership Communication at 'the World's Favourite Airline'•4 minutes
- Hybrid Working and Employee Morale•5 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Effective Communication and Leadership in Change Management•16 minutes
This module explores frameworks for responsible corporate citizenship, effective CSR communication strategies, and the development of meaningful community partnerships. Learners will examine real-world cases to understand the impact of CSR decisions on stakeholder trust and organizational reputation. Practical guidance is provided for crafting integrated CSR reports and engaging local communities.
What's included
1 video5 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
5 readings•Total 40 minutes
- Introduction•17 minutes
- Communicating about Corporate Social Responsibility•7 minutes
- Community Relations•9 minutes
- Kraft's Takeover of Cadbury: Forgetting the Community?•5 minutes
- Promises to Communities•2 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Corporate Social Responsibility: From Theory to Practice•16 minutes
Instructor

Offered by
Why people choose Coursera for their career

Felipe M.

Jennifer J.

Larry W.

Chaitanya A.
Frequently asked questions
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.
More questions
Financial aid available,



