Exploring strategic communication for creating images of the future : role of narrative strategies

Abstract

This study explored the power and role of narrative in strategic communication, examining how these narratives are used to construct organizational visions of future opportunities. The work aimed to identify key narrative elements influencing future-making to understand how well they work across different types of businesses. The following methodology has been designed to conduct this research: conceptual argumentation to analyze strategic communications and a comprehensive literature review. The strategic communication analysis will focus on narrative aspects by reviewing relevant literature on storytelling, narratives, and methodologies in organizational studies. The results showed that successful storytelling is indispensable for winning trust, respectability, and alignment and getting stakeholder buy-in. The research underscored the necessity of customizing narratives per audience, with abstract framing being necessary when audiences are less likely to associate concepts and concrete framing needed where they would closely. It also detailed the difficulties and factors organizations had to contend with when deploying narrative strategies. The results emphasize a broader understanding of the function narratives serve, suggesting that stories do more than simply diffuse information in organizations: They also contribute to identity structures and adapt culture, thus enabling particularly reflexive responses towards critical contingencies. In conclusion, the research also provided significant findings related to narrative tactics that have practical implications for organizations interested in leveraging these insights to improve their communication strategies and develop stronger narratives guiding vision.