The 2nd MScom Geneva communications forum is planned for September 10, 2007
Time: 16:30 – 20:00 hrs
Location: International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum, Geneva
Theme: “Global impact: dealing with consumer boycotts and stakeholder ambiguity in an interconnected world”
Speakers:
– Astrid Gade Nielsen, Corporate Communications Director, Arla Foods, Denmark
– Professor Craig Smith, London Business School, UK
– Professor Harrie Vredenburg, Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary, Canada
What options does an organization have when the reasons for a boycott are beyond its control? Increasingly, boycotts have very little to do with the products, services or actions of an individual organization. Instead, they are often related to the organization’s country of origin. American consumers, for example, decided to boycott French wine not because of any grievances against wine producers, but to punish France for its unwillingness to support US military action in Iraq. Arla Foods saw its products targeted not because of anything it did to anger consumers in the Arabic world. As a Danish company, it was held responsible for actions of the Danish press and government. While companies are under increasing pressure to manage conflicting or difficult-to-reconcile stakeholder demands – manifested by a growing number of boycotts – managers are still largely behind the curve in recognizing, justifying and developing the capabilities to do so. The MScom Geneva communications forum will bring three international experts to Geneva to discuss the various rationales behind boycotts, strategies for dealing with them, and the overall challenges posed by addressing multiple stakeholders on a global scale.
Cost: The participation fee for this event is CHF 150, which includes refreshments and a dinner buffet. A reduced price of CHF 100 is applicable to all members of the Geneva Communication Professionals Group, IPRA, the MScom Alumni Association and SRRP
