Macquarie Group Communication Audit: Public Relations Strategy Report

This report provides a comprehensive communication audit of the Macquarie Group, focusing on its public relations strategy. It examines various aspects of their communication approach, including the channels used, such as social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram, to engage with stakeholders and shareholders. The report analyzes network analysis, evaluating how the group tracks customer feedback and uses it to improve their strategies. It also covers content analysis, readability studies, and the communication climate within the organization. Furthermore, the report assesses the methods used to evaluate organizational reputation, including the use of checklists, meetings, and participative management styles. The analysis highlights the importance of consistency, strategic vision, and the need to address potential drawbacks to maintain a positive brand image and strong relationships with stakeholders. The report references relevant academic sources to support its findings and conclusions.

Running head: PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGY
Public relations strategy- Communication audit of Macquarie Group
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Table of contents
Communication channels...........................................................................................................2
Network analysis........................................................................................................................2
Readability studies.....................................................................................................................3
Communication climate.............................................................................................................3
Organizational reputation evaluation.........................................................................................4
References and bibliography......................................................................................................6

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Communication channels
Communication falls within the strategic planning, which the companies and
organizations need to adopt. Exposure of rational thinking in this communication helps the
personnel to strengthen their relationship with the stakeholder and shareholders (Argenti,
2015). Typical component of this rational thinking is the adoption of efficient and effective
communication channels (Dozier, Grunig & Grunig, 2013). All these aspects seem true even
for the Macquarie Group, where social media is the means of communication. The
stakeholders and shareholders are provided with the access to Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn,
YouTube and Instagram for sharing their opinions about the steps undertaken
(Macquarie.com, 2017).
Network analysis
The customers care executives track the contents and responses generated by the
customers and clients. This is done through the means of mathematical calculations
regarding the flow of current through the wire meshes. As a sequential step, the drafts of
this analysis are sent to the higher authorities for their knowledge and approval for beginning
the next course of activities (Austin & Pinkleton, 2015). Here, observation of the usage
frequency by the admins of the Group is important for assessing the effectiveness,
appropriateness and feasibility of the undertaken steps in terms of the identified and specified
requirements (Macquarie.com, 2017).
Content analysis
In order to convey the information to the customers and clients, Macquarie Group
advertises the message on the social media. This helps the personnel to assess the approach of
a large number of customers towards the undertaken step. The personnel sit with the

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stakeholders and shareholders in meetings to assess their reactions towards the undertaken
steps (Smith, 2013). Participative management style is followed for analyzing the contents
levied by the clients. Open forums and discussions are organized, which acts as a platform for
the personnel towards expressing the issues, which they are facing while doing the business
activities (Macquarie.com, 2017). After taking note of every personnel, the managers analyze
the responses with the contents of the website. This helps in planning the future courses of
action in terms of reaching to the benchmark level of performance.
Readability studies
The personnel of Macquarie Group frequently conduct studies regarding the
surrounding market environment. This includes research about the initiatives, which they
have taken as well as the steps, which they need to take for benefitting the customers. For this
purpose, the researchers refer to the sources, which are reliable, authentic and valid (Stacks,
2016). As a sequential step, analysis of the research is done. Drafts of this research are sent to
the higher authorities for their approval (Macquarie.com 2017). All these steps project the
network chain, which is followed for making the managerial personnel aware of the business
activities. Viewing it from the other perspective, this network chain improves the
communication between the employees and the managers (Argenti, 2015).
Communication climate
Utilization of social media creates a positive image in the minds of the customers of
Macquarie Group. This utilization aligns with the usual perception of communication, that is,
connection between the sender and the receiver. Within this, the presence of security helps
the personnel to achieve loyalty, trust and dependence from the customers (Macquarie.com,
2017). Maintaining consistency in seeking modern security software helps the personnel to
retain the trust, loyalty and dependence. Evaluation of the customer approach is assistance for

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the personnel in terms of planning better communication channels. This evaluation brings to
the forefront the potential drawbacks, which might turn the trust of the customers into hatred.
Therefore, the personnel of Macquarie Group need to expose rational thinking in
communicating with the customers and clients.
Organizational reputation evaluation
According to Austin & Pinkleton, (2015), evaluation is an important component for
the companies and organizations in terms of upgrading the standards and quality of the
business activities. This is also applicable for Macquarie Group, where the personnel
undertake the assistance of checklists and templates for evaluation of the exposed
performance (Macquarie.com, 2017). Prior to this, the managers sit in meeting with the
stakeholders and shareholders to assess the effectiveness of the undertaken steps. Practicing
participative management style improves the communication between the employees and the
managers. This improvement is a slow but gradual progression towards the creation of stable
relationship between the personnel (Dozier, Grunig & Grunig, 2013). Meetings act as an
agent for the Macquarie Group managers to mitigate the instances of conflicts,
discriminations and harassments (Macquarie.com 2017). The previous sentence indicates the
approach of the Macquarie Group managers towards maintaining the decorum, which is vital
in terms of penetrating into the external environment and achieving business expansion.
As per the arguments of Smith, (2013), Maintenance of consistency in the execution
of evaluation is important in terms of upgrading the quality of the current performance. This
consistency helps the Macquarie Group personnel to add firmness in their market position.
Consistency in evaluation also reduces the mistakes and errors, which lures more number of
customers towards the brand image. Desperate attempts of the personnel enhance the
reputation of Macquarie Group (Macquarie.com, 2017). Along with this, it also enhances

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their personality among the customers. As a matter of specification, the personnel of
Macquarie Group evaluate the exposed performance, which adds meaning to the position
awarded to them. In this process, the personnel get aware of the areas, in which they are
lacking. Spontaneity in rectification of these drawbacks upgrades their standard among the
customers. On the contrary, lackadaisical attitude in modifying the error of judgments strains
the relationship between the customers and the personnel (Stacks, 2016).
For achieving positive results in the evaluation, the personnel of Macquerie Group
need to adopt strategic vision. Strategic planning possesses flexibility in terms of
systematizing the business activities and enhancing the productivity (Macquarie.com, 2017).

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References and bibliography
Argenti, P. A. (2015). Corporate communication. McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Austin, E. W., & Pinkleton, B. E. (2015). Strategic public relations management: Planning
and managing effective communication campaigns (Vol. 10). Routledge.
Dozier, D. M., Grunig, L. A., & Grunig, J. E. (2013). Manager's guide to excellence in public
relations and communication management. Routledge.
Macquarie.com (2017). About us. Available at: https://www.macquarie.com/in/ [Accessed on
12th October 2017]
Smith, R. D. (2013). Strategic planning for public relations. Routledge.
Stacks, D. W. (2016). Primer of public relations research. Guilford Publications.