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espect for and interest in people of other
nations, in addition to allowing you to work
more easily in a variety of environments. You
will put interactions with your colleagues and
audiences in other nations on a different and
stronger footing.
However, a warning: do not imagine that a
mere facility to speak foreign languages is sufficient
to establish a worthwhile career in
international public relations. I have known
people with a knack for learning several languages
who, sadly, had little of consequence
to say in any of them, or were incapable of
real communication.
Customs and etiquette
Respect for the customs and etiquette of each
distinct society, country, nation or religion is
essential. Not only should these customs be
learned, they should be practised.
In the learning, you will often find the keys
that open the door to improved communication,
and that is your business. Without this
knowledge, there can be no success, even for
someone well qualified in all other respects.
International work experience
At a seminar of the Arthur W. Page Society
entitled ‘Public relations leadership in 2001:
greater importance, greater competition’,
Frank Vogl pointed out that ‘Globalisation
will impact every aspect of the PR chief’s
work.’ Stressing that the communication function
must reflect the new international
approach apparent in so many major corporations,
Vogl referred to an article in the Wall
Street Journal on 29 January 1996, which said
that ‘the executive suite is going global. With
nearly every industry targeting fast-growing
foreign markets, more companies are requiring
foreign experience for top management
positions.’
Switch places
Even if you plan to make your career in an
agency or consultancy, a spell of two or three
years working in-house at a corporation,
government department or other institution
will be valuable experience. It will give you
special insight into the minds of your clients
and the pressures they face within their own
organizations. Some in-house PR executives
are sceptical of the advice given by their external
counsellors because they suspect it is
given without accountability for the outcome.
Your advice will be more respected if your
client knows that you have at one time stood
in his shoes.
Survival of concept
It will be interesting to see if the concept of
the global corporation survives. To do so, it
will have to overcome some powerful forces
of economic nationalism and protectionism,
as well as the internal pressure in many corporations,
which together work to break up
enterprises into smaller pieces – either by
geography or by the various lines of business
in which they are engaged.
It will not be easy for most corporations,
however big they are, to become truly global.
This would mean a revolution in thinking
which some will argue is against human
nature. It means abandoning the enterprise’s
national identity, origins, centre of gravity and
community commitment, at least to a certain
extent.
When hard decisions have to be made, say
on the matter of selective plant closures in an
© 2004 Sandra Oliver for editorial matter and selection;
individual chapters, the contributors