Introduction
Since the emergence of humanity itself, man has not been able to escape language as a palpable expression of communication. Going through various stages such as: totens as the genesis of visual symbolism or iconography, heraldry and ending in the marketing of the XXI.
In its visual approach, through graphics, it can be decomposed into basic entities, each of which has its own meaning by itself, but which, united in different ways, can constitute different communicative elements. (Frascara, Jorge, Graphic Design and Communication, Santiago de Cuba, 1988 Edition, p, 10.)
In dissimilar scientific works of various genres such as psychology, sociology, anthropology and law, they rely on concepts and paradigms typical of the communicative sphere, which reveals the existence that communication theories constitute an indispensable bulwark to the social Sciences.
The globalized and neoliberal world in which we carry out our activity has made it essential to master the conceptual problem of institutional image and identity, manifesting the preeminence that must be given to the way in which organizations communicate, both in their internal environment and external.
In this way, the words identity and image have been associated with the notion of organization, giving rise to concepts such as institutional image and organizational identity.
The classic system based on the natural right to property and the invisible hand of the market has been replaced by a much more complex legitimation system, in which the company not only has responsibilities towards its clients, suppliers and employees, but also towards the environment or the community where it works.
Development
When it comes to legitimizing the Cuban company, it does not only involve the fulfillment of its productive functions and its obligations towards the state, but, like the rest of the citizens, it must be respectful of the general interest, with the claims of the movement. of consumers, environmental protection and ultimately, with social demands for a better quality of life company - citizen.
This evolution of the organization increases the degree of complexity of management policies at all levels, so that, as in many other fields of social and cultural life, the main danger in the management of the Company Image System is that of simplicity.
In the last years of the nineties and with the commercial openings carried out in Cuba at this stage, it became necessary to temper the conditions of the Cuban business world to this situation. Many were the efforts of our business universe to update its visual discourse and advance in the management of the Corporate Image.
The rise of Corporate Visual Identity programs has allowed the normalization and regulation of the presentation of entities in their different identification supports, providing them with an external visual expression that allows them to be unequivocally differentiated from other companies and institutions.
General conceptions about organizational communication.
Communication Concept:
According to Martín Serrano Manuel, in Communication Theory: “Communication is a process that is established in a historical-cultural context, which mediates, generates and facilitates human relationships in which meanings are exchanged, constructed and reconstructed through signs and symbols at different levels of social organization. A rational and formal influence is established among the participants that allows the organization of the joint activity.
It is to make it possible for some men to recognize others and they, in a double sense, recognize the right to live and think differently, and recognize themselves as men in those differences.
Communication Models:
In the definition of the communication concept, different paradigms are currently outlined that comprise various models, among them the Informational Paradigm represented in the Aristotelian model, the behaviorist model of Laswell, the mathematical-informational one of Shannon, the sociological one of Schramm, the linguistic one of Jakobson. and Maletzke's psychological, among many others, which refer to communication as a process in which the sender elaborates and transmits a message that passes through a channel or medium to a receiver, where the effectiveness is given in the amount of information that manages to reach the latter with as little noise or interference as possible. Our work will emphasize this latest model.
The dialectical model of Manuel Martín Serrano, who sees communication as the exchange of information.
Communication levels:
Intrapersonal: Individual processing of information.
Interpersonal: Basic level where there is an exchange of roles, (face to face) interaction that takes place directly between two or more physically close people in which the five senses can be used with immediate feedback.
McEntee Elieen E. 1996, 12). Tells us that: "Conversation is the social ability to speak informally and on a daily basis face to face, with different people and on a variety of topics."
Intragroup: It is established within a specific group, such as: the family.
Intergroup: It takes place in the local community. Public communication is inherent to it, in which information is produced and distributed through a specialized communication system that concerns the community as a whole.
Institutional: involves the allocation of material and human resources to an organization specialized in obtaining, processing and distributing information for public communication. It refers to the political system and the commercial enterprise. It is precisely this that will be the object of our work.
Identity
Considering the social group as a network of interactions, we say that an organization is the set of internal relations and regulations that preserves the autonomy of the system and ensures the continuity of the group. The source of internal cohesion that distinguishes the organization as a separate entity and distinct from others is identity.
By organizational identity we understand the personality of the entity. This personality is the conjunction of its history, its ethics, its work philosophy, daily behaviors, characteristics, values, and beliefs with which the organization identifies itself and sets itself apart from other organizations and the norms established by the direction.
From the point of view of organizational analysis, identity in an organization is made up of everything that allows it to be distinguished as singular and different from the others. It materializes through a structure. It is defined by the resources it has available and the use it makes of them, by the relationships between its members and with the environment, by the modes that these relationships adopt, by the purposes that guide the actions and existing programs for their implementation and control.
Thus, identity has multiple manifestations: it is in its roles and in its technology, in its information and control systems, in the ways in which decisions are made, in the socialization processes of its members, in the discipline it imparts, in the ways they assume power and authority, in the forms of interaction between their members, in their walls and in their equipment, in their resources and in their discourse.
Formation of the institutional image
The subjects receive the information of the organization from different sources: the same organization through its conduct and its communicative action and that from the environment.
Once the individual arrives, he will process it together with the one he already has and thus, a mental structure will be formed in memory, that is, an image of that organization will be generated.
The image of a company is a definitive element that supports all differentiation and positioning management. It is the very essence that marks how it wants to be perceived by the target market it is targeting.
Corporate image refers to how a company is perceived, being its simplest expression: who it is, what it is, what it does and how it does it. It is a generally accepted representation of what a company "means". Its creation is an exercise in the direction of perception. It is produced by a multidisciplinary group of psychologists, designers, marketing specialists and especially by marketing experts who use public relations and other forms of promotion to suggest a mental picture to the public.
Typically, it is designed to be attractive to the public, so that the company can provoke an interest among consumers or target market, "create a hole in their mind", generate brand wealth and facilitate the sales of the product or service.
The image of a corporation is not created solely by the company. Other actors that contribute to creating a company image could be the media, journalists, trade unions, environmental organizations, and other NGOs.
Public
In image communication, the concept of the public and its training in relation to the organization are fundamental.
According to Paul Capriotti, the study of audiences should focus on analyzing the individual-organization relationships to get to know the fundamental link established between the two that will lead to each audience having particular interests in relation to the organization.
Thus, the publics would be established from the consequences of the organization's action on people or vice versa. A link arises, a relationship between the two based on these consequences. In this way, when people recognize the consequences of the organization on them, they become publics of the institution.
Treatment of Visual Identity in Cuba.
For Industrial property, four forms of distinctive signs are established in Cuban legislation:
Trademark: any sign or combination of signs that serves to distinguish products or services from their similar ones on the market;
Commercial name: a word sign that identifies the different natural and legal persons, in the exercise of their economic activity;
Business emblem: any visible, figurative or mixed sign that identifies the different natural and legal persons, in the exercise of their economic activity;
Establishment sign: any visible sign that identifies a specific establishment or premises;
Commercial slogan: any legend or combination of words intended to draw the public's attention to specific products or services in order to popularize them; and
Distinguishing sign: any sign that constitutes a brand, a trade name, a business emblem, an establishment sign or a commercial slogan.
In the Cuban business environment regarding the Communication Manual, its division and separation is counterproductive because in terms of organizational communication it must be based on the existence of the Visual Identity Manual, to prove the use of these elements, without forgetting that parallel to it must launch the Communication Management Manual.
Within the powers of the General Director of the Company or institution are those to approve the Communication System of the company, which necessarily includes the Communication Management Manual and the Corporate Identity Manual, which leads to the approval of measures that guarantee to establish adequate communication between the general management, the areas of regulation and control, the base business units and with the workers in general.
The Cuban system of Business Direction and Management defines the following concepts:
Communication management manual: It is the work tool that allows the management of the company, or the senior management organization, the design and implementation of a coherent and harmonious communication system, achieving the operation of Communication for the sake of improvement of the company and reducing the tendency to improvisation that frequently exists in terms of communication.
Corporate Identity Manual: It constitutes a basic tool for the management of the company, or of the senior management organization, in achieving an image that distinguishes it. Tool that defines the management of the guidelines for the presentation of institutional messages, as a means that guarantees respect and the promotion of the identity of the institution, in each of the information programs. The corporate identity manual describes the main and secondary activity of the company, the time of existence, its location, type of market; The attributes of the visual image of the company and its use in the different communication media are presented, it is specified how, when, and where the image should be used.
For its part, CHAPTER XIX "BUSINESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM" of the aforementioned legal body establishes the most general concepts about Business Communication, including visual identity, and I quote:
Communication is an activity of the human being, inherent in the man and woman who make up companies and society in general. The implementation of a business communication system implies permanent interaction between workers and management, in order to achieve an exchange of ideas that achieves better performance and therefore greater effectiveness and efficiency in management.
Business communication is the set of activities aimed at facilitating and speeding up the flow (round trip) of messages that are given between workers and with their management, as well as between the company and its environment. The application of a correct communication system allows influencing the opinions, aptitudes and behaviors of the company's workers and external audiences, in order to meet the company's objectives more efficiently and quickly.
The business communication system is aimed at both internal audiences, made up of all company workers, as well as external audiences, made up of the people, customers, suppliers, competitors and the rest of the governmental or non-governmental institutions that in one way or another are related to the company; Therefore, it is essential to establish a communication system so that coherence between the actions carried out within the company and the reality of the environment is not lost.
External communication
• External communication is a fundamental process to achieve links with society, through it the bases are offered so that the fundamental reason for the company or superior management organization and the results of its management is known.
• External communication conceived in a global way should be managed through direct communication actions with community representatives, leaders of political and mass organizations or other external institutions that are related to the company or higher management organization, and through work with electronic, printed and audiovisual media in order to guarantee an adequate level of knowledge and social recognition about the company or senior management organization, its results, its workers and its values.
• The favorable image that society may have on the company or superior management organization, constitutes the basis for the work in external communication based on marketing that is focused on promoting products and services that the company offers to society and its public.
About the Application of the Communication System
The development of the communication system in the company or superior management organization and its permanent updating must be the result of a study and analysis of all the workers, with the leadership of the general manager. This process cannot be the result of spontaneous aspirations and for its formulation the company or higher management organization can be assisted by professors from the Faculty of Social Communication, accredited consultants in the field or external experts who are professionally prepared for it, it is important that a communication professional is chosen and not a connoisseur.
The companies or senior management organization for the implementation of the communication system must have as a background the definition of their business values and the formulation of the defined comprehensive strategy. Working without this prior information will subject the company or senior management organization to unproductive investments and unnecessary resource expenditures in the implementation of the communication system.
Each worker has his own vision and perception of problems, objectives and goals; This aspect is important to keep in mind in the design of the communication system to be implemented, since ignoring it frequently causes misunderstandings, misinterpretations, confrontational conversations, with the consequent loss of energy, time and efficiency.
A company or organization to implement the business communication system, must take the following steps:
• Choose competent advice that professionally masters the subject of communication.
• Select staff to prepare in business communication techniques.
• Carry out a diagnosis that allows knowing the degree of development and characteristics of the communication of the company or senior management organization, as well as the characteristics of its workers, the degree of motivation that exists, participation in solving problems, etc..
• Design the business communication system to be implemented, expressed in the Communication Management Manual and the Corporate Identity Manual.
Periodic evaluation of the positive and negative results of the communication process, through the creation of procedures and instruments to measure the impact that the implanted communication system has had, which allows to periodically evaluate: its operation, if the workers know the current situation of the company or senior management organization, their successes and problems, if they participate in solving the main problems, in self-control, that they meet specific objectives, that they have assumed responsibilities and powers, and the impact on management and management work. the leaders in particular.
Design the actions to be taken to rectify the deviations and deficiencies found.
• The companies or senior management organization, as a prelude to the design and implementation of the communication system, must carry out a diagnosis that allows knowing, among other aspects, the following:
Communication concepts that are handled in the company or upper management organization, the predominant type of communication, the existence or not of a communication approach that corresponds to the objectives, values and strategy of the organization and whether or not the objectives are correctly defined. elements that make up the communication cycle of the company or senior management organization.
• Nature of the communication processes, the most used channels, the use of messages and their planning, elements of organizational culture, shared values, sense of belonging and aspects of internal climate.
• Relevance and functions of communication in the company or senior management organization.
• Organization of the communication system in the company or superior management organization.
• Criteria on feedback and participation in management by workers.
• Significance of the feedback spaces according to the workers of the company or superior management organization.
• Existing communication flows: vertical down, vertical up, horizontal or the combination of communication channels: assemblies of affiliates, conversations and informal meetings with workers, murals, meetings, circulars, e-mail, letters and the telephone, interviews, base radio, complaints and suggestions box, internal newspaper or magazine, rumors, among others.
• Most frequent types of messages.
Formal communication system and informal communication.
Degree of application of the elements of business culture and organizational climate.
Degree of involvement of workers with the company or superior management organization and sense of belonging.
• The communication function is essentially planned; For the implementation of the Communication System, the companies or senior management organization must prepare the Communication Management Manual and the Corporate Identity Manual, which will allow communication not as isolated and dispersed actions, but through the prior formulation of a procedure of communication that explicitly interrelates all the communication tools to be implemented in the company or senior management organization.
These manuals are part of the regulatory base that must be prepared by the organizations that apply the Business Management and Direction System and by all the institutions that intend to conquer their target market in one way or another, for this they must be advised by knowledgeable specialists about the topic.
The Communication Management Manual is a fundamental tool in achieving a coherent and harmonious communication system that enables greater internal integration, strengthening the values of the organizational culture and identity of any organization through its application; achieving a harmonious, dynamic and coherent functioning of communication in order to improve the company or organization, thereby reducing the tendency to improvisation that frequently exists on the subject.
The Communication Management Manual of the company or senior management organization contains the following aspects:
1.-Definition of communication policies and objectives.
2.-Identification and characterization of the target audience (internal and external): A characterization of these should be made; In the case of the internal public in correspondence with the functions they perform, sex, age, professional level, tastes, characteristics of the labor groups, among other aspects and in the case of the external public, the characterization must be in correspondence with the priorities that these represent for the company or senior management organization.
3.-The selection of the different communication channels to be used.
4.-Personnel authorized to send messages directly to workers, according to authorized channels.
5.-Different channels to be used by workers to address management.
6.-Characteristics of the messages to be issued by the company or senior management organization and its dependencies.
7.-Structural organization that guarantees the implementation of the communication system in the company or superior management organization, as well as design of the mission, functions and powers of the communication area of the company.
8.-Actions to be taken in the implementation of the communication system.
9.-Establishment of the communication budget, included in the budget of the company or superior management organization.
On the other hand, the Corporate Identity Manual describes the main and secondary activity of the company, the time of existence, its location, type of market; The attributes of the visual image of the company or senior management organization are presented and their use in the different communication media, it is specified how, when, and where the image should be used.
The Corporate Identity Manual is a basic tool for the management of the company or senior management organization in achieving an image that distinguishes it; it is your cover letter, your face in front of the public; influences the perception that we will have of it, constituting a tool for managing the guidelines for the presentation of institutional messages, guaranteeing their promotion on the basis of respect for the identity of the institution, in each of the information programs.
The elaboration of the Corporate Identity Manual must be designed based on the analysis of the image that it has in relation to the main competitors and the compatibility between image and market, all supported by research that should indicate what should be improved and why.
In companies or senior management organization that apply the Direction and Management System, the communication function or process is materialized taking into account the importance of this activity and is designed as a tailored suit based on:
• A structural area with professional staff in the field of social communication.
• Through an advisory contract with specialized companies, universities, consultants, among others.
• A harmonic combination of the previous two.
The main functions to be fulfilled by the business communication area are:
• Design the communication system to be implemented.
• Implement the communication system.
• Evaluate compliance with the communication system.
• Periodically carry out diagnostics on the operation of the communication system.
• Prepare action plans that guarantee to resolve the deficiencies detected in the diagnoses of the communication system.
• Study new forms and alternatives on communication to implement.
• Participate in the process of preparing the plan of the company or senior management organization and in the definition of the communication budget.
• Inform the board of directors of the company or senior management organization of the results and deficiencies in the process of implementing the communication system, as well as the plans of measures to be implemented.
Based on the fact that the design of a graphic identifier must require more attention and communicate more effectively with fewer resources. The designer is a kind of telegrapher, he has a message to send and he must convey it clearly. (Beltrán, Félix, A dynamic and pleasant approach to graphic design, Havana, 1973, pp. 16):
The study of the psychological influence of colors is nowadays a science that is applied to very different fields due to the importance it can have in the environment, in daily life and in advertising. Like color, there are other elements (circle, rectangle or other shape) that people can associate with a different concept than what is normally attributed to these elements. The function of graphic elements is not simply to decorate, but to attract, represent reality and provide more information than the written one, make it more evident. (wwwnewsartesvisuales.com)
Conclusions
• That the proper use of the Corporate Identity constitutes an investment that provides long-term dividends.
• That any institution or organization that suffers from a solid Corporate Image is doomed to failure.
• That the Corporate Identity constitutes an investment that brings dissimilar dividends.
• That Corporate Identity and Communication Management are two processes that go hand in hand in an inseparable way.
Bibliography
Visual Communication, study guide.
Frascara, Jorge, Graphic Design and Communication, Santiago de Cuba, 1988 edition.
Identity Manual of the Geominera Centro Company.
Medina, Saladriga, Hilda, Compiler. Introduction to Theory and Research in Communication, reading selection, University of Havana, Faculty of Communication.
Trelles Rodríguez, Irene. Organizational Communication. Selection of Reading, Editorial Félix Varela, Havana, 2004.
Martín Serrano Manuel, in Communication Theory. Edition 1982.
Díaz Bordenave, Juan: Comunicación y Sociedad, Ediciones Busca, Buenos Aires, 1995.
Legislation consulted
Decree Law No.203 dated December 24, 1999, “Relative to Trademarks and other distinctive signs.
Decree No. 42 "General Regulations of the State Enterprise" dated May 24, 1979.
Decree Law No. 252 "On the continuity and strengthening of the Cuban Business Management and Direction System", dated August 7, 2007.
Decree Law No. 281/2007 "Cuban Business Improvement System of Management and Business Management".
