Strategic Communications And National Strategy

Name                   :Renny Oktaviani

Subject                : Political Communication

Class                    :  7- B

1. Analysis About Article “Strategic Communications And National Strategy” By Paul Cornish, Julian Lindley-French And Claire Yorke.

That article talk about two subjects which are “Strategic communications” and “National Strategy”. Both subjects really important because when you try to communicate with others you need strategy to have successful communications and you need strategy to protect or maintain national assets and interests, or to effect a desired change of one sort or another. Communications have always been an aspect of strategy and can always be useful in support of, or as an adjunct to other strategic levers and methods and that it is common practice to explain and communicate intentions and successes or failures.strategic communications can help to generate synergy and responsiveness at all levels of national planning, decision-making and activity.

Before talk more further about strategic communication and national strategy, lets know what is strategic communications first.

Strategic communications are seen to comprise four main components: information operations; psychological operations; public diplomacy; and public affairs. Strategic communications should form the interface between national strategy and action. Christopher Paul tries to define strategic communications as support for national strategy rather than as an essential element of it – as ‘coordinated actions, messages, images, and other forms of signalling or engagement intended to inform, influence, or persuade selected audiences to support national objectives’. Strategic communications still too often reflect a ‘whole-of-military’ rather than a much-needed ‘whole-of-government’ concept and culture.military organizations have taken to strategic communications: communications, and particularly the communicative value of action in a conflict space, is a fundamental part of military activity and armed forces are the servant of national strategy.

In that article, Strategic communication Focuses on United States (US) and United Kingdom (UK) practice. In the US The White House National Framework for Strategic Communications was established in 2010, while in the United Kingdom is also moving (albeit more slowly) towards some form of National Strategic Communications Strategy (NSCS) located primarily in the Cabinet Office. There is a concerted effort to  strategic communications, bringing them out of strategic military headquarters to establish a concept, a process and possibly even a capability at or close to the highest levels of government. Strategic communications still too often reflect a whole of military rather than a much-needed whole of government concept and culture.

what is The relationship between strategic communications and public diplomacy?

A 2009 Congressional Research Service report highlights the distinction:

"Public diplomacy is defined in different ways, but broadlyit is a term used to describe a government’s efforts toconduct foreign policy and promote national interests through direct outreach and communication with the population of a foreign country. Public diplomacy activities include providing information to foreign publics through broadcast and Internet media and at libraries and other outreach facilities in foreign countries; conducting cultural diplomacy, such as art exhibits and music performances; and administering international educational and professional exchange programs". it's about communicating US policy to foreign nationals and not specifically about strategy, or indeed about using communications to achieve strategic effect. Public diplomacy is better understood, therefore, as a subset of strategic communications.

Strategic communication will effective if there established upon a strong understanding of any given information environment.Communicating has traditionally been understood to be a two-way process, and effective strategic communications, if properly configured should inform the periodic adaptation and adjustment of policy and strategy. A broader understanding of the value of strategic communications might enable or improve national strategy, rather than simply seek to explain it. Indeed, the role of strategic communications should be to establish the conditions in which, and activities by which, a more ambitious national strategy can be implemented more effectively, rather than merely serving to communicate that strategy.

 

High-level political ownership of the idea and leadership across government will be critical to the success of strategic communications. A credible communications strategy able to reach across government and down into the departmental level. Strategic communications must be seen to reach out from central government to operational environments (both military and non-military) and to the local domestic constituency.

Communications is the part of contribution national strategy. communications grow so fast in this era and reaching so many area of publics, in private and social life. right now, people can communicate with many people in different places and times with new media called internet. strategic communications could make it possible for the various functions in government, include national strategy itself to be more effectively and more efficiently. Communication is also a matter of trust: trust that what is being said is accurate and based upon reliable information and intelligent to inform the electorate rather than manipulate it.

Strategic communications are also concerned with reputation, positive reputation could prove to be good effort of government. Government communication should not involve the most persuasive information by the most favorable means, but should have a more cognitive goal to influence public because public always judge government’s performance. As well as managing the message and the medium, therefore, strategic communications also offer an opportunity to shape the interpretation and assessment of the information being conveyed (as well as the choice of medium) in order to ensure that observers (or the electorate) come to their own conclusions about the government’s performance.

Strategic communications can not only have a disciplining effect on national strategic thinking, by requiring that strategy be clear and communicable, but also ensure that what is communicated by government is strategically credible. Strategic communications are a challenge to governments to explain themselves more clearly and convincingly in order to gain and maintain public support for policy, and to ensure that messages and actions do not conflict with each other and undermine the competence and reputation of government.

Strategic communications can be understood as a relationship between several different levels of governance:

1.  leaders or actors at the government.

1. communicators exploiting different media to communicate and articulate this strategy.

1. agents whose actions enable and enact strategy and strategic communications.

1. the advocates or stakeholders beyond government who, though not directly developing national strategy and its accompanying narrative, are integral to its realization, whether consciously or otherwise.

Policy, strategy and strategic communications all the elements of the policy making process. strategic by leadership of communication can lead give direction and guidance to the machinery of government. Each department of government have role to plays in national strategy. Strategic communications can involve a very wide variety of individuals: not only those in designated communications roles, but also all those involved in communicating policy. Government relations with the media would benefit for the growth of strategic communications.where policy and strategy for cyber security are concerned we find close parallels with strategic communications in the need for information, cooperation, coordination and trust.

Rather than communicating and improving national strategy, it could be found that strategic communications can in their own right help to create the conditions or the broad environment in which national strategy can more effectively and productively be pursued. More than an important component of national strategy, in other words, strategic communications could be an enabler of it.

2. Condition of “Strategic Communications And National Strategy” in Indonesia.

Strategic communications can make an important contribution to policy making in Indonesia. strategic communications can assist in maintaining the essential interface between purpose and action.as we see, communications grow so fast in Indonesia and reaching so many area of public. Government in Indonesia use mass media to inform public about their policy as one of strategic communication and hope public will support it. But strategic communication in Indonesia not going well, because there are so many mass media give different information and make public confused which one tell the truth. Public (some of them) just take all the information they get without refine all the information. because of a bit fail on strategic communications also make people not really trust government and their policy.  

Strategic communications used not only for the government to the public but is also used for the government to other governments within a country. For example when one government want to make a new policy, must communicate with other government for advice or agreement. as well as providing the interface between action and ambition, strategic communications also support another critical strategic commodity influence. strategic influence is depend on effective coordination across and beyond government in order that national strategic goals can be realized and maximized.

Strategy, as defined in that article is a collection of ideas, preferences and methods which explain activity (whether diplomatic, economic, developmental or military) and give it purpose, by connecting it to the desired effect or a stated goal. National strategy is plan and decision for the benefit of the state. National strategy also have meaning of how to implement the national politics in the achieving the goals by national politics.National strategy prepared to implement the national politics, such as short-term, medium-term and long-term strategy.

Politic and national strategy must work in tune. Every strategy each country is different because policy and public needs in each country different from each other. As dignified county, Indonesia should have big strategy to ensure the achievement of all national interests in order to achieve national goals, creating equitable and prosperous society. Preparation of politic and national strategy need to understand the main idea contained in the management system which is based on the ideology of Pancasila, UUD 1945, national  perception and national defence. mechanical drafting politics and national strategy in level political superstructure is set by the president.

Indonesia is independent country, which mean all affairs and government’s policy will be taken without intervention from other county. National strategy implemented by ministers and the head of state non-department government based on the instruction from president. One manifestation of a national strategy in the government are regional autonomy and regional authority, which mean every regional in Indonesia have their authority and autonomy leads by leaders of each regional. 

Stratification of the national strategy is the division of power in making a decision with particular consideration to the public interest in a country based on criteria respectively in certain classes. Stratification of the national strategy and regions in the republic Indonesia:

1. The highest level of policy makers 

1. The level of public policy makers

1. The level determinants of specifics policy makers 

1. The level of technical policy makers

1. The level policy makers in the region

3. Article connection with Indonesia in the present and future

The article talk about Strategic Communications And National Strategy which Indonesia have own Strategic Communications And National Strategy different from other country. the increasing of development of information and technology can affect the change of Strategic Communications And National Strategy Indonesia in the future. Strategic communications also have quality control function, by demanding that what is communicated by government is strategically credible. Security of cyberspace is mounting concern government. In this year, many politicians who use cyberspace even as the media for campaign. therefore, cyberspace security is needed, especially on the near of elections of regional heads because a lot of news about the prospective regional heads spread in cyberspace.

Many people take advantage of cyberspace to spread false news for its own benefit and could result in division and strife community in cyberspace. for example which happened recently is a problem regarding a candidate for governor of DKI Jakarta, basuki Tjahja Purnama or Ahok exposed cases of blasphemy because the video when he gave a speech quoting a letter from al-Quran. The news spread so fast and make some people argue in cyberspace about the case. Government need to make security in cyberspace more powerful, so people will be more careful to write something on cyberspace. if not, the stability of the country as a unitary state would be broken. The centrality of strategic communication to stability operation is evident from the critical campaign tasks depend upon it. These tasks include, inter alia, influencing foreign populations; providing public information; acting as the commander's voice; countering enemy propaganda, misinformation, disinformation ad opposing information

  

Cyberspace also even used in the spread of radical such as ISIS. Radicalization and criminal activity easily spread through cyberspace for security in cyberspace is still less supervision. strategic communication should therefore address wider and deeper causes of radicalization, and should also offer a feedback loop trough which public policy can be subjected to critical appraisal. the limitations of a traditional security or defence mindset when addressing the problem of radicalization. knowledge and expertise can be drawn from a variety of disciplines such a sociology and social psychology in order better to understand the dynamics at work. however, when strategic communications address problems associated with cyber security sense of proportion will be essential.  

BONUS:

-         Strategic Communications Pertamina corporate for National Strategy Indonesia.

Pertamina is a representation of the state in the acquisition and exploitation of oil and gas fields in Indonesia. Pertamina goal is to reach the national production target, including maintaining the continuity of supply of crude oil for fuel in Indonesia. Pertamina, through pertamina international EP corporate has also expanded their business abroad. according to the data, in 2015 the company's assets there are only three countries, in Algiers, Malaysia and Iraq. While, until the end of September 2016 there was an additional nine new assets. new assets owned Pertamina recorded two assets in Europe, namely in France and Italy.

Pertamina upstream sector performance in the third quarter 2016 was positive. total oil and gas production amounted to 646 thousand barrels of oil equivalent each day (BOEPD), up 12.3% compared to the same period in 2015 amounted to 575 MBOEPD. 19% is contributed from outside nett to share field production overseas and 81% of the country. Corporate strategic planning to invest abroad is very good and right. However, pertamina also must right on the target. 

Strategic communications pertamina corporate not good as before, because at this time the decision is made by Pertamina seem immature but it has been announced to the public. In the past, Pertamina said would not be possible to replace the premium when there is a proposal of the Governance Reform Team oil and gas, Current conditions are instead turned, now Pertamina said it was possible. Then, Fuel shortages are also often occur in Indonesia. The most visible of the fuel shortage is a long and snaking queue. This occurs even queue up to eat the half of the road due to the gas station page is not strong enough to accommodate vehicles. Fuel shortage is caused by the consumption of subsidized fuel has increased dramatically. The fuel subsidy that should be enjoyed by people of lower class is indeed not appropriate. Because many of the upper middle class who also enjoy the fuel subsidy. For example on the near of Eid, fuel shortages happen at some gas stations. Whereas before pertamina ensure that sufficient fuel supply and increase the supply of up to 15%. 

So far there has been no solution to cope with the amount of subsidized fuel consumption and prevent fuel shortages. Various ways actually has been done. Starting from the prohibition of luxury cars using subsidized premium, ascending lowering the price of subsidized premium and introduce alternative fuel pertalite.