Strategic Environmental Communication for Sustainability of NGOs in Thailand

Abstract

This article explores strategic environmental communication for sustainability of Non-Governmental Organizations in Thailand. The aim is to study factors influencing strategic communication and strategic communication of Non-Governmental Organizations in Thailand. This qualitative research based on in-depth interview with representatives from four NGOs, applied contingency theory of strategic conflict management and strategic communication management concepts. The study investigated five external and five internal factors. The five external factors are macro environment, industrial environment, issue under question, external stakeholder, and threat. The most essential external factors that contribute to good operations and strategic communication are issue under question and law. The five internal factors that influence strategic communication are characteristic of leader, organizational characteristic, communication department characteristic, individual characteristic, and relationship characteristic. The most important internal factor is characteristic of leader as it is the factor that effectuate all internal factors. The study found 8-step of strategic communication of Non-Governmental Organizations originated with situation analysis, then the process of setting philosophy, vision and mission, goals and objectives, target groups, big Idea and message, strategies, and tactics before the step of implementation and evaluation. Additionally, that 8-step was rearranged due to the internal and external factors in the context.