Role of corporate communications in the formation of organization culture: PETKİM before and after privatization

Regulations and activities demonstrating the functioning of corporations constitute the subject of organization culture and corporate communications. Both factors function as a bridge between the corporation and its staff, other corporations and public; include messages about the self-description and functioning style of the corporation. Corporate communications show how to realize goals in a corporation and organization culture illustrates how to make such goals permanent. In this respect, organization culture is the output of corporate communications. Petkim, functioning since 1985 in Izmir Aliağa was privatized in 2008. This study investigates impact of corporate communications activities of Petkim on the creation of organization culture before and after the privatization. Theoretical framework of the study is constructed by considering three rank organization culture model including visible cultural items and invisible ones and the organization culture indicators of Petkim are analyzed within this perspective. Qualitative information about Petkim before and after privatization, its communication activities and evaluation of written materials are investigated by using the written materials, by observation and by indebt interviews. As a result, it is concluded that the corporate communications activities of Petkim affect organization culture, organization culture activities not influencing organization culture before privatization are conducted more effectively and intensively after privatization, and this influences organization culture positively. It is observed that the organization culture was away from cooperation and it was bureaucratic, but an organization culture based on innovation and cooperation was dominant during the transition period. Conclusion section of the study includes administrative and behavioral suggestions in order to build and develop an effective organization culture and to perform corporate communications activities more effectively in all the organizations in general by considering the findings and evaluations of this study. Keywords: Petkim, Organization, Communication, Corporate Communication, Culture, Organization Culture, Privatization.