Values Values constitute the basis for a security sector agency’s image formation. The agency’s values shouldn’t contradict to the values of the nation and the society. Any discrepancy in value systems can lead to a potential conflict. The choice of the value concepts depends on the agency’s mission and vision. Usually, the agency’s values are scrupulously formulated as a sound set of concepts. For instance, the Seven Core U.S. Army Values are Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, Personal Courage (https://www.army.mil/values). The values of the National Guard of Ukraine are Honour, Courage, Law (http://ngu.gov.ua/ua). Image of the leader To a certain extent, image discourse of a security sector agency is determined …show more content…
Within security sector, strategic communication applies to all existing information and communication capabilities, and it is not limited to media activities. As strategic communication is directed towards “winning hearts and minds” (Kilcullen 2009), image of a security sector agency becomes an important tool in this endeavor as it contributes to the recipient’s attitudes to this agency, his/her behaviour and support actions. Image of a security sector agency is a social construct grounded on the audience’s perception, interpretation and attitudes. Shaped in strategic communication, it functions as a filter in the recipient’s consciousness for receiving external information about the agency. For a security sector agency, image formation is a comprehensive process, supported by a corresponding policy or doctrine that states the agency’s “I” concept with values indicated. The communicator in charge of the image formation process develops the agency’s discourse in conformity with the policy, monitors the image realization in real contexts and introduces modifications to enforce or repair the image when