scholarly journals Distrust in corporate communications: does it matter?

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen Tyquin ◽  
Amisha Mehta ◽  
Lisa Bradley
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Empirical Data ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Corporate Communication ◽  
Corporate Communications ◽  
Card Sort ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Distinct Concept ◽  
Organisational Trust

PurposeThis study provides much needed empirical data to conceptualise organisational distrust in communications' scholarship. A limited understanding of distrust has implications for corporate communication scholars and practitioners as, ultimately, efforts to rebuild trust and reduce distrust in organisations and corporations may be hindered if we do not truly understand the complexity and nature of the concepts we are trying to repair.Design/methodology/approachA repeated single-criterion card-sort method was utilised in this study to allow the sample of 40 respondents to identify the terms they associate with organisational trust and distrust.FindingsFrom the current study's findings, it is proposed that there is support for organisational distrust to be considered and studied as a separate and distinct concept to organisational trust within the corporate communications and public relations literature. The current study's findings do not neatly reflect all the items included in existing scales for organisational distrust, and accordingly this suggests that further research into distrust as a concept is warranted.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature by presenting a proposed conceptualisation of organisational distrust and providing further evidence for organisational distrust and organisational trust to be studied as related but separate concepts. Developing a more comprehensive conceptualisation of organisational trust and distrust is important for both communication scholars and practitioners as it allows for a more accurate understanding of relationship quality between stakeholders and organisations.

The dimensionality of corporate communication management (CCM)

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bahtiar Mohamad ◽  
Bang Nguyen ◽  
TC Melewar ◽  
Rossella Gambetti
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Operational Definition ◽  
Corporate Communication ◽  
Corporate Management ◽  
Corporate Communications ◽  
Measurement Scales ◽  
Communication Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Advertising

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the conceptualisation of corporate communication management (CCM) and its dimensionality from the practitioners’ perspectives. It proposes to validate an operational definition and dimensions of the CCM construct, which have not been identified in the literature. Design/methodology/approach The initial concepts are based on academic literature and followed by 12 face-to-face interviews with corporate communication practitioners and consultants from Malaysia to confirm the practicality of each dimension. QSR Nvivo Version 9.0 software is used to analyse the qualitative data. Then, the data are classified through deductive content analysis based on key words or themes. Findings The diverse perspectives are shown from the practitioners and consultants on the dimensionality of CCM. Most of the interviewees suggest that CCM dimensions include corporate advertising, corporate affairs, investor relations and employee communication within the corporate communication and other departments. They also found the public relations and media relations are clearly under corporate communications manager’s supervision. This research confirms the concept of CCM and its dimensionality to operationalise the CCM construct. The CCM dimensions also offer opportunities for further research to develop the measurement scales. Originality/value This research contributes to the clarification on the subject matter by developing clear concepts of the CCM and by offering insights about the role of the CCM dimensions, which help managers to more successfully incorporate the CCM dimension into the corporate management strategy. This paper also examines the concept of CCM and confirms its dimensionality, which helps in developing the CCM measurement for further quantitative research.

scholarly journals Multidisciplinarity in internal communication and the challenges ahead

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Milena Araújo ◽  
Sandra Miranda
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
Organizational Communication ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Internal Communication ◽  
Corporate Communication ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Communication Practices ◽  
Professional Fields ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeConsidering the impact internal communication has on the performance of organizations, studies about internal communication are revisited in order to generate a deeper understanding about the disciplines that shape the topic and the main trends influencing both the academic and professional fields.Design/methodology/approachDeparting from a communicational background, the authors integrate dispersed contributions from disciplines such as organizational communication, public relations, corporate communication and marketing communications, to the literature on internal communication.FindingsThe significant role played by internal communication is supported by scholars with different theoretical backgrounds. Despite the clear differences between disciplines, the defense of a strategized internal communication and a focus on the employee is widely accepted.Practical implicationsBoth scholars and practitioners will need to keep adapting to a reality where: internal communication practices are not only managerial but also dependent on the inputs of the employees; the ability to listen and collect feedback is sacred, and internal communication plans are expected to be strategically implemented and measured.Originality/valueBy showing the plurality of disciplines that influence internal communication, a strategized multidisciplinary focus on the topic is encouraged.

Stakeholder cross-impact analysis: a segmentation method

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 276-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Mariconda ◽  
Francesco Lurati
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Impact Analysis ◽  
Corporate Communication ◽  
Segmentation Method ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public Relations Practitioners ◽  
Analytical Tools ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to introduce a method that the authors call stakeholder cross-impact analysis (SCIA), which is aimed at analyzing how a given set of stakeholders influence one another and also how such stakeholders relate to a given set of issues. Design/methodology/approach – The authors first identify, in the current literature, a lack of analytical tools for assessing mutual influences among stakeholders. The authors then identify cross-impact analysis, a method that was initially developed in the field of futures research, as a suitable method to be applied in the present research. Its application, which the authors call SCIA, is described in detail through a fictitious case. Findings – SCIA permits to assess the direction and the strength of relationships between stakeholders. Furthermore, it allows for the classification of stakeholders based on their level of dependence and influence on others. Also, it is possible to integrate SCIA with social network analysis in order to understand the degree to which stakeholders agree on how issues influence one another, as well as to identify which issues most stakeholders consider to be central and which stakeholders have the most shared opinion on how issues are related. Practical implications – This method can be used, along with traditional segmentation techniques, by corporate communication and public relations practitioners in order to gain a more sophisticated understanding of the complexity of organizations’ environments. Originality/value – SCIA represents a much-needed and novel way of understanding the complexity of organizations’ environments.

scholarly journals Ambidexterity and organizational learning: revisiting and reconnecting the literatures

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 337-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Brix
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Absorptive Capacity ◽  
Empirical Data ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Organizational Ambidexterity ◽  
Exploration And Exploitation ◽  
Seminal Paper ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Model ◽  
Multiple Levels

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to investigate how the processes of exploration and exploitation have developed in parallel in the literature of organizational ambidexterity and organizational learning, since James March published his seminal paper in 1991. The goal of the paper is to provide a synthesis of exploration and exploitation based on the two areas of literature.Design/methodology/approachThe study is conceptual and no empirical data have been used.FindingsThe study advances current understanding of exploration and exploitation by building a new model for organizational ambidexterity that takes into account multiple levels of learning, perspectives from absorptive capacity and inter-organizational learning.Originality/valueThe study’s novelty lies in the creation and discussion of a synthesis of exploration and exploitation stemming from organizational ambidexterity and organizational learning.

scholarly journals Extending Organizational Memory and Corporate Communications Research via Autoethnography/Autobiography

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damion Waymer ◽  
Nneka Logan
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Culture ◽  
Public Relations ◽  
Corporate Communication ◽  
Organizational Memory ◽  
Corporate Communications ◽  
Memory Research ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Theory Research ◽  
Communication Methods

Culture, business, and communication are overlapping human phenomena. However, corporate communication methods have yet to embrace the complexity of organizational culture. Since the study of culture is anthropological in nature, we propose foregrounding autoethnography/autobiographical approaches and method to analyze corporate organizational culture. We argue that studying corporate communication, public relations, and society via the lenses of organizational culture and subsidiary organizational memory can provide unique insights into practice of corporate communication and the theorizing of organizational memory research. In this case example, we answer this question: In what ways can autobiographical/autoethnographic narratives of organizational members inform the theory, research, and practice in corporate communication?

Theory usage in empirical operations management research: a review and discussion

2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (10) ◽  
pp. 2413-2432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Kenworthy ◽  
Jaydeep Balakrishnan
Keyword(s):  
Operations Management ◽  
Empirical Data ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Theory Testing ◽  
Management Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Scientific Fields ◽  
Over Time

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze more than three decades of theory testing published in leading operations management (OM) journals. Design/methodology/approach This piece examines the amount of theory testing, the extent to which theories are tested multiple times, and the disciplinary origins of the theories that are tested. Findings The analysis revealed that empirical OM researchers have increasingly responded to demands for more theory-driven knowledge over time. OM researchers are developing and using a wide array of domestic theories to understand empirical data. The examination also revealed a substantial focus on theory borrowed from other scientific fields. Originality/value The findings here suggest that OM is clearly a maturing discipline. As the discipline matures, it is important to consider to what extent borrowed theories and frameworks can offer value to OM. A preliminary vetting model is advanced in order to critically assess foreign theory. It is hoped that future screening promotes only the most useful non-domestic theory, thereby ensuring sufficient journal space for domestic theory and resulting in effective solutions to the pressing, practical problems of the OM field.

Vigilant resilience: the possibilities for renewal through preparedness

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 212-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Carlson
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Renewal Theory ◽  
Theory Building ◽  
System Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Energy Company ◽  
Resilience Process

Purpose Post-crisis renewal discourse (Ulmer et al., 2007) is one form of communication that stakeholders may use as they attempt to organize for resilience. The purpose of this paper propose extending Discourse of Renewal Theory to explain how it could enact a different kind of resilience than scholars typically consider. Organizational resilience strategies often focus on the recovery or prevention stages of crisis management. Under conditions of persistent threat, it would be more productive for renewal discourse to emphasize greater preparedness. Design/methodology/approach To illustrate the need for this kind of theorizing, the author analyzes a case study that follows the public relations efforts of Canadian energy company Enbridge, Inc., in the aftermath of the 2010 Kalamazoo River oil spill. Findings By the criteria of Discourse of Renewal Theory, Enbridge attempted a renewal strategy, but it failed. By other criteria, however, it succeeded: it created the opportunity for richer dialogue among stakeholders about their interdependence and their competing interests. Originality/value By considering how elements of the resilience process may vary, this paper offers resources for more nuanced theory-building and theory-testing related to organizational and system-level resilience.

The language of profit warnings: a case of denial, defiance, desperation and defeat

2021 ◽  
Vol 35 (9) ◽  
pp. 28-56
Author(s):  
Victoria C. Edgar ◽  
Niamh M. Brennan ◽  
Sean Bradley Power
Keyword(s):  
Text Analysis ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Corporate Communication ◽  
Bad News ◽  
Board Meeting ◽  
Conference Calls ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Three Stages ◽  
Delivering Bad News

PurposeTaking a communication perspective, the paper explores management's rhetoric in profit warnings, whose sole purpose is to disclose unexpected bad news.Design/methodology/approachAdopting a close-reading approach to text analysis, the authors analyse three profit warnings of the now-collapsed Carillion, contrasting the rhetoric with contemporaneous investor conference calls to discuss the profit warnings and board minutes recording boardroom discussions of the case company's precarious financial circumstances. The analysis applies an Aristotelian framework, focussing on logos (appealing to logic and reason), ethos (appealing to authority) and pathos (appealing to emotion) to examine how Carillion's board and management used language to persuade shareholders concerning the company's adverse circumstances.FindingsAs non-routine communications, the language in profit warnings displays and mimics characteristics of routine communications by appealing primarily to logos (logic and reason). The rhetorical profiles of investor conference calls and board meeting minutes differ from profit warnings, suggesting a different version of the story behind the scenes. The authors frame the three profit warnings as representing three stages of communication as follows: denial, defiance and desperation and, for our case company, ultimately, culminating in defeat.Research limitations/implicationsThe research is limited to the study of profit warnings in one case company.Originality/valueThe paper views profit warnings as a communication artefact and examines the rhetoric in these corporate documents to elucidate their key features. The paper provides novel insights into the role of profit warnings as a corporate communication vehicle/genre delivering bad news.

Reputation Management

2017 ◽  
pp. 151-167
Author(s):  
Aslıhan Mihrimah Unutur
Keyword(s):  
New Media ◽  
Public Relations ◽  
Corporate Strategy ◽  
Brand Management ◽  
Corporate Communication ◽  
Reputation Management ◽  
Corporate Communications ◽  
Business Organizations ◽  
Communication Practices ◽  
And Function

The scope of this chapter is to provide insight into how reputation can be managed through brand management, corporate communication practices, and new media strategies. Corporate communication practices carried out through public relations applications has become an increasingly important function in business organizations. Yet, little has been published on the role and function of communication executives. This chapter reveals the impact of corporate communications upon the formulation of corporate strategy.

The conceptual heritage of public relations: using public memory to explore constraints and liberation

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 375-392
Author(s):  
W. Timothy Coombs ◽  
Sherry J. Holladay
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Public Memory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Past ◽  
Counter Narratives ◽  
Dominant Narratives ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Development And Evolution

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe three foundational concepts that contribute to conceptual heritage of the field of public relations (publics, organizations and relationships). Conceptual heritage is positioned as a type of shared public memory, a dominant narrative, that encourages adherence to the past whilst recognizing that counter-narratives can pose useful alternatives to foundational concepts. Design/methodology/approach The approach is a selective literature review that describes three dominant concept categories and presents more recently developed alternative concepts and approaches to illustrate how public memory is subjective and evolving. Findings The concepts of publics, organizations and relationships have grounded the dominant narrative and development of the field of public relations. Though these concepts continue to be influential as researchers rely upon and expand upon their legacies, counter-narratives can spur the innovation of ideas, measurement and practice. Research limitations/implications The paper focuses on only three major foundational concepts selected by the authors. The importance of these concepts as well as additional examples of the field’s conceptual heritage and evolution could be identified by different authors. Practical implications The analysis demonstrates how the public memory contributes to the development and evolution of the field of public relations. Counter-narratives can offer appealing, subjectively constructed challenges to dominant narratives. Originality/value This paper describes and critiques public relations’ conceptual heritage and argues that conceptually and methodologically-based counter-narratives have contributed to its evolution.

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