Corporate communications from the top and from the center: comparing experiences and expectations of CEOs and communicators
Journal article, Peer reviewed
Permanent lenke
http://hdl.handle.net/11250/226934Utgivelsesdato
2014Metadata
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- Scientific articles [2147]
Originalversjon
International Journal of Strategic Communication, 8(2014)2: 61-78 10.1080/1553118X.2013.879146Sammendrag
Common viewpoints as well as divergences between top executives and communication
professionals influence the institutionalization of strategic communication. However,
there is little empirical evidence on the accordance between both groups. Most research
explores either communication professionals or chief communication officers (CCOs).
Very few studies have combined both perspectives. This article identifies the research
gap, explores insights from previous research, and contributes to the body of knowledge
in strategic communication with an original study that is based on two surveys with
replies from 602 CEOs and executive board members as well as 1,251 communication
managers from companies in the largest European country, Germany. While top
executives rate the information and motivation of employees as the most important
objective of corporate communication, communication professionals focus on the
creation of a positive image. Respondents from both groups also state different opinions
about dealing with the demand for transparency. Both top executives and
communicators give most support to a role model that describes communication
professionals as a facilitator between an organization and its publics. Nevertheless the
overall conclusion is that perspectives diverge quite often and attention should be
directed towards a better alignment between top management and those leading the
strategic communication function.
Beskrivelse
This is the authors’ accepted, refereed and final manuscript to the article.