Public Relations

and Sustainability
Proceedings of the 30th International
Public Relations Research Symposium BledCom
EDITORS: Dejan Verčič, Ana Tkalac Verčič and Krishnamurthy Sriramesh

BledCom 2023
30th International Public Relations Research Symposium
June 30 - July 1, 2023

Organized by:

University of Ljubljana
Faculty of Social Sciences
Public Relations and Sustainability
Proceedings of the 30th International
Public Relations Research Symposium BledCom
June 30 - July 1, 2023

EDITORS:
Dejan Verčič
Ana Tkalac Verčič
Krishnamurthy Sriramesh
PUBLISHED BY:
University of Ljubljana
Faculty of Social Sciences
Kardeljeva ploščad 5
1000 Ljubljana
Slovenia
COPYRIGHT:
University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Social Sciences
AVAILABLE AT:
https://www.bledcom.com/

Ljubljana, 2023

Kataložni zapis o publikaciji (CIP) pripravili v

Narodni in univerzitetni knjižnici v Ljubljani
COBISS.SI-ID 178656259
ISBN 978-961-295-065-1 (PDF)
Contents 3

1. Editors 16
2. Authors 17
3. Paper Abstracts 48
4. Papers 193
5. Extended Abstracts 256

Paper Abstracts
48 Quo Vadis Communication? Results of a Survey Among Young German PR/
Communications Practitioners
Adi, Ana, Quadriga University of Applied Sciences (Germany)
Fechner, Ronny, Quadriga University of Applied Sciences (Germany)
Seidenglanz, Rene, Quadriga University of Applied Sciences (Germany)

50 Can PR solve wicked problems?

Adi, Ana, Quadriga University of Applied Sciences (Germany)
Stoeckle, Thomas, Bournemouth University (UK)

52 Corporations in Borsa Istanbul-Bist sustainability index on the way to the

strategic sustainable goals from tactical applications
Aksoy, Zeynep, Izmir University of Economics (Turkey)
Misci Kip, Sema, Izmir University of Economics (Turkey)

54 Caring or selling? Communicating values or promoting products in PR

education
Barlik, Jacek, University of Warsaw (Poland)
Contents 4

56 Connecting the networking nodes for sustainable student wellness: The case of
UJ’s student wellness programme and role of a PR educator
Benecke, Dalien Rene, University of Johannesburg (South Africa)

58 Porn, Positioning and Power: Understanding the exclusion of Porn Pedallers

from British Cycling
Bowman, Sarah, Northumbria University (UK)
Bridgen, Elizabeth, Sheffield Hallam University (UK)

60 “Unfaking” Climate Change. The Impact of Negatively Framed Content on

CSR Communication, Company Evaluation and Purchase Intentions
Chmiel, Michal, Royal Holloway, University of London (UK)
Fatima, Sania, Royal Holloway, University of London (UK)
Ingold, Ciara, Royal Holloway, University of London (UK)
Mager, Leandra, Royal Holloway, University of London (UK)
Reisten, Jana, Royal Holloway, University of London (UK)
Tejada, Catalina, Royal Holloway, University of London (UK)

63 Towards a better future: An assessment of sustainability practices in the

aviation sector from the perspective of public relations
Çiçek, Meltem, Istanbul Maltepe University Vocational School (Turkey)

65 Fruitful futures, well-founded fears, fallacious fantasies: how language

professionals view the sustainability of their profession
Doswell, Steve, Chartered Institute of Linguists (UK)
Cinca, Lavinia, National School of Political and Administrative Studies (Romania)

67 A Quarter Century Unravelling Capitol Hill’s Communication Managers

Summaries and Updates on the Lives of Congressional Press Secretaries
Downes, Edward J., Boston University (USA)

69 Sustainability and conservatism

Drapal, Andrej, andrejdrapal.com (Slovenia)
Contents 5

71 Criticism on DEI-related corporate social media postings and how companies

handle it
Einwiller, Sabine, University of Vienna (Austria)
Wolfgruber, Daniel, University of Vienna (Austria)

73 Environmental Sustainability: The role of communication in organizational

responsibility
Eiró-Gomes, Mafalda, Escola Superior de Comunicação Social - Instituto Politécnico de
Lisboa (Portugal)
Raposo, Ana, Escola Superior de Comunicação Social - Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa
(Portugal)
Nunes, Tatiana, Escola Superior de Comunicação Social - Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa
(Portugal)

75 The relationship between CSR and sustainability: the Olivetti case and how
public relations can contribute to a company’s sustainability
Fabbri, Valerio, FabbriKo (Slovenia)

77 Are Italian companies ready to communicate sustainability? An empirical

analysis
Fabbri, Valerio, FabbriKo (Slovenia)
Capurso, Viviana, Udine University (Italy)
Brusati, Luca, Udine University (Italy)

79 What is the relationship between sustainability and CSR?

Forthmann, Jörg, IMWF Institute for Management and Economic Research GmbH
(Germany)
Westermann, Arne, ISM International School of Management (Germany)
Esser, Luisa Madeleine, IMWF Institute for Management and Economic Research GmbH
(Germany)
Homann, Reimund, Service Value GmbH (Germany)

81 Reconsidering the Trade Association as a driver and promoter of

sustainability; observations from the travel, tourism and hospitality sector
Francis, Thyme, Ada and Alan (UK)
Read, Kevin, University of Greenwich (UK)
Clarke, Faye, Ada and Alan (UK)
Contents 6

83 Will AI be the end of PR as we know it? A vision for professional sustainability

Galloway, Chris, Massey University (New Zealand)
Vujnovic, Marina, Monmouth University (USA)
Swiatek, Lukasz, University of New South Wales (Australia)
Kruckeberg, Dean, UNC Charlotte (USA)

85 Corporate Social Responsibility, Regional Culture, and Sustainability: Case of

NEPG Low-priced Medicine
Gao, Hao, Nanjing Normal University (China)
Wu, Jing, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)
Li, Yubin, Nanjing Normal University (China)
Wang, Qinghua, Cable and Network Co. Ltd. (China)

87 Does sustainable development need more conscious PR practitioners? A

comparative analysis of the perspectives of PR professionals and scholars on
sustainability
Geysi, Nilüfer, Bahçeşehir University (Turkey)

89 Internal Social Media Use for an Attractive Internal Employer Brand

Hein, Antonia, Hanze University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands)
Elving, Wim J.L., Hanze University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands)
Koster, Sierdjan, Hanze University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands)
Edzes, Arjen, Hanze University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands)

91 Talking about Sustainability in the Fashion Industry: Just a Feel-Good Factor?

Hejlová, Denisa, Charles University (Czech Republic)
Koudelková, Petra, Charles University (Czech Republic)
Schneiderová, Soňa, Charles University (Czech Republic)

94 The Role of Communication in Establishing a Shared-Purpose Driven

Organisation
Hung-Baesecke, Chun-Ju Flora, University of Technology Sydney (Australia)
Taylor, Maureen, University of Technology Sydney (Australia)
Chen, Yi-Ru Regina, Hong Kong Baptist University (Hong Kong, S.A.R. China)
Contents 7

96 A Lens to Examine Communication Through Business Continuity

Management
Hytönen, Eveliina, Laurea University of Applied Sciences (Finland)
Ruoslahti, Harri, Laurea University of Applied Sciences (Finland)

98 Re-public relations: An issue-centered approach to organizations and publics

Jonkman, J.G.F., University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands)

100 Organizational Learning for Sustainable Employee Engagement: Redefining

Employee Engagement for Shifting U.S. Workforce Expectations
Kang, Minjeong, Indiana University (USA)

102 An Examination of Inoculating Strategies for Effective Communication with

Active Publics
Kim, Jarim, Yonsei University (Republic of Korea)
Ju, Jiyeon, Yonsei University (Republic of Korea)
Baek, Jinha, Yonsei University (Republic of Korea)

104 Australian Publics’ (dis)engagement with sustainability issues

Kim, Soojin, University of Technology Sydney (Australia)
Tam, Lisa, Queensland University of Technology (Australia)

108 “Why do I feel so alone?” Leadership of ‘in’ and ‘out’ groups in remote Public
Relations and Communications teams
Kinnear, Susan, University of Dundee (UK)

111 What makes citizens resilient or vulnerable to disinformation? Identifying

connected factors and introducing a new conceptual framework
Kont, Jülide, Hanze University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands)
Elving, W.J.L., Hanze University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands)
Broersma, M.J., University of Groningen (The Netherlands)
Bozdag Bucak, Çigdem, University of Groningen (The Netherlands)
Contents 8

113 Understanding Predictors of Employees’ Turnover Intentions in times of

CEO-Initiated Crises
Krishna, Arunima, Boston University College of Communication (USA)

116 Segmentation of public in children vaccination communication in Slovenia,

implementing STOPS/CAPS and pragmatic multimethod approach
Kropivnik, Samo, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)
Vrdelja, Mitja, NIJZ (Slovenia)

118 Media image on social (ir)responsibility of Croatian banks

Lacković, Stjepan, Polytechnic of Baltazar Zaprešić (Croatia)
Šporčić, Mateja, Polytechnic of Baltazar Zaprešić (Croatia)

120 Sustainable Early Warning Systems (EWS) in Disaster Management: Can

communication practitioners provide the answer?
Le Roux, Tanya, Bournemouth University (UK)

122 Remarks on communication and sustainability: in search of the best practices

Loureiro, Mónica, BNP Paribas (Portugal)

124 On Sustainability Publics: Theories of Segmentation and Incentivization for

Effective Strategic Environmental Communication
Lovari, Alessandro, University of Cagliari (Italy)
Vaz de Almeida, Cristina, CAPP – ISCSP (Portugal)
Lee, Hyelim, University of Oklahoma & Debiasing and Lay Informatics (DaLI) Lab
(USA)
Hollenczer, Jimmy, University of Oklahoma & Debiasing and Lay Informatics (DaLI)
Lab (USA)
Kim, Jeong-Nam, University of Oklahoma & Debiasing and Lay Informatics (DaLI) Lab
(USA)

126 How can anti-consumption be effectively communicated?

Lučić, Andrea, University of Zagreb (Croatia)
Uzelac, Marija, University of Zagreb (Croatia)
Contents 9

128 Communication and Sustainability in Public Health: Bibliometric Analysis

Marques, Isabel, ISCSP ULisboa (Portugal)
Duarte Nogueira, Fernanda Maria, ISCSP ULisboa (Portugal)
Marques de Carvalho, Alba Caterine, ISCSP ULisboa (Portugal)

131 Examining the Impact of Leaders’ Use of Motivating Language on Employees’

Psychological Well-being during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Men, Linjuan Rita, University of Florida (USA)
Qin, Yufan Sunny, James Madison University (USA)
Hong, Cheng, California State University (USA)

134 Does 360º communication promote more sustainable behavior in

organizations?
Monteiro Mourão, Rita, Universidade Europea, IADE (Portugal)

136 Perceptions about corporate positioning on controversial sociopolitical issues:

Examining big pharma engagement with patient advocacy
Müller, Naíde, Catholic University of Portugal (Portugal)

138 The Sustainability Communication in Turkish Higher Educational

Institutions: Going Sustainable on Mission and Vision Statements?
Öksüz, Burcu, Izmir Kâtip Çelebi University (Turkey)
Görpe, T. Serra, University of Sharjah (U.A.E.)

140 Sustainable body image: fitspiration, overweight, and body positivity

Ortová, Nina, Charles University (Czech Republic)

142 Corporate Social Innovation & Strategic Communication: Cross-fertilized

Model Proposal
Pedro Sebastião, Sónia, Universidade de Lisboa, ISCSP, CAPP/FCT (Portugal)
Melchiades Soares, Andreia, Universidade de Lisboa, ISCSP, CAPP/FCT (Portugal)
Contents 10

144 Strategic communication as a transformative approach in the context of

sustainable development
Pleil, Thomas, Hochschule Darmstadt – University of Applied Sciences (Germany)
Otsa, Teresa, Hochschule Darmstadt – University of Applied Sciences (Germany)
Helferich, Pia Sue, Hochschule Darmstadt – University of Applied Sciences (Germany)

146 Understanding and Navigating the Shift Toward a Purpose-Driven

Sustainable Marketing Strategy: The Implications for Communications with
Internal and External Stakeholders
Prabhu, Jaideep, University of Cambridge (UK)

149 Diversity, equity and inclusion: A study on communication practices for a

more sustainable workplace
Ravazzani, Silvia, Università IULM (Italy)
Fisichella, Chiara, Università IULM (Italy)
Butera, Alfonsa, Università IULM (Italy)
Mazzei, Alessandra, Università IULM (Italy)

151 The Place of Sustainability in Public Relations Education in Spain, Turkey and
the United Arab Emirates: A Preliminary Study
Ruiz-Mora, Isabel, University of Malaga (Spain)
Öksüz, Burcu, University of Sharjah (U.A.E.)
Görpe, T. Serra, University of Sharjah, Izmir Kâtip Çelebi University (Turkey)

153 Academic publications create sustainable knowledge in funded projects

Ruoslahti, Harri, Laurea University of Applied Sciences (Finland)
Hytönen, Eveliina, Laurea University of Applied Sciences (Finland)

155 Green communication and moral outrages in the context of revisited

Situational Crisis Communication Theory
Selakovic, Marko, S P Jain School of Global Management (U.A.E.)
Ljepava, Nikolina, American University in the Emirates (U.A.E.)
Ljepava, Angela, University of Waterloo (Canada)
Contents 11

158 Ways to Foster Internal Communities: Harnessing the Power of Effective CSR
Communication
Shen, Hongmei, San Diego State University (USA)
Jiang, Hua, Syracuse University (USA)

160 Toward Sustaining an Alumni Community: The Role of Identity and Agency
on Alumni Engagement
Shen, Hongmei, San Diego State University (USA)
Northup, Temple, San Diego State University (USA)

162 Internal and External Aspects of Sustainability Communication. An

investigation of CSR reporting and media coverage in different industries
2020-21
Sievert, Holger, Macromedia University of Applied Sciences Cologne (Germany)
Hetzel, Esther, Macromedia University of Applied Sciences Cologne (Germany)
Meißner, Florian, Macromedia University of Applied Sciences Cologne (Germany)

164 “Personal” Influence in “Public” Relations Practices: Evidence from Italy

Sriramesh, Krishnamurthy, University of Colorado (USA)
Valentini, Chiara, University of Jyvaskyla (Finland)

166 Internal communication channel trends, the energy crisis and sustainability:
Can a middle ground be found in South Africa?
Sutton, Lucinda B, North-West University (South Africa)
Le Roux, Tanya, Bournemouth University (UK)

169 The impact of corporate social responsibility on brand loyalty and employer
brand reception: The mediating role of brand authenticity
Špoljarić, Anja, University of Zagreb (Croatia)
Dropulić, Branka, University of Zagreb (Croatia)
Tkalac Verčič, Ana, University of Zagreb (Croatia)

171 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG). Just a “public relations

exercise”?
Thompson, Gareth, University of the Arts London (UK)
Contents 12

173 Attitudes towards sustainable development and employer brands: Comparing

generations X, Y and Z, in two countries
Tkalac Verčič, Ana, University of Zagreb (Croatia)
Verčič, Dejan, University of Ljubljana and Herman & partnerji (Slovenia)

175 The impacts of communication in sustainability in Italy

Vazzoler, Sergio, Amapola (Italy)
Armuzzi, Giulia, Gruppo Maggioli (Italy)
Bosello, Federica, Autorità di Sistema Portuale del Mare Adriatico Settentrionale (Italy)
Burighel, Micol, Amapola (Italy)
Colle, Matteo, Gruppo CAP (Italy)
Conti, Emilio, Amapola (Italy)
Martello, Stefano, Comm to Action (Italy)
Marzetta, Alberto, Amapola (Italy)
Milan, Gloria, ICDLAB Sostenibilità e Comunicazione (Italy)
Parigi, Riccardo, MUST S.r.l. (Italy)
Persico, Maria Grazia, MGP&Partners and NSA S.r.l. (Italy)
Talluri, Marco, Ambientenonsolo (Italy)

177 Legitimatization of gas in the hydrogen discourse in Australia

Weder, Franzisca, The University of Queensland (Australia)
Watt, Ned, The University of Queensland (Australia)
Burdon, Jasmine, The University of Queensland (Australia)
Singh, Shreya, The University of Queensland (Australia)
Lee, Kumchong, The University of Queensland (Australia)
Courtois, Cedric, The University of Queensland (Australia)
Ashworth, Peta, The University of Queensland (Australia)

180 Redesigning public relations beyond sustainability: Discursive entrepreneurs,

deep adaptation, and hyper-reflexivity
Willis, Paul, University of Huddersfield and Leeds Beckett University (UK)
McKie, David, University of Waikato (New Zealand)
Contents 13

182 Exploring the Public Engagement in Missing People on Social Media Platform
- Douyin Xunren as An Example
Wu, Shih Chia, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong, S.A.R. China)
Liu, Xueyi, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong, S.A.R. China)
Kuo, Man Ying, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong, S.A.R. China)
Chan, Ziang, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong, S.A.R. China)

185 Consequences of Unfulfilled International Commitments to Sustainability

Yeo, SunHa, University of Oklahoma (USA)
Lee, Hyelim, University of Oklahoma (USA)
Hollenczer, James, University of Oklahoma (USA)
Kim, Soo Yun, University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley (USA)
Ko, Sungan, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (Republic of Korea)

188 Words Matter: The Consequences of Supervisor Verbal Aggressiveness on

Workplace Culture, Employee-Organization Relationships, and Employee
Behavior
Yue, Cen April, University of Connecticut (USA)
Qin, Yufan Sunny, James Madison University (USA)
Men, Linjuan Rita, University of Florida (USA)

190 Constructing what is the right thing to do: Framing the political responsibility
of Fifa sponsors in Qatar World Cup 2022
Zhao, Hui, Lund University (Sweden)
Wang, Yijing, Erasmus University Rotterdam (The Netherlands)

191 How are corporate sustainability activities reflected in the evaluation of

companies’ media appearance?
Milić, Patricia, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)
Žabkar, Vesna, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)
Čater Barbara, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)
Čater, Tomaž, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)
Contents 14

Papers
193 Towards a better future: An assessment of sustainability practices in the
aviation sector from the perspective of public relations
Çiçek, Meltem, Istanbul Maltepe University Vocational School (Turkey)

205 A Lens to Examine Communication Through Business Continuity

Management
Hytönen, Eveliina, Laurea University of Applied Sciences (Finland)
Ruoslahti, Harri, Laurea University of Applied Sciences (Finland)

217 The impacts of communication in sustainability in Italy

Milan, Gloria, ICDLAB Sostenibilità e Comunicazione (Italy)
Armuzzi, Giulia, Gruppo Maggioli (Italy)
Bonometto, Caterina, ICDLAB Sostenibilità e Comunicazione (Italy)
Bosello, Federica, Autorità di Sistema Portuale del Mare Adriatico Settentrionale (Italy)
Burighel, Micol, Amapola (Italy)
Colle, Matteo, Gruppo CAP (Italy)
Parigi, Riccardo, MUST S.r.l. (Italy)
Talluri, Marco, Ambientenonsolo (Italy)
Vazzoler, Sergio, Amapola (Italy)
Martello, Stefano, Comm to Action (Italy)

223 Academic publications create sustainable knowledge in funded projects

Ruoslahti, Harri, Laurea University of Applied Sciences (Finland)
Hytönen, Eveliina, Laurea University of Applied Sciences (Finland)

233 Internal and External Aspects of Sustainability Communication. An

investigation of CSR reporting and media coverage in different industries
2020-21
Sievert, Holger, Macromedia University of Applied Sciences Cologne (Germany)
Meißner, Florian, Macromedia University of Applied Sciences Cologne (Germany)
Hetzel, Esther, Macromedia University of Applied Sciences Cologne (Germany)
Contents 15

249 Professional Sustainability in a Time of AI-Generated Disinformation:

A Challenge for Public Relations and Communication Management
Practitioners
Swiatek, Lukasz, University of New South Wales (Australia)
Vujnovic, Marina, Monmouth University (USA)
Kruckeberg, Dean, UNC Charlotte (USA)
Galloway, Chris, Massey University (New Zealand)

Extended Abstracts
256 Segmentation of public in children vaccination communication in Slovenia,
implementing STOPS/CAPS and pragmatic multimethod approach
Kropivnik, Samo, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)
Vrdelja, Mitja, NIJZ (Slovenia)
1 Editors 16

Dejan Verčič University of Ljubljana and Herman & partnerji (Slovenia)

• Dejan Verčič is Professor, Head of Centre for Marketing and Public Rela-
tions at the University of Ljubljana, and Partner in strategic consulting and
communication company Herman & partners Ltd. Slovenia. He received his
PhD from the London School of Economics and Political Science, UK. A
Fulbright scholar, recipient of the Pathfinder Award, the highest academic
honour bestowed by the Institute for Public Relations (IPR) in New York, and named a Dis-
tinguished Public Relations Scholar by the European Public Relations Education and Research
Association (EUPRERA). In 1991 he was the founding director of Slovenian national news
agency (STA). Organizing the annual International Public Relations Research Symposium –
BledCom since 1994.

Ana Tkalac Verčič University of Zagreb (Croatia) • Ana Tkalac Verčič,

Ph.D., is a Full Professor of Marketing communications and Public Relations
at the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, Croatia.
She is a former Fulbright scholar and a recipient of the Chartered Institute
of Public Relations diploma. Ana Tkalac Verčič has authored, co-authored
and edited numerous books including Public Relations Metrics: Research
and Evaluation (with B. van Ruler and D. Verčič) and is the author of the first Croatian public
relations textbook. She has published more than a 100 papers in various academic journals
and serves in various editorial boards such as International Journal of Strategic Communica-
tion, Journal of Public Relations Research and Public Relations Review. Throughout her career
professor Tkalac Verčič has received numerous awards, most recently, GrandPRx, the award
for the development of public relations as a profession. She is a former president of the Cro-
atian Public Relations Association.

Krishnamurthy Sriramesh University of Colorado (USA) • Krishnamur-

thy Sriramesh, is Professor of Public Relations at the University of Colora-
do, USA. He is recognized for his scholarship on topics such as global public
relations, culture and public relations, corporate social responsibility, and
public relations for development. Over 30 years he has advocated the need
to reduce ethnocentricity in the public relations body of knowledge and
practice in 8 books, over 110 articles and book chapters, and over 120 conference presenta-
tions around the world. His rich teaching experience includes teaching at 10 universities on
four continents while also delivering seminars/talks in over 40 countries. He has won several
awards for teaching and research at different universities including the 2004 Pathfinder Award
from the Institute for Public Relations (USA) for “original scholarly research contributing to
the public relations body of knowledge” and the PRIDE Award from the National Communi-
cation Association (USA).
2 Authors 17

Adi, Ana, Quadriga University of Applied Sciences (Germany) • Prof. Dr. Ana Adi
(www.anaadi.net) is the Vice-President of Quadriga University of Applied Scienc-
es in Berlin where she is also currently teaching and researching. Prior to her
role there, she has held lecturing and research posts in the UK, Belgium and
Bahrain. She is the host of Women in PR, a podcast series featuring interviews
with women that have embraced PR and made it shine. She is currently engaged
in an international Delphi study exploring projections and reflections on the future
of PR and their social impact and is writing a book on the experience of Nigerian working in PR in
collaboration with Tolulope Olorundero.

Aksoy, Zeynep, Izmir University of Economics (Turkey) • Zeynep Aksoy holds a

MSc degree in International Relations and a MA degree in Public Relations from
Istanbul University. She received her doctoral degree in Public Relations at Izmir
Ege University (2013) with her dissertation on “Cultural Intelligence and Its Role
in Multicultural Environments”. In 2016, Aksoy carried out her postdoctoral studies
at the University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam School for Regional, Transnational
and European Studies (ARTES) with TUBITAK scholarship. She teaches public
relations, corporate communication and intercultural Communication on undergraduate and gradu-
ate levels at Izmir University of Economics. Her research interest includes intercultural communica-
tion, cultural identity, corporate communication, and healthcare communication.

Aktas, Melike, Ankara University (Turkey) • Melike Aktaş Kuyucu is a professor

in Ankara University Faculty of Communication, Public Relations and Publicity
Department. Her research interests include consumer studies, consumption rela-
tionships, public relations theory, public relations researches and public relations
history.

Anton, Anca, University of Bucharest (Romania) • Anca Anton is Senior lecturer

at the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences, University of Bucha-
rest, Romania, where she teaches marketing communications, media marketing,
corporate and business PR/comms. Her research covers several fields: the in-
tersection of communication and democratised forms of diplomacy, with a focus
on public diplomacy, civil society diplomacy, and digital diplomacy; the transfor-
mation of the PR/comms profession and industry (focused on freelancers, PR
agencies, and corporate communicators) and their intersection with digital and social media; digital
governmental communication. She is a member of EUPRERA, ICA and ECREA. In EUPRERA she
co-leads the Education Network.

Armuzzi, Giulia, Gruppo Maggioli (Italy) • HR Communication Specialist of Grup-

po Maggioli. She holds the bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences from
the University of Bologna (2019) and the master’s degree in Organization and
Marketing for Business Communication from La Sapienza University of Rome
(2021). Since October 2020, she has been general coordinator of the corporate
communication lab Comm to Action, for which she has coordinated several digital
projects since 2019, including Alfathon, The Post Talk, and Inspiring PR. Co-au-
thor of L’anello mancante. La comunicazione ambientale alla prova della transizione ecologica,
S.Martello, S. Vazzoler (a cura di), Pacini Editore, 2022.
2 Authors 18

Ashworth, Peta, The University of Queensland (Australia)

Baek, Jinha, Yonsei University (Republic of Korea)

Barlik, Jacek, University of Warsaw (Poland) • He is an assistant professor at the

Faculty of Journalism, Information and Book Studies, the University of Warsaw,
Poland (full-time since 2014, previously straddled business career and part-time
teaching). He is also a seasoned public relations practitioner, with vast experience
as an advisor to major Polish and international corporations, public institutions
and NGOs. He has authored articles, chapters and a book on public relations,
communication strategies, awareness campaigns, crisis communication, social
media, PR theory, sales and persuasion (in Polish and English), and was a Fulbright scholar at the
University of Maryland, College Park (USA).

Benecke, Dalien René, University of Johannesburg (South Africa) • Rene is As-

sociate Professor in Department of Strategic Communication and specializes in
experiential learning, work-integrated education, participatory action learning and
action research for strategic communication students Her research include activ-
ism, community influencers, network theory, internal communication and leader-
ship. She also mentors the Students’ Public Relations Association (SPRA). She
served as President of the professional body the Public Relations Association
of Southern Africa (PRISA) during 2019/20 and also holds the portfolio Education, Training and
Research. Rene believes in providing students with the opportunity to make a difference in society
through their experiential learning actions. Her community involvement includes the development of
young practitioners through active citizenship. For more detail on her publications visit: https://www.
uj.ac.za/members/prof-rene-benecke/ & https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3208-0669

Bikakci, Banu, Izmir University of Economics (Turkey) • A. Banu Bıçakçı (Ph.D.)

is an Associate Professor of Public Relations. Currently, she is a part-time lec-
turer at the İzmir University of Economics and a Communication Consultant for
the Association of Organic Agriculture Associations (ETO Derneği). Her research
interests primarily involve PR history, sustainability, and activist public relations.
She has been conducting research in the EUPRERA PR History network for nine
years and she is a member of EUPRERA, ECREA, and IAMCR. She can speak
English and Italian.

Bosello, Federica, Autorità di Sistema Portuale del Mare Adriatico Settentrionale

(Italy) • Member of the Italian Federation of Public Relations Professionals, she
started dealing with Public Affairs by working for relevant Italian public institutions
and companies. Managing promotion, communication and institutional relations
for 25 years at the North Adriatic Sea Port Authority. Expert in stakeholder man-
agement, creator and manager of a variety of communication campaigns and
tools, both business oriented and consensus oriented. Expert in sustainability
management since 2021, earning two Professionals Master’s on this topic. Speaker in conferences,
author of scientific papers and articles, curator of publications focused on “sustainability communi-
cation” in particular. Member of two relevant Venetian cultural institutions too.
2 Authors 19

Bozdag Bucak, Çigdem, University of Groningen (The Netherlands) • Çiğdem

Bozdağ (Ph.D. University of Bremen) is an assistant professor at The Centre for
Media and Journalism Studies at the University of Groningen. Bozdağ is at the
same time a Marie Sklodowska Curie Fellow in the Faculty of Education at the
University of Bremen with her project INCLUDED (2019-2023). Her research in-
terests include digital media use, digital literacy, digital inclusion, media education
in schools, media and migration.

Bowman, Sarah, Northumbria University (UK) • Sarah Bowman, PhD, MCIPR,

MCIM, is a senior lecturer in the Department of Social Sciences, Northumbria
University, UK, and formally ran the MA Public Relations, London College of Com-
munication, University of the Arts, London. Prior to entering academia, Sarah had
20 years’ experience in PR practice holding senior roles in the public, private and
not-for-profit sectors and has worked regionally, nationally and at a pan-European
level. Current research interests include knowledge, competencies and strengths;
organisational communications with a focus on arts, change and innovation; and the concept of com-
munication as an integrative and liquid practice.

Božič Marolt, Janja, Mediana Institute (Slovenia) • Janja founded the Institute of
Market and Media Research, Mediana, in 1992. Mediana has a high reputation
in research, marketing, media and public opinion surveys. Mediana has correctly
predicted all election results in Slovenia. Janja is also the Slovenia Represen-
tative for ESOMAR. She established the first media research project providing
media currencies in Slovenia. Janja was nominated as Personality of the Year by
the Slovenian Ad Association in 2001. She is a professor of marketing commu-
nications and public relations at the B2 Ljubljana School of Business and participates in marketing
and advertising juries and professional events. Janja is married and the proud mother of two adult
children.

Bridgen, Elizabeth, Sheffield Hallam University (UK) • Elizabeth Bridgen is Prin-

cipal Lecturer in Public Relations at Sheffield Hallam University, UK. She is co-ed-
itor with Sarah Williams of Women’s work (in public relations): An edited collection
which will be published by Emerald in 2024. She is also co-editor with Dejan
Verčič of Experiencing Public Relations: International Voices and recently con-
tributed a chapter, ‘’It’s trivial, bitchy and dull’ to Martina Topić’s edited collection
Towards a New Understanding of Masculine Habitus : Women in Leadership in
Public Relations. She has had work published in Journal of Media Practice and PRism and recently
co-authored a Chartered Institute of Public Relations-funded project on social mobility in public re-
lations (with Stuart Baird) called Levelling Up the Public Relations Profession. She is also included
in Platinum: Celebrating the CIPR and its members at 70 with her chapter “The impact of diversity
initiatives on practitioners and practice.” Her research explores the lived experience of public rela-
tions practitioners with a focus on gender and technology and is currently working on a portfolio of
research projects on the marginalised in public relations communities.
2 Authors 20

Broersma, M.J., University of Groningen (The Netherlands) • Marcel Broersma

(Ph.D. University of Groningen) is a professor of Media and Journalism Studies
in The Centre for Media and Journalism Studies at the University of Groningen.
His research interests include the interface between the digital transformation of
journalism, social media, changing media use, and digital literacy and inclusion.

Brusati, Luca, Udine University (Italy) • Luca Brusati is full professor of manage-
ment at the Department of Economics and Management of Udine University: he
has been teaching communication students since 2001, and in 2006 he founded
and serves up until now as scientific coordinator of LAREM, Udine University’s re-
search centre specialized in corporate communication management. Since 2007
he serves as a visiting professor teaching “Social responsibility and communica-
tion” in the Master for Communication in International Relations at IULM Univer-
sity (Italy); in 2015 he also taught “Integrated marketing communication” in the Executive MBA and
the Master of Global Business at SP Jain School of Global Management (UAE).

Burdon, Jasmine, The University of Queensland (Australia) • Jasmine Burdon

is an early career researcher, with specific interests in feminist political ecology,
climate change and sustainability. She completed her bachelor’s degree in social
science from the University of Queensland and is currently undertaking a Master
of Climate Change at the Australian National University. Her latest research proj-
ects focus on Hydrogen discourses within Australia, eco-cultural identities, and
feminist understandings of the environment”.

Burighel, Micol, Amapola (Italy) • Born in 1994, Micol published her first book,
L’autunno di Montebuio, in 2012. She graduated in Journalism at University of
Genoa in 2019 and her thesis was awarded with the “Pestelli Prize” for the best
dissertation on journalism. In 2019 she started collaborating with communication
agencies. Since 2021 Micol is Communication Manager for Amapola, communi-
cation agency and benefit corporation specialising in sustainability, for which she
is also member of the internal Council that manages common benefit activities.
She is author of publications focused on sustainability issues, such as the Decalogue of environmen-
tal communication, wrote together with Sergio Vazzoler.

Butera, Alfonsa, Università IULM (Italy) • Alfonsa Butera is Adjunct Professor

of Corporate Communication and Head of Coordination and Researcher of the
Centre for Employee Relations and Communication at Università IULM, Italy. She
is a freelance consultant in the field of corporate communication, dealing with the
strategic planning and operational management of the communication activities
of B2B and B2C customers operating in various industrial sectors. Her main re-
search interests are employee communication and engagement, internal crisis
communication, employee voice and silence, media relations.
2 Authors 21

Capurso, Viviana, Udine University (Italy) • Viviana Capurso, MA in Public Rela-

tions at the University of Udine, PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience at La Sapienza
University of Rome. Currently adjunct professor of Sustainability and Strategic
Communication at the University of Udine. She has started her career as copywrit-
er and strategic consultant in communication agencies and she currently works
as consultant for companies in the areas of communication and sustainability.
She has taught at the University of Trieste (International Diplomatic Sciences),
the University of Switzerland (Communication Sciences), and the Universidad Europea de Madrid
(Communication Sciences). She is author and coauthor of scientific articles in international journals.

Chan, Ziang, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong, S.A.R. China)

Chmiel, Michal, Royal Holloway, University of London (UK) • He is Senior Lec-

turer in Psychology and BSc (Hons) Environment and Social Change Programme
Director at Royal Holloway. In his research, he investigates the phenomena of
fake news and biases in judgement formation. Michal also analyses the societal
impact of Public Relations communication. As a practitioner, he has more than 14
years of experience in incorporating social psychological evidence into PR and
communications projects for multinational companies and public figures.

Chen, Yi-Ru Regina, Hong Kong Baptist University (Hong Kong, S.A.R. China)

Çiçek, Meltem, İstanbul Maltepe University Vocational School (Turkey) • She

graduated from Maltepe University Public Relations and Advertising doctorate
program with a 1st degree. She is the coordinator of General Education Cours-
es at Maltepe University and is also a faculty member of the Vocational School
Public Relations and Publicity Department. Çiçek’s research areas are reputation
management, corporate communication, crisis management. She is the founder
and editor-in-chief of PublishM Publishing House. In addition to her academic
publications, poetry books also met the readers.

Cinca, Lavinia, National School of Political and Administrative Studies (Roma-

nia) • Lavinia Cinca possesses a Master’s degree in Management and Business
Communication from The National University of Political Studies and Public Ad-
ministration of Bucharest and a Postgraduate degree in EU studies from Cen-
tre International de Formation Européenne of Brussels. She complemented her
studies with several courses in graphic design, in Brussels, since 2016. Over the
past 10 years, she has worked on a number of European and international as-
signments focusing on digital communication, marketing, events management, and also research in
PR which she presented during some BledCom editions.

Cipot, Tina, Slovenian Public Relations Association - PRSS (Slovenia) • Although

she swore she would not be a journalist, she became one. After several years of
journalistic and editorial work, she switched to public relations. Between 2006
and 2010, she was working in Telekom Slovenija’s Public Relations Department,
and then spent two years at the Kliping agency gaining experience in the field of
media content monitoring and analysis. In May 2013, she took over the manage-
ment of corporate communication in Lidl Slovenia, where they prepare numerous
communication projects, support other activities in the company, and create projects of sustainable
2 Authors 22

development and social responsibility under the name Ustvarimo boljši svet. Since 2017, she has
also been active in the Slovenian Public Relations Association (PRSS), where she is serving her
second term as president of the association.

Clarke, Faye, Pembroke and Rye (UK) • Faye is a Senior Account Executive at
London based strategic PR consultancy, Pembroke and Rye. She is an MA grad-
uate from Cardiff University in International Public Relations and Global Com-
munications Management. At Pembroke and Rye, she has been encouraged to
maintain a keen academic interest in CSR, ESG and reputation management.
As a practitioner, she works for a range of industry-leading clients in aviation,
technology, aerospace and events. She has also developed a specialist interest
in data analysis and the preparation of management information reports. She regularly uses her an-
alytical skills to inform strategic decision making and client planning.

Colle, Matteo, Gruppo CAP (Italy) • Born in 1975 has made a name for himself in
the world of strategic communication, sustainability, public affairs, lobbying, and
community relations. With a degree in Philosophy and two Master’s degrees in
marketing and Public and Political Communication, he has been involved in these
fields for over 20 years. He currently holds the position of Head of External Rela-
tions and Sustainability at Gruppo CAP, which provides integrated water services
to municipalities in the Metropolitan City of Milan. In addition to his professional
work, he also teaches in various Master’s programs and has authored chapters in books about envi-
ronmental communication. Matteo is known for his passion for water issues, as he describes himself
as “Water and Communication addicted.”

Conti, Emilio, Amapola (Italy)

Courtois, Cedric, The University of Queensland (Australia)

Čater, Barbara, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)

Čater, Tomaž, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)

Dhanesh, Ganga, Zayed University (U.A.E.) • Ganga S Dhanesh (PhD, National

University of Singapore) is Associate Professor and Associate Dean at the Col-
lege of Communication and Media Sciences, Zayed University. Dr Dhanesh’s ex-
perience in corporate and non-profit sectors has informed her extensive research
program on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and strategic internal commu-
nication. Dhanesh serves as Associate Editor for the Journal of Communication
Management. A recipient of several research awards, Dhanesh actively consults
for various national and multinational organizations. She is a lead researcher for the Global Capabil-
ities Framework project in the UAE and university lead for the Unstereotype Alliance UAE chapter,
convened by UN Women.
2 Authors 23

Doswell, Steve, Gemini Communicating for Business Ltd (UK) • Steve Doswell
is a corporate communication practitioner. His professional practice spans ener-
gy, power engineering, robotics, financial services and higher education. He was
President of FEIEA, the European Association of Internal Communication 2010-
2012 and CEO of the UK’s Institute of Internal Communication (IoIC) 2011-2016.
Steve took time out aged 50 to complete a Masters in European Politics (Universi-
ty of Birmingham). He is also a published translator (French-English) and member
of the Chartered Institute of Linguists. A frequent BledCom participant since 2011.

Downes, Edward J., Boston University (USA) • Edward J. Downes, Ph.D.,

M.P.A., is an associate professor of public relations at Boston University’s College
of Communication. Prior to joining academic full-time he worked, for 10 years,
throughout metropolitan Washington, D.C., as a communications professional.
He was employed by public, private, and nonprofit organizations, among them the
U.S. Congress. His research has been published in six academic journals and he
has presented at numerous at academic conferences.

Drapal, Andrej, andrejdrapal.com (Slovenia)

Dropulić, Branka, University of Zagreb (Croatia) • Branka Dropulić, M.A. is a

PhD candidate and a teaching assistant at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of
Economics and Business, Department of Marketing. She gained her previous
work experience in private sector, working for Croatia’s largest confectionery
company, Kraš d.d. As a part of Marketing division, she delt with various projects
and markets and collaborated with both national and international partners on
how to sustain brands for the future generations of consumers. At the core of her
research interests are sustainable marketing and consumption, building and managing brand expe-
riences and consumer behavior. Due to general interest in human behavior, in 2023, she became a
counseling therapist in existential analysis. Apart from fluency in English, she speaks Italian, French,
Swedish, German and Spanish.

Duarte Nogueira, Fernanda Maria, ISCSP ULisboa (Portugal)

Edzes, Arjen, Hanze University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands) • Arjen

Edzes is professor Regional Labor Market at the Hanze University of Applied Sci-
ences, Groningen, the Netherlands and associate professor at the department of
Economic Geography of the University of Groningen. He has a research focus on
the development of regional labor markets. He is currently working on the linkag-
es between regional labor markets and regional economy, future occupations and
necessary skills and competences, lifelong development, career paths and labor
market dynamics, and the effectiveness and efficiency of public administration. Email: a.j.e.edzes@
pl.hanze.nl
2 Authors 24

Einwiller, Sabine, University of Vienna (Austria) • Sabine Einwiller is the Profes-

sor of Public Relations Research at the Department of Communication, Univer-
sity of Vienna, Austria, where she is department chair and head of the Corporate
Communication Research Group. She is on the board of directors of EUPRERA
and a member of the Austrian PR-Ethics-Council. Her main research areas com-
prise employee communication, CSR communication, corporate reputation man-
agement, and the effects of negative publicity and complaining.

Eiró-Gomes, Mafalda, Escola Superior de Comunicação Social - Instituto

Politécnico de Lisboa (Portugal) • Has got a master and a PhD in Communica-
tions Sciences from Universidade Nova de Lisboa. She is a Coordinator Profes-
sor of Pragmaticas and PR at the Media and Communications College in Lisbon
where she is a faculty member since 1992. She has been director of both the
undergraduate and the master program in PR / Corporate Communications, as
well as being the Scientific Board President between 2011 and 2014 she is now
the coordinator of the PR and Organisational Communications field at ESCS. She has been working,
pro bono, as an advisor in Strategic Communication for different non governmental organisations.

Elving, Wim J.L., Hanze University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands) • Wim
Elving is professor Sustainable Communication at the Hanze University of Ap-
plied Sciences, Groningen, the Netherlands. He is part of EnTranCe, Centre of
Expertise Energy, that focuses on the energy transition and the Sustainable So-
ciety. Elving received the distinguished scholar award in September 2022 from
Euprera. His current research is involved with communicative and behavioural
interventions to create this sustainable future. He has contributed to more than
150 articles, book chapters, books, editorials, blogs. His research expertise is besides sustainable
communications, corporate communication, internal and change communication, CSR communica-
tion and branding. He is a member of the A.W. Page Society, and member of the board of directors
of Euprera. Email: [email protected]

Esser, Luisa Madeleine, IMWF Institute for Management and Economic Re-
search GmbH (Germany) • Luisa Madeleine Esser, born in 1997 in Mönchenglad-
bach/Germany, studies economics in the masters programme at the Westfälische
Wilhelms-Universität Münster. In her studies, she focuses on quantitative meth-
ods and the econometric analysis of economic policy measures. As an associate
of the IMWF Institut für Management- und Wirtschaftsforschung, she contributed
to several research projects in the content area of media, reputation, and the
analysis of AI-based data.

Fabbri, Valerio, FabbriKo (Slovenia) • I am an Italian communications profes-

sional with international expertise in journalism and the corporate world in areas
such as external communications, media relations and sustainability campaigns.
Able to create original content and translate complex ideas into cogent messag-
es for different audiences and stakeholders. Thanks to experiences in different
countries, I have gained a wide exposure to multicultural environments with the
ability to solve problems. Efficient in coordinating and executing communication
services – such as awareness-raising projects, corporate reporting, value-based campaigns, repu-
tation building – for various players.
2 Authors 25

Fatima, Sania, Royal Holloway, University of London (UK)

Fechner, Ronny, Quadriga University of Applied Sciences (Germany) • Dr. Ron-

ny Fechner is a research associate at Quadriga University Berlin. He holds a doc-
torate degree in communication science and has a lot of experience implemen-
tation research projects with a scientific and practice-oriented background. His
research interests include, among others, the PR/comms-journalism-relationship
and communication controlling.

Fisichella, Chiara, Università IULM (Italy) • Chiara Fisichella (PhD) is a Research

Fellow and a Researcher of the Centre for Employee Relations and Communi-
cation at Università IULM, Italy. She is a freelance consultant in the field of social
research. Her main research interests are: corporate communication, event man-
agement, diversity & inclusion, employee communication and engagement, and
cultural organization management.

Forthmann, Jörg, IMWF Institute for Management and Economic Research

(Germany) • Dipl.-Ing. Ing oec. Jörg Forthmann, born 1968 in Heerlen (Nether-
lands) is managing partner of the IMWF Institute for Management and Economic
Research in Hamburg. At IMWF, he is responsible for big data analysis based on
social listening, which is carried out with the help of artificial intelligence. Forth-
mann worked in the press and public relations of the Bundeswehr, worked as a
journalist for Axel Springer Verlag and learned the PR craft at Nestlé Germany. He
later worked as a press spokesman for a management consultancy and founded the communication
consultancy Faktenkontor.

Francis, Thyme, Ada and Alan (UK)

Galloway, Chris, Massey University (New Zealand) • Dr. Chris Galloway PhD,
MMgt is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Communication, Journalism and Mar-
keting at Massey University in New Zealand. Chris joins many years of experi-
ence as a journalist and senior public relations specialist to his academic inter-
ests in issue, risk and crisis communication. He has taught at universities in both
Australia and New Zealand. His other interests include the Middle East, especially
the way public relations techniques are used to present and position different
protagonists. He travels to the region as often as he can. He also writes about the impacts of new
technologies on PR practice, especially Artificial Intelligence.

Gao, Hao, Nanjing Normal University (China) • Professor, School of Journalism

and Communication, Nanjing Normal University. Ph.D. in Mass Communication,
Communication University of China. Visiting scholar at Waseda University from
2013 to 2014. Research orientation: Disaster communication, Public Relations,
Health communication. Research Grants: Disaster Communication and social re-
sponsibility of Media(Principal Investigator. The National Social Science Fund of
China,2017.6-2023.6). The Functional Transformation of Media in Disasters of
Japan(Principal Investigator. The Japan Foundation,2013.6-2014.6)
2 Authors 26

Geysi, Nilüfer, Bahçeşehir University (Turkey) • Nilüfer Geysi is an Assistant Pro-

fessor who received a Ph.D. in Advertising and Public Relations from Bahçeşehir
University and has been actively involved in research and academia for over 7
years. Geysi’s doctoral thesis, which focused on climate change communication,
specifically on communicative action, activism, and pro-environmental behavior,
was awarded the Best Doctoral Thesis Award at Bahçeşehir University. Her re-
search interests include sustainability, culture, digital media, and crisis communi-
cation. She has lectured on climate change communication and strategic communication for sustain-
ability, among other relevant courses. Geysi is a member of EUNES and is committed to advancing
research and education in the field of public relations.

Görpe, T. Serra, University of Sharjah (U.A.E.) • T. Serra Görpe is a professor

of communication at the University of Sharjah (UAE). She received her Ph.D. in
Public Relations and Promotion from Istanbul University. She holds a master’s
degree in Public Relations from Boston University (USA) and a master’s degree
in Social Psychology from Bosphorus University (Turkey). She was a professor in
the Faculty of Communications at Istanbul University (2000-2016). Before joining
the University of Sharjah, she was a professor at Zayed University College of
Communication and Media Sciences (UAE). She has extensive industry experience working both for
corporations and a public relations agency. Her research interests are CSR/sustainability, interna-
tional public relations, and crisis management.

Haig, David, Harvard University (USA) • David Haig is the George Putnam Pro-
fessor of Biology at Harvard University. After receiving his B.Sc. degree in bi-
ology with First Class Honors from Macquarie University in Australia, Haig left
academia, working variously as a dishwasher and clerk. Of this time, according
to an interview conducted by the Harvard University Gazette, he says: “I learned
a lot about the world, life, and people during the three years I took off. But, after a
couple years of stamping documents, I decided that academia was a better place
to be. It’s not as carefree as the life of a clerk, but it’s more intellectually stimulating.” He returned
to Macquarie University, received his PhD in biology, and moved on to a Royal Society Endeavour
postdoctoral Fellowship in plant sciences at St. John’s College, Oxford University.

Hein, Antonia, Hanze University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands) • An-

tonia Hein is currently a PhD researcher at the faculty of Economic Geography,
University of Groningen and the professorship Communication, Behaviour and
the Sustainable Society at Hanze University of Applied Sciences. For the past 16
years Antonia has been working as a senior lecturer and researcher at the Hanze
University of Applied Sciences, responsible for the curriculum design of the In-
ternational Communication bachelor and master programs. Antonia’s specialties
include employer branding, corporate communication, international branding, intercultural communi-
cation, regional images. Email: [email protected]
2 Authors 27

Hejlová, Denisa, Charles University (Czech Republic) • Denisa Hejlova, Ph.D.

is a leading Czech scholar and communication consultant. She focuses on re-
search, education and practice in public relations, public affairs, trust manage-
ment or fashion marketing. Since 2011, Denisa Hejlova is heading the department
of Marketing Communication and PR at the Charles University in Prague, one of
the most-wanted study programs in the Czech Republic. Before she has served
as a Vice-dean for PR or as a PR manager at the Czech Ministry of Foreign Af-
fairs. Denisa was a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at Columbia University in New York. In 2015, Denisa
published a comprehensive book about Public Relations for the Czech audience. In 2020, she start-
ed a first Czech MA program on Strategic Communication at the Charles University in Prague.

Helferich, Pia Sue, Hochschule Darmstadt – University of Applied Sciences

(Germany)

Hetzel, Esther, Macromedia University of Applied Sciences Cologne (Germany)

• Esther Hetzel is a PhD student at Macromedia University of Applied Sciences.
She completed her bachelor’s degree in media and communications manage-
ment and her master’s degree in business management with a focus on business
psychology. In addition to teaching at the university, her focus is on research in
risk and crisis communication as well as crisis journalism.

Hollenczer, Jimmy, University of Oklahoma (USA) • James Hollenczer is a research assistant at the
Center for Applied Social Research at the University of Oklahoma. His research explores the inter-
section of public relations and public administration, the use of artificial intelligence in communicative
environments, and the philosophy of communication. Currently, he is involved in a project developing
machine learning solutions to problems in public policy. James previously attended the University of
Oregon and the University of Maryland, where he studied journalism.

Holtzhausen, Lida, North-West University (South Africa) • Prof Lida Holtzhau-

sen is the School Director of the School of Communication in the Faculty of Hu-
manities at the North-West University in South African and an associate profes-
sor in Corporate Communication, specialising in corporate branding, reputation
management and integrated marketing communication. She in a member of the
International Public Relations Association and serves on multiple organisations
nationally in South Africa. She has presented more than 40 international and na-
tional conference papers and published both internationally and nationally. She has promoted and
supervised both PhD and MA students in Communication and has received three Teaching in Excel-
lence awards from her Institution.
2 Authors 28

Homann, Reimund, Service Value GmbH (Germany) • Reimund Homann, Dr.,

born in 1980 in Hamburg/Germany, is a Business Analyst at Cologne-based em-
pirical market, organisational and social research-company ServiceValue and a
former Business Analyst at the Hamburg-based management-consultancies fak-
tenkontor and IMWF. At ServiceValue he specializes in the quantitative analysis
of digital communication. He is the author of several books dealing with mathe-
matics and economic analysis of law and edited several books on various mana-
gerial and economic topics. He also has a vast experience as a lecturer in statistics and managerial
sciences.

Hong, Cheng, California State University (USA)

Hung-Baesecke, Chun-Ju Flora, University of Technology Sydney (Australia) •

Flora Hung-Baesecke teaches at University of Technology Sydney in Australia.
She is the Chair of the Public Relations Division in International Communication
Association and on the editorial boards of Journal of Public Relations Research,
International Journal of Strategic Communication, Public Relations Journal, and
Communication Research Reports. Flora is the 2015 – 2018 Arthur W. Page Leg-
acy Scholar and publishes in international refereed journals. She is Secretary
General for Overseas Affairs in Public Relations Society of China and is on the advisory board of
International Public Relations Research Conference. Her research interests include CSR, OPRs,
social media, strategic communication, and crisis management.

Hytönen, Eveliina, Laurea University of Applied Sciences (Finland)

Ingold, Ciara, Royal Holloway, University of London (UK)

Jiang, Hua, Syracuse University (USA) • Hua Jiang, Ph.D., is associate dean of
academic affairs and an associate professor of public relations at Syracuse Uni-
versity’s Newhouse School of Public Communications. Jiang’s primary research
interests include employee communication, social media engagement, corporate
social responsibility, corporate social advocacy, reputation management and men-
tal health research and campaigns. Jiang has published more than 50 peer-re-
viewed journal articles and book chapters. Her work has appeared in leading ref-
ereed journals, such as Communication Research, Computers in Human Behavior, Environmental
Communication, Journal of Applied Communication Research, Journal of Health Communication, In-
ternational Journal of Business Communication, Journal of Product and Brand Management, Journal
of Contingencies and Crisis Management, Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, Telematics
and Informatics, Social Science Computer Review, Journal of Public Relations Research and Public
Relations Review, among others. She serves on the editorial boards of top three public relations
journals: Journal of Public Relations Research, Public Relations Review and Public Relations Jour-
nal (PRSA journal). Jiang also received over 10 top paper awards and research recognitions from
national and international flagship communication associations.

Jonkman, J.G.F., University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands)

Ju, Jiyeon, Yonsei University (Republic of Korea)

2 Authors 29

Kalane, Maureen, University of Botswana (Botswana) • Maureen Sindisiwe Ka-

lane is a Lecturer at the University of Botswana in the Communication and Study
Skills Unit. She graduated at the University of Botswana and Warwick University
(UK) for undergraduate and post graduate studies respectively. Maureen has a
wealth of experience in teaching Business Communication and Communication
for academic purposes in institutions of higher learning in Botswana. She has
also taught Public Relations Campaigns and Legal Communication in the Media
Studies Department at the University of Botswana. Prior to joining the University of Botswana, Mau-
reen Kalane has spent ten years at the then Botswana institute of Administration and Commerce
(BIAC) now Botswana Public Service College, where she was Senior Lecturer and Assistant Head of
Department at the Communication and Public Relations Department. She also lectured in Business
Communication and Public Relations.

Kang, Minjeong, Indiana University (USA) • Minjeong Kang (Ph. D in Mass Com-
munication, Syracuse University) is an associate professor and teaches under-
graduate and graduate strategic communication and research courses at the
Media School, Indiana University. Her recent research interests have focused
on understanding engagement in various stakeholder contexts such as member,
employee, and volunteer relations and its positive impacts in eliciting support-
ive communication and behavioral outcomes. Additionally, Dr. Kang is working
on understanding organizational listening by examining factors that contribute to employee silence
motives. Dr. Kang serves as reviewer to various journals including Journal of Public Relations Re-
search, which she is on the editorial board.

Karnelutti, Lucija, Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations (Slo-
venia) • Lucija Karnelutti is the Youth Delegate of the Delegation of the European
Union to the United Nations (UN), where she focuses on ensuring the meaningful
involvement of young people in UN dialogues on security, sustainable develop-
ment and gender equality, and represents the voice of Europe’s youth at the UN.
Since 2015, Lucija has been actively involved in various youth organizations and
stakeholder working bodies working on advocacy and youth engagement in the
fields of education, social and environmental issues. She is also a keen creative and graphic design-
er, which led her to participate in the Mediana Rising Future project, where she was the winner of a
research project on sustainable development for Spar Slovenia.

Kim, Jarim, Yonsei University (Republic of Korea) • Education: Ph.D. at Univer-

sity of Maryland (College Park, USA) in Communication, specializing in Strate-
gic Communication, M.A. at Purdue University (West Lafayette, USA). Teaching
experience: Assistant Professor, Kookmin University, Seoul, Korea and Assis-
tant Professor, University of Missouri, St. Louis, MO. Professional experience:
Account Executive, Daehong Communications. Professiona and community ser-
vices: Journal Editorial Board (Invited), Health Communication (2019-present),
Journal of Public Relations Research (2019-present).

Kim, Jeong-Nam, University of Oklahoma (USA)

2 Authors 30

Kim, Soo Yun, University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley (USA) • Soo Yun Kim is
an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of
Texas – Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV). Her scholarship focuses on science and
health communication in today’s digital networked society, in particular examin-
ing: 1) information behaviors and communitive actions in shaping health and envi-
ronmental risk perception, 2) the nature and origins of conspiratorial thinking and
rejection of science, and 3) communication strategies to counteract political polar-
ization of science in the public sphere. With a strong background in interdisciplinary research, she is
currently serving on the Annual Conference for Interdisciplinary Research (SIPCE) Committee at the
UTRGV. Her recent research project with the Debiasing and Lay Informatics (DaLI) Lab in the Cen-
ter for Applied Social Research at the University of Oklahoma focuses on examining communicative
actions among the public of climate change deniers and climate change doomsayers. Prior to her ac-
ademic position at the UTRGV, she received her Ph.D. in Mass Communication at the University of
Wisconsin – Madison, M.A. in Journalism at the University of South Carolina – Columbia, and B.S. in
Management with a concentration in Marketing and a minor in Communication at Purdue University.

Kinnear, Susan, University of Dundee (UK)

Kelemen, Nina, Triglav Group (Slovenia)

Ko, Sungan, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (Republic of

Korea) • Sungan KO is Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Artificial In-
telligence (AI) of the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST).
He is also the director of the Human-AI Interaction and Visualization (HAIV) Lab at
UNIST. This lab is one of the early centers in South Korea devoted to developing
Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) systems and analyzing data using visualiza-
tion and AI techniques. In this lab, multidisciplinary research takes place at the
interface of AI, computer engineering, human factors, cognitive science, and psychology. The lab
works with topics such as AI-assisted visual analytics, information visualization, and AI tools for UI
(user interface) and UX(user experience).

Kont, Jülide, Hanze University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands) • Jülide

Kont is a Lecturer and PhD candidate at the University of Groningen and the
Hanze University of Applied Sciences. Her research focuses on resilience to dis-
information, her research interests include dis-/misinformation, media literacy,
cross-national and cross-cultural research. Jülide holds a M.A. degree in Inter-
national Communication and has previously worked in Corporate Communication
and Branding.

Koster, Sierdjan, Hanze University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands) •

Sierdjen Koster is a professor in Economic Geography at the University of Gron-
ingen. His research revolves around understanding regional differences in eco-
nomic prosperity and development. Specifically, he is very interested in how in-
creasingly flexible labor markets pose challenges and opportunities for regional
development and policy. In another research line, he assesses to what extent
regional images, identities and brands shape the economic behavior of firms and
people. Email: [email protected]
2 Authors 31

Koudlková, Petra, Charles University (Czech Republic) • Petra Koudlková holds

a PhD in Management and economy of companies. She is Assistant Professor
at Charles University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Marketing Com-
munication and PR. Her fields of study comprise corporate social responsibility
and sustainability approach of companies, above all SMEs and marketing and
institutional communication. Petra has participated in a project of communication
of Czech Ministry of Education, and in a project focusing on Increasing the Effec-
tiveness of Direct Citizen Invitation to Screen Colon and Rectal, Breast and Cervical Cancer and
others. She is the author of many research articles and two monographs.

Krishna, Arunima, Boston University College of Communication (USA)

Kropivnik, Samo, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia) • Samo Kropivnik is Asso-

ciate Professor of Social Sciences Research Methodology at Faculty of Social
Sciences (UL) and Researcher at Institute of Social Sciences (UL FSS), teaching
various courses on marketing and public relations research projects as well as
communication and political science research methodology and designs. He is
contributing mostly but not exclusively to research projects on political participa-
tion, marketing and public relations communication, life styles, health and social
stratification by dealing pragmatically with research approaches and designs, qualitative and quanti-
tative research methods and techniques in general and in particular with multivariate methods such
as clustering, factor analysis and regression.

Kruckeberg, Dean, UNC Charlotte (USA) • Dr. Dean Kruckeberg, APR, Fellow
PRSA, is a tenured Full Professor in the Department of Communication Studies
at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. From 2000 through 2002, he was
a Director-at-Large on PRSA’s National Board. Dr. Kruckeberg was 1993-94 Mid-
west District Chair and was 1988-89 President of the Cedar Valley Chapter. He
was 2010 Chair of the PRSA International Section; is a former National Faculty
Advisor of the Public Relations Student Society of America (1989-91) and was
Faculty Advisor of PRSSA Chapters at the University of Iowa, Northwest Missouri State University
and the University of Northern Iowa. From 1997 to 2012, Dr. Kruckeberg was Co-Chair of the Com-
mission on Public Relations Education. He was Chair of the Educators Academy and Co-Chair of
the Educational Affairs Committee in 1997. From 2006 through 2009, He was a member of PRSA’s
Board of Ethics and Professional Standards. Dr. Kruckeberg is a member of PRSA Charlotte and is
the Lead Academic Advisor of the Inez Y. Kaiser Memorial Scholarship Fund of the Greater Kansas
City Chapter of PRSA.

Kuo, Man Ying, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong, S.A.R. China)

Lacković, Stjepan, Polytechnic of Baltazar Zaprešić (Croatia) • Stjepan Lackov-

ić, PhD, is the head of ‘Communication Management’ professional graduate study
at Baltazar Polytechnic Zaprešić in Zaprešić, Croatia, where he teaches commu-
nication theory, media culture, political communication and public relations cours-
es. He received his PhD at the Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Zagreb,
in 2021. He holds three MA degrees – in philosophy and information sciences (at
the The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Zagreb),
in political science (at the Central European University in Budapest) and in European studies (at the
Jagiellonian University in Krakow). His fields of interest are corporate identity, corporate ideology
2 Authors 32

and political communication.

Le Roux, Tanya, Bournemouth University (UK) • Tanya le Roux is a Principal

Lecturer and Interim Head of Department for Communication & Journalism, at
Bournemouth University, UK. Before she entered academia, Tanya worked as
a communication professional in South Africa and the United Kingdom. Tanya
strongly believes in combining academic work with practical experience, in or-
der to benefit both academia and professional practice. Her research interest is
focused on strategic communication management and the application thereof in
disaster risk reduction. The second biggest highlight every year is for Tanya to judge the global IABC
Gold Quill Awards. The absolute highlight always being the Bledcom conference!

Lee, Hyelim, University of Oklahoma (USA) • Hyelim LEE is Assistant Professor

at the Washington State University’s Edward R. Murrow College of Communica-
tion. She did her BA at Yonsei University, Korea), MA at Seoul National Univer-
sity, and Ph.D. at the University of Oklahoma’s Gaylord College of Journalism
and Mass Communication. She was also a doctoral candidate at Seoul National
University’s Department of Computer Science. Her doctoral research explores
how computational social science methods can inform public relations theories.
Lee recently joined the Debiasing and Lay Informatics (DaLI) Lab in the Center for Applied Social
Research at the University of Oklahoma, where she researches public policy-making processes
and fake news detection through machine learning and computational text analysis. In 2021, with
co-author Lisa Tam and Jeong-Nam Kim, Lee received the International Communication Association
Public Relations Division Top Faculty Paper Award.

Lee, Kumchong, The University of Queensland (Australia)

Li, Yubin, Nanjing Normal University (China) • Undergraduate student, School

of Journalism and Communication, Nanjing Normal University. Research orienta-
tion: Public Relations, Mass communication and Social Media

Likely, Fraser, University of Ottawa (Canada)

Liu, Xueyi, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong, S.A.R. China)

Ljepava, Angela, University of Waterloo (Canada)

Ljepava, Nikolina, American University in the Emirates (U.A.E.) • Dr. Nikolina

Ljepava is a Department Chair of Management in the College of Business Admin-
istration at the American University in the Emirates, Dubai, UAE. She is a prac-
tice-oriented university professor and senior marketing professional with exten-
sive industry and academic experience in North America, Europe, and the United
Arab Emirates. Holder of Ph.D. in Marketing Research with a specialization in
digital marketing research and analytics and of major international professional
qualifications in marketing: Chartered Marketer, Certified Digital Marketing Professional, and Fellow
2 Authors 33

of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. Her research interests are related to various aspects of digi-
tal transformation in marketing and business, human-technology interaction, and applied marketing
research and analytics combined with elements of decision sciences. She is an author of more than
60 peer-reviewed research publications and holder of various academic and research awards.

Loureiro, Mónica, BNP Paribas (Portugal) • Mónica Loureiro is current-

ly a Communication & Events officer at BNP Paribas. Mónica holds a bache-
lor’s degree in public relations and Corporate Communication from School
of Communication and Media Studies of the Lisbon Polytechnic Institute, a
post-graduate degree in Sustainability Management from the Lisbon School
of Economics and Management and master’s degree in strategic communica-
tion from Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of NOVA University of Lisbon.
Previously, Mónica worked at the PR Agency LPM as a New Business Manager and as a Marketing
and Communication trainee at World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in Mexico.

Lovari, Alessandro, University of Cagliari (Italy) • He (Ph.D.), is Assistant Pro-

fessor of Cultural and Communicative Processes at the University of Cagliari (It-
aly). He has been a visiting research scholar at Purdue University, University of
Cincinnati and University of South Carolina (US). His research interests are public
sector communication, public relations, and health communication. He also stud-
ies the impact of social media on companies and citizens’ behaviors. He’s a mem-
ber of the scientific committee of the Italian Association of Public and Institutional
Communication, and member of the technical committee of the European Project “Creative”. His
works are published in several books and international journals.

Lučić, Andrea, University of Zagreb (Croatia)

Mager, Leandra, Royal Holloway, University of London (UK)

Marques, Isabel, ISCSP ULisboa (Portugal) • PhD in Management from the

University of Beira Interior (Portugal), master’s in administration from Universi-
ty Potiguar (Brazil), Hospital Administrator from University Estácio de Sá (Bra-
zil), MBA International Joint Postgraduation in Entrepreneurship and Innovation
in BioHealth Sector from Universities of Beira Interior (Portugal), University of
Granada (Spain) and University of Turin (Italy). Invited Assistant Professor at the
Higher Institute of Social and Political Sciences (ISCSP) at the University of Lis-
bon, Portugal. Integrated Researcher at the Center for Administration and Public Policies (CAPP).
Researcher at NECE UBI - Research Unit in Business Science.

Marques de Carvalho, Alba Caterine, ISCSP ULisboa (Portugal) • PhD in Man-

agement from the University of Beira Interior, master’s in public management
from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, member of NECE- Research
Unit in Business Science. Currently I work at UFRN in the management of a uni-
versity restaurant. My areas of research cover the public sector, including higher
education institutions, focusing on leadership, culture and institutional autonomy,
performance and digital transformation.
2 Authors 34

Martello, Stefano, Comm to Action (Italy) • Journalist and communicator, is in-

volved in integrated communication, with a focus on communication issues for the
third sector. Member of FERPI working groups on environmental communication
and the third sector, he is mentor of the Comm To Action communication lab in
Bologna, coordinator of Eco Media Academy and co-director of Pacini Editore’s
New Fabric series. His latest works include “Volontariato aziendale multicanale.
La guida essenziale per profit e non profit” (2021), “Il Bugiardino. Le parole della
comunicazione per il terzo settore” (2022), “L’anello mancante. La comunicazione ambientale alla
prova della transizione ecologica”(2022)

Marzetta, Alberto, Amapola (Italy)

Mazzei, Alessandra, Università IULM (Italy) • Alessandra Mazzei is Associate

Professor in Management at the Department of Business LECB “Carlo A. Ricciar-
di”, Università IULM, Italy. Her main research interests are: corporate communi-
cation; employee communication and engagement; organizational voice, silence
and dissent; whistleblowing; diversity & inclusion, internal crisis communication.
Her work has been published in journals such as Business Ethics Quarterly and
Journal of Business Research. She is Coordinator of the bachelor programme in
Corporate Communication and Public Relations and Director of the Centre for Employee Relations
and Communication at Università IULM.

McKie, David, University of Waikato (New Zealand)

Meißner, Florian, Macromedia University of Applied Sciences (Germany) • Flori-

an Meissner is Professor for Media Management and Journalism at Macromedia
University of Applied Sciences. He serves as Chair of the Crisis Communication
Section of ECREA and is Principal Investigator at the research project DigiFit,
which focuses on risk communication in the context of cybersecurity and is funded
by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Further interests in
research and teaching include corporate communication, international journalism
and political communication. He has also worked as a journalist for public broadcasters in Germany.

Melchiades Soares, Andreia, Universidade de Lisboa, ISCSP, CAPP/FCT (Por-

tugal) • Andréia Melchiades Soares is a PhD Student in Communication Sciences
at ISCSP - Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal. She develops research in public
relations, strategic communication, and culture, and is a collaborative researcher
at Universidade de Lisboa, Institute of Social and Political Sciences, Centre for
Public Administration and Public Policies.

Men, Linjuan Rita, University of Florida (USA)

2 Authors 35

Milan, Gloria, ICDLAB Sostenibilità e Comunicazione (Italy) • Professional com-

municator with over twenty years of experience gained at national and interna-
tional levels in different communication fields. Founder of ICDLAB Sustainability
and Communication, she now provides consultancy and training to companies
and institutions on sustainability and communication strategies. Former subject
expert in social communication at the University of Padua, she is the Sustain-
ability Specialist for Fòrema, a training and consulting company of Confindustria
Veneto Est. She is the author of some contributions concerning sustainability and SME and she is a
member of FERPI (Italian Federation of Public Relations).

Milić, Patricia, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia) • Patricia Milić, MSc. is in the final year of Interdis-
ciplinary PhD programme in Environment protection held at the University of Ljubljana. She is inter-
ested in barriers to sustainability practices and behaviour from company and consumer perspective.
She is employed at the School of Economics and Business, University of Ljubljana where she works
as a Teaching assistant in Academic Unit for Marketing and participates in academic research proj-
ects. Her most recent research work has been published in the Journal of Business Research.

Misci Kip, Sema, Izmir University of Economics (Turkey) • Prof. Dr. Sema Mis-
ci Kip: Sema Misci Kip teaches courses in advertising, brand communication,
and marketing communication in the Public Relations and Advertising Depart-
ment at Izmir University of Economics in Turkey. Her academic interests include
marketing communication, advertising, social media, websites, and sustainability
communication. She has published articles in journals such as the Journal of
Business Research, Qualitative Market Research, Corporate Communications:
An International Journal, Public Relations Review, International Journal of Information Management,
Global Media Journal, Journal of Marketing Communications, and Turkish Review of Communication
Studies. Prior to academia, she worked for about five years on advertising and media planning strat-
egies for both international and national companies. Since 2003, she has been working and teaching
at Izmir University of Economics.

Monteiro Mourão, Rita, Universidade Europea, IADE (Portugal) • PhD in Com-

munication Sciences - FCT PhD in Communication Studies Communication: Tech-
nology, Culture and Society. PhD carried out between Portugal and Spain (Barce-
lona and Madrid). Master in Social and Organizational Psychology, by ISCTE-IUL.
Degree in Psychology, by ISCTE-IUL. Post-graduation in Data Analysis in Social
Sciences, by ISCTE-IUL. Teaching since the academic year 2012/2013 (curricular
units of Transversal Skills: “Communication Techniques”; “Teamwork”; “Conflict
Management”, at ISCTE-IUL). Invited lecturer, since 2018, in the courses “Advertising and Market-
ing” and “Relationships Communications and Business Communication”, by the Higher School of
Social Communication - Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon. Main Research Areas: Organizational Com-
munication; Public relations; evaluation of Performance.

Müller, Naíde, Catholic University of Portugal (Portugal)

2 Authors 36

Muster, Maša, Mediana - Rising Future, Mediana Institute (Slovenia) • Maša

Muster has over 17 years of experience in the field of research. She handles
challenging projects in both qual- and quantitative field and approaches her work
with enthusiasm, strong sense for problem solving and a critical eye for detail.
A lot of her work is dedicated to mentoring young professionals who want to ad-
vance in their research careers. Besides that, Muster focuses on implementation
of new technologies and development of new projects at Mediana Institute. She
is a mother of two and dedicates her spare time to empowering people through data on social net-
works, reading and travel.

Muzika, Darius, University of Dar Es Salaam (Tanzania) • Dr. Darius Mukiza is

journalist, Lecturer and Media consultant for more than 25 years in Tanzania.
Currently, Dr. Mukiza is employed and teaching at the University of Dar Es sa-
laam’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication( SJMC), the oldest and
high ranking public institution in Tanzania. At the SJMC, Dr. Mukiza is both the
coordinator of Public Relations and Advertising and Post Graduate Studies units.
Dr. Mukiza is also the coordinator of Online Diploma in Journalism sponsored by
UNESCO at the SJMC. Dr. Mukiza also coordinates the disermination of Sida funded projects con-
tents at the University of Dar es salaam in the media.

Northup, Temple, San Diego State University (USA) • Temple Northup is the
Director of the School of Journalism and Media Studies at San Diego State Uni-
versity, and is on the Executive Committee for the Association of Schools of Jour-
nalism and Mass Communication. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Wake
Forest University, his Master of Arts from Syracuse University, and his Ph.D. from
the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Before joining the School of Journal-
ism and Media Studies in 2021, he served as the Director of the Jack J. Valenti
School of Communication at the University of Houston, and was also the Co-Director of the Gulf
Coast Food Project—an interdisciplinary project that promotes the study of food in the Texas Gulf
Coast region—for which he oversaw the production of the documentary films and multimedia stories.
He led the school of communication’s efforts to internationalize its curriculum by creating faculty-led
programs abroad, launching a global communication conference on campus, and developing new
minors and graduate degrees in global and intercultural communication. He also developed one of
the first communication programs in the country focused on Spanish-language media.

Nunes, Tatiana, Escola Superior de Comunicação Social - Instituto Politécnico

de Lisboa (Portugal) • Tatiana Nunes has a PhD in Communication Sciences from
ISCTE-IUL, has a Degree and a Master in Public Relations and Corporate Com-
munication from the Media and Communications College in Lisbon (ESCS-IPL).
She has been a Professor at the Media and Communications College in Lisbon
since 2009 and is now the Coordinator of the undergraduate degree in Public
Relations and Corporate Communication. She has worked as a communication
director in organizations from the third sector in Portugal in the last 12 years. Trainer, consultant and
researcher in the area of strategic communication and Public Relations. Specialist in strategic man-
agement of public relations, communication in the public interest.
2 Authors 37

Öksüz, Burcu, Istanbul Maltepe University & Izmir Kâtip Çelebi University (Tur-
key) • Burcu Öksüz, PhD, is a Professor of Public Relations in the department
of Media and Communication and working as the chair of the Public Relations
and Advertising division, Izmir Kâtip Çelebi University. She was formerly head of
media and communication department at Faculty of Social Sciences and Human-
ities. Her research interests are reputation management, crisis communication,
employer brand and corporate communication. She teaches courses on public re-
lations, communication campaign design, corporate communications, and reputation management.

Ortová, Nina, Charles University (Czech Republic)

Otsa, Teresa, Hochschule Darmstadt – University of Applied Sciences (Germany)

Parigi, Riccardo, MUST S.r.l. (Italy) • 66 years old, degree in Philosophy, Sole
Director Must Srl Corporate and Environmental Communication, Non Technical
Skills Trainer in Safety and Environment, Stakeholders Engager, Crisis Communi-
cation Manager, Master Lecturer University of Genoa and Bocconi Milan. Ambas-
sador EN-Roads, climate change simulator. Co-author of books on environmental
communication.

Pedro Sebastião, Sónia, Universidade de Lisboa, ISCSP, CAPP/FCT (Portugal)

• Sónia Pedro Sebastião, PhD in Social Sciences in the specialty of Communi-
cation Sciences at the Instituto de Ciências Sociais e Políticas, Universidade de
Lisboa (Portugal), she is Full Professor and Coordinator of the Scientific and Ped-
agogical Unit in Communication Sciences at the same institution. She is also the
President of the Executive Committee of the Center of Public Administration and
Public Policies (CAPP, ISCSP/FCT), a research center that includes the research
stream Communication and Citizenship that she coordinates.

Persico, Maria Grazia, MGP & Partners and NSA S.r.l. (Italy)

Pleil, Thomas, Hochschule Darmstadt – University of Applied Sciences (Germa-

ny)
2 Authors 38

Prabhu, Jaideep, University of Cambridge (UK) • Jaideep Prabhu is Professor of

Marketing and Jawaharlal Nehru Professor of Indian Business at Judge Business
School, University of Cambridge. He has published in leading academic journals
and his work has been profiled by the BBC, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, The Econ-
omist, The Financial Times, Le Monde, The New York Times, and The Times. He
is the co-author of Jugaad Innovation: Think Frugal, Be Flexible, Generate Break-
through Growth, described by The Economist as “the most comprehensive book
yet” on the subject of frugal innovation. His 2015 book Frugal Innovation with Navi Radjou won the
CMI’s Management Book of the Year Award 2016. His most recent book How Should a Government
Be: The New Levers of State Power was published in February 2021.

Prezelj, Iztok, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)

Prosen, Teodor, Telekom Slovenije (Slovenia)

Qin, Yufan Sunny, James Madison University (USA)

Raposo, Ana, Escola Superior de Comunicação Social - Instituto Politécnico de

Lisboa (Portugal) • PhD in Communication Sciences from ISCTE-IUL, has got a
Degree and a Master in Public Relations and Corporate Communication from the
Media and Communications College in Lisbon. She has worked as a communica-
tion manager in different organizations from the public and private sector in Por-
tugal. Trainer, consultant and researcher in the area of strategic communication
and Public Relations. Specialist in strategic communication and Internal Commu-
nication. Professor at the Media and Communications College in Lisbon is Deputy Vice-president for
Strategic Communication of the Lisbon Polytechnic University.

Ravazzani, Silvia, Università IULM (Italy) • Silvia Ravazzani (PhD) is Associate

Professor in Management at the Department of Business LECB “Carlo A. Ricciar-
di”, Università IULM, Italy, since 2019. Previously she held the same position at
the Department of Management at Aarhus University, Denmark. Her research in-
terests include risk and crisis communication, employee communication, diversity
and inclusion, and social media. Her work has been published in journals such as
Group & Organization Management and Business Ethics Quarterly. She is Senior
Project Leader of the Centre for Employee Relations and Communication at Università IULM and
serves in the editorial boards of Journal of International Crisis and Risk Communication Research
and European Journal of Cross-Cultural Competence and Management.

Read, Kevin, University of Greenwich (UK) • Kevin is CEO, and founding direc-
tor, of strategic PR consultancy, Pembroke and Rye. Based in London, he has
worked with global market leaders and challengers in financial and professional
services, technology and energy for the last three decades. He specialises in
strategic planning, thought leadership and board level coaching. He is a visiting
fellow in the business school at the University of Greenwich, a fellow of the CIPR
and the RSA, and a MA supervisor for Cardiff University’s International PR and
Global Communications programme. Academic interests include NGOs and corporate partnerships,
AI, creativity, business pitching, CSR and ESG.

Reisten, Jana, Royal Holloway, University of London (UK)

2 Authors 39

Ruiz-Mora, Isabel, University of Malaga (Spain) • Dr. Isabel Ruiz is associate

professor at the University of Malaga (Spain) where is involved in different funded
projects. Her research is focused on citizen’s activism, sustainability and strategic
communication. Isabel is the editor Revista Internacional de Relaciones Públicas.
She has been senior lecturer in Sheffield Hallam University and visiting scholar
in universities from the UK, Denmark, Malaysia, Austria, Qatar. She is part of the
network AcademicasPR and her recent publications include The Guiding Prin-
ciples of the Profession: A Comparative Study and La dimensión medioambiental y los ODS en la
comunicación estratégica de las empresas de triple impacto.

Ruoslahti, Harri, Laurea University of Applied Sciences (Finland)

Schneiderová, Soňa, Charles University (Czech Republic) • Soňa Schneiderová

(1965) studied Czech launguage, holds a Ph.D. in this field, and works as an
assistant professor at Charles University in Prague, Department of Marketing
Communication and PR. Her research areas are discursive analysis of media
texts and the culture of public communication. Soňa is the author of several pub-
lications analyzing the media text in terms of the appropriateness of expression
in relation to the social context, is involved in projects analyzing government com-
munications in emergency situations, such as the pandemic covid-19. Her work supports the media
education of high school students.

Seidenglanz, Rene, Quadriga University of Applied Sciences (Germany) • Dr.

René Seidenglanz is a professor of communication studies at Quadriga Universi-
ty Berlin. He researches the professional field of PR, the organisation of corporate
communication, and trust and credibility.

Selakovic, Marko, SP Jain School of Global Management (U.A.E.) • Dr Marko

Selaković is manager, researcher and scholarly academic who is occupying vari-
ous senior roles at SP Jain School of Global Management – Dubai campus (cur-
rently Deputy Director and Assistant Professor). He is a strategic management
and communications professional with more than 15 years of top-level experi-
ence in Europe and the Gulf countries. Dr Marko is specialized in strategic and
international communications and development, stakeholder relations and crisis
management. In addition to the academic positions, he was Head of Chamber of Commerce and
Industry of Serbia Office to the UAE, Business Director of Expo 2020 Serbia, and Vice-president of
the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Gulf Chapter. Dr Marko is author
or co-author of numerous research papers related to the strategic, crisis, investor and internal com-
munications.
2 Authors 40

Shen, Hongmei, San Diego State University (USA) • Hongmei Shen (Ph.D., APR)
is a professor and public relations emphasis head in the School of Journalism &
Media Studies at the San Diego State University. She has published book chap-
ters and articles on relationship management, conflict management, crisis com-
munication, and health communication in a variety of top journals such as Journal
of Public Relations Research, Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, Pub-
lic Relations Review, Health Communication, Journal of Health Communication,
and so on. Dr. Shen was the 2016 Associate Editor for the Journal of Public Relations Research.
She is the recipient of various research and teaching awards and grants, including the 2019 Karen
Russell Award for Most-Downloaded Article from the Journal of Public Relations Research and three
Best Article Awards in Public Relations Journal. Dr. Shen has a professional background in media
relations, marketing, and journalism, both in the United States and in China. She has been a member
of the Commission of Public Relations Education, past chair of PRSA’s National Committee on Work,
Life, and Gender, and past co-chair of the PRSA Research Committee. She was a keynote speaker
for the 2015 PRSSA Western Regional Conference.

Shepperson-Smith, Steve, CIPR (UK) • Steven succeeded Rachel Roberts

Chart.PR, MCIPR as President in 2023, the 75th anniversary of the Institute. He is
a Senior Corporate Communications Manager at Vodafone and has volunteered
with the CIPR for the past 11 years, both as a former member of Council and cur-
rent CIPR Board member. He Chaired the CIPR Greater London Group through
the pandemic in 2020 and is the current Chair of the CIPR Finance Committee.

Sievert, Holger, Macromedia University of Applied Sciences (Germany) • Prof.

Dr. Holger Sievert is full professor for Communication Management at Macrome-
dia University of Applied Sciences. He also heads the Cologne Media Faculty as
well as the national Research Committee of his institution. In addition to teaching,
he has always been active in communication management functions including
Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, the Bertelsmann Foundation and the large
German communication agency komm.passion. In research, he focuses on inter-
active, international and internal communication. His recent studies at the Macromedia University
were conducted for partners such as the German Foreign Office, The Federal Press Office, the
Council of Europe, Payback, TUI or Vodafone.

Singh, Shreya, The University of Queensland (Australia)

Sriramesh, Krishnamurthy, University of Colorado (USA) • Krishnamurthy Sri-

ramesh, is Professor of Public Relations at the University of Colorado, USA. He
is recognized for his scholarship on global public relations, culture and public
relations, corporate social responsibility, and public relations for development.
Over almost 30 years he has advocated the need to reduce ethnocentricity in
the public relations body of knowledge and practice in 8 books, over 120 articles
and book chapters, and over 120 conference presentations around the world. His
rich teaching experience includes teaching at 10 universities on four continents while also delivering
seminars/talks in over 40 countries. He has won several awards for teaching and research at differ-
ent universities including the 2004 Pathfinder Award from the Institute for Public Relations (USA) for
“original scholarly research contributing to the public relations body of knowledge.”
2 Authors 41

Steiner, Luka, Športna Loterija (Slovenia) • »Luka Steiner took over the manage-
ment of the Sports Lottery in 2021 in order to ensure stability in a changing and
risky business environment. The past years have shown new and unpredictable
risks in the industry, together with changes in the whole surroundings, such as
higher living costs, nearby war, electricity risk and so on, which had to be limited
by decisive measures and the establishment of crisis management. Even before
taking up the position of Chairman of the Management Board, as a member of
the Management Board, he was responsible, among other things, for the successful marketing and
corporate communication, to which the company’s sponsorship partnerships are directly linked. The
new strategic direction of the company puts greater emphasis on the core business and its positive
impact on stakeholders, and in particular more actively addresses the sustainability aspect of the
Sports Lottery’s operations. The main idea now is hot to be able to run such company in every sin-
gle economic situation. Academically, Luka Steiner has a background in law, which he successfully
combines with numerous roles in Slovenian and international sports organisations and projects.

Stoeckle, Thomas, Bournemouth University (UK) • Thomas Stoeckle is a

post-graduate researcher (Ph.D.) at Bournemouth University’s Faculty of Media
and Communication, and a partner at communication agency Dot I/O Health. Orig-
inally from Germany, Thomas has lived and worked in London since 2000, pursu-
ing a career in media intelligence and communication consulting, most recently
at Lexis Nexis. He teaches public communication related topics at PR Academy
UK, Bournemouth University UK, and Quadriga University of Applied Sciences in
Berlin.He is the founder and co-host of a podcast on data, marketing and communication, TheSmall-
DataForum (www.smalldataforum.com), Member of the Commission for the Measurement and Eval-
uation of Communication at the Institute for Public Relations, Member of AMEC (the International
Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication), and a Fellow of the Salzburg
Global Seminar.

Sutton, Lucinda B, North-West University (South Africa) • Lucinda B Sutton teach-

es various corporate communication and public relations modules at undergrad-
uate and postgraduate level at the North-West University (NWU), South Africa.
She obtained her PhD in Communication on the topic of Internal Communication
Trends in South Africa. Furthermore, she holds a MA degree in Communication
Studies and a BA Hons degree in Corporate Communication Management which
she both received cum laude. Her research interests and publications stem from
her experience in practice as a communication practitioner, which involves strategic communication
with a specific focus on managing relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Swiatek, Lukasz (Luk), University of New South Wales (Australia) • Dr. Lukasz
Swiatek lectures in the School of the Arts and Media (within the Faculty of Arts,
Design and Architecture) at UNSW Sydney. He draws on a wealth of practical
industry experience in both his teaching and research. Over the years, he has
taught a range of undergraduate and postgraduate (junior and senior) courses
in media studies, communication, and international and global studies. He su-
pervises PhD, Masters and Honours students. With various colleagues, he has
co-led extracurricular programs for students (that have developed their leadership capabilities and
enterprise skills), as well as facilitated industry events. Currently, he mainly undertakes research in:
media and communication (looking at professional communication, as well as the implications of
developments in various technologies – such as artificial intelligence (AI) – on communities, organ-
2 Authors 42

isations and communicators); higher education (focusing on cultural competence and practitioner
advancement), and cultural studies (investigating different aspects of social status and public recog-
nition – including accolades and celebrity – as well as entertainment).

Špoljarić, Anja, University of Zagreb (Croatia) • Anja Špoljarić, Ph.D., is a re-

search assistant at the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb,
where she received the title of Doctor of Science in April 2023. She was also
awarded both her undergraduate (bachelor’s) and graduate (master’s) degrees
at the Faculty of Economics and Business Zagreb. During her undergraduate
and graduate studies, she spent three years as a student assistant for marketing
communications courses, such as “Public Relations”, “Advertising”, “Integrated
Marketing Communication”, and for “Marketing Management” course. She conducted her research
as a part of a Croatian Science Foundation project titled The role of internal communication in an
organization: position, channels, measurement and relationship with related concepts. She is the au-
thor and co-author of eight scientific papers, one scientific monograph and one university textbook.
Her research is mostly focused on internal communication and employer branding.

Šporčić, Mateja, Polytechnic of Baltazar Zaprešić (Croatia) • Mateja Šporčić is

a lecturer at the Baltazar Polytechnic in Zaprešić in Zaprešić, Croatia, where she
teaches communication management, public speech, creative writing in PR, busi-
ness communication and intercultural communication. She has MA degree in Cro-
atian philology and Comparative literature. She is also PhD student in Linguistics
at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, Croatia.
Her research interests are, among others, language of the media, social corpo-
rate responsibility and corporate identity.

Talluri, Marco, Ambientenonsolo (Italy) • Journalist and communicator, directs

the blog ambientenonsolo.com on communication, environment, sustainable de-
velopment, sustainable mobility and more. A graduate in political science with a
master’s degree in communication and media, he worked as communications
manager (1988-2003) of ATAF, a public transport company, then, (2003-2021) of
ARPAT, a regional agency for environmental protection. In that capacity he co-
ordinated (2015-2021) the network of communicators of the National System for
Environmental Protection (SNPA). He has written numerous articles in various journals and a few
books; retired from April 2021, he collaborates on environmental communication, training and envi-
ronmental data dissemination projects.

Tam, Lisa, Queensland University of Technology (Australia)

Taylor, Maureen, University of Technology Sydney (Australia)

Tejada, Catalina, Royal Holloway, University of London (UK)

Tench, Ralph, Leeds Beckett University (UK)

2 Authors 43

Thompson, Gareth, University of the Arts London (UK) • Gareth Thompson is

a Senior Lecturer at London College of Communication, University of the Arts
London. He has worked in public relations in the corporate, finance and technol-
ogy sectors for over 20 years, as well as teaching the subject in London and at
the French business school, ESCEM, in Poitiers. His book on Post-Truth Public
Relations: Communication in an Era of Digital Disinformation, was published by
Routledge in 2020.

Tisch, Daniel, Argyle (Canada)

Tkalac Verčič, Ana, University of Zagreb (Croatia) • Ana Tkalac Verčič, Ph.D., is
a Full Professor of Marketing communications and Public Relations at the Fac-
ulty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, Croatia. She is a former
Fulbright scholar and a recipient of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations di-
ploma. Ana Tkalac Verčič has authored, co-authored and edited numerous books
including Public Relations Metrics: Research and Evaluation (with B. van Ruler
and D. Verčič) and is the author of the first Croatian public relations textbook. She
has published more than a 100 papers in various academic journals and serves in various editorial
boards such as International Journal of Strategic Communication, Journal of Public Relations Re-
search and Public Relations Review. Throughout her career professor Tkalac Verčič has received
numerous awards, most recently, GrandPRx, the award for the development of public relations as a
profession. She is currently the president of the Croatian Public Relations Association.

Toure Zagrajšek, Karidia, NLB Group (Slovenia)

Tremblay, Solange, Interdecom (Canada) • She is the Founding president of the

SUSTAINABILLITY|COMMUNICATION Group and was previously an associate
professor at Université du Québec à Montréal. Solange Tremblay is considered
a pioneer in research-expertise on sustainable development communication in
Canada.

Uzelac, Marija, University of Zagreb (Croatia)

Valentini, Chiara, University of Jyvaskyla (Finland) • Chiara Valentini, Ph.D., is

Professor and Head of Corporate Communication Discipline, at Jyväskylä Uni-
versity School of Business and Economics (JSBE), Finland. She also holds an
Adjunct Professorship in Strategic Communication at IULM University, Milan, Ita-
ly. Dr. Valentini is the author of numerous peer-reviewed publications and books
in strategic public relations, public and government communication, and crisis
communication in the digital environment. Her work has appeared in several in-
ternational peer-reviewed journals, and has authored and co-authored over hundreds of scholarly
works. Dr. Valentini serves as a reviewer of several international peer-review journals and is member
of the editorial boards of leading international communication journals. She has worked for and con-
sulted organizations and public institutions of several countries, including the Italian Representation
of the European Commission in Rome, Italy, and the European Movement International Secretariat
in Brussels, Belgium, and is active with several professional organizations.
2 Authors 44

Vaz de Almeida, Cristina, CAPP – ISCSP (Portugal)

Vazzoler, Sergio, Amapola (Italy) • Public relations consultant, specialising in cor-

porate communication, CSR and sustainability communication. Sergio was born
in 1973. He graduated in Communication Science in 1997 (Turin University) and
began his professional career in 1998 at Red Hot Peppers, a Milan-based public
affairs agency. In 2000 he joined the MR & Associati Comunicazione, institutional
and political communication agency, becoming a partner in 2005. Sergio joined
Amapola in 2011 as a senior consultant, later becoming a partner, and has played
a decisive role in building the agency’s specialisation in sustainability. He is a national director of the
FERPI Italian public relations federation, with responsibility for the “environmental communication”
area. Sergio is author of numerous articles and seminar papers on environmental communication,
CSR and crisis communication. Publications: Libro Bianco della Comunicazione Ambientale. Pacini
Editore, 2020 and L’anello mancate. La comunicazione ambientale alla prova della transizione eco-
logica. Pacini Editore, 2022

Verčič, Dejan, University of Ljubljana and Herman & partnerji (Slovenia) • Dejan
Verčič is Professor, Head of Centre for Marketing and Public Relations at the
University of Ljubljana, and Partner in strategic consulting and communication
company Herman & partners Ltd. Slovenia. He received his PhD from the London
School of Economics and Political Science, UK. A Fulbright scholar, recipient of
the Pathfinder Award, the highest academic honour bestowed by the Institute for
Public Relations (IPR) in New York, and named a Distinguished Public Relations
Scholar by the European Public Relations Education and Research Association (EUPRERA). In
1991 he was the founding director of Slovenian national news agency (STA). Organizing the annual
International Public Relations Research Symposium – BledCom since 1994.

Vrdelja, Mitja, NIJZ (Slovenia) • Mitja Vrdelja is a Master of Science in Public rela-
tions and a doctoral student of Public relations at the Faculty of Social Sciences at
University in Ljubljana. He is the Head of Communications Department at the Na-
tional Institute of Public Health Slovenia. He has experience in various communi-
cation fields – internal communication, media relations, crisis communication, risk
communication, strategic communication, corporative communication, etc. He is
an active researcher in the field of public relations and health communication. He
conducted the first national research of health literacy in Slovenia. He also works as a lecturer in the
field of communication.

Vujnovic, Marina, Monmouth University (USA) • Dr. Marina Vujnovic, Ph.D., APR
is Professor of Journalism and Public Relations in the Department of Communi-
cation at Monmouth University. Native of Croatia, Dr. Marina Vujnovic, came to
United States in 2003 to pursue her graduate education in journalism and mass
communication. Before coming to United States she worked as a journalist before
becoming a research assistant at the University of Zagreb. She also worked as
a PR practitioner for Cyprian based PR agency Action Global Communications.
She received her MA in Communication from the University of Northern Iowa, and her PhD at the
University of Iowa in 2008. She is an author of Forging the Bubikopf Nation: Journalism, Gender
and Modernity in Interwar Yugoslavia, co-author of Participatory Journalism: Guarding Open Gates
at Online Newspapers, and co-editor of Globalizing Cultures: Theories, Paradigms, Actions, and
most recently a co-author of Higher Education and Disaster Capitalism in the Age of COVID-19. Dr.
2 Authors 45

Vujnovic’s research interest focuses on international communication and global flow of information,
journalism studies; intersections of public relations and journalism, and explorations of the historical,
political-economic, and cultural impact on media, class, gender, and ethnicity.

Wang, Qinghua, Cable and Network Co. Ltd. (China) • Vice General Manager,
Jiangning Branch of Nanjing Radio and Television Network Company. Research
orientation: Media Management, Mass Communication, Crisis Management, and
Public Relations.

Wang, Yijing , Erasmus University Rotterdam (The Netherlands) • Yijing Wang,

Ph.D. is an organizational communication scholar specialized in the study of cri-
sis communication, corporate social responsibility and reputation management.
She is Associate Professor in the Department of Media and Communication at
Erasmus University Rotterdam. She serves as Vice Chair of the ECREA Crisis
Communication Section, Associate Editor of the Corporate Reputation Review,
and Editorial Board Member of the Business Horizons. She obtained a PhD de-
gree in Corporate Reputation and Stakeholder Management from Rotterdam School of Management
(RSM), Erasmus University Rotterdam. She has published in leading field journals such as Journal
of Business Ethics, Journal of International Management, Business Horizons, Convergence, Inter-
national Journal of Communication, Corporate Communication: An International Journal, among oth-
ers.

Watt, Ned, The University of Queensland (Australia) • Ned Watt is a postgradu-

ate student studying the intersection of technology and society from Turrbal and
Yugara land at QUT in Brisbane, Australia. His current projects include examining
the implications of Large Language Models for fact-checkers and investigating
traditional and social media coverage of climate change, renewable energy, and
sustainability.

Weder, Franzisca, The University of Queensland (Australia) • Franzisca Weder,

Univ. Prof. Dr. Franzisca Weder, University of Queensland, Brisbane (Australia),
is researching, writing and teaching in the areas of Organizational Communication
and Public Relations with a specific focus on Sustainability Communication and
Corporate Social Responsibility. She worked as Guest Professor at University of
Alabama (USA), University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt (GER), University of Waikato
(NZ), RMIT (Melbourne, AUS) and University of Ilmenau (GER). Franzisca Weder
is Chair of the International Environmental Communication Association (IECA).

Westermann, Arne, ISM International School of Management (Germany) • He,

Ph.D., born in 1972 in Bochum/Germany, is Professor for Communications and
Marketing at the International School of Management (ISM) in Dortmund. He is
the Program Director for the Master Program Strategic Marketing Management
and Head of the Brand & Retail Management Institute @ ISM. Additionally, he is
in charge of Marketing in the ISM’s educational division. He is author of several
books, studies and essays dealing with corporate communications as well as
2 Authors 46

online communications and social media. In addition to his academic career he draws on vast expe-
rience as a practitioner and consultant in corporate and brand communications.

Willis, Paul, University of Huddersfield and Leeds Beckett University (UK)

Wolf, Katharina, Curtin University (Australia) • Dr Katharina Wolf is an Associ-

ate Professor in the School of Management and Marketing at Curtin University
in Perth, Western Australia, and the Lead of the Faculty of Business and Law’s
public relations program. Katharina draws on more than twenty years of commu-
nication and media experience, as an educator and industry professional. Her in-
dustry experience encompasses communication and research roles in Germany,
Spain, the United Kingdom and Australia. Her research interests include commu-
nity advocacy, civic engagement, public interest communication and diversity. Katharina is passion-
ate about student-centred and work-integrated learning; a commitment that has been recognised
with a number of local, national and international awards.

Wolfgruber, Daniel, University of Vienna (Austria) • Daniel Wolfgruber is a post-

doctoral fellow in the Department of Management at HEC Montreal. In 2023 he
earned his Ph.D. in communication studies at the University of Vienna. His re-
search focuses mainly onorganizational communication in the contexts of organi-
zational culture, ethics and (un)ethical behavior in and of organizations, diversity
and inclusion, as well as humor in the workplace.

Wu, Jing, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia) • PhD student, Faculty of social sci-
ences, University of Ljubljana. Research Orientation: Public Relations, Crisis
communication, Integrated Marketing Communications, Misinformation, and com-
parative communication

Wu, Shih Chia, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong, S.A.R. China)
• Dr. Wu Shih-Chia, Deputy Director of M.S.Sc. in Corporate Communication from
the School of Journalism and Communication, the Chinese University of Hong
Kong (CUHK). Her recent research on social media usage behavior and influence
in Greater China has received attention from academia, industry, and media. She
also accelerates the learning of corporate social responsibility (CSR) communica-
tion studies in Taiwan and Hong Kong’s universities. Her latest new book, “Style
Marketing” in Chinese, has been published. Prior to CUHK, as an accredited communicator with rich
industry experience, Dr. Wu is specialized in global brand management, corporate & crisis communi-
cation, and strategic planning. She used to work at Chanel, P&G, and DaimlerChrysler as executive
management team member and served as the corporate spokesperson.
2 Authors 47

Yeo, SunHa, University of Oklahoma (USA) • SunHa YEO is a senior researcher

in the DaLI Lab at the University of Oklahoma. She worked in the public diploma-
cy field at the Korea Foundation (KF) in Seoul from 2005 through 2016 and re-
ceived the Minister of Foreign Affairs Award in recognition of her achievements in
the diplomatic field. She completed her Ph.D. in communication at Ewha Womans
University in Seoul and lectured on Public Diplomacy and International Public Re-
lations as an Invited Professor at the same university. She led and joined various
governmental research projects in Korea, such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Food
and Drug Safety, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. Her research focuses primarily on
strategic communication, multicultural communication, risk communication, and the convergence of
public relations and public diplomacy.

Yue, Cen April, University of Connecticut (USA) • Cen (April) Yue is an Assis-
tant Professor of Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations at the University of
Connecticut. Her research interests focus on internal public relations, leadership
communication, organizational change management, and relationship manage-
ment. She has published in scholarly journals such as Public Relations Review,
Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, International Journal of Communi-
cation, and International Journal of Business Communication, among others. She
has received over 10 top paper and research awards and recognitions from national and internation-
al communication associations and conferences. She is also a Research Editor at the Institute for
Public Relations’ Organizational Communication Research Center.

Zerfass, Ansgar, University of Leipzig (Germany) • Dr. Ansgar Zerfass is Pro-

fessor and Chair of Strategic Communication at the Institute of Communication
and Media Studies at Leipzig University, Germany. He is also Professor of Com-
munication and Leadership at BI Norwegian Business School, Oslo, Norway, and
Plank Scholar at the Plank Center for Leadership and Public Relations at the
University of Alabama, USA. He is editor of the “International Journal of Strategic
Communication”, Routledge, USA; Board Member of the International Commu-
nication Association (ICA), Washington D.C.; and lead researcher for the Global Communication
Monitor series with (bi-) annual surveys in more than 80 countries.

Zhao, Hui, Lund University (Sweden)

Žabkar, Vesna, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)

3 Abstracts 48

Quo Vadis Communication? Results

of a Survey Among Young German PR/
Communications Practitioners
Adi, Ana, Quadriga University of Applied Sciences (Germany)
Fechner, Ronny, Quadriga University of Applied Sciences (Germany)
Seidenglanz, Rene, Quadriga University of Applied Sciences (Germany)

Introduction and purpose of the study flect social change and that there is at least broad
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought forward agreement that those who assume professional
drastic changes into the entire job market includ- responsibility today and in the future have dif-
ing for communicators. While the work became ferent attitudes than their predecessors.
visible and acknowledged, practitioners have
also reported higher levels of stress and burnout Methodology
(Halliwell, 2022). This study therefore focuses This study used a standardized survey contain-
on young PR/Comms professional in Germany ing items based on a literature review (theo-
and their views of the profession looking both at retical concepts, findings of other empirical
status quo and into the future.
studies). Purposeful and snowballing sampling
methods have been used including sharing the
Literature review survey with Germany’s own PR association (BD-
In the past years, several studies have explored Kom), the 160 participants into this study being
the future of work including the Qualtrics Fu- selected based on their reported age (36 and un-
ture of Work 2021 report and how expectations der), the databased and networks used ensuring
and collaboration would be influenced by recent that participants are PR practitioners.
developments – the pandemic, VUCA/BANI
(Grabmeier 2020, Mack et. al. 2016). While rel- Results and conclusions
evant for communicators, none of these studies,
to our knowledge, has explored the world of PR/ • Choosing an employer the next leadership
Communications per se. Moreover, while these generation values intrinsic and idealistic fac-
studies report differences in age groups and em- tors are valued higher than extrinsic factors.
brace generational definitions, they go about However, especially those members without
these categories lacking a critical and reflective children at the same time pursue a hedonis-
approach. Our study aims to address both gaps. tic agenda.
In doing so, it builds upon previous studies in- • Professional communicators aged below 36
vestigating perceptions of the future of PR (Adi consider themselves dealing with the ramifi-
2019, Seidenglanz/Fechner 2021, Zerfaß et. al. cations of a VUCA world. To a lesser degree
2022 etc.) and focuses on a younger demograph- they feel impacted by developments which
ic driven by the argument that generations re- are typically ascribed to the BANI concept.
3 Abstracts 49

So they do not see a – at least not yet a com- References

pleted – change from a VUCA to a BANI Adi, Ana (2019): PR2025: trends, competences
world. and solutions forthe near future of PR/Com-
• Despite progressive attitudes are typically at- munications – Results of a Delphi method
tributed to younger generations it is all about study. Berlin: Quadriga University of Applied
trust, which is considered as the most im- Science. In: https://www.quadriga-hochschule.
portant challenge within the next five years. com/app/uploads/2021/03/QHS_PR2025_
This is true for all PR/Communications pro- Adi.pdf.
fessionals regardless of their age.
• There is a significant gap between what PR/ Halliwell, James (2022): Half of PR Pros Suf-
Communications does and what it should fered “Severe” Stress, Anxiety or Burnout last
do regarding its societal but also the internal year. PR Week. https://www.prweek.com/ar-
dimension. Idealist and less pragmatic atti- ticle/1799535/half-pr-pros-suffered-severe-
tudes of the next leadership generation may stress-anxiety-burnout-last-year
lead to a change of the profession within the Grabmeier, Stepan (2020): BANI versus VUCA:
foreseeable future. a new acronym to describe the world. In:
https://stephangrabmeier.de/bani-versus-vu-
Practical and social implications ca/ (Download am 03.01.2022).
• For practitioners and academics alike, this Qualtrics (2021) The Future of Work in 2021:
study confirms the need of addressing the Perspectives on the next normal. https://suc-
core contentious questions around the role cess.qualtrics.com/rs/542-FMF-412/images/
and mission of PR/Comms in society. Qualtrics-Future-of-Work-2021-Report.pdf
• A focus on the social dimension of PR (social Mack, Oliver J./Khare, Anshuman/Krämer, An-
impact and social value) requires a change in dreas/Burgartz, Thomas (2016) (Hrsg.): Man-
training and learning practices which would aging in a VUCA World. Cham, Heidelberg,
lend themselves to more collaborative, re- New York, Dordrecht, London: Springer Inter-
flective and inter-disciplinary approaches. national.
• Trust remains a core concept for PR. Provid-
ing guidance on how to approach the con- Seidenglanz, René/Ronny Fechner (2021) Pro-
cepts trust, trustworthiness and their link to fession Kommunikatorin / Kommunikator.
transparency, authenticity, loyalty and repu- Die Berufsfeldstudie 2021. Berlin: Quadriga
tation would be greatly beneficial for practi- Media.
tioners. Zerfass, A./Moreno, A./Tench, R./Vercic, D./
Buhmann, A. (2022): European Communi-
Keywords cation Monitor 2022. Exploring diversity and
Future of PR, NextGen PR, FuturePRoof, German emphatic leadership, CommTech and consult-
PR ing in communications. Results of a survey in
43 countries. Brussels: EUPRERA/EACD.
3 Abstracts 50

Can PR solve wicked problems?

Adi, Ana, Quadriga University of Applied Sciences (Germany)
Stoeckle, Thomas, Bournemouth University (UK)

Introduction and purpose Theory of Planning (Rittel and Webber 1973). It

The role of public relations in addressing hy- distinguishes between tame problems, for which
percomplex and multifaceted societal problems solutions based on science, data and established
(such as sustainability) is being hotly debated, processes exist, and wicked problems, where no
not least since the COVID-19 pandemic. Often, such solutions are available.
debates are too generic to lead to usable, practi-
cal advice: for example, what might be a mean- The authors of this study argue that sustainabili-
ingful answer to the question about the role and ty is one of many wicked problems that modern
purpose of PR in addressing societal problems? societies are faced with. Analogous to Tolstoy’s
PR as a function is different for a global fossil opening line in Anna Karenina, “VUCA prob-
fuel business, a local government department, or lems are all alike; every wicked problem is wick-
an environmental NGO. The same is true for the ed in its own way”. This remains a much underes-
individuals or groups practicing PR, and their timated reality, including for PR and its fraught
responsibility – to their employer or client, to relationship with persuasion.
society, and to themselves. However, we argue,
Thus, we see VUCA as part of a modern(ist) par-
at its core, PR always aims to persuade. It is nec-
adigm, addressing complexity with more com-
essary to be precise about context and potential-
plexity, more data, more process. As yet, there
ly conflicting interests (if not dilemmas) arising
is scant evidence that this works – the status of
from PR’s organisational purpose and function,
the UN Sustainable Development Goals, or ESG
as well as from the actions of practitioners.
reporting being labelled greenwashing, illustrate
the point.
Literature review
Sustainability is ‘en vogue’ as a topic of public Accepting wicked problems as what they are –
and academic discourse. Some authors discuss which might occasionally lead to paradoxical
it in the context of VUCA – to describe a vol- demands, where conflicting goals can not be met
atile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world at the same time – might provide a more prom-
(Schick et al. 2017). A recent book by PR prac- ising path. This also aligns with metamodern
titioners, exploring the growing importance of conceptions that go beyond the modern vs post-
purpose and authenticity, describes the shift modern dualism that has dominated academic
from ‘VUCA1.0’ to ‘VUCA2.0’ as both risk, and discourse in PR for a long time. Consequently,
opportunity for the field. if PR is to successfully navigate conflicting inter-
ests regarding loyalties and values in sustainabil-
Another way to describe complex societal chal- ity discourse, a metamodern approach is needed
lenges is the wicked problems concept, first that considers the context of the current practice
introduced in 1973 in Dilemmas in a General through the lens of wicked societal problems.
3 Abstracts 51

Methodology Keywords
This is a theoretical, conceptual study, applying wicked problems, sustainabilty, persuasion, meta-
a metamodern perspective to PR’s challenges modernism
with sustainability communication, providing
recommendations relevant for academics, prac- References
titioners and educators.
Adi, A. and Stoeckle, T., 2023. Public Relations
as Responsible Persuasion: Activism and So-
Results and conclusions cial Change. In: Pompper, D., Place, K. R. and
Until PR finds a way to address its relationship Weaver, N., eds. The Routledge Companion to
with persuasion, at individual, professional and Public Relations. London and New York: Rout-
societal level, professional status and social ac- ledge, 302-314.
ceptance will remain elusive. We therefore call Pesch, U. and Vermaas, P. E., 2020. The Wicked-
for more discussion of the responsible meta- ness of Rittel and Webber’s Dilemmas. Admin-
modern organisational persuader. Some recom- istration & Society, 52 (6), 960-979.
mendations for further discussion:
• Introduce reflective practice in daily routines Rittel, H. W. J. and Webber, M. M., 1973. Dilem-
to provide practitioners with opportunities mas in a general theory of planning. Policy Sci-
to observe and reflect on values, culture, lan- ences, 4 (2), 155-169.
guage to explore differences and identify bi- Schick, A., Hobson, P. R. and Ibisch, P. L., 2017.
ases Conservation and sustainable development in
• Establish ethics conversation forums and a VUCA world: the need for a systemic and
build a library of cases ecosystem‐based approach. Ecosystem Health
• Create spaces for arbitration where disputes and Sustainability, 3 (4), 1-13.
and opposing views can be presented and
discussed
• Reconsider and explore mandatory profes-
sional licensing options

Practical and social implications

In their 2020 review of Rittel and Webber’s wick-
ed problems essay, Pesch and Vermaas conclude
that it has become almost impossible to “resolve
the fundamental question whose or what con-
ception of the societal good can be accepted as
the “good” that is served by administrative ac-
tivities” (Pesch and Vermaas 2020, p.969). This
highlights PR’s challenge in addressing sustain-
ability, or even the wider ‘social good’. Wickedly
complex as these questions may seem, they need
to be addressed openly and head-on to make PR
sustainable in the sustainability discourse.
3 Abstracts 52

Corporations in Borsa Istanbul-Bist

sustainability index on the way to
the strategic sustainable goals from
tactical applications
Aksoy, Zeynep, Izmir University of Economics (Turkey)
Misci Kip, Sema, Izmir University of Economics (Turkey)

Introduction and purpose of the study work (Golob, Podnar, & Zabkar, 2022). A useful
typology suggested by Newig et al. (2013) distin-
The sustainable development goals (SDGs) are
guishes different forms of sustainability commu-
defined and prioritized by the United Nations
nication: communication about sustainability
(UN) in order to protect the planet, eliminate
(public discourse oriented), communication of
poverty, and fight against inequality and injus-
sustainability (persuasion oriented), and com-
tice. In this context, sustainable development
munication for sustainability (societal transfor-
has become a priority on the agenda of the glob-
mation oriented). Although organizations claim
al business. Being a core management function
that they aim to mobilize and transform their
in building favourable relations with all stake-
stakeholders for a sustainability-oriented life so
holders, public relations play a significant role in that a positive impact can be created, it is argu-
strategically communicating the sustainability able whether they consistently act and commu-
strategies and actions of the corporates. In or- nicate in sustainability issue. In Turkey, research
der for sustainability to be reflected in corporate on sustainability involve either optimistic evalu-
behavior, it is important to define organizational ations of governmental organizations or limited
vision, mission, purpose and/or values accord- case studies on specific SDGs, sectors or the so-
ingly (Simões and Sebastiani, 2017). This study cial media.
aims to examine the extent to which companies
internalize, adopt and communicate the issue of Methodology
sustainability. To this end, the research questions
address which of the SDGs companies focus on In order to reveal an understanding on the sus-
and to what extent the concept of sustainability tainability actions and communications of the
is reflected in the goals, vision, mission and val- corporates, the study focuses on the companies
ues of the organizations. listed in Borsa Istanbul-BIST Sustainability In-
dex. BIST Sustainability Index constitutes of
shares of companies trading in Borsa Istanbul
Literature review
markets in Turkey with high performance on
As a relatively new concept and an emerging corporate sustainability (https://www.borsais-
field of study, sustainability communication re- tanbul.com/en). Within this scope, the research
quires a clear conceptual and theoretical frame- sample includes all 61 companies in year 2020
3 Abstracts 53

index. From a qualitative approach, the study Practical and social implications
uses content analysis method to examine corpo- Today, corporates claim having a leading role
rate web sites and sustainability and integrated and advocacy in the issue of sustainability. How-
reports of year 2021. Content analysis was car- ever, such discourse underestimates the active
ried out with an open coding system through role of the civil society, the media and communi-
studying and discussing the textual data by the cation experts following up global issues, which
two researchers. has long been trying to remind business of their
responsibility to the planet and humanity. This
Results and conclusions study attempts to reveal a holistic picture over
Analysis of the qualitative data demonstrates the business environment in Turkey. Within this
that the most concentrated SDGs by the com- context the study will provide implications to
panies are decent work and economic growth the business and corporate communication pro-
(83,6%), responsible consumption and produc- fessionals how they can potentially contribute to
tion (80,3%), and climate action (77%). On the a social transformation.
other hand, the least concentrated SDGs are no
poverty (16,4%) and zero hunger (16,4%). The Keywords
results reveal that the business in Turkey focuses UN sustainable development goals, sustainability
mainly on economic growth, employment and communication, corporate identity, corporate be-
production processes. Climate crisis is also con- haviour
sidered to be a major issue, while there appears
to be less engagement in other planetary and
References
human-related issues such as quality education,
diversity and equality. Golob, U., Podnar, K., & Zabkar, V. (2022). Sus-
tainability communication. International Jour-
In the study, the goal, vision, mission and val- nal of Advertising, 1-10.
ues of the companies were examined whether Newig, J., Schulz, D., Fischer, D., Hetze, K., Laws,
the sustainability concept was manifested. It was N., Lüdecke, G., & Rieckmann, M. (2013).
found that, of 61, only one company included Communication regarding sustainability:
sustainability both in its vision and values; and Conceptual perspectives and exploration of
of the 58, nine companies mention sustainability societal subsystems. Sustainability, 5(7), 2976-
in their vision statements. It is remarkable that 2990.
half of the sample (n=32) do not ever mention
about sustainability in their vision, mission or Simões, C., & Sebastiani, R. (2017). The nature
values. of the relationship between corporate identi-
ty and corporate sustainability: Evidence from
In the ongoing process of the research, the links the retail industry. Business Ethics Quarter-
between SDGs, corporate social responsibility ly, 27(3), 423-453.
projects and communication activities of the
companies will be evaluated by utilizing the
model proposed by Newig et al. (2013). This
will enable to bring forward an overall picture of
corporates in their approaches to sustainability
communication.
3 Abstracts 54

Caring or selling? Communicating

values or promoting products in PR
education
Barlik, Jacek, University of Warsaw (Poland)

Introduction and purpose of the study tainability of modern institutional communica-

Public relations research and education have tion, according to PR students and educators.
long been perceived as functional to the public
relations industry. However, serving corpora- RQ1 – Are PR students taught about values, eth-
tions’ PR needs and grooming communication ics, social and political issues, activism, social
experts to support their business objectives were responsibility, and sustainability in PR (in addi-
often questioned by critical and postmodern tion to technical and communication skills)?
scholars who wanted to shift the PR field to-
wards a more activist- and social issues-friend- RQ2 – What are PR students’ opinions on these
ly position, starting from their research agenda intangible aspects of their PR education? Do
and PR curricula. Such a standpoint has become they know why these subjects are taught at PR
popular recently, mostly among younger publics schools? Do they see them as valuable? How – if
in developed countries, who expect much more at all – do PR students plan to apply these issues
from businesses than meeting the demand for in their PR careers?
new products and services.
Corporations and their PR functions are now RQ3 – How do PR students and educators eval-
charged by their stakeholders with addressing uate the PR industry when it comes to commu-
social, political, and ideological themes and hon- nicating values and addressing ESG (environ-
estly cooperating with activists. Yet, at the same mental, social, governance) issues, transparency,
time, PR curricula still lag behind these expec- equality, diversity, activism, and other causes?
tations and rarely deal with subjects other than
technical skills, efficiency, and performance, like Literature review
communicating values, deliberative democracy
Scholars have long pointed out that approach-
mechanisms, negotiations, and sustainability,
ing PR research and education from a purely
which freshly-minted PR specialists will have to
functional, managerial, and skill-based position
handle in real-life situations.
– beneficial mainly for practitioners – should
be supplemented with a broader social impact
Research questions and relationship perspective, involving different
Therefore, it might be beneficial to ask several stakeholders to ensure long-term organizational
questions concerning the relationships between livelihood and sustainable future for the organi-
PR education and communicating values, social zation, its environment and the society at large
responsibility of the PR industry, and the sus- (L’Etang, McKie, Snow, & Xifra, 2016). Conse-
3 Abstracts 55

quently, the role of PR is expected to shift from technical and communication training required
a functional, transmissive process on behalf of by the industry) can bode well for long-term
an organization or brand to a co-constructive sustainability policies and efforts of institutions
and transformative joint effort of different stake- employing young PR practitioners.
holders to promote public interest and social is-
sues (Weder, 2022). Keywords
activism, communicating values, public relations
Research shows that the vast majority of PR stu-
education, social causes, sustainability
dents believe business can and should contribute
to solving social and political problems (USC
Annenberg, 2022), sometimes with activists Literature
whose practices, experience, and voices are un- Hou, J. Z., & Wang, Y. (2022). Creativity is Key:
der-represented in the public relations industry, Using Creative Pedagogy to Incorporate Ac-
research and education. Therefore, the emerging tivism in the Public Relations Classroom and
field of activist public relations needs to be more Beyond. Journal of Public Relations Education,
often included in the PR curricula and treated vol. 8 no. 2, 78-110.
seriously by corporations, brands, and organiza-
L’Etang, J., McKie, D., Snow, N., & Xifra, J. (eds.)
tions in their communication strategies (Hou, &
(2016). The Routledge Handbook of Critical
Wang, 2022).
Public Relations. New York, London: Rout-
ledge. Taylor & Francis Group.
Methodology
USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations
The planned research will apply mixed methods: (2022). The Future of Corporate Activism.
qualitative (interviews with PR lecturers: aca- 2022 Global Communication Report. Los An-
demics, and adjuncts) and quantitative (online geles, California, March 2022.
surveys among PR students in a European coun-
try). Respondents (both teachers and students) Weder, F. (2022). Strategic problematization of
will be recruited at several universities that run sustainability reframing dissent in strategic
PR sequences in the country. The PR students’ communication for transformation. Public Re-
perceptions about teaching values and ethics lations Inquiry, vol. 11 no. 3, 337–360.
and preparing them to cope with social issues
and sustainability themes will be juxtaposed
with opinions of their instructors on the same
subjects.

Results and conclusions

The research will shed light on the level of pre-
paredness of PR students, teachers and PR cur-
ricula to meet expectations of younger gen-
erations (especially Gen Z) to cooperate with
activists and address social, political, and cul-
tural issues in organizational communication.
Moreover, such commitment to teaching about
values during PR studies (as opposed to merely
3 Abstracts 56

Connecting the networking nodes

for sustainable student wellness:
The case of UJ’s student wellness
programme and role of a PR educator
Benecke, Dalien Rene, University of Johannesburg (South Africa)

Introduction to the study The University of Johannesburg (UJ) have an av-

Wellness has become an important topic follow- erage number of 52 000 registered students per
ing Covid-19 demanding from public relations annum, making it one of the biggest residential
and strategic communication practitioners to and contact universities in the country. Formal
understand, plan and evaluate interventions to university structures are available to students
improve and sustain stakeholder wellness. With- to assist with the transition from high school to
in a university context, students as a key stake- tertiary and include departments such as stu-
holder group, require special attention given the dent affairs (including accommodation, student
expectations, contractual obligations and social associations and food aid), financial aid, psycho-
impact their engagement with the institutions’ logical services, academic support, health clinics
staff and structures represent (Patrick, 2022). and a sport bureau. Connecting these depart-
Student wellness within a comprehensive uni- ments and their respective objectives require a
versity such as University of Johannesburg, is concerted effort such a networked perspective.
complex given the diverse cultures, individual
needs, generational influence, digital compe- In applying the network theory (Borgatti & Hal-
tence and educational backgrounds. In addition, gin, 2011) and network perspective (Yang &
environmental and external factors such as high Saffer, 2019) to identify nodes and their func-
youth unemployment in South Africa, expecta- tion to student wellness, this study aims to pres-
tions from family and communities, financial ent the emerging process of the symbolic inter-
support and changing world of work contribute mediation role of a public relations educator
to the complexity of student wellness at a univer- (Benecke, 2019). The multiple roles public rela-
sity in the global south. tions educators occupy provide them with the
symbolic power to promote inclusivity, diverse
Universities are mandated to provide students views, embrace dissent as a catalyst to change,
with relevant education and training, to develop and influencing social change (Benecke, 2019).
them socially, mentally and emotionally while at
university and ensuring long-term sustainability Literature review
of funding and relationships (USAf, 2023). Public relations scholars have been researching
the development of stakeholder networks, the
various nodes and actors involved, how these re-
3 Abstracts 57

late to each other and the issue at hand as well as Contribution of the study
the influence of these networks on society (Yang The contribution of this study will be the docu-
& Saffer, 2019). Borgatti & Halgin (2011: 1168) mentation of student wellness support structures
distinguish between “network theory which is within a complex and diverse university context
about the consequences of network variables” together with the involvement of a PR educator.
while “the theory of networks refers to the pro-
cesses that determine why networks have the
References
structures they do”. The aim of this study is to
identify the processes involved to develop stu- Benecke, D.R. (2019). The social representation
dent wellness networks. of Public Relations Activism in early career
South African Public Relations Practitioners.
University student support structures stretch Unpublished doctoral thesis. University of Jo-
across various departments and faculties often hannesburg.
resulting in some student needs either being Borgatti, S.P., & Halgin, D. S. (2011). On Net-
missed, leaving the student to fend for them- work Theory. Organisation Science, 22 (5),
selves, or assistance being duplicated such as stu- 1168-1181.
dents being referred for psychological support
services by several lecturers given their poor ac- Cutler, A. (2004). Methodical failure: the use
ademic performance. Developing a network of of case study method by public relations re-
support amongst the various stakeholders with searchers. Public Relations Review, 30 (3), pp.
the student being at the centre is linked to the 365 – 375.
student-centred approach followed by UJ. Hedding, D. W., Greve, M., Breetzke, G. D.,
Nel, W., & Jansen van Vuuren, B. (2020).
Public relations and strategic communication COVID-19 and the academe in South Africa:
are well-established and very successful pro- Not business as usual. South African Journal
grammes offered by UJ with several lecturers of Science, 116(7/8). https://doi.org/10.17159/
qualified with doctoral degrees and several years sajs.2020/8298
of industry and academic experience. As active
Patrick, J. (2022). Student leadership and student
faculty members and known for their caring na-
government. Research in Educational Admin-
ture (voted as the most caring department in the
istration & Leadership, 7(1), 1-37.
Faculty of Humanities 2022), PR educators are
often expected to occupy multiple roles, includ- Universities of South Africa (USAf). https://
ing a symbolic intermediary role. www.usaf.ac.za/home. Accessed on 31 January
2023.
Research approach and data collection
A case study research approach (Cutler, 2004)
is followed to investigate the various university
student support structures (as nodes) and their
ties to student wellness. Interviews with key de-
cision makers within these support structures
will analyse their ties, processes and results.
3 Abstracts 58

Porn, Positioning and Power:

Understanding the exclusion of Porn
Pedallers from British Cycling
Bowman, Sarah, Northumbria University (UK)
Bridgen, Elizabeth, Sheffield Hallam University (UK)

Introduction and Purpose of Study is limited in public relations scholarship. The

In Spring 2019 a cycling club for adult indus- concept of stigma (and positioning to stigmatise
try workers who enjoy social and competitive others) is rarely discussed as a public relations
cycling called ‘Porn Peddlers’ had its British strategy, with studies preferring to focus on pub-
Cycling affiliation revoked due to links with lic relations as a management function. Little at-
pornography (British Cycling is the national tention has been paid to the work on stigma by
governing body for cycle sport in Great Britain). e.g. Tyler (2020) that explores stigma as experi-
Porn Peddlers was well established and had held enced at a personal level and sees stigmatization
affiliation for several years (allowing it to collect as a process of power with the culture of stigma
membership payments via the British Cycling embedded in neoliberal market structures.
platform, giving it public liability insurance and
permitting members to race competitively). The The adult industries as the focus of public rela-
removal of this privilege resulted in considerable tions scholarship are largely overlooked (Brid-
media attention in the cycling, mainstream and gen, 2023) but the strategies used by and against
adult media. the adult industry are of interest when we con-
sider the monetary value of the adult industry
This paper explores how British Cycling used and the attention it receives in the media. Taken
deliberate positioning techniques to stigmatize together there is a gap in the scholarship that can
Porn Pedallers to justify its actions, shows how in part be addressed by this paper.
the positions of the two organisations were re-
framed by the mainstream media (often sala- Methodology
ciously), and suggests ways Porn Pedallers could
An interpretivist case study method was de-
have used counter positioning techniques to
ployed drawing on content analysis of organisa-
lobby for readmittance to British Cycling.
tional announcements, news articles and social
media stories discussing British Cycling and
Literature Review Porn Pedallers during March 2019. We draw
Although work associated with positioning, on James’ positioning triangle (2014) to analyse
framing and storytelling is extensive, this has content using three vertices: Position (associat-
traditionally orientated towards marketing and ing Porn Pedallers as outsiders/others not up-
apart from James’ work (2014) and the work that holding the values of British Cycling); Speech
cites her, the specific use of positioning theory act/actions (the language used by British Cycling
3 Abstracts 59

to associate Porn Pedallers with outsider posi- Practical and Social Implications
tioning); and Storyline (how stories were used This paper has practical and theoretical value.
to reinforce the unsuitability of Porn Pedallers First, it expands the understanding of position-
as members of British Cycling and how the sto- ing theory to the adult industries through inte-
ryline was (probably unhelpfully) reimagined by grating the concepts of legitimacy and power.
the mainstream media). James’ positioning the- Second, we show how organisations under at-
ory is based on the work of Harré & van Langen- tack can use media interest to potentially re-
hove (1999) and takes a social constructionist position a debate. We illustrate this through a
approach to understanding why people say and revised positioning model but also show how a
do certain things in their interactions with oth- particular position can also be reinterpreted by
ers. The paper also draws on issues of legitimacy the news media. Third, we stress the role of stig-
and power in positioning theory (Wise, 2019) matisation in public communication discourse
to unearth deeper meaning as to why Porn Ped- and its salience in ‘othering’ those associated
allers were unable to effectively counter-position with pornography.
and challenge British Cycling.
Keywords
Results and Conclusions
Public Relations; professionalism; stigma; posi-
Research suggests British Cycling was able to tioning; pornography
dominate media coverage by positioning Porn
Pedallers as at odds with British Cycling’s aim
References
of promoting ‘health and exercise’ and its role as
a membership organisation serving the British Bridgen, E (2023) “It’s Just a Job”: Public Rela-
public. British Cycling was able to position it- tions in the Adult industry. In Bridgen, E. and
self as acting according to world governing body Williams, SW (ed) (2023) Women’s work (in
Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) rules and public relations): An edited collection. London:
thus positioning itself as both enforcer and being Emerald (in press)
enforced. This effectively shut down all debate as Harré, R., & van Langenhove, L. (1999). Posi-
to whether Porn Pedallers should be allowed to tioning Theory: moral contexts of internation-
affiliate. Despite support by some mainstream al action. In R. Harré & L. van Langenhove
media including the British Daily Mail, and from (Eds.), Positioning Theory: moral contexts of
famous cyclists, the club was not able to renew international action. Oxford: Blackwell Pub-
its affiliation, or fight for a change in the rules, lishers Ltd.
and the story vanished quickly from the media.
Further positioning analysis suggests that even James, D. (2014) Positioning theory and strate-
the news media broadly supportive of Porn Ped- gic communication. Routledge.
dlers were using the issue as ‘clickbait’ largely to Tyler, I. (2020). Stigma: The machinery
produce salacious content and were not active- of inequality. Bloomsbury Publishing.
ly campaigning on behalf of the organisation. Wise, D. (2019). An Analysis of the Strengths
Despite having its own strong storylines, Porn and Weaknesses of Applying James’(2014)
Pedallers were constantly on the defensive and, Framework for Intentional Positioning in
unable to use the media to its advantage, could Public Relations. Papers on Social Representa-
not position itself differently or change the main tions, 28 (1), 8-1.
narrative to its favour.
3 Abstracts 60

“Unfaking” Climate Change. The

Impact of Negatively Framed Content
on CSR Communication, Company
Evaluation and Purchase Intentions
Chmiel, Michal, Royal Holloway, University of London (UK)
Fatima, Sania, Royal Holloway, University of London (UK)
Ingold, Ciara, Royal Holloway, University of London (UK)
Mager, Leandra, Royal Holloway, University of London (UK)
Reisten, Jana, Royal Holloway, University of London (UK)
Tejada, Catalina, Royal Holloway, University of London (UK)

Introduction and purpose of the study Literature Review

Funding must be increased to $4.13 trillion ev- Van Marrewijk (2003) considers the scope of
ery year by 2030 to address climate change ef- CSR to be delineated by all company’s activi-
fectively, as compared to $632 billion spent in ties demonstrating the inclusion of “social and
2019 and 2020. Corporations were estimated to environmental concerns in business operations
contribute 20% ($124 billions) of that spending. and in interactions with stakeholders” (p. 102).
This investment of businesses should be com- Building on that definition, CSR communica-
municated to audiences to generate more sup- tion refers to any statements which companies
port for the climate change issues. At the same publish to inform the public about their CSR ac-
time, environmental CSR communication can tivities. There is notable increase in the research-
lead to different company evaluations. Unfor- ers’ interest in the perception of CSR communi-
tunately, despite prevailing scientific consensus, cations and its impact on company’s evaluations
some supporters of right-wing political ideolo- (e.g. Sen & Bhattacharya, 2001; Nan & Heo,
gies still content climate change (Krange et al., 2007).
2021; Lewandowsky et al., 2017; Czarnek et al.,
2021). Following the views of populistic opinion CSR communication can also become contro-
leaders and politicians, certain audiences can la- versial, especially when it is related to climate
bel climate change communication as fake news. change. Not all stakeholders hold the same polit-
Based on the social psychological findings sug- ical or climate related opinions. In fact, Krange
gesting greater preference for negatively framed et al. (2021) demonstrated that climate change
information among right-wing politics support- denial is associated with lack of trust in environ-
ers (Hibbing et al., 2014), we were interested if mental institutions.
more favourable evaluations can be produced if
negative framing was used in CSR communica- Negativity bias, the principle that “negative
tion on climate change. events are more salient, potent, dominant in
3 Abstracts 61

combinations, and generally efficacious than people who exhibited weaker beliefs in climate
positive events”, has been shown to affect espe- change (=considered climate change as fake
cially people with right-leaning political prefer- news) would show greater preference for nega-
ences (Hibbing et al., 2014). Relevant findings tively framed CSR communication. The results
about publics’ response to environmental CSR were opposite. Low support for climate change
communication involving positive vs. negative combined with positively framed content led
content categories have been mixed. For ex- participants to higher evaluation of CSR com-
ample, DiRusso and Myrick (2021) found that munication (F(1,239) = 13.04, p<.001), compa-
right-wing individuals react better to positive ny’s actions (F(1,239) = 15.39, p<.001), the com-
stimuli. On the other hand, Olsen, Slotegraaf pany (F(1,239) = 14.85, p<.001) and purchase
and Chandukala (2014) showed negative effects intentions (F(1,239) = 6.07, p<.01). We hypoth-
of positive framing of green products. esise that promotion focus of audiences with
lower beliefs in climate change may explain the
Methodology preference for positively framed content.
We recruited 245 participants (MAge = 31.54,
SDage = 11.87) and collected information about Practical and Social Implications
their political preferences and climate change Our findings suggest that content categories
beliefs using OC-AN questionnaire (Brown- used by companies communicating their sus-
lee & Verbos, 2015). To test causal relationship tainability activities should be scrutinised with
between variables, we created three versions of diligence. While publics who agree with the oc-
CSR communication about a fictitious company. currence of climate change do not now show a
Depending on the experimental condition, we preference for positive or negative content in
used positively (vs. negatively) framed commu- CSR communication, those who doubt it, will
nication about a company’s involvement in en- favour positively framed information. This find-
vironmental activities, and a control condition ing may be particularly useful for companies
containing general information about a compa- communicating with publics of countries where
ny. Then, we asked participants about their eval- support for climate change is lower and the issue
uation of the passage, its credibility, actions, the is labelled as fake news.
company, and purchase intentions.
Keywords
Results and conclusions climate change, negativity bias, CSR communica-
Consistently with our expectations, left-wing tion, fake news
political attitudes were more positively associat-
ed with beliefs in climate change occurrence (b References
=063, t(244) = 2.397, p = .017, R2 = .023, F(1,244)
Hibbing, J. R., Smith, K. B. & Alford, J. R. (2014).
= 5.74, p =.017).
Differences in negativity bias underlie vari-
ations in political ideology. Behavioral and
As our primary focus was on the relationship be-
Brain Sciences,37(3):297–350.
tween the label of fake news associated by some
publics with climate change and the evaluation Lewandowsky, S., Ecker, U. K. H. & Cook, J.
of environmental CSR communication, we de- (2017). Beyond misinformation: understand-
cided to categorise our participants according to ing and coping with the post-truth era. Journal
their beliefs in climate change. We predicted that of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition.
6, 353–369.
3 Abstracts 62

van Marrewijk, M. (2003). Concepts and Defi-

nitions of CSR and Corporate Sustainability:
Between Agency and Communion. Journal of
Business Ethics, 44, 95–105.
Sen, S. & Bhattacharya, C. B. (2001). Does Doing
Good Always Lead to Doing Better? Consumer
Reactions to Cor- porate Social Responsibility.
Journal of Marketing Research, 38 (2), 225–43.
3 Abstracts 63

Towards a better future: An

assessment of sustainability practices
in the aviation sector from the
perspective of public relations
Çiçek, Meltem, Istanbul Maltepe University Vocational School (Turkey)

The concept of sustainability, which was brought Referring to their sustainability approach, which
on the agenda by UN Environment and Devel- is also expressed as maintaining the existence,
opment Commission in 1987 with the statement functioning and productivity of ecological sys-
of ‘Humanity has the ability to make devel- tems in the global context, companies have tak-
opment sustainable to ensure that it meets the en many steps to fullfill their social responsibil-
needs of the present without compromising the ities. Companies develop strategies upon these
ability of future generations to meet their own initiatives by appealing to the mind and heart of
needs”, is defined by Mohieldin (2017) as “an the public and make them visible to society and
approach to development that uses resources in raise awareness with public relations practices.
such a way that they continue to exist for others.” Aviation, which is a popular industry with the
The concept, that Middleton and Havkins (1998) transportation solutions it offers, is still at the
describe as “a state of balance in which there is forefront of the sectors that harm the environ-
harmony between the activities of the human ment on a global scale. Flights produce high lev-
population and their natural, social and cultur- els of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and many
al environments” (Yavuz, 2016), underlines the negative environmental impacts. US Transpor-
“balance” in the continuity of the ecological sys- tation Research Board claimed the major envi-
tem, while suggesting the necessity of achieving ronmental impacts of aviation as on global cli-
a balance in consumption. mate change, air pollution, emissions, ecology
and natural habitat, noise, land and material use,
Individualism based at the center of Frankfurt energy and water consumption, water pollution
School scholars Adorno and Horkheimer’s, crit- and wastes. (Transportation Research Board En-
ical approach to consumption industry. Accord- vironmental Impacts of Aviation Committee,
ing to the scholars; intellectuals should raise 2004).
awareness of human beings against consumption
slavery shaped by production systems. (Buğday The aim of this research is to investigate the sus-
ve Babaoğul, 2016:189-190; as cited in Karasar, tainability practices and sustainability commu-
2019). In contrary to individualistic context, nication of the aviation sector, and to address
public relations practitioners, performing sus- transforming sustainability solutions. To un-
tainability communication, are capable of creat- derstand how aviation sector practice sustain-
ing sense about common good among society. ability, case study method was used in this study
3 Abstracts 64

from the perspective of qualitative approach and For further research, national and internation-
gathered data was examined by content analysis. al public relations practices for sustainability in
For specifying the sample purposive (relevance) aviation sector can be examined and compared.
sampling technique was used. The two leading Evaluating the outcomes by getting stakeholder
brands of the Turkish aviation sector, Turkish feedback is also be suggested.
Airlines and İstanbul Airport, were selected as
sample because they produce creative projects in Keywords
terms of sustainability, consistently implement
Sustainability, Public Relations, Sustainability
their sustainability policies, show the results of
Communication, Aviation Sector.
their work with concrete data, report on regular
basis and their efforts is deemed worthy of sev-
eral international awards.
The relationship between the sustainability poli-
cies and public relations practices of these com-
panies has been examined within the framework
of the following questions in the context of the
literature:
1. How is a sustainable airline and airport char-
acterized as?
2. What kind of strategies have been adopted
in this regard to reduce negative impacts of
aviation sector?
3. What is the relationship between organiza-
tional structure and sustainability strategies?
4. What is the relationship between sustainabil-
ity approach and corporate culture?
5. What features do sustainability report have
as a public relations tool?
6. How sustainability communication is prac-
ticed?

In conclusion it is revealed that publishing cor-

porate sustainability reports on regular basis,
ensuring stakeholder interaction, stakehold-
er participation, increasing social acceptance,
social media and corporate web site usage for
sustainability purposes, implementing activities
for rasing sustainability awareness, integrating
sustainability to corporate culture and using
public relations as a tranformative agent for all
these addressed activities creates meaningful
improvements for achieving sustainability for
future generations.
3 Abstracts 65

Fruitful futures, well-founded fears,

fallacious fantasies: how language
professionals view the sustainability
of their profession
Doswell, Steve, Chartered Institute of Linguists (UK)
Cinca, Lavinia, National School of Political and Administrative Studies (Romania)

Introduction technological change. The principal focus is to

gather perceptions about the nature and scale of
Professional linguists practise their skills with-
these challenges… among practising translators,
in an uncertain environment. With continued
interpreters and members of other professions
downward pressures on historically low fee-
who offer and use foreign languages as a key
rates, the happenstance of Brexit and the grow-
competence and as an important defining fea-
ing use of AI-enabled technology, practitioners
ture in their work and professional status… to-
in this sector are having to face up to a range of
gether with the conclusions that they themselves
specific challenges. How they view this environ-
draw about the sustainability of their own liveli-
ment, the conclusions they draw for their own
hoods as they confront the combined impacts of
livelihoods and practice and their predictions these challenges.
for the sector as a whole, provide the basis on
which a fruitful dialogue can be constructed and
Phase 1
pursued between this distinct but diffuse public
and those actors who seek to serve, represent, The fieldwork is being conducted during the first
lead and engage with it. Specifically, understand- quarter of 2023, principally among members of
ing how professional linguists perceive them- the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL), the
selves can be insightful and of practical value to UK’s Royal Charter membership body for lin-
communication practitioners who engage with guists and language professionals. Entry into
publics through campaigns, events or activities membership is gained through academic qual-
in various languages, and with a wide geograph- ification, specifically the attainment of specified
ical scope. levels of competence in the use of modern for-
eign languages. CIOL has a global membership
and its members work in a variety of profession-
Proposal
al settings across a range of economic sectors.
Our proposal is to present the findings of re-
search conducted among modern language The fieldwork takes the form of individual in-
practitioners into the sustainability of the lin- terviews and survey responses. Initial findings
guists’ profession in the light of recent, current and conclusions will be presented at the CI-
and emerging political, economic, social and OL’s Translators Day conference in March 2023,
3 Abstracts 66

based on the results of a first phase of field re- The authors

search among language practitioners under the This research project is being conducted by
umbrella title: Talking tongues: 100 Conversa- Birmingham-based Steve Doswell, corporate
tions. communication practitioner, member of CIOL’s
governing Council, former CEO of the Institute
Following this presentation and the feedback it of Internal Communication and a past keynote
elicits, the study will be broadened and further speaker and frequent participant at BledCom.
aspects of this study’s central theme will be con- If this proposal is accepted for BledCom 2023,
sidered for investigation. Steve will present the findings at Bled together
with research partner Lavinia Cinca, EU public
Phase 2 communication professional, based in Brussels.
A second phase of fieldwork would then be con- Lavinia is also a past BledCom participant and
ducted during April-May 2023, both to enlarge has presented research at Bled on three occa-
the sample size and to gather additional exter- sions.
nal insights into trends within the four reference
domains (political, economic, social and techno-
logical). It is expected that this second phase of
fieldwork will draw additional respondents from
other well-recognised cohorts of practitioners
from within the wider community of profession-
al linguists.
3 Abstracts 67

A Quarter Century Unravelling Capitol

Hill’s Communication Managers
Summaries and Updates on the Lives
of Congressional Press Secretaries
Downes, Edward J., Boston University (USA)

Introduction and Purpose of the Study/ Methodology

Research Question The paper is built on the evolution of findings
This paper reports on the work of a unique, un- from roughly 17 data sets gathered between
derstudied, often unrecognized, brand of public 1997 and 2022. Their data come from surveys
relations professionals. That is, “press secretar- of, interviews with, a focus group among, sec-
ies” (increasingly referred to as “communica- ondary sources that speak to the work of, and
tions directors”) who individually serve rough- ethnographic observations of, Congress’ press
ly 435 Members of the United States Congress’ secretaries. The findings, which evolved over
House of Representatives. Its research question many years, “matured as new data refined them.”
is: What principles and processes guide Congres- Commonly, findings when first discovered were
sional press secretaries’ communication manage- shared (primarily at academic conferences) as
ment choices? “possibilities.” As additional research refined the
findings, they were reported as “more definitive.”
The Literature The ten findings noted in this paper are the most
valid and reliable.
Only three published studies have used Cap-
itol Hill’s press secretaries as units of analysis
(Downes 1998; Hess 1991; Cook 1989). Recog- Results and Conclusions
nizing this dearth, over 100 analyses describing First, a summary of aforementioned “more de-
the nexus of “public relations,” “politics,” and finitive” findings is provided. These indicate the
“public relations” were consulted. Works of doz- press secretaries: build deep, often personal, re-
ens of scholars (Denton, Graber, Woodward, lationships with the Members of Congress they
Iyengar, and many others) were reviewed. Occa- faithfully serve; describe their work with tradi-
sionally, sources which were not academic/peer tional journalists as both “honest” and “guard-
reviewed where also consulted. This allowed the ed”; make their own ethical choices based upon
author to gain an “especially broad, kaleidoscop- the worldview of the Members of Congress they
ic collection of insights that speak-- to varying serve—setting their own values aside when nec-
degrees--to the lives of Congress’ press secretar- essary; struggle with how/when/and to what ex-
ies.” tent they will integrate on-line and new/social/
alternative/digital/emerging media into their
3 Abstracts 68

work; are “deeply offended” by the label “spin In response, the author suggests that ultimately
doctor”; et al. the press secretaries’ work is good for democ-
racy. Recognizing criticism of that work (e.g.,
Second, a more extensive discussion of two ar- critics claim information subsidizers such as the
eas--from which new findings are coming to press secretaries feed an increasingly “uncivil
fruition--is provided. Here the author has both discourse” and “severe partisan divide in in the
extended his literature review and conducted United States”) the author responds with the in-
additional Zoom or in-person interviews with sights that spring from a quotation commonly
today’s press secretaries; these interviews will attributed to Thomas Jefferson and definitively
continue until a few days prior to the 2023 con- attributed to Ralph Nader--which speaks to the
ference. press secretaries’ roles--and which supersedes
such criticism. It states: “Information is the cur-
The first area of more recent findings (affinitive rency of democracy.” This quotation builds the
with this year’s conference theme) examines the foundation for the paper’s final section pointing
press secretaries’ responses to issues of sustain- out the “positive social, political, cultural, and
ability. Here (among other indications) the data economic influences of the press secretaries’ im-
suggest those working for more liberal mem- portant jobs.”
bers of Congress are more concerned about
(and take more time) addressing sustainability Keywords:
policies than those working for more conserva-
Congressional communication management;
tive Members. The second area of more recent
press secretary/communications director; Capitol
findings discusses the “massive, perhaps pro-
Hill’s messaging
found” changes social media have brought to
communication management on Capitol Hill.
Here (among other indications) the data sug-
gest increased dependence (for press secretaries
serving both parties) on analytics when making
communication management decisions.

Practical and Social Implications

The paper is a prelude to the author’s forthcom-
ing book. Its working title is The Politics and PR
of Capitol Hill’s Image Makers: The Role of the
Congressional Press Secretary, and it is under
review by Bloomsbury Publishing. A question
which the author has raised before and which is
germane to this paper, the book, and much of
the information shedding light the press secre-
taries’ jobs arises: Is the press secretaries’ work
good for democracy?
3 Abstracts 69

Sustainability and conservatism

Drapal, Andrej, andrejdrapal.com (Slovenia)

The Purpose of the Study evaluated backwards.

The purpose of the study is to clarify the term 3. The sustainability of complex systems like
sustainability for the theory and practice of pub- individuals, society and ... lies in the antifra-
gility (Taleb, 2014). Antifragility is grounded
lic relations. Namely: if the success of keeping/
on individual interactions as much as pos-
sustaining relations with publics mainly rests
sible two-way-symmetrical (Grunig et al.,
on communication and if communication rest
1989) and should, for that reason, rest on
on the as precise denotation of terms used, then
memetic intersubjectivity.
the similar meaning of »sustainable« should be
4. Reputation, as one of the cornerstones of
tracked along various stakeholders and various
public relations, is a value of intellectual cap-
practices where this term is used.
ital as one of 6 capitals defined by contem-
porary corporate reporting. (International
Methodology <IR> Framework | Integrated Reporting,
n.d.)
The methodology of this study is the semantic
5. Sustainability is conservative; conservatism
analysis and its reference to various fields of
is sustainable; both are prone to bottom-up
science and practice by the Consilience prin-
adaptations.
ciple (Wilson) field theory (Bourdieu, Ein-
6. Sustainability in communication is defined
stein), evolutionary biology (Haig, Wagner,
as the ability of a memetic field to adapt so
Maynard-Smith), communication (Shannon,
that it stays the same. This is also valid for a
Sebeok), memetics (Fomin, Drapal) and public
meme, so sustainability can be measured as
relations theory (from Grunig to Hallahan, Hol-
fitness, which is defined by longevity, fidelity
tzhausen, van Ruler, Verčič and Sriramesh).
and fecundity.

Results and Conclusions Practical and social implications

1. The meaning of the term »sustainability« Public relations is a theory and practice that uni-
has lost its self-reflective power, a power to tes various social studies and humanities fields.
re-evaluate its meaning in the context of It explains the culture in which organisations
highly diversified sciences, technologies and and individuals act and thus helps practitioners
sciences in a society of the 21st century that to manage relationships within organisations
homogenises more and more along catch- and with the environment. If culture is one of
phrases (political correctness) without even the outcomes of evolution, and if culture, its
an option to challenge it. replication and mutation, is parallel to genetic
2. Since future changes are not known and can- change, theoreticians and practitioners of the
not be known in the principle (Hegel, 2003), field should imply evolutionary theory and me-
the realisation of sustainability can only be metics findings. Implications of this paper are
3 Abstracts 70

theoretical, opening the spectre of sciences that porting. (n.d.). Retrieved 3 January 2022,
should conciliate and practical, allowing prac- from https://www.integratedreporting.org/re-
titioners to add new perspectives on what they source/international-ir-framework/
could do to manage as sustainable relations as Maynard-Smith, J., & Szathmary, E. (1999). The
possible. Origins of Life: From the Birth of Life to the Or-
igin of Language. OUP Oxford.
Keywords
Sebeok, T. A. (1989). The sign & its masters. Uni-
Communication; evolution; memetics; sustain- versity Press of America.
ability; intersubjectivity
Taleb, N. N. N. (2014). Antifragile: Things That
Gain from Disorder (Reprint edition). Random
References
House Publishing Group.
Bourdieu, P. (1993). The Field of Cultural Pro-
Wagner, G. (2014). Homology, Genes, and Evo-
duction: Essays on Art and Literature (1st edi-
lutionary Innovation. In Homology, Genes, and
tion). Polity.
Evolutionary Innovation. Princeton University
Dawkins, R. (1976). The Selfish Gene (New ed). Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400851461
Oxford University Press.
Wilson, E. O. (2018). Consilience. Random
Drapal, A. (2019). House Audio. https://www.audible.com/pd/
Einstein, A. (1905). Relativity: The Special and Consilience-Audiobook/B07CSJWW3L
the General Theory (1st edition). Samaira Book
Publishers.
Fomin, I. (2019). Memes, genes, and signs: Se-
miotics in the conceptual interface of evo-
lutionary biology and memetics. Semiotica,
2019(230), 327–340. https://doi.org/10.1515/
sem-2018-0016
Grunig, J., Botan, C., & Hazelton, J. (1989). Sym-
metrical presuppositions as a framework for
public relations theory. Public Relations Theo-
ry, 17–44.
Haig, D. (2020). From Darwin to Derrida: Selfish
genes, social selves, and the meanings of life. The
MIT Press.
Hallahan, K., Holtzhausen, D., van Ruler, B.,
Verčič, D., & Sriramesh, K. (2007). Defining
Strategic Communication. International Jour-
nal of Strategic Communication, 1(1), 3–35.
https://doi.org/10.1080/15531180701285244
Hegel, G. W. F. (2003). Elements of the Philoso-
phy of Right. Cambridge University Press.
International <IR> Framework | Integrated Re-
3 Abstracts 71

Criticism on DEI-related corporate

social media postings and how
companies handle it
Einwiller, Sabine, University of Vienna (Austria)
Wolfgruber, Daniel, University of Vienna (Austria)

Introduction and purpose of the study loyal, (2) exiting the relationship, or (3) voicing
Social pressure on companies to contribute to criticism (Hirschman, 1970). The latter is par-
a fairer and more inclusive society mounts, and ticularly relevant in the context of social media
more and more companies commit themselves communication about sensitive topics such as
to corporate political advocacy (CPA), which DEI, because taking a stance against social in-
rather abandons “consensus-driven communica- justices on social media can cause criticism and
tion” and has a “focus on social change” (Ciszek thus challenges for corporate communication.
& Logan, 2018, p. 119). Pointing to inequalities
in a diverse society and taking a stance on such Methodology
delicate issues on social media is one form of We conducted a content analysis of DEI-relat-
CPA. We investigated which diversity, equity ed social media postings and subsequent critical
and inclusion (DEI) related topics companies comments on the Facebook and Twitter pag-
address on their social media platforms, how es of companies headquartered in the US and
much and what kind of criticism those topics Germany/Austria. The sample included the 50
generate, and to what extent and how companies largest US and German-based companies plus
respond to such critical comments. Additional- the nine largest Austrian companies (Forbes
ly, possible differences between the social media Global 2000). First, the Facebook and/or Twitter
communication of companies headquartered in pages of the selected companies were searched
Germany/Austria and the US are addressed. for DEI-related postings focusing on the seven
primary dimensions of diversity at any time in
Literature review 2021, which reduced the sample to 88. A total of
368 postings (GER/AUT: 145; USA: 223) were
DEI have become hotly debated issues with a
identified, saved, and coded. The number of crit-
political and moral nature (Köllen et al., 2018),
ical user comments was limited to a maximum
which can create criticism and even outrage
of five per posting, resulting in the coding and
particularly on social media as a public space
analysis of 1,049 units (GER/AUT: 353; USA:
for discourse and discussion (Ciszek & Logan,
696).
2018). Criticism frequently emerges from a per-
ceived expectancy violation leading to a sense of
injustice that arouses unpleasant emotions such
as anger or anxiety (Burgoon, 2016). People
cope with such emotions by either (1) staying
3 Abstracts 72

Results and conclusion Practical and social implications

Regarding topics addressed, significantly more DEI-related social media postings frequently en-
US-based companies (n = 83) focused on race/ gender critical comments, especially in the US.
ethnicity compared to German/Austrian com- Yet, companies shy away from engaging in dia-
panies (n = 13). In contrast, gender (identity) logue on these delicate issues. Instead, they pre-
and the empowerment of women was commu- fer to answer criticism that relates to their prod-
nicated significantly more often by companies ucts/services, which may leave the impression of
headquartered in Germany/Austria (n = 42) rainbow-washing. By responding to DEI-relat-
than in the US (n = 32). Similarly, in the US, ed criticism companies could use social media
significantly more critical comments were ob- to demonstrate openness and emphasize their
served in the context of race/ethnicity (n = 134 stance and moral values. Users, in turn, often
vs. n = 24), while—proportionally—more crit- use social media platforms to voice their anger
ical comments in Germany/Austria addressed about anything, as about half of the criticism did
gender (identity) and the empowerment of not refer to the content of the postings on DEI
women (n = 47 vs. n = 36) as well as sexual ori- issues. The findings are in line with Ciszek and
entation (n = 61 vs. n = 76). Interestingly, 21% Logan’s (2018) study, which concludes that so-
of the critical comments did not address the di- cial media is rarely a space for dialogue but rath-
versity issue raised, but the company’s products/ er a platform for venting and hostility.
services. Lastly, US companies received signifi-
cantly more emotional (57.5%) and destructive Keywords
(54%) criticism than German/Austrian compa-
Diversity, DEI, social media, criticism, cross-cul-
nies (emo: 42.2%, destruct: 36.8%).
tural research
Companies responded only to one in ten crit-
ical comments, with German/Austrian (15%)
companies responding significantly more often
than US companies (7.8%). Interestingly, 67%
of the responses referred to critical comments
that were not diversity-related and almost half
of those (45%) regarded products and/or ser-
vices. The degree of emotionality/rationality and
constructiveness/destructiveness, respectively,
did not have an impact on companies’ response
behavior.

The study has its limitations as it focused only on

large companies in two cultural clusters (Anglo
and Germanic Europe). It did not address the in-
teraction of critics with other users, which would
lend insights into the dynamics of the controver-
sy. Further research should address these limita-
tions by extending the sample to other cultural
clusters and also analyzing user-to-user interac-
tions.
3 Abstracts 73

Environmental Sustainability: The role

of communication in organizational
responsibility
Eiró-Gomes, Mafalda, Escola Superior de Comunicação Social - Instituto Politécnico de
Lisboa (Portugal)
Raposo, Ana, Escola Superior de Comunicação Social - Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa
(Portugal)
Nunes, Tatiana, Escola Superior de Comunicação Social - Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa
(Portugal)

Introduction and purpose of the study Literature review

Sustainability, the concept that has arrived may- The concept of Corporate Social Responsibil-
be with 50 years of delay, is the new buzzword all ity is understood in a very broad sense and in
over the globe. From greenwashing to becoming a formulation indistinguishable from another
a real worry, and for some a new business pur- notion, Corporate Citizenship. If we use these
pose built in the DNA of their organizations, concepts without the search - which is certainly
this concept seems to be an unavoidable one too complex for the purposes of this work - for a
in the context of the actual organizations com- full definition, and therefore much more in the
munication departments. The research question sense so dear to Wittgenstein (1953) of family
that formed the skeleton of the research here be- resemblances, we cannot help but focus on their
ing presented even if it has everything to do with dimension (we know that it is artificially cut) of
sustainability did not use this broader concept environmental responsibility.
in the formulation of the research question or
in the analysis but a very concrete aspect of the The notion of ‘sustainability’ has increasing-
“sustainability” worries. ly been employed with a very broad focus. Al-
though internationally and in the reports of the
How do the organizations belonging to the Glob- most important organizations, or even as defined
al Compact Network Portugal with 2020 reports already in 2019 by “The Guardian”, “It’s a crisis,
publicly accessible online express in their sus- not a change. (...) Climate change is no longer
tainability reports, or in their absence, in their considered to accurately reflect the seriousness
activity reports, sustainability issues and in par- of the overall situation”.
ticular the organization’s concerns with the “cli-
mate”? What use do they make of the concepts Methodology
of “climate change” and “climate crisis”?
This research is focused on the 84 Portuguese
organizations that are part of the UN Global
Compact, an initiative in the area of corporate
citizenship, which originated from a proposal by
3 Abstracts 74

the former UN Secretary General in 2000. It is Practical and social implications

based on ten principles, in the areas of human We intend to present a reflection on how orga-
rights, labor practices, environmental protection nizations communicate their Corporate Social
and anti-corruption, and aims to promote the Responsibility practices in aspects more directly
public and voluntary commitment of companies related to climate change or the climate crisis.
to comply with them. At the same time, it is the authors’ intention to
promote recognition of the importance of com-
48 out of these 84 organizations had available munication for social and behavioral change in
online or sent to the researchers after being con- the area of climate, as well as its importance in
tacted, their sustainability or activity reports. combating the climate emergency. In this way,
Therefore, 26 sustainability reports and 22 activ- we hope to contribute to the ethical accountabil-
ity reports were analyzed. ity of communication professionals when work-
ing on the topic of climate change / climate crisis
A thematic categorical analysis of manifest mes- from now on.
sages was performed. NVivo software was used
to support data collection and analysis. The cat- The CSR reports represent in our neo-liberal
egories were defined in a concept-driven strat- societies one of the most relevant aspects of the
egy and coincide with the major themes under expression (so many times in figures) not only of
analysis based on the Global Compact proposal, the financial health of the organizations but es-
regarding Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat pecially of the real worries that have underlined
climate change and its impacts. all the CEOs in a certain year.

Results and conclusions Keywords

As argued above, the concept of climate ‘crisis’ Sustainability, climate emergency, climate crisis,
should be preferred to that of climate ‘change’ to climate change, Global Compact
refer to the challenges the world faces. However,
in Portugal, little or nothing has been developed
from the point of view of communication, and
more particularly, of Corporate Communication
/ Public Relations to understand all these issues.
Only 5 out of the 48 reports analyzed present the
expression “climate crisis” throughout their pag-
es to refer to the current situation of humanity.
It is also curious to note that of the 5 organiza-
tions, we could only consider that 4 assume that
we are effectively living a climate crisis, because
in one of the reports, the sentence is built in the
future, as if it were something still hypothetical,
that we can prevent, and not yet a reality. If we
look at the expression “climate emergency”, it
only appears in 4 of the reports. Moreover, the
term “climate change” is used by 33 out of 48 or-
ganizations. And we found “Environmental Sus-
tainability” in 27 documents analyzed.
3 Abstracts 75

The relationship between CSR and

sustainability: the Olivetti case and
how public relations can contribute to
a company’s sustainability
Fabbri, Valerio, FabbriKo (Slovenia)

Introduction and research question which he dedicated his entire life. He believed in
Organizations that voluntarily integrate envi- shared value and in beauty and always worked
ronmental and social policies in their business to create value for employees, customers and
model represent a fundamentally distinct type of communities.
the modern corporation, characterized by a gov-
ernance structure that in addition to financial Methodology and literature review
performance, accounts for the environmental Research shows that companies with high ESG
and social impact of the company, a long-term ratings have a lower cost of debt and equity, and
approach towards maximizing inter-temporal that sustainability initiatives can help improve
profits, an active stakeholder management pro- financial performance while fostering public
cess, and more developed measurement and re- support. The overlap between social and envi-
porting systems. However, although the concept ronmental progress and financial gain is called
has now become mainstream, the argument of the shared value opportunity. In other words,
this research paper is that successful companies “doing good” can have a direct impact on your
have always been attentive to the wellbeing of its company’s ability to “do well.” Due to this oppor-
stakeholders, as well as being properly integrated tunity, it’s clear why many businesses have adopt-
into the social fabric where they operate. A case ed these practices. An interpretative framework
in point of this research paper is Olivetti, Italy’s (Carroll’s CSR pyramid) to analyze the entrepre-
historic manufacturer of office equipment and neurial choices by Adriano Olivetti according to
information systems, which closely associated the various perspectives of Corporate Social Re-
its name with corporate social responsibility un- sponsibility. Corporate social responsibility and
der the guide of Adriano Olivetti. The company sustainability have become prominent issues of
that bears his name became one of the pioneers strategic importance for any corporation that
of information technology, known for its capac- needs to engage in social problems to ultimately
ity for innovation, design and for having applied
preserve or improve its bottom line.
the principles of what we now call corporate
social responsibility. An engineer by training,
Adriano Olivetti continued the business start- Results
ed by his father and his name is inextricably Neoclassical economics and several manage-
linked to a humanistic vision of the industry to ment theories assume that the corporation’s ob-
3 Abstracts 76

jective is profit maximization subject to capacity References

(or other) constraints. During the last 20 years, Ferrarotti F. (2013), La concreta utopia di Adria-
a growing number of companies have voluntari- no Olivetti, Edizioni Dehoniane Bologna, Bo-
ly integrated social and environmental issues in logna.
their business models and daily operations (i.e.
their strategy) through the adoption of related A literature review on the causality between
corporate policies. The sustainable enterprise sustainability and corporate reputation:
focuses on its stakeholders interests. Today this What goes first? Ana Maria Gomez-Trujil-
perspective is a central one in the dialogue on lo, Juan Velez-Ocampo, Maria Alejandra Gon-
enterprise goals and on the nature of the firm, zalez-Perez – Management of Environmental
but this was already clear in the past history also Quality ISSN: 1477-7835
through the experience of some enlightened en- Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainabili-
trepreneurs like Adriano Olivetti, who was able ty and Public Relations: Negotiating Multiple
to balance economic responsibility and social Complex Challenges, Negotiating Multiple
ones in his managerial model and he showed Complex Challenges ByDonnalyn Pompper,
that the pillars of sustainability, as we call them London, Routledge 2015
today, were internally coherent. This is the es-
Corporate Responsibility in Scarcity Economy:
sence of sustainability ante litteram.
The Olivetti Case Symphonya. Emerging Issues
in Management, n. 1, 2003, pp. 114-134
Conclusions and implications
Profits with purpose: How organizing for sus-
Agreement across disciplines regarding concepts tainability can benefit the bottom line, Sheila
and definitions is necessary for the purpose of Bonini and Steven Swartz, 2014 McKinsey &
establishing construct validity. Companies must Company
make the leap from having the performance to
ensure sustainable performance. Sustainable Ackermann F., Eden C. (2011), Strategic Man-
success of an enterprise is achieved through the agement of Stakeholders: Theory and Practice,
ability to meet the needs and expectations of its Long Range Planning, vol. 44, pp. 179-196.
customers and other stakeholders in the long
term through effective management of the orga-
nization, the environmental awareness organi-
zation, and also by learning and applying appro-
priate improvements and innovations. CSR 2.0
comes down to one thing: clarification and re-
orientation of the purpose of business. Ultimate-
ly, the purpose of business is to serve society,
through a solid bottom line, but also through the
provision of safe, high-quality products and ser-
vices that enhance our wellbeing, without erod-
ing our ecological and community life-support
systems.

Keywords
CSR, sustainability, Olivetti, community, purpose
3 Abstracts 77

Are Italian companies ready to

communicate sustainability? An
empirical analysis
Fabbri, Valerio, FabbriKo (Slovenia)
Capurso, Viviana, Udine University (Italy)
Brusati, Luca, Udine University (Italy)

Introduction and research question (Williams & Pei 1999, Birth et al. 2008, Gill et al.
Stakeholders’ pressure is growing on companies 2008, Wanderley et al. 2008). Siano et al. (2016)
to disclose their sustainability, and regulations in offered a framework for the systematic analysis
this respect are getting tighter at unprecedented of sustainability communication through corpo-
speed, in Europe and beyond. What is the state rate websites, measuring four dimensions (ori-
of the art of sustainability communication? Are entation, structure, ergonomics and content)
communication practitioners able to disclose and 64 items. We applied this framework to the
corporate sustainability effectively? These ques- nine largest companies by turnover of a mid-
tions are even more important considering that sized Italian region, Friuli Venezia Giulia, under
the new requirements in terms of sustainability the assumption that, other things being equal,
reporting represent an opportunity for the com- larger companies should be able to control larger
munication industry, but also a threat, with dif- communication budgets, and thus leverage bet-
ferent professionals (e.g., accountants, environ- ter professional skills.
mental engineers) entering a field traditionally
monopolized by communicators. Results
The nine largest companies of Friuli Venezia Gi-
Methodology and literature review ulia are all B2B firms, in many cases belonging to
Companies disclose their sustainability through traditional heavy industries such as steelmaking
a variety of channels, but their communication and shipbuilding. Notwithstanding these com-
mix varies widely across industries: firms offer- monalities, their web-based sustainability com-
ing FMCGs, for instance, use advertising and munication presents broad variations. In terms
social media much more than firms serving B2B of Siano et al. (2016)’s framework, four compa-
markets. To ensure the comparability of infor- nies out of nine obtained “excellent” scores, one
mation we decided to focus on website-based ranked as “adequate”, three as “fair” and one as
communication of sustainability, based on the “weak”. The full paper describes the performance
assumption that corporate websites are tradi- of each corporate website under the four dimen-
tionally a repository of information about cor- sions and discusses whether traces of green-
porate performance, regardless of the business washing can be detected, based on the five “sins”
they are in. Different authors studied websites to singled out by Siano et al. (2016), i.e. no proof,
analyse sustainability communication practices irrelevance, vagueness, unidirectional approach
3 Abstracts 78

to stakeholders and worshipping of false labels. Keywords

sustainability, greenwashing, reporting, web-
Conclusions and implications based communication, Italy
The results of this analysis are not especially
comforting. Whereas about half of the compa- References
nies we observed perform well, the remaining Birth, G., Illia, L., Lurati, F., & Zamparini, A.
half seems to pay little attention to sustainability (2008). Communicating CSR: The practice in
communication. Due to their sheer size, these the top 300 companies in Switzerland. Corpo-
companies are highly visible, so their limited rate Communication: An International Journal,
proficiency in sustainability communication is a 182-196.
matter of concern. If many of the market leaders
seem unable to stand out, it is also reasonable Gill, D., Dickinson, S., & Scharl, A. (2008). Com-
to infer that, at least on average, smaller firms municating sustainability: A web content anal-
are unlikely to perform better. Our data set does ysis of North American, Asian and European
not allow whether the problem is on the supply firms. Journal of Communication Management,
side (communicators are not proficient in sus- 12(3), 243-262.
tainability communication) or on the demand Siano, A. et al. (2016). Communicating sus-
side (companies are not truly interested in dis- tainability: An operational model for evaluat-
closing their sustainability performance), but ing corporate websites. Sustainability, 8, 950;
the outcome is the same under both hypotheses: doi:10.3390/su8090950.
for the time being, the ability to communicate
Wanderley, L., Lucian, R., Farache, F., & de Sousa
sustainability effectively seems to be in limit-
Filho, J. (2008). CSR information disclosure on
ed supply. If this is true, we envisage two risks
the web: A context-based approach analysing
for the future: a) firms are going to face a ma-
the influence of country of origin and industry
jor bottleneck once the requirement to step up
sector. Journal of Business Ethics, 369-378.
sustainability communication kicks in; b) unless
communicators invest today on the skills needed Williams, S., & Pei, C. (1999). Corporate social
in the future, they may be crowded out of the disclosures by listed companies on their web
market by other professionals who are already sites: An international comparison. Interna-
investing in this direction. tional Journal of Accounting, 389-419.
3 Abstracts 79

What is the relationship between

sustainability and CSR?
Forthmann, Jörg, IMWF Institute for Management and Economic Research GmbH
(Germany)
Westermann, Arne, ISM International School of Management (Germany)
Esser, Luisa Madeleine, IMWF Institute for Management and Economic Research GmbH
(Germany)
Homann, Reimund, Service Value GmbH (Germany)

Introduction and purpose of the study – measured empirically – is of great importance

to derive recommendations for firms as well as
During the past decades, corporate responsi-
political administration. Therefore, the aim of
bility as well as corporate sustainability have
this study is to investigate the relationship be-
become core aspects for companies around the
tween CSR and the different dimensions of sus-
world. There does not exist one common defi-
tainability more clearly from an empirical view-
nition of these two concepts. Corporate Social
point and gain more insight into its implications
Responsibility (CSR) generally refers to the
for business and political as well as legal stake-
consideration of the impact business practices holders.
have on society, employees, and all other stake-
holders. Creating and following CSR practices
Literature Review:
means acting as harmless and as responsible as
possible along the whole supply chain and fit- While there exist several recent studies that ex-
ting well into the existing societal system. Mean- amine the relationship between CSR and sus-
while, corporate sustainability rather comprises tainability using different empirical approaches,
a wholesome self-carrying system that endures those mainly focus on countries outside of Eu-
over time. It consists of three dimensions: envi- rope and – to the authors’ knowledge – there ex-
ronmental, social, and economic sustainability. ists no recent study that empirically assesses this
Thus, CSR and corporate sustainability do have relationship for German businesses. The grow-
some common aspects – especially with regards ing popularity of sustainability and CSR led to
to the social dimension of sustainability – but are the production of several studies trying to pro-
in general different concepts. Still, they are often vide theoretical frameworks for the relationship.
barely separated or even used synonymously. Still, the empirical literature in Europe is only
in its beginnings. Therefore, this study resorts
The importance of sustainability as well as social
back to the basics and focuses on the analysis of
responsibility is growing steadily, so that there is
the existence of a relationship between CSR and
an academic, societal, and corporate interest in
sustainability and tests which dimensions of sus-
following the development of these constructs,
tainability are the closest related to CSR.
sharpen their definitions and especially find out
how far and in what manner they are related to
each other. Especially the practical relationship
3 Abstracts 80

Methodology: Practical and social implications:

The data used in this study is gathered by a Corporate CSR reporting correlates not only
method called social listening. Social listening with social sustainability reporting, but also
means that various source types on the inter- with environmental and economic sustainabil-
net are searched for statements including cer- ity reporting. This shows that the public’s per-
tain keywords and referring to certain entities, ception of the social, ecological and economic
e.g., companies. These fragments are further responsibility of companies does not occur in
sorted by reputation dimensions and tonalities. isolation, but rather a networked overall impres-
The analysis is performed with the help of arti- sion is created - which is supported by all three
ficial intelligence that combs through the con- dimensions of responsibility.
tent with special consideration of the linguistic This opens up the opportunity for companies to
features and thus identifies and categorises the play to their strengths in the public perception
fragments. The sample used in this study con- of a single sustainability dimension and thus
sists of roughly 400.000 fragments for about 40 achieve a positive overall impression, as long as
large companies in Germany. Based on that, time no negative impressions in one of the other sus-
series for the number of fragments were created. tainability dimensions counteract this.
Those time series focus on fragments with refer- For the CSR commitment of companies, this in
ence to the three different sustainability dimen- turn means that the perception of CSR activities
sions (excluding all CSR-related fragments) and has an impact on the perception of ecological
on fragments referring to CSR. For each of the and economic sustainability.
companies investigated, correlation coefficients
of these time series were computed resulting in a Keywords
distribution of several hundred correlation coef-
sustainability, social listening, CSR
ficients which provides an empirical measure for
the relationship between sustainability and CSR.
Thereby, the authors offer a first impression of
the previously unclear link between the two phe-
nomena for the German context.

Results and conclusions:

The empiricial results quite clearly show that
there is a relationship between CSR an the dif-
ferent dimensions of sustainability: General-
ly speaking, the more CSR is talked about, the
more the other aspects of sustainability are
talked about. Also, there is no evidence that the
strength of that correlation on average differs
from dimension to dimension.
3 Abstracts 81

Reconsidering the Trade Association

as a driver and promoter of
sustainability; observations from the
travel, tourism and hospitality sector
Francis, Thyme, Ada and Alan (UK)
Read, Kevin, University of Greenwich (UK)
Clarke, Faye, Ada and Alan (UK)

Introduction and purpose of the study tourism and hospitality sectors.

Trade Associations (TAs) are viewed as organi-
sations which focus on producer and customer Literature review
exchanges across the markets of their members Clarke’s (2004) study of 17 travel and tour-
(Kahl and Grodal, 2016; Rosa et.al., 1999). They ism-related trade bodies showed that only a
interpret events for members, generate intelli- small minority regarded environmental criteria
gence and influence market practice. as compulsory for TA membership. However,
the author predicted that TAs will be increasing-
The interpretations afforded by TAs depend on ly important in developing environmental sus-
a wide range of communications techniques tainability.
including oral briefings, trade meetings, the
production of white papers and guides, media Institutional theory (Furusten, 2023) aids the
briefings and responses. These techniques are authors’ work when considering how TAs are
carefully curated and delivered within well-po- increasingly looking to develop relationships
liced corporate and design guidelines. These with society to extend their boundaries beyond
interpretations are extended by trade media, ac- the specific interests of their members. The con-
tive participation in social channels and direct struction and negotiation of these new boundar-
involvement with policymakers and regulators. ies are more frequently focused on sustainability
and corporate social responsibility (CSR) issues.
TAs are increasingly encouraged to consider is- By engaging with new actors outside of their
sues that stretch beyond their narrow product fields, theory suggests that TA members may feel
and customer concerns. This paper will recon- that changing boundaries threatens pre-existing
sider this, drawing on new empirical research homogenous values and behaviours. However,
and applying institutional theory. The authors current research on how TAs deal with mimetic
look at the extent TAs are now co-ordinating, shifts, whereby an organisation simultaneously
encouraging and helping to promote pan-indus- seeks to meet the interest of its members and so-
try action around sustainability issues. The focus ciety, is highly limited (Font, 2019).
of this exploratory study will be the UK’s travel,
3 Abstracts 82

Emerging evidence suggests attitudes and be- Practical and social implications
haviours of TAs are changing as their under- The growing willingness of the travel, tourism
standing of the UN Sustainable Development and hospitality sectors to identify new roles for
Goals (SDGs) has grown. Recent studies by the their TAs, to assist with coordinating, promot-
Metal and Chemical industries and the Business ing and enabling effective sustainable approach-
Travel Association use SDGs to reframe ap- es, illustrates that TAs are transcending their
proaches to sustainability. historical role of representing members’ direct
interests. TAs now exist in a delicately balanced
Methodology position whereby permission is being given to
This study uses a multi-method and an interpre- them to promote wider agendas whilst recognis-
tivist approach. It will draw on 20+ key-person ing that support from members may be missing.
interviews, set to be completed by May, with
leading actors in the UK travel, tourism and Keywords
hospitality sector. The interviews explore TA TradeAssociations; Sustainability; Travel; UNDe-
members’ attitudes toward sustainability. Specif- velopmentGoals; PR
ically, they consider, TAs’ roles in co-ordinating,
sense-making and encouraging industry-based
References
programmes, including their implementation.
Furthermore, the role that communications is Clarke, J. (2004). “Trade associations: An appro-
playing in response to changing sustainability priate channel for developing sustainable prac-
priorities is also scrutinised. A critical overview tice in SMEs?” Journal of Sustainable Tourism
of actions undertaken by TAs is being under- 12(3): 194-208.
taken, using the SDGs as a framework to assess Font, X., Bonilla-Priego, M.J. and Kantenbacher,
progress and future priorities. J., 2019. Trade associations as corporate social
responsibility actors: An institutional theory
Results and Conclusions analysis of animal welfare in tourism. Journal
Initial research reveals a strong appetite for sus- of Sustainable Tourism, 27(1), pp.118-138.
tainable industry collaboration but also recog- Furusten, S., 2023. Institutional theory and or-
nises the challenges of coordination. The use of ganizational change. Edward Elgar Publishing.
the SDGs reveals a strong desire for TAs to set
Kahl, S. J. and S. Grodal (2016). “Discursive
specific sustainability priorities. The challeng-
strategies and radical technological change:
es faced during the recovery of COVID have
Multilevel discourse analysis of the early com-
slowed efforts towards sustainability issues.
puter (1947–1958).” Strategic Management
Steps toward considering issues that lie beyond
Journal 37(1): 149-16
the immediate commercial needs of TA mem-
bers are evidenced. Further research across a Rosa, J. A., et al. (1999). “Sociocognitive dynam-
wider range of TA industries is required to es- ics in a product market.” Journal of marketing
tablish deeper trends, as well as the voice and 63(4_suppl1): 64-77.
role TAs may have on global issues.
3 Abstracts 83

Will AI be the end of PR as we know it?

A vision for professional sustainability
Galloway, Chris, Massey University (New Zealand)
Vujnovic, Marina, Monmouth University (USA)
Swiatek, Lukasz, University of New South Wales (Australia)
Kruckeberg, Dean, UNC Charlotte (USA)

What should organizations (and PR practi- ly Responsible Development of Artificial Intelli-

tioners) know about AI regulations worldwide gence, which was held in Montreal on Novem-
so that they can responsibly lead in AI driven ber 2 and 3, 2017, addresses issues of ethics in to
world? Should we even be assuming that role, the use of AI. The Montreal Declaration calls on
and if so, on what basis? This paper argues that all actors, including individual citizens through-
the underpinning premise should be a new eth- out the world, to support the basic goal, among
ical vision, developed collaboratively, to provide many, that there should be an ethical frame-
a framework within which PR can play its link- work for the development and deployment of AI
ing, facilitative and ethical guardianship roles. (Montreal Declaration for Responsible AI Re-
port, 2018). Although some governmental and
Current duality exists regarding the use of Ar- intergovernmental bodies operationalize ethical
tificial Intelligence. While AI promises to aid concerns to a more prescriptive policy, this does
humanity in unprecedented ways ranging from not mean creating a new set of legal prescrip-
automatizing work to aiding in finding cures for tions or proscriptions for PR; rather, a PR ethic
presently deadly diseases, AI also presents an establishes the foundation for ethics to be the
existential threat to humanity if left unchecked. “dynamic basis for the normative evaluation and
In many ways, this paper addresses profession- guidance of AI technologies, referring to human
al sustainability in the face of growing AI con- dignity, well-being and the prevention of harm
cerns. We argue that participating in and of- as a compass and rooted in the ethics of science
tentimes leading on policy conversations can and technology” (UNESCO, 2021, p. 4).
prepare organizations and PR practitioners to
assure strong professional standards regarding This calls for building on existing PR ethical ap-
the responsible use of AI and organizational ac- proaches: because ethical, as well as moral ques-
countability. During the past several years, dis- tions and issues, are rapidly changing over time
cussions on the need for formal policy as well as with the use and development of AI technolo-
well-articulated ethical guidelines have been led gies (UNESCO, 2021, p.4). Hence, PR needs a
by private, public, governmental, and intergov- new ethical vision for an increasingly AI-driv-
ernmental bodies. For example, the European en world in which organizations are deploying
Parliament’s recent study completed in March trustworthy AI and use accountability to miti-
2020 on the ethics of artificial intelligence, which gate the risks (Curtis, Gillespie, & Lockey, 2012).
is based on the Montreal Declaration, which in Therefore, a larger question driving this paper
turn was based on the The Forum on the Social- is: What should organizations (and PR practi-
3 Abstracts 84

tioners) know about AI regulations worldwide References

so that they can responsibly lead in AI driven Curtis, C., Gillespie, N., & Lockey, S. (2022).
world? Our analysis of existing regulations from AI-deploying organizations are key to address-
governmental, intergovernmental organiza- ing ‘perfect storm’ of AI risks. https://link.
tions, as well as professional PR organizations, springer.com/article/10.1007/s43681-022-
agencies, and corporations, is premised on the 00163-7
following questions: How do regulations address
benefits and risks of AI of which organizations Montreal Declaration for Responsible AI Report
and public relations professionals should be? (2018).
https://monoskop.org/images/d/d2/Montre-
Specifically, how are issues (privacy, transpar- al_Declaration_for_a_Responsible_Develop-
ency, algorithmic governmentality) and benefits ment_of_Artificial_Intelligence_2018.pdf
(increasing efficiency, combatting ransomware,
UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of
expanding possibilities of knowledge and learn-
Artificial Intelligence (2021, 23 November).
ing) addressed, if at all? This paper is divided
https://en.unesco.org/about-us/legal-affairs/
into several sections. We begin with an overview
recommendation-ethics-artificial-intelligence
of the existing regulations, and then we move to
the analysis of regulations on levels of govern-
mental, intergovernmental levels, as well as what
policies, if any, PR professional bodies suggest.

Next, we move to application of what we’ve

learned about AI regulations and how those
might be helpful to various types of organiza-
tions, PR practitioners within these organiza-
tions, as well as PR agencies. In conclusion, we
will discuss how AI governance and algorith-
mic governmentality shape discourses, business
strategies, and future directions for organiza-
tions and for PR practitioners.
3 Abstracts 85

Corporate Social Responsibility,

Regional Culture, and Sustainability:
Case of NEPG Low-priced Medicine
Gao, Hao, Nanjing Normal University (China)
Wu, Jing, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)
Li, Yubin, Nanjing Normal University (China)
Wang, Qinghua, Cable and Network Co. Ltd. (China)

Introduction and purpose tainability according to public opinions.

There has been an explosive growth in demand
for pain-relief medicines, vitamins, and flu Literature review
drugs after China relaxed its COVID-19 poli- CSR is usually associated with an approach to
cies (China Daily, 2022). People rushed to hoard integrating environmental and social aspects
medicines, which were once expensive and hard into corporate activities (Baumgartner, 2013).
to buy. On this occasion, news about acetamin- Within the broader concept of sustainable de-
ophen tablets produced by Northeast Phar- velopment, scholars have interpreted the com-
maceutical Group (NEPG) and only priced at plex relationships between CSR and corporate
CNY2/20 tablets over the past 20 years has been sustainability (CS) and explained how CSR
widely spread on Chinese social media. Hot dis- could be integrated into CS as either the ulti-
cussions about NEPG’s low price in medicines mate goal or a transitional stage for a corpora-
all the time were triggered online, and topics re- tion (Ashrafi et al., 2018). Besides, studies have
lated to NEPG have been the most trending on examined that CSR can significantly improve
Sina Weibo. Although NEPG was hit with a $19 CS, and corporate reputation has a mediating
million fine for dominance abuse in China, peo- effect between CSR and CS (Pang et al., 2022).
ple showed great mercy and forgiveness to the The case of NEPG also provides a reference for
corporation influenced by the news. NEPG was the contribution of brand reputation to the rela-
reputed as a corporation with social respon- tionship between CSR and CS.
sibility, and the demands for NEPG products
once faced an oversupply situation. In addition,
Methods
NEPG achieved several limits ups despite the
bull market. This study collected valid 5,472 samples in terms
of the keyword “Northeast Pharm” from Weibo
In the case of NEPG’s low medicine price during from 15 Dec 2022 to 15 Jan 2023. We used LDA
the pandemic, this study will examine to extract the topics of research samples and ex-
the brand reputation reversal through corporate amined the regional characteristics of sentiment
social responsibility (CSR) activity and by matching the location shown by the IP of au-
explore the relationship between CSR and sus- diences. This study also conducted text analysis
3 Abstracts 86

to further understand the specific connotations In addition, this study indicated that region-
of the topics and sentiments. al culture plays a role in CSR decisions and
behavior, further contributing to sustainabil-
Results and conclusions ity. People, especially those who are located in
Northeast China, reviewed the regional history
LDA analysis extracted six topics in this study,
and expressed great pride in the region and its
showing the focus of the public opinion ex-
regional culture. According to the texts, people
pressed regarding NEPG’s low-priced medicine.
also connected NEPG’s CSR to the culture and
The six topics are ‘dilemma during the pandem-
tradition of Northeast China, which are enthusi-
ic,’ ‘social responsibility,’ ‘the role of the times,’
asm, simplicity, kindness, and generosity.
‘medicine supply,’ ‘regional culture and memory,’
and ‘corporate development.’ In a review of the
texts, people expressed their praise for NEPG Practical and social implications
due to not only the low-priced medicine all the This study provides a reference for understand-
time but also their CSR activities in history since ing the relationship between CSR and sustain-
its establishment. Sadness reflected in the texts ability (corporate and societal). Also, the case re-
referred to moved emotions and pointed to flects the role of cultural factors in CSR activities
Northeast China in terms of its regional history and sustainability-related activities.
and its social role in the national dilemma. For
example, people compared Northeast China to Keywords
the eldest son of P.R.C., indicating that NEPG
corporate social responsibility, sustainability, re-
has been taking social responsibility. The major-
gional culture
ity of disgusting sentiment was about criticizing
the corporations which raised the medicine
price, reflecting their recognition of NEPG’s CSR
behavior. NEPG regained its reputation through
the low-priced medicine news, and people also
expressed their understanding and support for
NEPG despite the negative punishment news.
On the one hand, NEPG achieved societal sus-
tainability as its CSR behavior satisfied people’s
demands in a dilemma. On the other hand,
NEPG gained corporate sustainability due to the
repaired brand image, increased brand aware-
ness, and promoted business profit.
3 Abstracts 87

Does sustainable development need

more conscious PR practitioners?
A comparative analysis of the
perspectives of PR professionals and
scholars on sustainability
Geysi, Nilüfer, Bahçeşehir University (Turkey)

Introduction and Purpose of the Study Literature Review

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is Modern public relations offers a solid frame-
now at the center of the PR agenda. The value of work for sustainable development with its the-
PR in influencing perceptions and raising aware- ories, strategies and practices. The current and
ness among internal and external stakeholders potential PR professionals should internalize the
about sustainability, encouraging volunteerism, sustainability concept not just for managing the
and monitoring related issues is undeniable. As reputation of the companies, but also for real
it is now a requirement rather than a trend for change. Considering “the vague, ambiguous,
organizations to adopt a sustainable approach, undefined, and often contradictory” meaning of
most PR professionals all over the world are re- sustainable development (Fergus and Rowney,
sponsible for integrating sustainability into their 2005, p. 19), it is very important to grasp the
organizations’, or clients’ communication strat- perspectives where everybody has their own re-
egies. Thus, the way that sustainability and sus- sponsibilities to handle the issue.
tainable development are viewed, embraced, and
assessed by PR professionals is crucial. On the By considering this framework, the following re-
other side, the communication schools that raise search questions are presented in this research:
future professionals and decision-makers play • RQ1: How do PR academicians and profes-
an essential role in shaping knowledge, attitudes, sionals approach sustainability and sustain-
and skills related to sustainability. The purpose able development?
of this study is to explore the understanding of • RQ1.1: To what degree do PR academi-
sustainability of PR professionals, and scholars cians attach importance to sustainable de-
to find out problems, needs, or opportunities velopment and its dimensions (economic,
to struggle for sustainable development. It also social, environmental)?
aims to bring different perspectives together to • RQ1.2: To what degree do PR profession-
provide suggestions to empower PR and com- als attach importance to sustainable de-
munication specialists who (will) work for a sus- velopment and its dimensions (economic,
tainable world. social, environmental)?
• RQ2: How do PR professionals and scholars
3 Abstracts 88

conceptualize CSR and sustainability? the non-probability sampling method. A nation-

• RQ3: What are the perceived challenges and al sample of participants may be used in future
limitations for sustainable development for studies to increase the representativeness.
PR professionals?
• RQ4: How do PR professionals and scholars Practical and Social Implications
evaluate the role of public relations for sus-
This study will provide insights to find ways to
tainable development?
identify a more realistic future by going beyond
• RQ5: What changes, if needed, should be
the institutional focus as McKie and Galloway
made to PR education to enhance the skill
(2007, p. 374) pointed out in their call to schol-
set of future professionals for sustainable de-
ars and practitioners. The findings are expected
velopment?
to be significant in broadening the skill set of PR
The interview guide includes questions about practitioners to tackle a variety of challenges in
legal/cultural/financial/political aspects of sus- organizations and the larger public sphere.
tainability, PR curriculum, ethics, greenwashing,
ESG, SDGs, activism, sustainability reporting, Keywords
science/environmental/risk communication, sustainable development”, “sustainability”, “PR
and non-governmental and non-profit organi-
profession”, “PR education”
zations.
References
Methodology
Fergus, A. H. T., & Rowney, J. I. A. (2005). Sus-
This qualitative research employs a semi-struc-
tainable development: Lost meaning and op-
tured in-depth interviewing method. To address
portunity. Journal of Business Ethics, 60(1),
questions about PR professionals’ perspectives,
17–27.
fifteen PR practitioners who work in director
positions at public relations agencies in Istan- Mckie, D., & Galloway, C. (2007). Climate
bul will be interviewed. The interviews for the change after denial: Global reach, global re-
academic part of the research will be conduct- sponsibilities, and public relations. Public Re-
ed with fifteen professors who teach in public lations Review, 33(4), 368–376.
relations departments with at least five years of
teaching experience at universities in Istanbul.
The online interviews started in January and
are planned to be completed in April 2023. The
participants were selected through a purposive
sampling technique. The analysis of the data will
be done utilizing a thematic analysis approach.

Results and Conclusions

The research will find out whether there is a gap
to be filled or an opportunity to be used for a
more sustainable future considering the key role
of PR. The study has several limitations. First,
the participants may not be representative of all
PR scholars and professionals in Turkey due to
3 Abstracts 89

Internal Social Media Use for an

Attractive Internal Employer Brand
Hein, Antonia, Hanze University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands)
Elving, Wim J.L., Hanze University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands)
Koster, Sierdjan, Hanze University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands)
Edzes, Arjen, Hanze University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands)

Introduction and purpose 2021; Itam, 2020), as well as studies on the effect
Employees are crucial for improving the com- of internal social media (ISM) use on employ-
petitive strength of organizations in the glob- ee satisfaction (Madsen and Verhoeven, 2019),
al economy (Tumasjan et al., 2020). Given the there is limited empirical evidence on the use of
volatility of the labour market, organizations ISM for building an attractive internal employer
brand. The contribution of our study is two-fold:
are challenged to retain the right employees at
first, it adds empirically to existent conceptual
the right time (OECD, 2022). Striving to be an
work on internal EB; second, it explores how
“employer of choice” and thus engaging in em-
ISM in firms play a role in internal EB. We define
ployer branding (EB) activities has become the
the following research question:
norm for many organizations. EB highlights the
How do employees and organizations use ISM
unique aspects of the firm’s employment benefits
and how does that use relate to internal EB?
that differentiate it from those of its competitors
both for current (internal EB) and future em-
ployees (external EB). The way current employ- Literature review
ees evaluate their employer plays an important We conceptualize the internal employer brand
role in advocating the employer brand as they as the identity of an employer for employees
are the best EB ambassadors (Itam et al., 2020). (Lievens and Slaughter, 2016). Research shows
With the rise of social media, employees can play that a strong employer brand positively affects
active communication roles within the organi- employee engagement and satisfaction, organi-
zation (Pekkala and Luoma-aho, 2017; Madsen zational citizenship behaviour (Schlager et al.,
and Verhoeven, 2019). Through social media, 2011; Hoppe, 2018), as well as employee com-
employees function as brand ambassadors who mitment (Chhabra and Sharma, 2014), which
shape the employer brand from within with ev- increases employee retention (Adler and Ghis-
erything they do and say online (Dreher, 2014). elli, 2015). Several studies suggest a positive re-
Organizations which are more aware of their so- lationship between internal communication sat-
cial media conversations internally score higher isfaction and engagement (Welch, 2011; Verčič
on employee satisfaction (Tsai et al. 2009). and Vokič, 2017), internal communication sat-
isfaction and overall employer attractiveness
Although there are studies exploring the rela- (Vokić et al., 2023), internal communication and
tionship between internal communication satis- a positive employee experience with the employ-
faction and internal employer branding (Verčič, er brand (Punjaisri et al., 2009; Itam et al., 2020).
3 Abstracts 90

Research on ISM use finds that employees are Results

willing to engage in organizational ambassador- The analysis is still in progress. Results will be
ship as authentic and credible communicators completed in May 2023. As we carry out a quali-
(van Zoonen et al., 2014). We define ISM use as tative study using snowballing technique, results
“a user-friendly and visible web-based commu- are vulnerable to generalizations.
nication arena inside an organization in which
coworkers and managers can communicate, in-
Implications
teract, connect, and make sense of their work
and organizational life” (Madsen, 2017, p.3). The practical intent of the study is to provide
We build a conceptual model, which serves as a managers with a benchmark instrument on how
starting point for exploring the use of ISM for an their internal employer brand ranks among their
attractive internal EB. employees.

Methodology Keywords
We conduct research into organizations in the employer branding, internal employer brand, in-
North of the Netherlands from 3 main sectors: ternal social media use, employer attractiveness
Healthcare, IT and Energy. Firstly, these sectors
experience constraints in positioning them-
selves as an employer. Secondly, the Northern
Netherlands likes to promote itself as an innova-
tive region in these sectors (AWVN, 2019). Ten
organizations in each sector are selected using
snowballing sampling (Neergaard, 2007). Main
criterion is that they use ISM for internal com-
munication.

Having in mind the explorative character of our

research, we use a multilevel approach: 1) in-
depth interviews with managers HR/commu-
nication on various aspects e.g. their evaluation
of the employer brand, the preferred brand at-
tributes, how engaged employees are, how ISM
are used, what kind of information is shared;
2) questionnaire among employees on how en-
gaged they are, how they evaluate the employ-
er brand and whether and how they use ISM to
communicate with colleagues and managers.
The topics on ISM use were derived from Mad-
sen (2017). We use Berthon et al. (2005) for as-
sessing the attractiveness of the internal EB.
3 Abstracts 91

Talking about Sustainability in the

Fashion Industry: Just a Feel-Good
Factor?
Hejlová, Denisa, Charles University (Czech Republic)
Koudelková, Petra, Charles University (Czech Republic)
Schneiderová, Soňa, Charles University (Czech Republic)

Introduction studies have analysed the impact on consumer

In July 2023, a marketing student filed a class ac- behavior to tackle the gap between the talking
tion lawsuit against the Swedish fashion retail- and walking, when it comes to ethical consump-
er H&M, claiming that she had overpaid for a tion (Neumann, 2020; Musova et al., 2021; Perei-
product which was labeled as „conscious“. The ra et al., 2021). In the past decade, there have
products from the „Conscious collection“ were been many initiatives and even proceeding leg-
advertised as using less water through the man- islative regulations to tackle the problem of gre-
ufacturing process – but it turned out other- enwashing and misleading customers with false
wise in this particular case. (Wicker, 2022) Few environmental and ethical claims, especially in
months later, British-based online fashion re- the fashion industry, such as the Higg Index and
tailer Boohoo announced that they have hired United Nations Global Compact Code (Islam,
US reality-TV celebrity Kourtney Kardashian, Perry and Gills, 2021). The European Union
known for her lavish lifestyle, to help them go on has been working on a “greenwashing regula-
a “sustainability journey”. (Haidari, 2022) The tion bill” or “anti-greenwashing laws” (Bonanni,
Chinese fashion retailer has been using Tik Tok 2022). To close the gap between the “walk and
influencers to promote #sheinhaul, fostering talk” or “the knowledge-to-action gap” (Overall,
overconsumption practices, and releasing about Makkula and Moisander, 2012), it is necessary to
700 to 1000 new products every day. (Elan, 2021) analyze which communicative actions are mere-
ly symbolic and possibly lead to better emotion-
al shopping experience of the consumers (“feel-
good factor”), and which have the direct “call to
Literature review action” appeal.
Fashion industry has long been accused of mis-
leading customers with „greenwashing“ claims We can state that the question of sustainabili-
and promoting overconsumption through var- ty, especially in the fashion industry, is closely
ious PR, pricing and production strategies and linked to communication and public relations
tactics. Many researchers have described various strategies – firstly, what to disclose and what not
aspects and forms of sustainability issues and to talk about (Jestratuevis, Uanhoro and Creigh-
greenwashing in the fashion industry (Mukendi ton, 2022); secondly, how to talk about it, which
et al., 2020; Thorisdottir and Johansdottir, 2020; language and words to use (Peison-Smith and
Adamkiewicz et al., 2022; Volero, 2022). Some Evans, 2017). Anne Peirson-Smith and Susan
3 Abstracts 92

Evans (2017) have analyzed the public percep- out specifically to those frames and narratives,
tion of “green” vocabulary in focus groups (but which should be avoided as vague, misleading or
limited to Chinese/Cantonese language), and considered as “greenwashing”.
they have found that using the “green discourse”
in marketing texts is creating merely a “linguis- Literature:
tic cycle of confusion” in some cases.
Adamkiewicz, J., Kochanska, E., Adamkiewicz,
I., & Łukasik, R. M. (2022). Greenwashing and
Methodology sustainable fashion industry. Current Opinion
Our research question is: “What are the key nar- in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, 100710.
rative frames and terms, which global fast fash- Bonanni, L. (2022). What to know about Eu-
ion retailers use to describe sustainability and rope’s new anti-greenwashing laws. Retrieved
ethical issues?” from https://www.greenbiz.com/article/what-
know-about-europes-new-anti-greenwash-
Our hypothesis is that the frames, narratives and ing-laws, December 13, 2022
issues will be vague, confusing or “feel-good”
promises. Elan, P. (2021). ‘Worst of the worst’: why is
fast fashion retailer Shein launching a reality
The dataset will consist of annual reports pub- show? The Guardian. Retrieved from: https://
lished by the companies, including ESG reports www.theguardian.com/fashion/2021/aug/29/
or sustainability reports (depending on availabil- fast-fashion-retailer-shein-design-reali-
ity). We will examine three companies, which we ty-show September 12, 2022
have mentioned above, which are closely linked Haidari, N. (2022). Kourtney Kardashian
to the reported ethical issues and experienced a wants to make Boohoo’s fast-fashion sus-
notable media “scandal” because of their actions tainable. Spoiler alert: she can’t. The
(H&M, Boohoo and Shein). We will use semiot- Guardian. Retrieved from: https://www.
ic analysis to uncover deep rooted relations and theguardian.com/fashion/2022/sep/12/kourt-
meanings linked to the key frames and issues. ney-kardashian-boohoo-fast-fashion-sustain-
able September 12, 2022
Purpose of this study Islam, M. M., Perry, P., & Gill, S. (2021). Map-
Purpose of this study is to analyse the corporate ping environmentally sustainable practices in
communication of the fashion producers and textiles, apparel and fashion industries: a sys-
categorize key frames, narratives and wording tematic literature review. Journal of Fashion
used throughout the sustainability/ESG reports. Marketing and Management: An International
In an additional analysis in the future, we will Journal, 25(2), 331-353.
test them through consumer focus groups, simi- Jestratijevic, I., Uanhoro, J. O., & Creighton, R.
larly to the Peirson and Evans preliminary study (2022). To disclose or not to disclose? Fashion
(2017). brands’ strategies for transparency in sustain-
ability reporting. Journal of Fashion Market-
Practical and social implications ing and Management: An International Jour-
Practical and social implications of this study nal, 26(1), 36-50.
will lead to a better understanding the role of Markkula, Annu, and Johanna Moisander. 2012.
communication in sustainability and ESG issues “Discursive Confusion over Sustainable Con-
among the fashion producers. We will point sumption: A Discursive Perspective on the
3 Abstracts 93

Perplexity of Marketplace Knowledge.” Jour- Peirson-Smith, A., & Evans, S. (2017). Fashion-
nal of UserPolicy 35: 105–125. ing Green Words and Eco Language: An exam-
Mukendi, A., Davies, I., Glozer, S., & McDonagh, ination of the user perception gap for fashion
P. (2020). Sustainable fashion: current and fu- brands promoting sustainable practices. Fash-
ture research directions. European Journal of ion Practice, 9(3), 373-397.
Marketing. Pereira, L., Carvalho, R., Dias, Á., Costa, R., &
Musova, Z., Musa, H., Drugdova, J., Lazaroiu, António, N. (2021). How does sustainability
G., & Alayasa, J. (2021). Consumer attitudes affect consumer choices in the fashion indus-
towards new circular models in the fashion in- try?. Resources, 10(4), 38.
dustry. Journal of Competitiveness, 13(3), 111. Thorisdottir, T. S., & Johannsdottir, L. (2020).
Neumann, H. L., Martinez, L. M., & Martinez, L. Corporate social responsibility influencing
F. (2020). Sustainability efforts in the fast fash- sustainability within the fashion industry. A
ion industry: consumer perception, trust and systematic review. Sustainability, 12(21), 9167.
purchase intention. Sustainability Accounting, Vollero, A. (2022). Greenwashing: Foundations
Management and Policy Journal, 12(3), 571- and Emerging Research on Corporate Sustain-
590. ability and Deceptive Communication. Eme-
Peirson-Smith, A., & Evans, S. (2017). Fashion- rald Publishing
ing Green Words and Eco Language: An exam- Wilder, A. (2022). H&M Is Being Sued for Gre-
ination of the user perception gap for fashion enwashing. What Does That Mean For Fash-
brands promoting sustainable practices. Fash- ion? The Cut. Retrieved from https://www.
ion Practice, 9(3), 373-397. thecut.com/2022/08/h-and-m-greenwashing-
fashion.html Aug 19, 2022
3 Abstracts 94

The Role of Communication in

Establishing a Shared-Purpose Driven
Organisation
Hung-Baesecke, Chun-Ju Flora, University of Technology Sydney (Australia)
Taylor, Maureen, University of Technology Sydney (Australia)
Chen, Yi-Ru Regina, Hong Kong Baptist University (Hong Kong, S.A.R. China)

Introduction and purpose of the study explore what role public relations can play in
The message is clear: the stakeholders nowadays operationalising this concept and helping an
have high expectations for business to contribute organisation address the public expectations to
to resolving societal and environmental issues bring positive impact to the society while main-
taining its economic goals? Moreover, from the
(Braig & Edinger-Schons, 2020; Arthur W. Page
prosocial perspective, the purpose an organisa-
Society, 2022). In response, more and more cor-
tion develops should meet public expectations.
porations have started to provide clear purpose
We propose that organisations may enact this
statements, explaining their values and missions
performance through dialogic communication
and their expected social impacts to publics. A
and by listening to stakeholders. In this essay,
publicly stated committed purpose and set of
we are discussing purpose-driven organisations,
values can help organisations to overcome chal-
shared purpose, dialogic communication and
lenges, to understand the need to adapt, and,
organisational listening and propose how public
most of all, to foster collaborations with different
relations can contribute to an organisation’s bet-
stakeholders which ensure organisations behave
ter performance in the society.
in a sustainable manner (Lleo, Bastons, Rey, &
Ruiz-Perez, 2021).
Literature review
Whilst it seems to have become mainstream that Purpose-Driven Organizations and Shared
contributing to the society is a purpose for an Purpose by Partnering with Key Stakeholders
organisation, Zahra and Wright (2016) empha-
sized that organisations and businesses should Management scholars Bartlett and Ghoshal
strike a balance between gaining economic or “fi- (1994) defined purpose as “a company’s moral
nancial wealth”, and enhancing the quality of life response to its broadly defined responsibilities,
in a society, i.e., “social wealth.” Purpose-driven not an amoral plan for exploiting commercial
organisations have the mission to put their busi- opportunity” (p. 88), and they posited the top
ness model of searching for profit at the service management’s role in both communication and
of a social or environmental goal. Currently, the action is to inspire the employees in an organiza-
discussions of purpose-driven organisations and tion to develop a common sense of purpose. In
the resulting benefits in public relations litera- this research, we define organizational purpose
ture are just in their infancy stage. We’d like to as the ethical reason and the guiding principle for
3 Abstracts 95

an organization to accomplish its business goals in communities, societal decision making, and
that result in economic and social values. problem solving.

Our definition fits the research focus on how an Methodology

organization’s prosocial approach to business
This research intends to develop a theory paper
helps resolve societal issues and brings values to
on the role of communication in developing a
stakeholders. To reach such outcomes, we con-
shared-purpose driven organisation. As a result,
sider an organisation’s prosocial approach on
we will consult literature from business, organi-
purpose can be expanded to a new perspective:
zational theory, and communication. In addi-
a shared purpose (Lleo et al., 2021), a purpose
tion, we will analyze successful cases from the
co-decided by the management and the stake-
Arthur Page Society for purpose-driven com-
holders essential for achieving the organiza-
panies on how CCOs help their organisations
tional purpose. An organization with a defined
implementing the corporate purpose in their
purpose is enabled to develop clear goals and
business operations and engagement with stake-
objectives for its performance.
holders.
Shared Purpose Through Dialogic Communi-
cation and Organizational Listening Results and Conclusions
The most important dimension of dialogic com- This paper will discuss how engaging and lis-
munication is the orientation to others (Kent & tening to key stakeholders, such as employees,
Taylor, 2002). The dialogic approach emphasises shareholders, the community, and the govern-
sharing and developing mutual understanding ment on their expectations helps an organisa-
with publics (Uysal, 2018). Hence, dialogic com- tion developing a shared purpose that allows it
munication enables an organization to develop to work closer with the society and the stake-
a shared purpose that is agreed by and creates holders on societal issues. This theory paper is
value for stakeholders, inasmuch as the dialog- concluded with propositions on the role of com-
ic approach allows organizations to engage with munication for a purpose-driven organisation.
stakeholders to strengthen organizations and
society. Practical and social implications

The International Listening Association (ILA) Establishing a shared purpose should be accom-
defined listening as “the process of receiving, plished by two-way communication that in-
constructing meaning from, and responding to volves dialogue and listening. This is how CCOs
spoken and/or non-verbal messages” (ILA, 1995, can contribute to an organisation’s responsibility
p. 4). In public relations research, Macnamara as a corporate citizen to engage and to work with
(2016) considered the characteristics of effective stakeholders in resolving social issues/problems.
ethical listening should include recognizing and
being attentive to others, acknowledging oth- Keywords
ers’ views, providing fair interpretations of what Purpose-driven organisations, Dialogic Commu-
others say, making the effort to understand and nication, Organisational Listening, Sustainability,
providing feedback to others’ views, perspec- Prosocial Communication
tives, and feelings in an appropriate manner. In a
similar vein, Capizzo and Feinman (2022) con-
tended that organizations should perform civic
listening so that they can share responsibilities
3 Abstracts 96

A Lens to Examine Communication

Through Business Continuity
Management
Hytönen, Eveliina, Laurea University of Applied Sciences (Finland)
Ruoslahti, Harri, Laurea University of Applied Sciences (Finland)

Introduction and purpose of the study communication in different phases of the event
This paper approaches sustainability from a management cycle and resilience development.
perspective that combines organizational cyber Communication and communication manage-
resilience with the principles of business conti- ment can contribute to organizational resilience
nuity management. The paper describes how a (Buzzanell 2010; Ishak and Williams 2018). Ef-
modified Resilience Matrix (Linkov et al., 2013) fective multistakeholder communication and
can be used as a framework to understand com- collaboration is essential for reputation and con-
munication and communication management. tinuity management, and consequently for in-
This Resilience Matrix combines an event man- creased cyber resilience (Knight & Nurse 2018).
agement cycle with elements of business conti- Resilience is impacted not only by the techno-
nuity and cyber threat intelligence in the context logical elements of cyber physical systems (CPS),
of the EU Commission funded Project DYNA- but also by human elements (Ruoslahti, 2020).
MO.
The research questions of this study are: Methodology
• RQ1: How can the Resilience Matrix be used
The Resilience Matrix has been developed for the
to explain communication needs and re-
quirements in different stages of the event DYNAMO project. This development process
management cycle? has included literature review and a series of de-
• RQ2: How can the Resilience Matrix be used velopment workshops that resulted in the devel-
to explain communication management opment of the Resilience Matrix. It will be used
needs and requirements in different stages of to make sense of communication and communi-
the event management cycle? cation management needs and requirements in
the different stages on the resilience cycle. The
Literature review Resilience Matrix will be used as a framework to
describe what kind of implications this perspec-
The Resilience Matrix has been developed to fa- tive could have for communication and commu-
cilitate focusing on creating shared situational nication management.
awareness and decentralized decision-making
by distributing information across networks op-
Results and conclusions
erating in physical, information, cognitive, and
social domains. (Linkov et al. 2013). It does not, The Resilience Matrix developed for the DYNA-
however, explicitly discuss or state the role of MO project recognizes a six-phase event man-
3 Abstracts 97

agement cycle. The plan phase, that has been Literature

defined as a single phase in the matrix by Linkov Buzzanell, P.M. (2010). Resilience: Talking, Re-
et al. (2013), is divided here into three phases: sisting, and Imagining New Normalcies Into
prepare, prevent, and protect. The RM phase ‘re- Being. Journal of Communication, Vol. 60, no.
sponse’ corresponds to the absorb phase in the 1, pp. 1.
matrix by Linkov et al. (2013), while the ‘recov-
er’ phase is the same in both matrixes, followed Ishak, A.W. & Williams, E.A. (2018). A dynam-
by the same phases ‘learn’, and ‘adapt’. In the Re- ic model of organizational resilience: adaptive
silience Matrix, elements of cyber threat intel- and anchored approaches. Corporate Commu-
ligence (CTI) and business continuity manage- nications, vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 180-196.
ment (BCM) including risks, critical functions, Knight, R. & Nurse, J. R. (2020). A framework for
key personnel, guidelines and procedures, and effective corporate communication after cyber
open communication, are combined with the security incidents. Computers & security, vol.
event management cycle phases. Communica- 99, 2020, p. 102036, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
tion is described as one of the elements in the cose.2020.102036.
Resilience Matrix. The other elements in the RM
Linkov, I., Eisenberg, D.A., Bates, M.E., Chang,
can set different requirements to communica-
D., Convertino, M., Allen, J.H., Flynn, S.E. &
tion and communication management.
Seager, T.P. (2013). Measurable resilience for
actionable policy. Environmental Science and
Practical and social implications Technology, vol. 47:18, pp. 10108-10110.
The role of communication in the organizational Ruoslahti, H. (2020). Business Continuity for
cyber resilience throughout the resilience cycle Critical Infrastructure Operators. Annals of
calls for more research in the field of commu- Disaster Risk Sciences, Vol 3, No 1 (2020): Spe-
nication and communication management. It is cial issue on cyber-security of critical infra-
important to understand what kind of commu- structure. Available: https://ojs.vvg.hr/index.
nication can help to foster organizational cyber php/adrs.
resilience and make the organization vulnerable
or in turn promote organizational cyber resil-
ience. Further study with the RM as a frame-
work of data collection and analysis can provide
valuable knowledge that will have practical im-
plications in organizations in communication
management and planning in complex and fast
changing digital environment. Added under-
standing of how to manage and plan communi-
cation, and communicate organizational cyber
resilience is a contribution to theory and may
even benefit society.

Keywords
Organizational cyber resilience, cyber risk com-
munication, cyber crisis communication, business
continuity management
3 Abstracts 98

Re-public relations: An issue-centered

approach to organizations and publics
Jonkman, J.G.F., University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands)

Introduction and purpose of the study nizational publics (Sommerfeldt & Iannocone,
The incremental attention and demands for 2023).
CSR, current global sustainability transitions,
and the increasing entanglements of organiza- In this essay, I elaborate recent calls to re-embed
tions with all sorts of sociopolitical crises and the concept of publics in the work of the Ameri-
can pragmatist John Dewey (Rakow, 2018; Som-
issues in the digital society, compels PR to fo-
merfeldt & Iannocone, 2023). More specifically,
cus on societal relevance, mediated communica-
based on recent interpretations and elaborations
tion and sustainability. The epistemological and
of the famous Dewey-Lippmann debate in cur-
ontological roots of the key concept of publics
rent pragmatist political philosophy and the is-
in PR offers a robust foundation for theorizing
sue mapping literature (see e.g., Marres, 2007),
about organization-society connections and is-
I propose a research perspective pertaining to
sue-based relations between organizations and
issue-centered relationships between organiza-
publics. However, the current under-conceptu-
tions and publics.
alization and strong organization-centeredness
of the concept of publics is a severe problem and
shortcoming in PR literature (Sommerfeldt & Literature review and methodology
Iannocone, 2023). An often-forgotten point of the Lippmann-Dew-
ey polemic is how these two pragmatists even-
The term publics origins in pragmatist theory. tually came to conjointly develop the argument
Especially the ideas of Dewey have been influ- that “the settlement of public issues depends on
ential in PR theory from as early as the 1950’s institutional outsiders adopting and articulating
forward (Rakow, 2018). The Deweyan notion those issues, and bringing them to the attention
that publics manifest as dynamic assemblages of of institutions that are equipped to deal with
actors that self-organize and become communi- them” (Marres, 2007, p. 775). This perspective
cative, as they are indirectly implicated in issues puts issues center-stage and emphasizes the
has long been applied in PR research, but for ar- process of issue-formation by publics engaged
bitrary reasons. Particularly James Grunig, and in displacing the issue to locations suitable for
others focusing on organization-public relation- settlement.
ships (OPR), translated Dewey’s ideas of public
formation around issues as a form of democratic Pragmatist social scientists have used Dewey’s
politics to the organizational context (i.e., public and Lippmann’s ideas to study issue formation
formation in terms of associations around or- on- and offline. In accordance with the broad no-
ganizational issues) and argued PR should con- tion of the displacement of politics (i.e., over the
centrate on fostering relationships with orga- last decades political decision-making has been
3 Abstracts 99

widely dispersed to non-traditional/non-dem- In the paper a case-based (i.e., the climate case
ocratic locations such as NGO’s, corporations, against Shell in the Netherlands) model is pre-
and transnational organizations), these accounts sented which outlines how organizations may
highlight that publics in search for settlement apply issue-based PR as both issues-address-
of public issues do not a priori discriminate be- ers and -addressees. In addition, concrete sug-
tween formal and informal political addresses. gestions for empirical quantitative (i.e., issue
For example, issue mapping studies show how mapping combined with automated framing
networks of environmental actors, NGO’s, and analysis) and qualitative (e.g., interviews, focus
other organizations are engaged in efforts to ad- groups and participatory research) research are
dress issues at organizations like the World Bank outlined.
and the United Nations, by forming hyperlinked
networks and discursive alliances online. Cur- Conclusion
rent cases of networks of civil-society organiza-
The approach presented in this essay is timely
tions, civilians, scientists, NGO’s, activists, etc.
and valuable for PR research, practice, educa-
addressing climate change at large energy com-
tion, as well as for other social actors (e.g., jour-
panies (see e.g., the climate case against Shell)
nalists and citizens), as it reconnects organiza-
signals similar dynamics.
tional PR via issue publics to society and current
multi-actor problems.
Results
Especially in these times of declining political References
power of, and trust in, governments and other
Marres, N. (2007). The Issues Deserve More
political institutions in combination with soci-
Credit. Social Studies of Science, 37(5), 759–
etal turmoil and a stronger focus on the social
780.
responsibility of organizations, (digital) publics
will increasingly seek multiple disparate insti- Rakow, L. (2018). On Dewey: Public relations
tutions for addressing and settling issues; for and its eclipse of the public. In: Ø. Ihlen &
example, addressing climate change at govern- M. Fredriksson (Eds.). Public Relations and So-
ments, transnational organizations and multi- cial Theory: Key Figures, Concepts and
national corporations. In turn, as issue mapping
studies show, organizations themselves are part Issues. (pp. 315-333). Routledge.
of publics engaged in issue formation. This high- Sommerfeldt, E. J., & Iannacone, J. (2023). A
lights the dual role of organizations and PR in “Public” by Any Other Name: Reclaiming
issues: Organizations engage in issue-based PR Publics
as issue-addresser and -addressee.
Theory, and Liberating Publics From “OPR”. In
C. Botan & E. Sommerfeldt (Eds.).
Public Relations Theory III. (pp. 23-37). Rout-
ledge.
3 Abstracts 100

Organizational Learning for

Sustainable Employee Engagement:
Redefining Employee Engagement for
Shifting U.S. Workforce Expectations
Kang, Minjeong, Indiana University (USA)

Introduction Literature
Gallup’s annual Q12 survey results from its latest Organizational psychology scholars generally
2022 survey revealed that younger generations agree that employee engagement means an ac-
of U.S. employees (Gen Z and Millennials) are tivated, passionate, and motivated psychological
increasingly demonstrating active disengage- state of an employee that drives discretionary
ment in the workplace compared to older gen- efforts in in-role and extra-role performanc-
erations (Harter, 2023). Consequently, this re- es (Schaufeli et al., 2002). Engaged employees
laxed attitude of younger employees about their demonstrate a high level of participation in or-
job has baffled managers and management and ganizational activities typically outside their for-
has warned U.S. organizations to explore better mal job responsibilities. Consequently, scholars
ways to engage younger employees. In the mean- have explored antecedents of engagement, such
time, in the U.S., quiet quitting has emerged as as trust, job satisfaction, organizational and
a phenomenon that describes an attitude among supervisorial support, symmetrical employee
young generations of employees who refuse to communication, or transformative leadership,
exert discretionary extra-role efforts beyond from the theoretical frameworks of employ-
their formal job responsibilities. Quiet quitting ee-organization relationship management and
describes an employee attitude that rejects “the social exchange theory (Kang & Sung, 2017).
idea that work should be at the central focus of
their life…. the expectations of giving their all or However, despite increasing organizational ef-
putting in extra hours (Zenger & Folkman, 2022, forts to harness the enthusiasm and commit-
para 1). Quiet quitting is a new name for an old ment of younger generations of employees,
behavior that describes the lack of engagement. younger generations refuse to subscribe to the
However, the prevalence of quiet quitting at- organization-centered labor ideology that de-
titudes among younger generations of the U.S. mands all-consuming commitment from em-
workforce makes management worry about why ployees, such as their obsession with employee
their efforts to increase employee engagement engagement.
have not resulted in increased employee engage-
ment among Gen Z and younger Millennial em- The stimulus-Response model of organization-
ployees. al learning explores the interactions between
organizations and the external environment
3 Abstracts 101

by focusing on how organizations adapt to the norms of the younger U.S. labor force. Hopeful-
changes in the organizational environment via ly, the revised paradigm and the definition will
the process of organizational learning. Orga- provide scholars and practitioners of organiza-
nizational learning and adaptation in response tional communication and management with
to shifting internal and external organizational better organizational systems to garner employ-
environments facilitate organizations toward ee commitment and enthusiasm from younger
achieving effectiveness and sustainable develop- generations of employees.
ment via reflective change (Gnyawali & Stewart,
2003). In the evolving and changing psyche of Keywords
the U.S. workforce, U.S. organizations must ex-
Employee Engagement, Sustainable Workplace,
plore sustainable ways to engage their employ-
Antecedents of Employee Engagement, Workplace
ees. In other words, the conventionally-held ex- Expectations, Gen Z Employees, Millennial Em-
pectations of discretionary efforts, aka employee ployees, Organizational Learning,
engagement, must also undergo a systematic
reevaluation that meets the changing workplace
References
expectations and environment that we are wit-
nessing among the younger generations of em- Gnyawali, D. R., & Stewart, A. C. (2003). A con-
ployees. tingency perspective on organizational learn-
ing: integrating environmental context, or-
Scope and Method ganizational learning processes, and types of
learning. Management Learning, 34(1), 63-89.
The purpose of this study is to critically examine
the antecedents of employee engagement from Harter, J. (2023, January 25). U.S. employee en-
the literature from disciplines of organizational gagement needs a rebound in 2023. Gallup.
management, psychology, human resources, and https://www.gallup.com/workplace/468233/
employee-organization relationship manage- employee-engagement-needs-rebound-2023.
ment and reassess the significant associations of aspx?ut m_s ource=go og le&ut m_me di-
these antecedents with employee engagement or um=rss&utm_campaign=syndication
the lack thereof based on the known character- Kang, M., & Sung, M. (2017). How symmetrical
istics of Gen Z and Millennial U.S. employees. employee communication leads to employee
engagement and positive employee commu-
A meta-analysis of the literature on engagement nication behaviors: The mediation of employ-
and Gen Z and Millennial employee character- ee-organization relationships. Journal of Com-
istics will provide theoretical rationales for pro- munication Management, 21(1), 82-102.
posing a set of prepositions for a revised para- Schaufeli, W., Salanova, M., Gonzalez-Roma,
digm for sustainable employee engagement for V. and Bakker, A. (2002). The Measurement
the emerging workforce. of Engagement and Burnout: A Two Sample
Confirmatory Factor Analytic Approach. Jour-
Conclusions nal of Happiness Studies, 3, 71-92.
The meta-analysis of the antecedents will pro- Zenger, J. & Folkman, J. (2022, August 31).
vide us with a revised paradigm and a definition Quiet quitting is about bad bosses, not bad
of employee engagement as sustainable work- employees. Harvard Business Review. https://
place expectations for sustainable organizational hbr.org/2022/08/quiet-quitting-is-about-bad-
governance in the reality of shifting attitudes and bosses-not-bad-employees
3 Abstracts 102

An Examination of Inoculating
Strategies for Effective
Communication with Active Publics
Kim, Jarim, Yonsei University (Republic of Korea)
Ju, Jiyeon, Yonsei University (Republic of Korea)
Baek, Jinha, Yonsei University (Republic of Korea)

Introduction and Purpose of the Study Literature Review

The fact that organizations inevitably experience Inoculation theory, developed by McGuire
crises (Coombs, 2015) highlights the impor- (1961), explains how individuals’ pre-existing
tance of effective crisis communication with the beliefs or attitudes can be maintained in the face
public. While public relations scholars including of challenges or attempts to alter them. As a mo-
Grunig (1997) have identified the key targets tivational strategy to protect an existing stance
(i.e., active publics) organizations need to priori- (McGuire, 1961), the theory provides a basis for
tize to protect themselves from adverse environ- building public resilience against various types
ments, strategies for effectively communicating of misinformation including rumors. Echo-
with these targets have not received sufficient ing the medical function of vaccines, the the-
scholarly attention. This study attempts to fill ory posits that exposure to weak counterargu-
this gap by exploring strategies for communicat- ments helps individuals develop resistance to
ing—inoculating messages—effectively with key stronger counterarguments they may face in the
targets. future because such early exposure leads them
to seek out information that supports their exist-
The study was conducted in the organization ing, threatened stances. Despite its potential ef-
rumor context. Recent technological advances fectiveness as a strategy to strengthen resistance
including the development of social media— to organizational crises, the theory’s application
which facilitates public information sharing— in public relations has, with few exceptions (e.g.,
have exposed organizations to increased crisis Wan & Pfau, 2004), remained limited.
threats. Regardless of their nature, organization-
al crises tend to involve certain degrees of un- Meanwhile, the situational theory of publics
certainty and to require time for investigation. posits that individuals’ activeness varies based
Such uncertainty and information vacancy lead on the extent to which they recognize, are in-
to the creation and spread of rumors (Coombs, volved in, and perceive constraints to resolving
2015). To sum up, this study examines the effects problems. Specifically, individuals become more
of inoculating messages in communicating with active as their recognition of and involvement in
active publics who are known to be more like- given problems increase and the constraints they
ly to threaten organizations in the rumor crisis perceive decrease. Such public activeness also
context. influences their information processing. Active
3 Abstracts 103

publics are more likely to seek for and elaborate Practical and Social Implications
on problem-related information to cope with This study’s finding that inoculating message are
problematic situations, while less active pub- more effective in leading active publics to veri-
lics process and elaborate on information rather fy rumors suggests that public relations practi-
passively (Grunig, 1997). tioners should consider utilizing such messages
during crises. Given that active publics are the
Based on these two lines of prior research, the primary communication targets for organiza-
current study posited that inoculating messages tions during crises, inoculating messages de-
that contains more counterarguing information serve practical consideration. Furthermore, the
are more effective for communicating with in- current study’s findings are expected to have ap-
dividuals with higher levels of public activeness, plications in non-profit and governmental con-
because active publics are more likely to seek de- texts, which have also witnessed various forms
tailed information to solve related problems. of misinformation, including fake news regard-
ing COVID-19.
Methodology
To compare the effects of inoculating messages Keywords
to general persuasive messages, this study em- inoculation theory, public activeness, crisis, rumor
ployed an online experiment with 212 partic-
ipants. Messages (inoculation vs. general per-
References
suasive) were manipulated and public activeness
was measured. Coombs W. T. (2019). Ongoing crisis commu-
nication: Planning, managing, and responding
Results and Conclusions (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
The results showed that inoculating messages Grunig, J. E. (1997). A situational theory of pub-
were more effective in increasing intentions to lics: Conceptual history, recent challenges and
verify rumors among active publics. Howev- new research. In D. Moss, T. MacManus, & D.
er, the use of inoculating messages (vs. general Vercic (Eds.), Public relations research: An in-
persuasive messages) did not influence attitudes ternational perspective (pp. 3–48). London: In-
toward rumor sharing or corporate reputation. ternational Thomson Business Press.
McGuire, W. J. (1961). Resistance to persuasion
conferred by active and passive prior refutation
of the same and alternative counterarguments.
The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology,
63(2), 326–332.
Wan, H. H., & Pfau M. (2004). The relative effec-
tiveness of inoculation, bolstering, and com-
bined approaches in crisis communication.
Journal of Public Relations Research, 16(3),
301–328.
3 Abstracts 104

Australian Publics’ (dis)engagement

with sustainability issues
Kim, Soojin, University of Technology Sydney (Australia)
Tam, Lisa, Queensland University of Technology (Australia)

Introduction and purpose of the study tively, active, yet constructive engagement from
citizens in current and future-oriented issues is de-
This study aims to explore how publics’ percep-
sired. As such, while studying citizen engagement
tions about sustainability-related issues influ-
is important for governments across the country, it
ence their disengagement and information be-
is integral to also examine citizen disengagement
havior in sustainability issues. and identify the possible factors that cause it.

Literature review Methodology

Facilitating public engagement in future-oriented
Online survey from nationally representative
and distant issues, especially climate change and
samples of the Australian population was con-
sustainability issues, has been proven to be difficult
ducted in November 2022. Three different struc-
(Weber, 2010). An empirical study found that in-
tural equation models (SEM) were tested using
dividuals experience psychological distance when
evaluating possible issues which may (or may not) IBM AMOS version 28.
occur in the future (Jones, Hine, & Marks, 2017).
The construal level theory of psychological distance Results and conclusions
explains that when individuals perceive psycho- The first SEM model results show that when
logical distance from a source/an object, their in- publics perceive sustainability-related issues as
formation processing is affected such that distant distant issues from their life, they don’t consider
issues (i.e., distal objects) are mentally represent-
reducing such sustainability-related issues desir-
ed at an abstract level whereas urgent issues (i.e.,
able or feasible. Publics’ perception of distance
proximal objects) are represented at a concrete
from the issues lead to disengagement intention
level (Young, 2015). As such, when individuals
toward sustainability-related issues, while their
see sustainability as a distant issue, they may also
see it as being unactionable. Such a psychological
perceived desirability and feasibility of reducing
distance could cause individuals to disengage with sustainability-related issues do not have any im-
discussions on sustainability-related issues, which pact on their disengagement intention (Figure
are critical for the sustainable development of the 1).
country.
The second SEM model’s results show that when
Citizen disengagement, where citizens distance publics perceive sustainability-related issues as
themselves from their government physically or distant issues from their life, they are still will-
emotionally, is a significant and growing concern ing to seek information about those issues. In-
for policy makers (Bowden, Luoma-aho, & Nau- terestingly, publics’ perceived desirability and
mann, 2016). For democracy to function effec- feasibility of reducing such sustainability-relat-
3 Abstracts 105

ed issues lead to different behavioral outcomes. to understand and reduce the causes and out-
When publics see addressing sustainability-re- comes of citizen disengagement in sustainability
lated issues desirable, they are willing to engage issues. This gap in our knowledge calls for the
in information seeking behavior to learn more development of a comprehensive framework of
about those issues. However, when they see act- citizen engagement that encompasses listening
ing on the issues feasible, they are not interested to disengaged citizens’ voices as well as engaged
in seeking information about the issues anymore citizens’, having meaningful dialogue, reflecting
(Figure 2). insights from listening and dialogues into the
processes of policy development and implemen-
The third SEM model results also shared the tation, and communicating policy outcomes in
similar patterns: when publics perceive sustain- an effective manner. This study generated new
ability-related issues as distant issues from their knowledge about both citizen engagement and
life, they are still willing to forward information disengagement in sustainability-related issues.
about those issues to others. Same as the results Data results show that practitioners should de-
in the first and the second model, publics don’t vise strategies that reduce citizens’ perception of
consider reducing sustainability-related issues distance about sustainability-related issues while
desirable or feasible when they feel the issues dis- increasing their perception of desirability which
tant from themselves. When publics see acting in turn will promote their information behavior.
on sustainability-related issues desirable, they
are willing to engage in information forwarding Keywords
behavior to voluntarily share useful information
construal level theory of psychological distance,
about those issues with other people. However,
disengagement, desirability, information seeking,
when they see addressing the issues feasible or
information forwarding, feasibility, sustainability
actionable, they are not engaging in information
forwarding behavior anymore (Figure 3).
References
Practical and Social Implications Bowden, J. L.-H., Luoma-aho, V., & Naumann,
K. (2016). Developing a spectrum of positive
There is no existing framework that guides local to negative citizen engagement. In R. J. Brodie,
government officials and staff to approach ‘dis- L. D. Hollebeek, & J. Conduit (Eds.), Customer
engaged and demotivated citizens’ or to facili- engagement: contemporary issues and challenges
tate engagement regarding sustainability issues (pp. 257–277). Routledge.
with them. Australia’s local governments have
committed to improving citizen participation Head, B. W. (2011). Australian experience: Civic
engagement as symbol and substance. Public
and engagement to ensure citizens’ meaningful
Administration and Development, 31(2), 102–
voices are reflected in its policy decision making
112. doi: 10.1002/pad.599
about sustainability issues. For example, local
governments have provided multiple processes Jones, C., Hine, D. W., & Marks, A. D. G. (2017).
and methods for citizen engagement, which are The future is now: reducing psychological dis-
focussed on opportunities for community groups tance to Increase public engagement with cli-
and non-government organisations/actors to mate change. Risk Analysis, 37(2), 331–341.
participate in debates on policies (Head, 2011). https://doi: 10.1111/risa.12601
Despite this increasing focus on driving citizen Young, R (2015). Source similarity and social me-
participation and engagement, there is no frame- dia health messages: extending construal level
work to help local government officials and staff theory to message sources. Cyberpsychology, Be-
3 Abstracts 106

havior, and Social Networking, 18(9), 547-551.

https://doi:10.1089/cyber.2015.0050
Weber, E. U. (2010). What shapes perceptions
of climate change? Wiley Interdisciplinary Re-
views: Climate Change, 1(3), 332–342. https://
doi:10.1002/wcc.41

Figure 1
3 Abstracts 107

Figure 2

Figure 3
3 Abstracts 108

“Why do I feel so alone?” Leadership

of ‘in’ and ‘out’ groups in remote
Public Relations and Communications
teams
Kinnear, Susan, University of Dundee (UK)

Introduction and Purpose of Study niques within their units. With a select subset of
Since March 2020, much of the Public Relations their members, superiors developed leadership
and Communications Industry (PRCI) has had exchanges (influence without authority argue
to adapt to managing individual team-members that LMX differs from theories of leadership
who are no longer physically co-located. Despite from the dominant management paradigm in
the slow return of workers to the office, it is an- that it describes the differentiated relation-
ticipated that many PRCI workers will continue ship between the leader and follower. Graen &
Uhl-Bien (1995) argue that previously devel-
to fully or partially work from home (Holden,
oped leadership approaches predominantly fo-
2022).
cus on the characteristics or behaviours of the
leader, for example, Trait (Kirkpatick & Locke,
In response to such a rapid, discontinuous
1991), Path-Goal (Evans, 1970) and Situation-
change, this paper explores remote management
al/Contingency theories (Fiedler, 1964). LMX
from the perspective of the newly re-located
theory, by contrast, attempts to provide a more
PRCI worker in the early months of 2020. Using
focussed view than previous leadership theories
a qualitative methodology, it deploys Leader/
that assume the leader adopts a single ‘Average
Member Exchange theory to examine the rela-
Leadership Style’ (ALS), rather than tailoring
tionship between PRCI leaders and both ‘in’ and
their style for individual followers (Van Breukel-
‘out-groups’ within remote teams.
en et al., 2006).
Literature Review
The central tenet of LMX theory is that the lead-
The theoretical framework of the study centres er’s “time, energy and competence resources”
on Leader/Member Exchange or LMX theory. are finite and often restricted (Estel et al., 2019,
Dansereau et al. (1975)this longitudinal study p. 2)time, energy, making it difficult for leaders
found that the degree of latitude that a superior to develop high quality relationships with every
granted to a member to negotiate his role was team-member. This leads to the creation of fa-
predictive of subsequent behavior on the part voured in-groups, collections of individuals who
of both superior and member. Contrary to tra- possess qualities that are attractive to the leader
ditional views of leadership, superiors typically (initiative, motivation, helpfulness etc), and out-
employed both leadership and supervision tech- groups who do not (Martin et al., 2016).
3 Abstracts 109

While a number of contemporary studies have Results and conclusions:

examined leadership and trust in remote teams, The findings demonstrate that:
no closely related research can be identified for • PRCI teams led by managers with little or
the PRCI sector. Similarly, the most recently no experience of leading workers remotely
published study on ‘in’ and ‘out-groups’ in re- experienced reduced motivation, creativity,
mote teams dates from 2003 (Bos et al., 2004), and productivity.
while all other studies identified took the leader • involuntary ‘out’ group members experi-
or group perspective rather than the individual enced an acute sense of isolation and disas-
follower’s perception. sociation in such an environment.
• the PRCI workers most likely to experience
This paper redresses such a gap by focusing on such involuntary marginalisation were either
the leader/follower relationship from the per- female or homosexual.
spective of the remote PRCI worker. It examines
the dynamic relationship between leadership Practical and Social Implications:
styles (Lewin et al., 1939), physical and motiva-
Current commentators predict the future work-
tional needs (Maslow, 1943), the exchange rela-
ing environment will be multi-modal (Watkins,
tionship between team-members and managers
2012; Holden, 2022) and as the shock of change
(Dansereau et al., 1975)this longitudinal study
subsides and the remote office/studio becomes
found that the degree of latitude that a superior
more established, good PRCI managers will re-
granted to a member to negotiate his role was quire contemporary sources of information on
predictive of subsequent behavior on the part remote leadership to improve working relation-
of both superior and member. Contrary to tra- ships with teams.
ditional views of leadership, superiors typically
employed both leadership and supervision tech- This study suggests that the inherent challenges
niques within their units. With a select subset of of maintaining motivation, creativity and pro-
their members, superiors developed leadership ductivity in remote teams may be related to the
exchanges (influence without authority and the quality of relationship established between the
motivation, creativity and productivity resulting manager and the managed, and identifies a se-
from that exchange. ries of recommendations on how such challeng-
es can be avoided by PRCI leaders in future.
Methodology:
Using an interpretative research paradigm, sub- References:
jectivist ontology and interpretivistic and phe- Bos, N., Shami, N. S., Olson, J. S., Cheshin, A.,
nomenological epistemology, the study uses & Nan, N. (2004). In-group/out-group effects in
qualitative analysis of primary data obtained distributed teams. May 2014, 429. https://doi.
from seven in-depth, semi-structured inter- org/10.1145/1031607.1031679
views to answer the question: Dansereau, F., Graen, G. B., & Haga, W. J. (1975).
How can leadership styles be adapted to maintain A vertical dyad linkage approach to leadership
and improve motivation, creativity and produc- within formal organizations. A longitudinal
tivity amongst PRCI teams during periods of re- investigation of the role making process. Orga-
mote deployment? nizational Behavior and Human Performance,
13(1), 46–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/0030-
5073(75)90005-7
3 Abstracts 110

Graen, G. B., & Uhl-Bien, M. (1995). Relation-

ship-based approach to leadership: Devel-
opment of leader-member exchange (LMX)
theory of leadership over 25 years: Applying
a multi-level multi-domain perspective. The
Leadership Quarterly, 6(2), 219–247. https://
doi.org/10.1016/1048-9843(95)90036-5
Scandura, T. A., & Graen, G. B. (1984). Mod-
erating effects of initial leader–member ex-
change status on the effects of a leadership
intervention. Journal of Applied Psychology,
69(3), 428–436. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-
9010.69.3.428
Watkins, M. D. (2012). How managers become
leaders. The seven seismic shifts of perspective
and responsibility. Harvard Business Review,
90(6).
3 Abstracts 111

What makes citizens resilient or

vulnerable to disinformation?
Identifying connected factors and
introducing a new conceptual
framework
Kont, Jülide, Hanze University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands)
Elving, W.J.L., Hanze University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands)
Broersma, M.J., University of Groningen (The Netherlands)
Bozdag Bucak, Çigdem, University of Groningen (The Netherlands)

Introduction and purpose silience in essence relates to the ability to with-

stand, adapt and recover, mitigating potential
The question as to why people do or do not be-
negative effects of adversity or threat (Masten et
lieve or share disinformation leads to a mosaic
al., 1990; Sapienza & Masten, 2011). In the con-
of different approaches and research results. To
text of disinformation, we define resilience as a
navigate the increasingly convoluted landscape
capability, which manifests in the process of en-
of disinformation research, owed to its multi-
countering disinformation and results in either
disciplinary nature and exponential-like growth
questioning or recognition and dismissal. Vul-
since 2016, we applied a systematic review of lit- nerability to disinformation on the other hand
erature to answer the research question: which leads to an implicit or explicit acceptance of dis-
factors are connected to individuals’ resilience information, which can take the form of sharing
and vulnerability to disinformation? false information due to lack of deliberation, be-
ing deceived by it, believing disinformation, or
Literature review subconsciously internalizing its message.
Previous years have witnessed numerous initia-
tives to counter disinformation belief, but re- Methodology
search results on their effectiveness are inconsis- Our approach is two-fold: we first conducted
tent (Marwick, 2018). We argue that to develop a systematic review to identify all connected
targeted solutions, we first need to understand factors to resilience and vulnerability to disin-
the root of the problem and identify factors that formation. The standardized, protocol-driven
are connected to the endorsement of disinfor- methodology and rigorous search for all relevant
mation versus their dismissal. Applying the con- literature allows for a reliable overview and com-
cept of ‘resilience’ to disinformation opens a new parison of research results on the topic. In a sec-
pathway for understanding the issue at hand. ond step we applied the results to the socio-eco-
Historically applied in different disciplines, re- logical model (McLeroy et al., 1988) to put the
3 Abstracts 112

findings into context. We conducted the system- allows for rich insights, is both an asset and
atic review according to the PRISMA Guidelines weakness to our work. Disinformation comes in
(PRISMA, 2021), and retrieved the articles from many shapes and forms, consequently we cannot
Web of Science, Communication and Mass Me- assume that they take effect identically. As the
dia Complete and PsycInfo. Included were em- research results show, influencing factors act ad-
pirical studies, which were published in peer-re- ditively, with single factors mostly only account-
viewed journals from 2011-2022 and written in ing for little variance, which further emphasiz-
English. In total n=1586 articles were retrieved, es the importance of approaches that allow for
of which n=95 met the criteria for inclusion. The uncovering and exploring a range of factors and
screening process was performed independently interdependencies.
by two researchers for enhanced reliability.
Keywords
Results and conclusions disinformation, resilience, vulnerability, belief,
Our geospatial analysis confirms the findings of sharing
previous studies, identifying the US as the main
source of research. The topic is in most cases ap- References
proached from a psychological perspective, and
Marwick, A. E. (2018). Why do people share
mainly focuses on factors related to conspiracy
fake news? A sociotechnical model of media
beliefs. The qualitative thematic analysis reveals
effects. Georgetown Law Technology Review,
twelve factors, which have been connected to re-
2(2), 474-512.
silience or vulnerability to disinformation thus
far: thinking styles, political ideology, worldview Masten, A. S., Best, K. M., & Garmezy, N. (1990).
and beliefs, pathologies, knowledge, emotions, Resilience and development: Contributions
(social) media use, demographics, perceived from the study of children who overcome ad-
control, trust, culture, and environment. There versity. Development and psychopathology,
is a clear focus on micro level and intraperson- 2(4), 425-444.
al factors, such as people’s abilities and charac- McLeroy, K. R., Bibeau, D., Steckler, A., & Glanz,
teristics. To move the debate forward, research K. (1988). An ecological perspective on health
should not only focus on the micro level but also promotion programs. Health Education Quar-
on meso level factors, exploring the influence of terly, 15(4), 351–77.
peers, family and (social media) communities.
PRISMA, (2021, November 8), PRISMA State-
ment, available at: http://www.prismastate-
Practical and social implications
ment.org/PRISMAStatement/
The analysis goes beyond mapping the field or
Sapienza, J. K., & Masten, A. S. (2011). Under-
content and applies the results to the socio-eco-
standing and promoting resilience in chil-
logical model, providing a more holistic view
dren and youth. Current Opinion in Psychi-
on what constitutes resilience to disinformation
atry, 24(4), 267-273. https://doi.org/10.1097/
and identifying relevant gaps for research. Our
YCO.0b013e32834776a8
proposed framework intends to aid researchers
as well as practitioners, carving out various lev-
els of influence and thus providing insight for
multi-level interventions to increase resilience.
The large scope of this systematic review, which
3 Abstracts 113

Understanding Predictors of
Employees’ Turnover Intentions in
times of CEO-Initiated Crises
Krishna, Arunima, Boston University College of Communication (USA)

Introduction and purpose of the study duct stems from key organizational leaders such
In July 2018, John Schnatter, the founder of the as CEOs and chairpersons of the board.
eponymous pizza chain Papa John’s made head- In recent years, scholars have built on the iden-
lines when it was revealed that Schantter had tity perspective and proposed identity fusion as
used the n-word during a crisis table-top drill a key predictor of publics’ reaction to organiza-
(Kirsch, 2018). Reports of the incident caused tional misconduct. Lin and Sung (2014) posited
uproar on social media, triggering a reputation- the idea of brand identity fusion as an immuni-
al crisis, and Schnatter was forced to resign as ty granting cognitive phenomena that serves to
chairman of the company he founded. With in- protect and preserve customer-brand relation-
creasing number of instances of organizational ships in the face of brand transgressions. Ex-
crises triggered by corporate leaders and CEOs, tending the idea of identity fusion to employees,
particularly those that have cults of personality this study focuses on two research questions:
and loyal followers such as Schnatter and Elon what are the predictors of employees’ identity
Musk, a key question facing public relations fusion? And how is employees’ identity fusion
practice is how do employees respond when related to their reactions to a CEO-initiated cor-
their organizations face such leadership-cen- porate misconduct?
tered crises. The present study seeks to shed light
upon this question. Methodology
Surveys were conducted among 505 Americans
Literature review who are employed by companies with 1000 or
The study of organizational misconduct enjoys more employees. Participants were first asked
a long history spanning several disciplines, in- about their relationship with the organization,
cluding legal (e.g., Coffee Jr., 1977), management their identity fusion with the organization, as
(e.g., Maclean, 2008), and communication (e.g., well as their tenure with the organization among
Krishna, Kim & Shim, 2018) literatures. As cases other items. Participants were then asked to read
of organizational misconduct continue to come a short vignette which stated that their CEO had
to light, whether it be in the corporate, govern- been accused of using racial slurs and discrimi-
mental, or non-profit worlds, the need for con- nating against minority employees. Participants
tinued investigations of the causes, outcomes, were then asked about their reactions to this
and impacts of organizational misconduct re- news.
mains a scholarly imperative. Of particular in-
terest is how employees react when the miscon-
3 Abstracts 114

Results and conclusions Keywords

Structural equation modeling was used to un- corporate misconduct, identity fusion, turnover
derstand the relationships between the variables. intentions
Length of employment (β = .103, p < .0001) and
company performance (β = .35, p < .0001) were References
positively associated with identity fusion where-
Coffee Jr, J. C. (1977). Beyond the shut-eyed
as scope of operation (β = -.12, p < .0001) and
sentry: Toward a theoretical view of corpo-
union status (β = -.59, p < .0001) were negatively
rate misconduct and an effective legal re-
associated with identity fusion. Identity fusion
sponse. Virginia Law Review, 63, 1099-1278.
in turn was positively associated with situational
motivation to learn about the crisis (β = .14, p Kirsch, N. (2018). Papa John’s founder allegedly
< .0001), which was positively associated with used n-word on conference call. Forbes. Re-
turnover intentions. Length of employment (β = trieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/
-.11, p < .001) and company performance (β = noahkirsch/2018/07/11/papa-johns-found-
-.20, p < .05) negatively impacted turnover in- er-john-schnatter-allegedly-used-n-word-on-
tentions. conference-call/?sh=1255ed064cfc
Krishna, A., Kim, S., & Shin, K.-J. (2021). Un-
Practical and social implications packing the Effects of Alleged Gender Dis-
The purpose of this study was to understand crimination in the Corporate Workplace on
employees’ turnover intentions upon learning of Consumers’ Affective Responses and Rela-
corporate misconduct perpetrated by a compa- tional Perceptions. Communication Research.
ny leader, i.e., CEO. The findings indicate that https://10.1177/0093650218784483
the longer employees stay with a company the MacLean, T. L. (2008). Framing and organiza-
more likely they are to experience identity fu- tional misconduct: A symbolic interaction-
sion with the employer but also report lower ist study. Journal of Business Ethics, 78, 3-16.
turnover intentions during times of crisis. Thus, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-9324-x
this study unveils two additional advantages of
employee retention, pointing to the importance
of employee engagement and retention efforts.
3 Abstracts 115

Figure 1: Results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses

Figure 2: Results of structural equation modeling

3 Abstracts 116

Segmentation of public in children

vaccination communication in
Slovenia, implementing STOPS/CAPS
and pragmatic multimethod approach
Kropivnik, Samo, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)
Vrdelja, Mitja, NIJZ (Slovenia)

Introduction and purpose of the study Methodology

Sustainability can be understood as societal The model has been empirically confirmed on
goal that relates to the ability of people to safe- a general level, drawing on large probability
ly co-exist on Earth over a long time. In public sample of mothers in Slovenia (year 2016, N =
health perspective, vaccination programmes 1704), using bivariate statistical methods (Vrdel-
significantly add to long term safe co-existing. ja, 2023). In the core of the paper, we upgrade
On the other hand, in society there is no gen- data analyses of attitudes and communication
erally accepted consensus about their benefits patterns by employing complex graphical and
and hazards and that makes promotion of vac- multivariate statistical analyses (e.g., ANOVA
cination rather difficult. To improve it, the paper and multidimensional agglomerative hierarchi-
advocates a model for recognising involvement cal clustering) to a) confirm the model on the
of mothers of young children in communication more detailed level, b) provide vivid inside into
of children vaccination, developed by applying results, c) validate the results by triangulation,
situational theory of problem solving (Kim and and finally d) uncover and present meaningful
Grunig, 2011) to vaccination as sensitive and segments (publics) for communication of chil-
insufficiently researched interdisciplinary topic dren vaccination.
(Vrdelja, 2023).
Results and conclusions
Literature review We demonstrate how communication be-
In the original study we are drawing on situa- haviour, measured as frequency of information
tional theory of publics (Gruning, 1997 and acquisition, information selection and informa-
2005), particularly on STOPS and CAPS (Kim tion transmission in traditional and social me-
and Grunig, 2011), as well as on studies demon- dia as well as in direct communication, differ
strating importance of vaccination programmes with level of cognitive and affective involvement
(e.g., Andre et.al, 2008) and particularly the in the topic, accompanied with level of trust in
crucial role of communication in vaccination science, in health system and in medical per-
programmes accomplishment (e.g., Leask et. al, sonnel. In general, high level of involvement
2012; Olowo et.al, 2020). and low level of trust match more extensive and
3 Abstracts 117

more intensive communication behaviour, but Grunig, J. E. (1997). A situational theory of pub-
there are significant differences in components lics: Conceptual history, recent challenges and
of communication behaviour (i.e., communica- new research. In D. Moss, T. MacManus, in
tion channels and forms of communication ac- D. Verčič (Eds.), Public relations research: An
tivity). As expected, online sources of informa- international perspective (pp. 3–46). Interna-
tion turned out to be the most distinctive. tional Thomson Business Press.
Grunig, J. E. (2005). Situational theory of pub-
Practical and social implications lics. In R. L. Heath (Ed.), Encyclopedia of
The presented relations among attitudes and Public Relations (Issue 2, pp. 778–780). SAGE
communication behaviour, and in particular publications.
their fusion in obtained segments enable im- Kim, J.-N. and Grunig, J. E. (2011). Problem
provement of every step of children vaccination Solving and Communicative Action: A Situa-
communication planning and implementation. tional Theory of Problem Solving. Journal of
Communication, 61(1), 120–149.
Keywords
Leask, J., Kinnersley, P., Jackson, C., Cheater, F.,
STOPS (situational theory of problem solving), Bedford, H., in Rowles, G. (2012). Communi-
CAPS (communicative behaviour in problem cating with parents about vaccination: a frame-
solving), vaccine hesitancy, vaccination commu- work for health professionals. BMC Pediatrics,
nication, trust 12(1), 154. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2431-
12-154
Literature Olowo, E. O., Hasan, H., in Wirza, J. (2020). In-
Andre, F. E., Booy, R., Bock, H. L., Clemens, J., formation Seeking and Trust on Vaccination
Datta, S. K., John, T. J., Lee, B. W., Lolekha, Practices. Human Communication, January.
S., Peltola, H., Ruff, T. A., Santosham, M., in Vrdelja, M. (2023). The influence of trust and
Schmitt, H. J. (2008). Vaccination greatly re- afective and cognitive factors on communi-
duces disease, disability, death and inequi- cation of mothers in relation to vaccination.
ty worldwide. Bulletin of the World Health Doctoral disertation at University of Ljublja-
Organization, 86(2), 140–146. https://doi. na, Faculty of Social Sciences (submitted for
org/10.2471/BLT.07.040089 assessment).
3 Abstracts 118

Media image on social (ir)

responsibility of Croatian banks
Lacković, Stjepan, Polytechnic of Baltazar Zaprešić (Croatia)
Šporčić, Mateja, Polytechnic of Baltazar Zaprešić (Croatia)

Introduction and purpose of the study receive more favourable media coverage and
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a func- whether firms use CSR to actively manage their
tion of business reputation of a company is in media image. Mandina et al. (2014) investigate
close relationship with media visibility of sus- the effectiveness of CSR in enhancing compa-
ny`s image by questioning respondents, which
tainable and socially responsible practices and,
are representatives of key stakeholders. The
indirectly, with media image of a company. PR
topic is also approached from the impression
department’s efforts in promoting visibility of
management perspective, hence Tata & Prasad
company’s socially responsible policies is often
(2014) want to answer the question if CSR im-
being evaluated and measured. The purpose of
age perceived by audiences is accurate portrayal
this study is to investigate the question of effec-
of the organization’s CSR identity and congruent
tiveness of PR activities in promoting socially
with the desired CSR image.
responsible practices, hence the main research
question can be posited as follows: Is PR cover-
age of CSR policies of a company in any correla- Methodology
tion with the media image of the company? The The main method used for collecting data on PR
banking sector was taken as an example, more coverage of socially responsible practices is con-
precisely, three Croatian banks – Zagrebačka tent analysis of banks’ promotional articles in
banka (ZABA), Erste&Steiermärkische Bank the Croatian digital media. The analysis will be
and Privredna banka Zagreb (PBZ). done on a corpus consisted of promotional web-
page articles published in the period January 1,
Literature review 2022 to December 31, 2022.
On the other hand, the main method for collect-
In order to position the research agenda pre-
ing data on media perception of the three cho-
sented in this talk, a review of papers on com-
sen banks will be content analysis of press-clip-
municating CSR activities and media image of
ping material on those banks in the same period
CSR will be provided. Manheim & Pratt (1986)
(during year of 2022). The results of the two
investigate if social-responsibility programs are
analysis will then be compared.
communicated effectively enough in terms of
maximizing the returns on corporate efforts. Du
et al. (2010) follow the same motivation (maxi- Results and conclusions
mizing business returns to CSR) in their posit- The main result of the study will be the proposal
ing the conceptual framework for effective com- of a novel model for measuring effectiveness of
munication of CSR. Cahan et al. (2015) examine PR activities in promoting socially responsible
whether firms that act more socially responsible practices and in creating company’s media im-
3 Abstracts 119

age. Besides that, the result is in the possibility to Literature

find the examples of successful, as well as of less Cahan, S. F., Chen, C., Chen, L., & Nguyen, N.
successful implementation of CSR policies and H. (2015). Corporate social responsibility and
its PR coverage technics. media coverage. Journal of Banking & Finance,
59, 409-422.
Practical and social implications
Du, S., Bhattacharya, C. B., & Sen, S. (2010).
Practical implications of the research could be Maximizing business returns to corporate so-
offering guidelines for efficient communicating cial responsibility (CSR): The role of CSR com-
of socially responsible practices in the business munication. International journal of manage-
sector. Indirectly, this contribution is question- ment reviews, 12(1), 8-19.
ing the purposefulness and ethical implications
of CSR in the banking sector. Mandina, S. P., Maravire, C. V., & Masere, V. S.
(2014). Effectiveness of corporate social re-
sponsibility in enhancing company image.
Keywords
Journal of Applied Business and Economics,
corporate social responsibility of banks, PR cover- 16(3), 152-170.
age of CSR, media image of banks
Manheim, J. B., & Pratt, C. B. (1986). Commu-
nicating corporate social responsibility. Public
Relations Review, 12(2), 9-18.
Tata, J., & Prasad, S. (2015). CSR communica-
tion: An impression management perspective.
Journal of business ethics, 132, 765-778.
3 Abstracts 120

Sustainable Early Warning Systems

(EWS) in Disaster Management: Can
communication practitioners provide
the answer?
Le Roux, Tanya, Bournemouth University (UK)

Introduction and purpose of the study

Furthermore, it could be argued that an EWS
An Early Warning System (EWS) can be defined
is a function of the disaster risk reduction field.
as a proactive communication system that assist
However, Fraustino et al (2012) clarifies that
governmental departments in providing infor-
communication is central in the EWS process,
mation for evidence-based planning and acting
by stating that it includes, but are not limited to,
on disasters, and include information dissemi- “information disseminated to the public by gov-
nation to communities during times of disas- ernments, emergency management organiza-
ter (UN 2023). The benefits of an EWS include tions, and disaster responders, as well as disaster
saving lives and infrastructure, and limiting the information created and shared by journalists
impact of a disaster on livelihoods. Through the and the public”. Sudmeier-Rieux (2016) agrees
UNDPs Signature Programme various such sys- by urging an integrated approach to the areas
tems have been put in place across Africa, Asia of disaster management, communication and
and the Pacific. sustainability in order to include all social fac-
tors involved at all levels of society in the EWS.
The United Nations made the following state- It therefore requires knowledge of communica-
ment about EWS: “A successful EWS saves lives tion, in order for the EWS to be successful and
and jobs, land and infrastructures and supports sustainable.
long-term sustainability” (UN 2023). The need
for an EWS is also mentioned in the 2030 Agen- This paper aims to further elaborate on the re-
da for Sustainable Development, specifically in quirements for an EWS to be seen as sustainable.
the Sustainable Development Goals Target 13
(Demir & Kim 2023; Twigg 2021). In this con- Literature review
text an EWS is seen to be directly aligned with Disaster risk reduction, communication man-
supporting sustainability goals. agement and community development literature
However, in contrast, Twigg (2021) argues that are used to investigate this phenomenon. Disas-
sustainability is rarely discussed in practice ter risk reduction theory examines the impact of
when considering EWS, with a lack of clarity of disasters on social, economic and environmen-
what sustainability would entail and how it will tal level, with the focus on creating resilience.
be applied to the EWS development process. Strategic communication management litera-
3 Abstracts 121

ture is used to highlight a pro-active approach, Keywords

and stakeholder management to promote col- Disaster communication; Early warning systems;
laboration for mutual benefit. Community de- Sustainability
velopment literature highlights the community’s
human rights, right to inclusion and principles
References
of empowerment.
Demir, C. & Kim, S. 2022. Early warnings save
Methodology lives and support long-term sustainability.
https://www.undp.org/eurasia/blog/early-
The interdisciplinary literature study will syn- warnings-save-lives [Accessed: 26 Jan 2023]
thesise previous research with the reality of case
studies to discover meta-level guidance for sus- Fraustino, J.D., Brooke Liu, D. & Jin, Y. 2012. So-
tainable EWSs. This paper forms part of a larger cial Media Use during Disasters: A Review of
study aimed at developing a sustainable EWS for the Knowledge Base and Gaps. College Park,
the Eastern Cape, South Africa. MD: START. https://www.start.umd.edu/sites/
default/files/publications/local_attachments/
START_SocialMediaUseduringDisasters_Li-
Results and conclusions
tReview.pdf [Accessed: 26 Jan 2023]
Overall, it would seem that the role of the com-
Sudmeier-Rieux, K., Fernández, M., Penna,
munity, especially including the most vulnera-
I.M., Jaboyedoff, M. & Gaillard, J.C. 2016.
ble, would be crucial in developing an EWS that
Identifying Emerging Issues in Disaster Risk
will be sustainable. In particular, it has been
Reduction, Migration, Climate Change and
found that specifically in the first phase of de-
Sustainable Development: Shaping Debates
veloping the EWS – understanding the risks and
and Policies. Springer: Switzerland.
hazards of the area – there is generally a lack of
community involvement. It is of utmost impor- Twigg, J. 2021. Sustainability of early warning
tance to understand the community’s view on systems: Discussion paper. BRACC. UN. 2023.
risks and hazards, as well as indigenous knowl- Sustainability. https://www.un.org/en/aca-
edge, before developing a system. Secondly, in demic-impact/sustainability [Accessed 26 Jan
the third phase of developing a EWS – dissem- 2023]
inating trust-worthy information – clear buy-in
from the community is needed.

It can be argued that in the realm of disaster

communication when creating an EWS, the
social element of inclusion of the community,
should be prioritised.

Practical and social implications

The role of a communication practitioner that
can liaise with the community, encourage com-
munity participation, and has a clear under-
standing of creating a trust relationship, are cru-
cial in the development of EWSs in the field of
disaster risk reduction.
3 Abstracts 122

Remarks on communication and

sustainability: in search of the best
practices
Loureiro, Mónica, BNP Paribas (Portugal)

Introduction and purpose of the study utes to the internal relations and commitment
In the recent decades, we have seen organisa- of employees, promoting a sense of belonging.
tions changing and adapting to numerous fac- The interaction of both disciplines within the
tors. Sustainability is now a must have for their organisations will be the focus of this paper, as
survival, making communication a key aspect per Karmasin argues (2002) “sustainability is a
of these organisational changes. More than ever, communication problem”.
the employee is at the core of what is the identity
and culture of organisations, which now seek to Methodology
meet their needs and expectations.
This research is focused on the National Sus-
The starting point of this research was then to
tainability Award of a newspaper in a southern
understand the role of communication in rela-
European country, specifically companies that
tion to sustainability topics - how can the com-
munication function enhance the matter of applied for the Sustainability Communication
sustainability among employees so that they be- category.
come agents of change?
Out of the 26 private and public sector compa-
Literature review nies that are part of this universe, semi-struc-
tured script-based interviews were conducted
The United Nations 2030 Agenda is proposing with communication and/or sustainability spe-
a clear and realistic path towards sustainability. cialists to eight private sector companies to un-
This made organisations necessarily more aware derstand what role communication plays at an
of the impact their activity has on the communi-
organisational level and its dynamic with sus-
ty and, above all, whether this impact is positive
tainability themes. The data collection period
and socially accepted.
ran from October 2021 to January 2022 and was
conducted online.
Sustainability is therefore a strategic imperative
for them and is essential for their financial viabil-
ity and success (Eweje, 2011; Preston, 2001 cited A thematic categorical analysis of manifest mes-
by Brunton, Eweje & Taskin, 2017). However, sages was conducted, with the categories were
there is still a lack of consensus on the concept defined in both concept-driven and data-driven
of sustainability (Weder, Krainer, & Karmasin, subcategories.
2021), as is the case for internal communication.
In its core, internal communication contrib-
3 Abstracts 123

Results and conclusions

The results show that there is no unanimous an- In what concerns the limitations of this research,
swer to the starting question, although there are we must consider the fact that the research was
several points of convergence between the par- carried out in a period still extremely marked by
ticipants. What was noted during the interview the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the fact that
process is that the internal and external factors each organisation was responsible for selecting
of each organisation influence how the commu- the person to be interviewed, which has influ-
nication is perceived. In most cases, commu- enced each other’s vision of sustainability and/or
nication is seen as technical and the dynamic communication.
between both disciplines as one of being at the
service of. Practical and social implications
It is intended that the considerations presented
This conclusion was seen as an opportunity to contribute to address sustainability in organisa-
present broader considerations on what can be tions and how communication can play a ma-
considered as good practices regarding what is jor role on the involvement, empowerment, and
the role of communication in relation to sustain- motivation of employees by actively co-creating
ability topics in organisations, as well as its role a perception of what is sustainability and what is
in changing employee behaviour. the employee role in it.

From the literature review and analysis of the Finally, acknowledging that the sample present-
results, five main considerations arose: 1. estab- ed in this study is rather small and non-repre-
lish a shared definition of what is each organisa- sentative, it is considered that it would be ex-
tion view of sustainability, so that employees can tremely interesting to replicate the study in a
make their own judgements and decide to adopt representative sample and to see whether the
or modify certain behaviours based on it; 2. results would be similar or not, and what further
communicate with purpose from the active lis- considerations could be reached.
tening of employees and their expectations and
needs, in order to establish a two-way relation- Keywords
ship with them; 3. present ‘sustainability’ as part
of a story that involves the employees and helps Corporate Communication; Internal Communi-
them understand how it impacts them, leading cation; Sustainability; Good Practices.
to the co-creation of communication process-
es; 4. rethink the role that managers can have
in what concerns sustainability themes within
organisations, by being active examples and po-
tential enhancement engagement mechanisms;
5. promote a culture that creates the necessary
environment for the employees to become ad-
vocates of sustainability themes and the organ-
isation itself.
3 Abstracts 124

On Sustainability Publics: Theories

of Segmentation and Incentivization
for Effective Strategic Environmental
Communication
Lovari, Alessandro, University of Cagliari (Italy)
Vaz de Almeida, Cristina, CAPP – ISCSP (Portugal)
Lee, Hyelim, University of Oklahoma & Debiasing and Lay Informatics (DaLI) Lab (USA)
Hollenczer, Jimmy, University of Oklahoma & Debiasing and Lay Informatics (DaLI) Lab
(USA)
Kim, Jeong-Nam, University of Oklahoma & Debiasing and Lay Informatics (DaLI) Lab
(USA)

Introduction Literature review

Despite the growing body of evidence chroni- The challenge in sustainability communication
cling environmental and sustainability issues, is rooted in the nature of publics. Citizens do not
public engagement remains nonoptimal. There pay attention to issues unless problematic situa-
is a general sense that the ill-effects of these is- tions directly affect individuals. According to the
sues will not be felt for a long time. Indeed, the situational theory of problem solving (STOPS)
central challenge in environmental communi- (Kim & Grunig, 2011), media and elite attention
cation is to articulate the exigence of the issues to social problems are not requisite conditions
despite the fact that individual citizens are not for motivating lay publics to search for and share
currently encountering related problematic sit- problem-related information. Hence, sustain-
uations personally. The rise in media coverage, ability communicators face serious difficulties in
geopolitical disorder, and scientific research grasping the attention of publics.
highlights the pertinence of public indifference.
Our paper (funded by an Arthur W. Page Center Currently it is unclear how to elicit higher levels
grant) aims to understand why citizens choose of attention and action in lay publics. What is
- or choose not - to engage with environmen- more, the digital information space is prone to
tal issues. Our framework integrates theories of rapid diffusion of pseudo-information and, with
problem solving with citizen incentives and gen- regard to environment and sustainability, can be
erates segmentation strategies for citizen-pub- characterized by inadequate or illegitimate con-
lics in the United States, Italy, and Portugal.
tent. Without research seeking to mitigate this
problem, things could become much worse.

Kim and Ni (2013) classified two types of com-

munication problems: (1) Organization-Initi-
3 Abstracts 125

ated Public Relations (OPR) problems and (2) Implications

Public-Initiated Public Relations (PPR) prob-
This study has both theoretical and practical
lems. Here, OPR will be used because, as men-
implications. Findings could be used by practi-
tioned above, publics have not arisen organically
tioners and governments for sustainability com-
in the context of environmental issues and there-
fore cannot serve as the initiators of communi- munication campaigns or public relations inter-
cation development. With reference to OPR, ventions to foster pro-sustainability publics and
Kim and Ni suggest synthetic public segmenta- continued engagement (i.e., OPR problem, Kim
tion strategies that identify likely sympathizers & Ni, 2013). Concerning theories, results will
who may serve as key points for information introduce new public engagement strategies,
campaigns. Kim and Ni’s framework of segmen- synthesize a foundational theory of publics, and
tation is predicated on the situational theory of renew classical conceptual accounts of active
problem solving (STOPS), which explains the publics’ incentives (e.g., Olson, 1971, J. Grunig,
situational nature of publics and thus assists in 1997).
the identification of potential sustainability pub-
lics (J. Grunig, 1997). Also relevant is an earlier Keywords
theoretical model of incentives, including mate-
rial, solidary, purposive, or selective incentives public segmentation, incentives, STOPS, sustain-
(J. Grunig, 1989). ability, environmental communication

Thus, this study seeks to search for relevant pub- References

lics and discern why some are more active than
Grunig, J. E. (1989). Sierra club study shows
others regarding environmental issues. In doing
so, it will be possible to refine communication who become activists. Public Relations Review,
strategies that incentivize cognition and com- 15(3), 3-24.
municative action. Grunig, J. E. (1997). A situational theory of pub-
lics: Conceptual history, recent challenges and
Methodology new research. In D. Moss, T. MacManus, &
The research team is conducting Computer As- D. Verčič (Eds.), Public relations research: An
sisted Web Interviews (CAWI) in the United international perspective (pp. 3–46). London:
States, Italy, and Portugal. The CAWIs will be ITB Press.
administered to samples of 500 citizens in each Kim, J.-N., & Grunig, J.E. (2011). Problem solv-
country, 1,500 citizens in total. The interviews ing and communicative action: A situational
are dedicated to understanding participants’ sit- theory of problem solving. Journal of Commu-
uational perception, cognition, and incentives, nication, 61, 120-149.
as well as understanding communicative actions
on digital platforms and perceived message Kim, J.-N., & Ni, L. (2013). Integrating formative
framing of environmental issues. and evaluative research in two types of public
relations problems: A review of research pro-
Results grams within the strategic management ap-
proach. Journal of Public Relations Research,
As this study is in progress, findings will be pre-
25, 1-29.
sented and discussed at the conference. Findings
will suggest a set of new theoretical principles Olson, M. (1971). The logic of collective action.
for effective public communication concerning Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard Universi-
sustainability issues. ty Press.
3 Abstracts 126

How can anti-consumption be

effectively communicated?
Lučić, Andrea, University of Zagreb (Croatia)
Uzelac, Marija, University of Zagreb (Croatia)

Introduction and purpose of the study brand-societal (consumers guided by the belief
that specific brands or products are harmful to
Overconsumption leads society toward envi-
the environment and society), and brand per-
ronmental, social, and personal disbalance. As
sonal (consumers that practice avoidance of a
consumption boycotting, anti-consumption
brand due to related negative events). Evidently,
represents the solution that leads consumers
general-societal and general-personal are target
toward overall social and personal equilibrium
market that brands that with to position them-
and well-being. The paper aims to analyse the
selves as anti-consumption could target.
efficient path of the positioning the anti-con-
sumption in consumer perception through com-
Methodology
munication appeals. The purpose of the paper
is to recommend communication guidelines to Previous research lacks any analysis of existing
empower anti-consumption among consumers. anti-consumption appeals and their strategies.
Literature review – Anti-consumption is de- In order to identify, target, and implement po-
fined as the deliberate and meaningful exclu- tential strategies, the paper conducted a case
sion or expulsion of goods from consumption study analysis including relevant communica-
or the reuse of already acquired goods to avoid tion strategies that are using anti-consumption
consumption (Makri et al., 2020). It represents appeals in different industries considering an-
the rejection of consumer practices and a strong ti-consumption consumer typology. The sample
aversion to consumption (Zavestoski, 2002) of communication appeals includes campaigns
which leads consumers toward personal wel- diverse set of industries (fashion, function-
fare. As such it is in complete contradiction to al clothing, food etc.) that is analysed through
very nature of everyday communication appeals the classification of chosen market strategy and
that are developed and implemented to proclaim goals, target market, ethical grounds and the
larger consumption. Anti-consumers are defined alignment with the overall image and commu-
as consumers driven by the tendency to be a part nication.
of sustainable and social well-being (Pangarkar,
Shukla and Charles, 2021). The typology of an- Results and conclusions
ti-consumption identified four different kinds of The paper brings recommendations for the shap-
consumers (Iyer and Muncy, 2009): general-so- ing of marketing strategies and communication
cietal (consumers concerned about social and appeals. Also, the paper proves that anti-con-
environmental well-being ), general-personal sumption appeals are possible to implement in
(consumers driven by a spiritual or ethical belief marketing communication. Results present very
that focusing on self-serving activities is wrong), valuable, upcoming and relevant topic that the
3 Abstracts 127

market yet has not discovered.

Practical and social implications

The presented recommendations can serve
companies as showcase to discover the idea of
anti-consumption as communication appeals.
Through the efficient strategies, companies
could create an image of a socially responsible
company. On the other hand, by empowering
anti-consumption, consumers could reach per-
sonal welfare and participate in overall social
equilibrium. Finally, the paper brings recom-
mendations for further research in the context
of the evaluation of the implemented strategies.

Keywords
anti-consumption, sustianbility, marketing com-
munication, communication appeals

References
Makri, K., Schlegelmilch, B. B., Mai, R., & Din-
hof, K. (2020). What we know about anticon-
sumption: An attempt to nail jelly to the wall.
Psychology & Marketing, 37(2), 177-215.
Zavestoski, S. (2002). The social–psychological
bases of anticonsumption attitudes. Psycholo-
gy & Marketing, 19(2), 149-165.
Iyer, R., & Muncy, J. A. (2009). Purpose and ob-
ject of anti-consumption. Journal of business
research, 62(2), 160-168.
Pangarkar, A., Shukla, P., & Charles, R. (2021).
Minimalism in consumption: A typology and
brand engagement strategies. Journal of Busi-
ness Research, 127, 167-178.
3 Abstracts 128

Communication and Sustainability in

Public Health: Bibliometric Analysis
Marques, Isabel, ISCSP ULisboa (Portugal)
Duarte Nogueira, Fernanda Maria, ISCSP ULisboa (Portugal)
Marques de Carvalho, Alba Caterine, ISCSP ULisboa (Portugal)

Introduction cation and sustainability in Health, pointing out

The rapid growth of health expenditures, reduc- the thematic trends, research topics, theories,
tion in public funding, population aging and methods presented in the studies, countries and
the need for greater integration between safety authors that most contribute to the development
and environment affect sustainable develop- of issues in order to identify gaps in the litera-
ment in Health. Assessing the sustainability of ture and to guide emerging opportunities in the
public sector organizations requires a multidis- literature, in the field of global social public re-
ciplinary approach and involves different areas lations.
of knowledge, including medicine, informatics,
engineering, sociology, anthropology, social Literature Review
work, administration, law, and communication The assessment of eHealth must consider that
sciences. information and communication technologies
(ICT) are only part of an organization’s inno-
In this context, government agencies end up vation system. It is essential to understand the
needing the development and evaluation of human factors involved in health systems, the
health communication strategies to support the environment and the contexts in which ICT are
creation and assessment of health communica- used in Health.
tion tactics to decision-making. Information
capacity based on trends in health care reform An important objective of any Health commu-
and health information technologies must man- nication effort is to maintain its delivery and
age unprecedented amounts of information for
effectiveness over time. During the Covid-19
public health assurance and assessment, includ-
emergency period, communication and media
ing population-level health surveillance and
reports were extremely important. On the one
metrics. If health departments have the required
hand, the “emotional” character of communi-
capabilities, advancements in electronic health
cation aimed to promote solidarity and unity
records, interoperability and information inter-
among citizens. Opposed to that, scientific com-
change, public information sharing, and other
munication has played a key role both as tech-
areas can help information management.
nical and scientific consultation for the policy
maker and as a guide for mass communication
Purpose (Valenti et al., 2023). The World Health Organi-
The objective of this research is to provide a zation (WHO) launched an international public
global and bibliometric overview of communi- relations campaign to tackle the Covid-19 virus,
3 Abstracts 129

focusing on three main axes: advertisements, blood glucose meters. These programs, called
images, and videos (Al Zubaidi & Ahmed, 2022). “mHealth”, contribute to the current shift in in-
Health information plays an important role in ternational health described by many scholars as
risk prevention. As it broadens even farther, the “global health”.
Internet is emerging as an important source of
health information for the public (Ekezie et al., Methodology
2022). Another important component are cell The study presents a Systematic Literature Re-
phones, which have become the most wide- view (SLR). In this sense, following the PRISMA
spread communication technology across the checklist 2020, an attempt will be made to map
world. It improves health car simply by al- and summarize the results of studies based on
low appointment reminders, to enable mobile research in the Web of Science (WoS), SCOPUS

Figure 1: Identification of studies via databases and registers

3 Abstracts 130

and EBSCO databases. The RSL protocol and Keywords

registration in INPLASY will be developed. Sustainability; public health administration; com-
munication.
To support the conduction of the RSL, a guiding
grid of the quality of the studies will be selected
References
(e.g., ROBINS-L), excluding the usually desig-
nated gray literature. To guarantee the quality of Valenti A., Mirabile M., Cannone E., ... Lavicoli
the review, the inclusion and exclusion process S. (2023). The impact of COVID-19 pandem-
of articles will be conducted by two researchers. ics on the development of health risk commu-
In addition, the articles included in the study are nication: Challenges and opportunities. Inter-
subject to the AMSTAR-2 grid, used to ensure national Journal of Environmental Research
the quality of the analysis. Figure 1 shows the and Public Health, 20(1).
different approaches that we intend to highlight. Al Zubaidi, MHK & Ahmed, RQ (2022). The
contents of the campaign (your health is a
Results Expected trust) of the world health organization in Iraq
As a result, it is expected to contribute to the to prevent infection with COVID-29 virus.
literature regarding sustainable public relations Res. Militaris, 12(2), pp. 4128-4243.
practices and, considering the needs and guide- Ekezie, W., Maxwell, A., Byron, M., … Pareek,
lines of government institutions, contribute to M. (2022). Health communication and in-
better formulations of public communication. equalities in primary care access during the
COVID-19 pandemic among ethnic minori-
ties in the United Kingdom: Lived experiences
and recommendations. International Journal
of Environmental Research and Public Health,
19(22).
3 Abstracts 131

Examining the Impact of Leaders’ Use

of Motivating Language on Employees’
Psychological Well-being during the
COVID-19 Pandemic
Men, Linjuan Rita, University of Florida (USA)
Qin, Yufan Sunny, James Madison University (USA)
Hong, Cheng, California State University (USA)

Introduction and purpose of the study from employees’ direct supervisors, could large-
Employees’ psychological well-being has ly impact how employees feel and perceive the
achieved increasing scholarly attention over situation and their employer organization. Yet,
the past decade (Walden, 2021). The issue has what and how supervisors should communi-
cate during such uncertain crisis times and its
been further brought to the spotlight during
nuanced impact on employees’ psychological
the COVID-19 pandemic due to the multi-level
well-being remain underexplored.
challenges this public health crisis posed to em-
ployees’ mental health and overall well-being.
To fill this important research void and enrich
Given the demonstrated linkages between em-
the body of knowledge on leadership communi-
ployees’ psychological well-being and various
cation during turbulent times, this study adopts
employee and organizational outcomes such as
the theoretical lens of Motivating Language The-
job satisfaction, employee engagement, organi-
ory (MLT) that prescribes three types of strategic
zational commitment, and employee retention
languages that leaders can utilize: direction-giv-
(Brunetto et al., 2012; Walden, 2021), scholars
ing, empathetic, and meaning-making languag-
from the fields of communication and manage-
es. Specifically, this study proposed a conceptual
ment have examined various antecedents of em-
model that predicts the positive impact of lead-
ployees’ psychological well-being.
ers’ use of motivating language on employees’
psychological well-being during the COVID-19
Among the sundry influencers of employees’
pandemic. To delineate how this process works,
psychological well-being, leadership communi-
the study proposes leader trust as a potential
cation arguably plays an irreplaceable role due
mediator in this process.
to supervisors’ day-to-day interactions with em-
ployees. Especially during the turbulent times
when the organizations’ normal operations and Literature review/conceptualization
work routines are interrupted, employees natu- As one of the dominant theories in leadership
rally look to their leaders for information, guid- communication that have been widely tested in
ance, support, and assurance (Men et al., 2022). socio-cultural contexts (Mayfield & Mayfield,
Leadership communication, particularly those 2018), motivating language theory suggests
3 Abstracts 132

that leaders’ use of direction giving (i.e., which ee trust toward the leader during the COVID-19
clarifies goals, expectations, responsibilities and pandemic. While leadership trust did not direct-
provides guidance), empathetic (i.e., which ex- ly influence employees’ psychological well-be-
presses care, sensitivity, and support that cre- ing, leaders’ use of direction-giving language (β
ates interpersonal bonds), and meaning-mak- =.29, p<.001) and empathetic language (β =.15,
ing languages (i.e., which emphasizes vision, p=.07) both showed significant positive effects,
culture, values, etc.) can lead to various work- with the former casting a stronger effect. Surpris-
place outcomes. This study links such strategic ingly, leaders’ use of meaning-making language
leader speak to leadership trust and employees’ did not influence employee trust toward the
psychological well-being. Trust toward the lead- leader; yet, it negatively influenced employees’
er is defined as the employees’ willingness to be psychological well-being (β =-.20, p<.01), which
vulnerable to the words, actions, and decisions suggests that vision, values, and cultural com-
of his or her supervisor (Williams, 2001). Em- munication might not be the most relevant and
ployees’ psychological well-being is defined to imperative to employees during the challenging
include a “hedonic” component that emphasizes pandemic times. In a mode of frustration, anx-
positive feelings, emotions, moods, and overall iety, and uncertainties, leaders’ communication
life satisfaction and a “eudaimonic” aspect that of irrelevant information could potentially com-
stresses purposeful experiences that provide di- plicate the issue and cause information overload
rections, meaningfulness, and self-fulfillment that backlashes. To cultivates trust and enhance
(Boniwell & Henry, 2007). employees’ psychological wellbeing, leaders
should prioritize information transparency, pro-
vide clear directions, guidance, and task param-
Method
eters as well as communicate empathy, compas-
To test the proposed conceptual model, an on- sion, care, and sensitivity to employees’ needs.
line survey was conducted with 391 full-time
employees in the U.S. recruited via Amazon Practical and social implications
Mechanical Turk in May 2020. The average age
Overall, this study advanced leadership commu-
of the respondents was 33.26 years (SD = 9.49).
nication and internal communication literature
Among the respondents, 64% were male and
and expanded the application of MLT to crisis
36% were female. The majority of respondents
times. The findings provide important practical
(88%) earned 2-year college degree or higher.
implications for internal communication pro-
Over 42% (42.7%) of them held positions in the
fessionals and organizational leaders who aspire
organization as middle-level management, fol-
to foster a trusting and psychologically healthy
lowed by non-management (34.6%), lower-level
workforce that can thrive over challenging times.
management (18.8%), and upper-level manage-
ment (3.8%). Measures of the study were all ad-
Keywords
opted from existing literature and demonstrated
satisfactory reliabilities. leadership communication, internal communica-
tion, motivating language theory, psychological
Results and conclusions well-being, COVID-19

Path analysis with demographic variables con-

trolled showed that leaders’ use of direction-giv-
ing language (β=.25, p<.001) and empathetic
language (β =.57, p<.001) both nurtured employ-
3 Abstracts 133

References
Boniwell, I., & Henry, J. (2007). Developing con-
ceptions of well-being: Advancing subjective,
hedonic and eudaimonic theories. Social Psy-
chology Review, 9(1), 3–18.
Brunetto, Y., Teo, S. T. T., Shacklock, K. &
Farr-Wharton, R. (2012). Emotional intelli-
gence, job satisfaction, well-being and engage-
ment: explaining organisational commitment
and turnover intentions in policing. Human
Resource Management Journal, 22(4), 428-441.
Mayfield, J., & Mayfield, M. (2018). Motivating
language theory: Effective leader talk in the
workplace. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.
org/10.1007/978-3-319-66930-4
Men, L. R., Jin, J., Mitson, R., & Vielledent, M.
(2022). Leadership communication during
turbulent times. In Falkheimer, J., & Heide, M.
(Eds). Research Handbook of Strategic Commu-
nication (pp. 366-383), Edward Elgar Publish-
ing
Walden, J. (2021). Enhancing employee well-be-
ing through internal communication. In Men,
L. R. & Tkalac Vercic, A. (Eds.). Current Trends
and Issues in Internal Communication: Theory
and Practice (pp. 149-164). Palgrave Macmil-
lan.
3 Abstracts 134

Does 360º communication promote

more sustainable behavior in
organizations?
Monteiro Mourão, Rita, Universidade Europea, IADE (Portugal)

Introduction and Purpose of the Study 2012). Therefore, in addition to vertical commu-
This research seeks to understand how commu- nication (i.e., between managers and subordi-
nication can influence the sustainable attitudes nates), horizontal communication (i.e., between
and behaviors of organizational actors. the various organizational actors) has also been
developing.
As such, we will consider the communication
climate that presents itself as horizontal, bidi- It is known that in organizations whose cultures
rectional and symmetrical, trying to understand tend to be more collaborative and where there is
how this influences managers and, consequent- greater power sharing, a specific type of commu-
ly, the attitudes and behaviors that employees nication tends to develop that is called support-
adopt. This is because it is known (it is justified ive communication. In a generic way, supportive
in the literature review chapter) that increasingly communication tends to be clear, precise, open
organizations seek managers who have a mento- and shared (Czech & Forward, 2010).
ring role, contrary to the authoritarian role. Our
question is: does this role facilitate the motiva- It is perceived, that in the case of supportive
tion that employees have for more sustainable communication, opinions are easily accepted by
attitudes and behaviors? others, making it effective for the interperson-
al relationships that are established between the
organizational actors (Czech & Forward, 2010;
Literature Review Larsen & Folger, 1993). In the literature, there
Contrary to what the traditional currents ad- has been an increase in the interest in studying
vocated, organizational communication can issues related to the communication that is es-
involve interaction processes. These processes tablished between managers and subordinates,
allow the transmission of ideas in several di- mainly due to the achievement of organization-
rections, namely, in a downward direction, in al goals that it may allow (Steele & Plenty, 2010;
an upward direction and in a lateral direction, Larsen & Folger, 1993). In addition, as of the
where the sender and the receiver of the mes- 21st century, the vision of leaderships as hold-
sage come to assume identical relevance within ers of command and power has been changing;
the organization. In this sense, organizational this notion has been replaced by the concepts of
communication can act at the level of all orga- coach, mentor, and facilitator (Johansson, 2015;
nizational actors (e.g. employees transmit infor- Johansson, 2018). For this very reason, the new-
mation to customers; managers provide instruc- est companies have been looking seeking an or-
tions to their supervisors) (Conrad & Poole, ganizational democracy in which all members
3 Abstracts 135

are involved in decision members in decision vertical, horizontal, bidirectional and symmet-
making (360-degree communication). This is rical, managers adopt a supportive communi-
where we understand the relevance of 360-de- cation and, in turn, employees assume that the
gree communication that can, in turn, lead to organization is more democratic and feel more
greater organizational democracy and, conse- motivated to adopt sustainable behaviors and to
quently, to more sustainable behavior by organi- represent the organization. That is, these three
zational actors. variables are related to each other and this rela-
tionship is a positive one.
H: The application of the 360-degree communica-
tion is positively related to a communication cli- Practical and Social Implications
mate of trust, openness and support and, leading The results of this study refer us to two funda-
to greater organizational democracy and more mental aspects in Public Relations.
sustainable behavior.
The first is related to the need for organizations
Methodology to assume “Excellent Public Relations”. This con-
The main objective of this study was to under- cept has been advocated by the author Grunig
stand which independent variables may be re- and is also related to sustainability.
sponsible for greater organizational citizenship
behaviors (more sustainable), on the part of This research gives us a possible path (even if
indirect) to motivate employees to adopt sus-
organizational actors. In this sense, we have as
tainable attitudes and behaviors and to represent
independent variable the “360-degree commu-
their organizations in this sense.
nication”, as mediator variable “the supportive
communication from managers” and as depen-
The second is related to the need to update the
dent variable the “sustainable behaviors of em-
concept of corporate social responsibility. It is
ployees”.
known that, nowadays, this concept is not only
related to environmental issues, but also to the
According to these variables we created a ques-
professional relationships that are established
tionnaire, taking into account different types among organizational actors.
of behavioral scales (corresponding to each of
the variables). We applied this questionnaire to
Keywords
managers and to employees. We obtained a total
of 800 responses. 360-degree communication; Organizational Ac-
tors; Sustainable behaviors
The answers to this questionnaire allowed us to
create an analysis model that establishes a rela-
tionship between the study variables (which we
explain briefly in the results)

Results and Conclusions

With the analysis of the questionnaire responses,
we were able to conclude that, in fact, 360-degree
communication is an important independent
variable. In companies where communication is
3 Abstracts 136

Perceptions about corporate

positioning on controversial
sociopolitical issues: Examining big
pharma engagement with patient
advocacy
Müller, Naíde, Catholic University of Portugal (Portugal)

The ideal of universal human rights is one of Edwards & Hodges (2011), L’Etang (2009, 2015),
the most relevant social and political legacies of O’Brien (2018, 2020) and, Weder (2021)—this
the 20th century (Clapham, 2015). In the scope paper conceptualizes PR as an “art of perception”
of this legacy, the United Nations 2030 Agenda with the capacity to influence the maintenance
for Sustainable Development was established in or disruption of social structures (Leaf, 2014). To
2015 as “a plan of action for people, planet, and achieve specific goals, organizations, companies,
prosperity” (United Nations, 2021). However, countries, and individuals face situations where
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights im- it is necessary to change perceptions. Although
plies a wide variety of other rights that are very this term can be associated with a manipulative
divisive and controversial (Moyn, 2010). Even dimension, there is nothing inherently wrong,
though it is generally accepted that corporations illegal, or immoral with the management of
are responsible for respecting human rights, too perceptions as it is present, in a more obvious
many times big companies still operate in a con- or subtle way, in many, if not all, forms of in-
text that fails to meet human rights standards terpersonal, organizational, and social commu-
set by the United Nations (Bacchi, 2018). Large nication. The way the facts are presented and
international enterprises, including the pharma- perceived is “what counts whenever a problem
ceutical industry, have severe reputational prob- must be solved, or an opportunity maximized,”
lems related to the challenging and complex bal- and different audiences perceive the same mes-
ance between their primary purpose (i.e., profit) sages differently (Leaf, 2014, p. 258).
and the way they address societal problems
(Leisinger, 2005; Gallup, 2019). There is recog- Many patient advocacy groups defending the
nition that these matters are related to the “pub- needs of people with a particular disease main-
lic’s perception” (Caliber’s Global Pharma Study, tain relationships with the pharmaceutical in-
2020). dustry, and the sector uses patient advocacy
groups as a channel to communicate with other
Aligned with the critical school of PR—which stakeholders such as governments and the me-
includes authors such as Adi (2020), Coombs & dia. In addition, pharma companies are prolific
Holladay (2012a, b), Demetrious (2006, 2013), financial donors to patient organizations (Kang
3 Abstracts 137

et al., 2019), ensuring that new drugs arriving on panies that financially support GAT as mainly
the market meet the needs of patients, thus sup- concerned with exchanging business-related in-
posedly fulfilling their responsibilities to society. terests. The companies presented a transactional
This research examines whether pharmaceutical vision of their engagement in social responsibili-
companies are perceived by patient advocacy ty and sustainability while avoiding engagement
groups as genuinely engaged in their struggles in human rights sociopolitical issues considered
for human rights. controversial.

Public relations have the potential to interfere The data obtained allow a practical understand-
and create changes in realities that are socially ing that these companies’ financial and technical
constructed based on symbolic interactions. In support does not replace (in the minds of stake-
the context of business, public relations contri- holders) the strength of their public endorse-
butions to issues related to human rights and ment and advocacy on complex sociopolitical
sustainability are often associated with corpo- and global concerns related to human rights
rate social responsibility (CSR). However, in the (corporate activism).
current highly volatile media environment, CSR
communication strategies are often perceived as Keywords
just dealing with image cleaning without a more
Public relations; corporate activism; controversial
robust commitment to socio-political causes
sociopolitical issues; perception management
and issues. Public relations professionals need
to deal with these new reputational risks. In this
context, some companies have advanced further
in their socially responsible initiatives. They are
supporting controversial causes related (or not)
to their core business, producing forms of cor-
porate activism on which the present research
focuses.

An ethnographic study was conducted—includ-

ing document analysis, 33 interviews, and par-
ticipant observation—with a patient advocacy
group, “Portuguese Activist Group for HIV/
AIDS Treatment” (GAT), for six months (Janu-
ary–June 2021). In addition, the CSR domains
on the websites of the seven pharmaceutical
companies that support GAT were also analyzed.

Findings suggest that despite financial and tech-

nical support, the pharma companies do not
publicly engage with GAT’s advocacy for break-
ing the stigma and stereotypes that affect people
infected by HIV or at risk of becoming infected
(migrants, prisoners, sex workers, drug users,
gay men, and others). The results indicate that
the study participants perceive the pharma com-
3 Abstracts 138

The Sustainability Communication

in Turkish Higher Educational
Institutions: Going Sustainable on
Mission and Vision Statements?
Öksüz, Burcu, Izmir Kâtip Çelebi University (Turkey)
Görpe, T. Serra, University of Sharjah (U.A.E.)

Introduction and purpose of the study environment and the interrelationship of the
(and RQs) environment with socioeconomic activities, as
our ability to progress and survive is affected by
The main objective of the study is to understand
them (McFarlane and Ogazon, 2011). The edu-
if public relations graduates are equipped with
cational processes should raise awareness of sus-
the knowledge of sustainability during their un-
tainable development and develop competencies
dergraduate studies. The analysis will be made
that enable people to participate in finding in-
on the public relations curriculums of three
novative solutions to economic, social, techno-
countries in Spain, Türkiye and the United Arab
logical, and cultural problems (Michelsen and
Emirates, including public and private univer-
Fischer, 2017).
sities which have a public relations program.
Sustainability knowledge and behaviour is im- The students of higher education represent a
portant because human, social, economic and population with the intellectual ability to absorb
environmental factors- the four pillars of sus- many dimensions of the concept of sustainabil-
tainability- are the key for the future. There are ity (Sibbel, 2009). It could be said that for some
studies conducted which highlight the courses professions the sustainability awareness and
that need to be included in a public relations knowledge is more vital because of the nature
curriculum. The authors of the research paper and power of the profession. Public relations is
claim that sustainability education should be an one of these areas. Public relations practitioners
inevitable component of today’s public relations take on various roles in responding to publics’
programs because of the role and function of a concerns and also increase the sustainability of
public relations professional. institutions (Jeong and Park, 2017).

Literature review Methodology

According to Székely and Knirsch (2005, p. A mixed methodology is used, combining con-
628) “Sustainability is about building a society tent analysis of the academic content of the
in which a proper balance is created between undergraduate PR programs published on the
economic, social and ecological aims.” Today, universities’ websites and semi-structured inter-
we must be more educated and aware of our views conducted with public relations educators.
3 Abstracts 139

For the selection of the sample, 30 universities Practical and social implications
will be included in the analysis from the three The research will shed light how different coun-
countries- Spain, Turkey, and UAE- based on tries’ public relations programs are considering
the Times Higher Education (THE) world 5 sustainability education currently. It is expected
public and top 5 private universities. The analy- that the public relations program planners and
sis will take into consideration whether there are public relations educators take into consider-
specific courses titled sustainability, or whether ation sustainability in public relations educa-
sustainability is mentioned in any other cours- tion by updating/adjusting the curriculums. The
es in the public relations curriculums. In addi- study will also provide insights on how to best
tion to the content analysis, a total 15 interviews integrate sustainability to public relations edu-
(5 from each country) will be carried out with cation.
public relations educators to understand how
sustainability should be integrated into public
Keywords
relations curriculums, and why, whether there
had been issues in integrating sustainability in Public relations, sustainability education, public
the courses, and the approach of public relations relations curriculum, higher education.
students to sustainability. The semi-structured
interviews will be conducted with public rela- References
tions educators, who are offering sustainability
Jeong, J., & Park, N. (2017). Core elements for
courses and/or others.
organizational sustainability in global markets:
Korean public relations practitioners’ percep-
Results and conclusions tions of their job roles. Sustainability, 9(9),
The research has not yet completed. Results 1646.
will allow us to find out if sustainability knowl- McFarlane, D. A., & Ogazon, A. G. (2011). The
edge is given to public relations students at the challenges of sustainability education. Journal
high-ranking universities’ public relations pro- of Multidisciplinary Research, 3(3), 81-107.
grams, whether there is a difference in this re-
spect between public and private universities, Michelsen, G., & Fischer, D. (2017). Sustainabil-
and whether the sustainability content is prepar- ity and education. In M. v. Hauff & C. Kuhnke
ing (or not) the future public relations profes- (Eds), Sustainable development policy (pp. 135-
sionals to manage sustainable communication 158). Routledge.
in organisations. Semi-structured interviews Sibbel, A. (2009). Pathways towards sustain-
with educators will help us to understand their ability through higher education. Internation-
experiences with sustainability teaching, the al Journal of Sustainability in Higher Educa-
importance of sustainability for public relations tion, 10(1), 68-82.
profession and also the training needs they may
Székely, F., & Knirsch, M. (2005). Responsible
have identified in the field of sustainability and
leadership and corporate social responsibility:
public relations teaching.
Metrics for sustainable performance. Europe-
an Management Journal, 23(6), 628-647.
3 Abstracts 140

Sustainable body image: fitspiration,

overweight, and body positivity
Ortová, Nina, Charles University (Czech Republic)

Introduction and Purpose of the Study exposure to fitspiration content and body im-
In 2000, the World Health Organization de- age measures or associated variables (e.g., ap-
clared obesity a worldwide pandemic – and the pearance comparison suggest that the so-called
status has not changed to date. Only in Czechia, “fitspiration” content on social media be poten-
60% of the population is considered overweight tially harmful, especially to the younger popula-
or obese (Eurostat data from 2019, last updat- tion. Slater et al. (2017) then offer a solution to
ed 2022). It is then no surprise that both tradi- that in the form of combining self-compassion
tional and social media in the country dedicate quotes and fitspiration images, which might be
a significant space to topics connected to body “attenuating the negative impact of social media
weight. However, there has been a shift in body on women’s body satisfaction” (ibid). Moreover,
image perception in Czechia. At the turn of the in their work, Mulgrew & Courtney (2022) and
21st century, traditional media saw dieting with Mulgrew et al. (2018) proposed that exposure to
minimum references to exercise as a solution to realistic videos of exercising women who were
weight-gain, and an overweight person would engaged in a local health campaign “produced
traditionally not be pictured in a positive light higher intent to engage in exercise in the fol-
on the cover of a lifestyle magazine. Twenty lowing week.” In the more recent work, the au-
years later, exercise is the most commonly rec- thors also called upon other researchers to dive
ommended activity for maintaining a healthy into the area of creating inspirational content
lifestyle (Ortová, 2023), and at the same time, – for functional self-care encouragement. In my
and with the expansion of social media – move- work, I intend to follow this invitation indirectly.
ments such as body positivity have become a
topic even in the mainstream press. Methodology
To this date and my knowledge, no researcher
Literature Review has yet directly asked the question “How do peo-
Various researchers (esp. Cohen et al., 2019; ple with Body Mass Index (BMI) over 25 who
Mulgrew et al., 2017; Mulgrew & Courtney, use social media perceive body positivity in con-
2022) confirmed that body positivity move- nection to fitness?” This idea also comes from
ments contributed to the better mental health Cohen’s (2019) work, where she discusses that
of overweight people and raised the level of so- when “fat girls” say they can exercise, they usu-
cial acceptance of different bodies. On the other ally picture yoga as the primary form of exercise.
hand, Jerónimo & Carraça, (2022)but emerging I conducted hour-long semi-structured inter-
research indicates that exposure to it can have a views with 10 Czech women aged 18-34 during
negative impact on body image. This study aims December, 2022. This age group was selected be-
to analyze the relationship between individuals’ cause of Instagram’s leading user group (Statista,
3 Abstracts 141

2023). The women must fit in the BMI 25+ cat- Practical and Social Implications
egory and had to express to be active Instagram
users and interested in body positivity content. This study shows that further research in the
In the interviews, they were asked about their field is needed to promote healthy behavior on
perceptions of their own body and what body social media and to motivate overweight influ-
positivity means to them. Most importantly, encers to share their fitness journey. Also, it pro-
they evaluated fitness content from in total four vokes further debate on re-evaluation of fitness
body-positive influencers with BMI over 25 and weight-loss communication towards overweight
under 25. The picture instrument created by Pul- people.
vers et al. (2004) was used to estimate the BMI of
the selected influencers. The participants of the
Keywords
study were acquainted with the sensitivity of the
topic and signed an ethical approval. body positivity, fitness communication, social me-
dia, Instagram, body image
Results and Conclusions
The first thing the participants described was
not a body-positive approach but a body-neu-
tral approach of being thankful that their bod-
ies´ functionality. Also, most of these women
said they regularly exercise and follow fitness
content. However, they rather connect this con-
tent to thin or muscular influencers than those
suffering from being overweight. When being
shown these two types of influencers, they most-
ly sympathized with the overweight ones and
chose them as more likely to follow. On the oth-
er hand, the preliminary results of my research
showed that fitspiration does not necessarily
mean that it would be demotivating for over-
weight women, as some of them still considered
the fitspiration content more likely to follow.
Also, for the participants, overweight people in
fitness content are fine if the person shown is not
morbidly obese.

The limitation of the study its qualitative form

which cannot transfer the results to the whole
population. Also, some participants might not
have shared their genuine opinions due to the
topic’s sensitivity. Using the BMI might be per-
ceived as a simplification of body weight and
body image evaluation, however, in medical
terms, this is still considered a primary scale
used by the medical public in Czechia.
3 Abstracts 142

Corporate Social Innovation &

Strategic Communication: Cross-
fertilized Model Proposal
Pedro Sebastião, Sónia, Universidade de Lisboa, ISCSP, CAPP/FCT (Portugal)
Melchiades Soares, Andreia, Universidade de Lisboa, ISCSP, CAPP/FCT (Portugal)

Companies are social actors that operate in com- gic investment that companies manage (such as
plex and fluid markets and can transform social other corporate projects), applying their total
problems into economic opportunities. Under assets and knowledge through deeper collabo-
constant social and financial monitoring, glob- ration internally - across functions within the
al corporate strategies are developed based on company - and externally (NGO, Government,
societies’ expectations about their contribution among others). CSI aims to co-create something
to the common good. Corporate Social Innova- new, providing sustainable solutions to social
tion (CSI) is yet another concept becoming rel- needs. CSI is motivated to address social needs
evant in social responsibility and value creation in a long-term way (Samidi et al., 2021) and
imperatives, mainly in sociology, technological deliberately allocates resources for that matter
innovations and economics (Mustapha et al., (Mirvis et al., 2016). The growth and evolution
2021). of CSI are a response to institutional pressures
to enhance their legitimacy (Dionisio & Raupp
Consequently, companies must balance corpo- de Vargas, 2020), boosting cross-fertilization
rate purpose, reputation, and strategy with local between commercial and social efforts in a bidi-
realities and social needs to achieve their social rectional way. In our opinion, CSI as a collabora-
and corporate purposes. CSI should produce tive and synergistic effort (Popoli, 2017) requires
new revenue sources and generate a more social- strategic communication for stakeholder rela-
ly relevant innovation system and corporate cul- tionship management and social and environ-
ture that leverage competitive advantage (e.g., mental monitoring. Thus, CSI relies on Environ-
Herrera, 2015; Kanter, 1999; Mirvis et al., 2016). mental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria
Literature about CSI is still meagre once this and grasps into the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
concept overlaps with many existing theoretical Development.
backgrounds posing understanding problems
(Tabares, 2020). Additionally, its management A general bibliographic search on Mendeley
tends to be complicated due to sparse literature with the expression “Corporate Social Innova-
on institutional mechanisms for integrating so- tion” yielded 56 results in peer-reviewed scien-
cial innovation into strategy and operations (Di- tific articles with an open period. These papers
onisio & Raupp de Vargas, 2020). date from 2013 to 2022. Among the outlets,
there is a predominance of journals from Busi-
CSI is envisaged as a development of CSR since ness (e.g., Journal of Business Research, Business
CSI has a strategic intent. It represents a strate- and Society, Journal of Business Ethics, Journal
3 Abstracts 143

of Business Strategy, International Business Re- Acknowledgment

view) and sustainability and social responsibili- This work is supported by Portuguese national
ty (e.g., International Journal of Innovation and funds through FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e
Sustainable Development, Corporate Social Re- a Tecnologia, under project UIDB/00713/2020.
sponsibility & Environment Management, So-
cial Responsibility Journal).
Disclosure statement
Given the lack of strategic communication refer- No potential conflict of interest was reported by
ence publications, a new search was done in the the author(s).
EBSCO database without significant additional
results. The expression did not appear in any pa-
per title. Lim & Lee (2022) mentions “Corporate
Social Innovation” in the article’s keywords. A
search with the expression “creating shared val-
ue” returned results equally scanty, highlighting
the article by Chen et al. (2020).

Because of these results and given the configura-

tion of the Corporate Social Innovation Model
proposed by the Rutgers Institute for Corporate
Social Innovation (Wirtenberg, 2021), a ques-
tion arises: how can strategic communication
scholars contribute to the understanding of Cor-
porate Social Innovation?

This is a conceptual paper; we aim to discuss and

parallel strategic communication / public rela-
tions models and the CSI model and highlight
how to combine them, influencing academia
and practice. Building a cross-fertilized model
may help to identify case studies for future re-
search.
3 Abstracts 144

Strategic communication as a
transformative approach in the context
of sustainable development
Pleil, Thomas, Hochschule Darmstadt – University of Applied Sciences (Germany)
Otsa, Teresa, Hochschule Darmstadt – University of Applied Sciences (Germany)
Helferich, Pia Sue, Hochschule Darmstadt – University of Applied Sciences (Germany)

Introduction and purpose of the study crisis and the aim of a sustainable future. One
From a constructivist and structuralist point of reason for this phenomenon is, that the knowl-
view, communication in all its facets is the lim- edge we need for sustainable actions depends
iting factor as well as the enabling factor in so- more on scientific expertise and prognosis than
cial processes, such as sustainable development. on practical experiences (Amlinger & Nachtwey
Thus, we argue for a strategic communication 2021). Considering the deep and comprehensive
(SC) approach, which is open for social issues transformation towards a sustainable society, a
and values and aims to bring about a change to- strategic communication approach is needed,
ward sustainability in companies and in society. which allows for complexity as well as connect-
While PR approaches usually focus on selling ing and enabling the interaction between actors
outcomes and disseminating information from in the sense of community building and with the
an organization to its stakeholders, this stra- aim of supporting social change.
tegic communications approach understands
communication more as a (social) process with At the same time, there is a call for communica-
transformative power through building institu- tion science to be not only normative but trans-
tions. In this paper, we outline different types formative (Krüger & Meyen 2018). A Transfor-
of sustainability communication and design a mative strategic communication approach can
model of Transformative Strategic Communica- help practitioners and researchers to identify the
tion (TSC). challenges and opportunities as well as develop
new concepts for strategic communication to
Literature review face today’s urgent and relevant problems and
crises. Furthermore, this approach can provide
On the one hand, strategic communication is a framework for analyzing how the practice and
mostly analyzed at the meso-level of organiza- function of SC are changing and evolving in the
tions and from an economic perspective, and context of transformation.
society-based research is still lacking (Pleil et al
2021). On the other hand, sociology discusses
Methodology
that while we have more and better education
as well as modern technologies, we have less In this conceptional paper we argue that the
knowledge about reality due to increasing com- sustainable transformation is depending strong-
plexity, especially in the debate about the climate ly on the public communication system, com-
3 Abstracts 145

munication strategies, and different enhancing Practical and social implications

roles like change agents (WBGU 2011). So far, Sustainability communication by companies has
the role of media has been the main topic of dis- so far mostly been understood either as report-
cussion in this context (Beiler & Krüger 2018). ing or as an opportunity for the positioning in
However, it also seems necessary to take a closer the sense of marketing or image building. TSC,
look at the role of strategic communication. We on the other hand, involves the will to shape de-
will present case studies based on guided inter- velopments in the corporate environment. This
views and document analysis to contribute to a goes together with the widespread desire for
concrete understanding of the concept of TSC. more social impact of companies, as the current
Trust Barometer shows (Edelman 2023). At the
Results and conclusions same time, TSC offers great potential, especially
As a result, we propose a draft concept of Trans- when used by public institutions. However, the
formative Strategic Communications (TSC). The approach requires strategies and competencies
case studies offer first learnings of a transforma- on the part of the actors, which still need to be
tive approach of communication. In line with explored in greater detail.
Krüger & Meyen (2018) we argue for a shared
responsibility of strategic communication also Keywords
for social change in the sense of sustainable Strategic Communication, Sustainability, Social
transformation. Elements from the fields of Transformation, Sustainable Development
campaigning, change communication and social
psychology are incorporated into TSC. However,
it is also necessary to discuss how TSC should be
designed so that it allows broad participation by
social groups. From a theoretical point of view,
references to transformative science as well as to
the organic theory of PR (Vujnovic et al 2021)
can be discussed.
3 Abstracts 146

Understanding and Navigating the

Shift Toward a Purpose-Driven
Sustainable Marketing Strategy: The
Implications for Communications with
Internal and External Stakeholders
Prabhu, Jaideep, University of Cambridge (UK)

Introduction and purpose of the study 2015; Hollensbe et al. 2014; Mayer 2021; Salem
Recently, a growing number of for-profit firms Khalifa 2012). In the context of for-profit firms,
have begun joining non-profits and hybrid in- this concept is increasingly viewed as a firm’s
stitutions in defining an organizational purpose reason to exist that pursues “profitable solutions
that goes beyond profit maximization as their to the problems of people and planet” (British
primary objective to also include environmental Academy 2018, p. 10; Mayer 2021). In framing
and social goals. This article examines the shifts our investigation, we adopt and build on this
in marketing strategy that occur when firms perspective.
adopt and prioritize an organizational purpose
that recognizes, but also transcends, traditional Methodology
financial performance outcomes to include en- This paper combines in-depth interviews with
vironmental and social objectives. Such shifts insights from extant writings and academic
have substantial theoretical and managerial sig- literature to develop an understanding of how
nificance but remain unexamined in the litera- prioritizing an organizational purpose impacts
ture. Specifically, we address the following ques- marketing strategy. Employing a grounded, dis-
tions: How does prioritizing an organizational covery-oriented approach, we identify specific
purpose shape marketing strategy? How does a changes in marketing strategy that result from
firm navigate the transition to a purpose-driven
a purpose-driven approach. We also develop a
marketing strategy, and what role does marketing
process model describing how firms transition
play in the transition? What are the implications
to a purpose-driven marketing strategy. Final-
for firms’ communication with internal and ex-
ly, we explore how different stages in the transi-
ternal stakeholders?
tion process can affect important firm outcomes
including brand reputation, financial perfor-
Literature review mance, and performance towards the firm’s pur-
A review of the academic literature reveals in- pose. Throughout the paper, we use our findings
creasing interest in the concept of organization- to generate propositions that provide a template
al purpose (Gartenberg, Prat, and Serafeim 2019; for future marketing research on organizational
Gioia et al. 2013; Henderson and Van den Steen purpose.
3 Abstracts 147

Results and conclusions Practical and social implications

First, our analysis reveals that adopting and pri- Purpose-driven marketing strategy entails the
oritizing an organizational purpose shifts the formulation and implementation of marketing
overarching goal of marketing strategy as well as efforts to guide both internal and external stake-
its formulation, implementation and evaluation. holders in ways that lead to the achievement of
the purpose-relevant wellbeing outcomes. More
Second, our research into the transition process specifically, marketing strategies need to proac-
to purpose-driven marketing reveals a critical- tively seek, shape, and switch both internal and
ly important distinction between a firm’s desire external stakeholders to help with the pursuit of
to pursue a purpose-driven marketing strategy the purpose and the achievement of purpose-rel-
(purpose-intent) and the extent to which a firm evant wellbeing outcomes. This places the mar-
enacts a purpose-driven marketing strategy (pur- keting function in the role of being a key change
pose-enactment). This distinction is important agent within the firm. Once a firm has started
because it sheds light on different states of or- on its purpose-journey and marketing strategy
ganizational tension that manifest as a firm ma- has started to prioritize wellbeing outcomes,
tures in its pursuit of a purpose-driven market- marketing activity needs to further facilitate
ing strategy. this transition, encouraging the unconverted
with narratives and proof points, and bolstering
Third, this paper develops propositions regard- the position of those who already support being
ing the drivers of tension states, and the impact purpose-driven.
of tension states on important firm outcomes
including wellbeing performance, brand reputa- Keywords
tion, and financial performance.
Organizational Purpose, Purpose-driven Market-
ing Strategy, Wellbeing, Organizational Tension
Limitations and future research
This paper uses a combination of in-depth in- References
terviews, extant artifacts, and archival data to
Gartenberg, Claudine, Andrea Prat, and George
develop theory regarding how becoming pur-
Serafeim (2019), “Corporate Purpose and Fi-
pose-driven impacts marketing strategy. Our
nancial Performance,” Organization Science
propositions need to be empirically examined
30(1):1-18.
and tested by future research. Moreover, our
sample was primarily made up of large, incum- Gioia, Dennis A., Shubha D. Patvardhan, Aimee
bent, for-profit firms. Our literature review sug- L. Hamilton, and Kevin G. Corley (2013), “Or-
gests that the framework we develop, and the ganizational Identity Formation and Change,”
propositions we propose, should hold for oth- Academy of Management Annals, 7 (1), 123–
er types of organizations as well. Nevertheless, 93.
future research should examine the extent to Henderson, Rebecca and Eric Van den Steen
which this is true. (2015), “Why Do Firms Have “purpose”? The
Firm’s Role as a Carrier of Identity and Rep-
utation,” American Economic Review, 105 (5),
326–30.
3 Abstracts 148

Hollensbe, Elaine, Charles Wookey, Loughlin

Hickey, Gerard George, and Cardinal Vincent
Nichols (2014), “Organizations With pur-
pose,” Academy of Management Journal, 57 (5),
1227–34.
Salem Khalifa, Azaddin (2012), “Mission, Pur-
pose, and Ambition: Redefining the Mission
Statement,” Journal of Strategy and Manage-
ment, 5 (3), 236–51.
3 Abstracts 149

Diversity, equity and inclusion: A

study on communication practices for
a more sustainable workplace
Ravazzani, Silvia, Università IULM (Italy)
Fisichella, Chiara, Università IULM (Italy)
Butera, Alfonsa, Università IULM (Italy)
Mazzei, Alessandra, Università IULM (Italy)

Introduction and purpose tas-Özkan et al., 2014). It also acknowledges the

As underlined in the call for papers, the main critical role of communication, which has been
purpose of public relations is the synchroniza- previously described as essential to frame poli-
tion of organizations with their environments, cy aspects and adapt to the sensitivity of diverse
in normal times as well as in response to crises groups inside and outside the company (Maier
and changes. Crises and changes can contrib- & Ravazzani, 2021). Despite this, studies on di-
ute to accelerating companies’ pathway towards versity-focused communication are still sporad-
sustainability, like those engendered by the re- ic, with few exceptions examining internal (e.g.,
cent COVID-19 pandemic which prompted a Wolfgruber & Einwiller, 2023) and external
renewed emphasis on work-life balance, inclu- (e.g., Maier & Ravazzani, 2021) communication,
sion and sustainable work practices. This paper which calls for additional research.
addresses the theme of public relations and sus-
tainability by focusing on diversity, equity and Methodology
inclusion (DEI) corporate strategies with an eye
The empirical research is based on the accounts
on internal and external communication prac-
tices sustaining DEI efforts in organizations. of 21 managers and professionals responsible for
DEI and/or with communication-related roles
from 13 Italian companies. Qualitative data
Literature review
were collected through 4 focus groups and 2
DEI research and practice have been recently interviews carried out between September and
gaining ground in different national contexts November 2022.
driven by sociodemographic changes, exem-
plary initiatives by multinational companies, Results and conclusions
common goals set by the 2030 Agenda for Sus-
tainable Development, and the already cited re- Results show the characteristics and recent evo-
newed expectations of employees generated by lutions of DEI corporate strategies in the studied
the COVID-19 crisis (see e.g., Mazzei, Quarati- organizations by detailing: objectives and ra-
no & Ravazzani, 2021). This study builds on re- tionale behind the policy; diversity dimensions
search on DEI corporate strategies and the link addressed; HR, internal and external communi-
between DEI and sustainability/CSR (e.g., Kara- cation practices; dedicated structure and roles;
3 Abstracts 150

planning, budget, and measurement; involve- is rather a valuable investment in the sustain-
ment of top managers, middle managers and ability of a company” (Jablonski, 2017, in Maier
employees at all levels; challenges in managing & Ravazzani, 2019, p. 281).
and communicating DEI.
Keywords
In summary, the analysis revealed that organi-
diversity, equity and inclusion, sustainability, in-
zations pursue DEI mainly for reputation-build-
ternal communication, external communication
ing purposes, with a view to preserving the rela-
tional capital and avoiding crises among various
stakeholders. Internally, DEI strategies focus on References
employees’ well-being and psychological safety, Karatas-Özkan, M., Nicolopoulou, K., &
work effectiveness and innovation. Externally, Özbilgin, F.M. (2014), Corporate social re-
DEI strategies focus on attracting and retaining sponsibility and human resource management:
talent, understanding the diversity of markets, A diversity perspective. In Karatas-Özkan, M.,
and generating a positive impact on society from Nicolopoulou, K. and Özbilgin, F.M. (Eds),
a corporate social responsibility perspective. Corporate Social Responsibility and Human
Resource Management. A Diversity Perspective,
In many cases, DEI was presented as part of the Edward Elgar Publishing, pp. 1-9.
broader corporate sustainability strategy, often
Maier, C. D., & Ravazzani, S. (2021). Framing di-
with the person responsible for it working with-
versity in corporate digital contexts: A multi-
in the Sustainability department.
modal approach to discursive recontextualiza-
tions of social practices. International Journal
Internal communication was described as key
of Business Communication, 58(4), 463–489.
for creating awareness about DEI practices, sup-
porting cultural change, and listening to inter- Mazzei, A., Quaratino, L., & Ravazzani, S.
nal needs. Surprisingly, external communication (2021). Internal crisis communication in the
appeared not so extensively leveraged to avoid time of Covid-19 pandemic. Company strate-
the risk of “diversity washing”. gies and working experience of employees. Fran-
coAngeli.
Future research is needed to enlarge the number Wolfgruber, D. & Einwiller, S. (2023), Diversity,
of companies and experiences considered as well inclusion, and communication: The role of in-
as to clarify the contextual factors shaping an ternal communication in creating an inclusive
organization’s DEI strategy in accordance with work environment. In Rodríguez-Salcedo, N.,
environmental demands and specifically with Moreno, Á., Einwiller, S. and Recalde, M. (Ed.),
sustainability pressures. (Re)discovering the Human Element in Public
Relations and Communication Management in
Practical implications Unpredictable Times (Advances in Public Rela-
This study offers tools and reflections that com- tions and Communication Management, Vol.
munication and DEI managers can use for effec- 6), Emerald Publishing Limited, pp. 81-97.
tive strategizing and for devising effective fram-
ing and discursive strategies, keeping in mind
that “the communication of DM (diversity man-
agement) is challenging as it is not only focusing
on anti-discrimination and social objectives but
3 Abstracts 151

The Place of Sustainability in Public

Relations Education in Spain, Turkey
and the United Arab Emirates: A
Preliminary Study
Ruiz-Mora, Isabel, University of Malaga (Spain)
Öksüz, Burcu, University of Sharjah (U.A.E.)
Görpe, T. Serra, University of Sharjah, Izmir Kâtip Çelebi University (Turkey)

Introduction and purpose of the study we must be more educated and aware of our
(and RQs) environment and the interrelationship of the
environment with socioeconomic activities, as
The main objective of the study is to understand
our ability to progress and survive is affected by
if public relations graduates are equipped with
them (McFarlane and Ogazon, 2011). The edu-
the knowledge of sustainability during their un-
cational processes should raise awareness of sus-
dergraduate studies. The analysis will be made
tainable development and develop competencies
on the public relations curriculums of three
that enable people to participate in finding in-
countries in Spain, Türkiye and the United Arab
novative solutions to economic, social, techno-
Emirates, including public and private univer-
logical, and cultural problems (Michelsen and
sities which have a public relations program. Fischer, 2017).
Sustainability knowledge and behaviour is im-
portant because human, social, economic and The students of higher education represent a
environmental factors- the four pillars of sus- population with the intellectual ability to absorb
tainability- are the key for the future. There are many dimensions of the concept of sustainabil-
studies conducted which highlight the courses ity (Sibbel, 2009). It could be said that for some
that need to be included in a public relations professions the sustainability awareness and
curriculum. The authors of the research paper knowledge is more vital because of the nature
claim that sustainability education should be an and power of the profession. Public relations is
inevitable component of today’s public relations one of these areas. Public relations practitioners
programs because of the role and function of a take on various roles in responding to publics’
public relations professional. concerns and also increase the sustainability of
institutions (Jeong and Park, 2017).
Literature review
According to Székely and Knirsch (2005, p. Methodology
628) “Sustainability is about building a society A mixed methodology is used, combining con-
in which a proper balance is created between tent analysis of the academic content of the
economic, social and ecological aims.” Today, undergraduate PR programs published on the
3 Abstracts 152

universities’ websites and semi-structured inter- Practical and social implications

views conducted with public relations educators. The research will shed light how different coun-
For the selection of the sample, 30 universities tries’ public relations programs are considering
will be included in the analysis from the three sustainability education currently. It is expected
countries- Spain, Turkey, and UAE- based on that the public relations program planners and
the Times Higher Education (THE) world 5 public relations educators take into consider-
public and top 5 private universities. The analy- ation sustainability in public relations educa-
sis will take into consideration whether there are tion by updating/adjusting the curriculums. The
specific courses titled sustainability, or whether study will also provide insights on how to best
sustainability is mentioned in any other cours- integrate sustainability to public relations edu-
es in the public relations curriculums. In addi- cation.
tion to the content analysis, a total 15 interviews
(5 from each country) will be carried out with
Keywords
public relations educators to understand how
sustainability should be integrated into public Public relations, sustainability education, public
relations curriculums, and why, whether there relations curriculum, higher education.
had been issues in integrating sustainability in
the courses, and the approach of public relations References
students to sustainability. The semi-structured
Jeong, J., & Park, N. (2017). Core elements for
interviews will be conducted with public rela-
organizational sustainability in global markets:
tions educators, who are offering sustainability
Korean public relations practitioners’ percep-
courses and/or others.
tions of their job roles. Sustainability, 9(9),
1646.
Results and conclusions
McFarlane, D. A., & Ogazon, A. G. (2011). The
The research has not yet completed. Results challenges of sustainability education. Journal
will allow us to find out if sustainability knowl- of Multidisciplinary Research, 3(3), 81-107.
edge is given to public relations students at the
high-ranking universities’ public relations pro- Michelsen, G., & Fischer, D. (2017). Sustainabil-
grams, whether there is a difference in this re- ity and education. In M. v. Hauff & C. Kuhnke
spect between public and private universities, (Eds), Sustainable development policy (pp. 135-
and whether the sustainability content is prepar- 158). Routledge.
ing (or not) the future public relations profes- Sibbel, A. (2009). Pathways towards sustain-
sionals to manage sustainable communication ability through higher education. Internation-
in organisations. Semi-structured interviews al Journal of Sustainability in Higher Educa-
with educators will help us to understand their tion, 10(1), 68-82.
experiences with sustainability teaching, the
Székely, F., & Knirsch, M. (2005). Responsible
importance of sustainability for public relations
leadership and corporate social responsibility:
profession and also the training needs they may
Metrics for sustainable performance. Europe-
have identified in the field of sustainability and
an Management Journal, 23(6), 628-647.
public relations teaching.
3 Abstracts 153

Academic publications create

sustainable knowledge in funded
projects
Ruoslahti, Harri, Laurea University of Applied Sciences (Finland)
Hytönen, Eveliina, Laurea University of Applied Sciences (Finland)

Introduction and purpose of the study for innovation and Operations) task Societal im-
This paper describes an approach where the sus- pact assessment, where the focus of knowledge
tainability of externally funded projects can be creation were individual studies that each aimed
increased by creating knowledge by first focusing at publishing an academic paper. These individ-
on academic publications that then lead to more ual studies produced an emerging and collective
specified knowledge toward needed official out- body of knowledge that was then condensed
comes and deliverables. Funded projects are ex- and referenced when producing task outcomes
pected to output project results, new knowledge and writing its three official deliverables. This
for innovation, and project communication and same approach is now taken in the DYNAMO
dissemination. The research question is: How (Dynamic Resilience Assessment Method in-
can academic publishing promote knowledge cluding combined Business Continuity Manage-
development in externally funded projects? ment and Cyber Threat Intelligence solution for
Critical Sectors) project work package Dynamic
Literature review business continuity: resilience assessment & AI-
based solutions.
Co-creation involves communication and inter-
action (Gustafsson, Kristensson & Witell 2012).
Knowledge creation can be approached from the Results and conclusions
perspective of co-creation, where collaboration Under the efforts of ECHO Societal impact as-
requires communication among multiple actors sessment there have been 15 academic articles
(Galvagno & Dalli 2014, Pirinen 2015). In the published, with 14 authors involved. These ac-
context of externally funded projects knowledge ademic publications were then used to generate
can be conceptualized as value (Ruoslahti, 2019). content for the needed deliverables of the task.
Effective multistakeholder communication and This practical project approach example demon-
collaboration is essential for reputation and con- strates that focusing first on can be a very valid
tinuity management (Knight & Nurse 2018). and rewarding way of knowledge creation in the
context of funded projects. Besides these official
Methodology funded ECHO efforts, the project provided op-
The method of this study is participatory action portunities for student learning, as the total body
research. Project ECHO (the European network of knowledge were elaborated and enrichened
of Cybersecurity centres and competence Hub by six bachelor’s theses and 150 ECTS.
3 Abstracts 154

Practical and social implications Keywords

First, where appropriate, this approach serves to Academic articles, Funded projects, Dissemina-
promote knowledge creation and transfers. An tion, Public relations
additional practical implication of these results
is that project output communication can be Literature
used to help guide and focus project input and
Galvagno, M. & Dalli, D. 2014. Theory of val-
throughput communication, and work efforts in
ue co-creation: a systematic literature review,
ways that promote knowledge creation and dis-
Managing Service Quality, vol. 24, no. 6, 643-
semination in academic forums. These academic
683.
publications may also serve individual authors
as part of their doctoral studies and as overall Gustafsson, A., Kristensson, P. & Witell, L. 2012.
academic merit. On a wider note, authored ac- Customer co-creation in service innovation: a
ademic publications provide an excellent basis matter of communication? Journal of Service
project public relations as practical dissemina- Management Vol. 23 No. 3, 2012, 311-327.
tion messages, professional articles, and web, Knight, R. & Nurse, J. R. 2020. A framework for
newsletters, or blog posts. The academic impli- effective corporate communication after cyber
cations are an increased academic visibility. All security incidents. Computers & security, vol.
these implications help promote the sustainabil- 99, 2020, p. 102036, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
ity of the project and its results. cose.2020.102036.
Pirinen, R. 2015. Studies of Externally Funded
Research and Development Projects in Higher
Education: Knowledge Sources and Transfers.
Creative Education, 2015, 6, 315-330.
Ruoslahti, H. 2019. Co-creation of knowledge
for innovation in multi-stakeholder projects.
University of Jyväskylä.
3 Abstracts 155

Green communication and moral

outrages in the context of revisited
Situational Crisis Communication
Theory
Selakovic, Marko, S P Jain School of Global Management (U.A.E.)
Ljepava, Nikolina, American University in the Emirates (U.A.E.)
Ljepava, Angela, University of Waterloo (Canada)

Introduction and purpose of the study nication. Green communication is a significant

The purpose of the study is to examine rele- contributor to the development of moral legit-
vance and application of green communication imacy of an organization (Seele & Gatti, 2017).
practices in management of the key elements At the same time, revelations of environmen-
of cognitive appraisals that lead to moral out- tally irresponsible behaviors or unethical green
rages associated with the crises. The study aims communications, such as greenwashing, are
identified as possible sources of crises (Coombs
to identify if and how green communication is
& Holladay, 2015). This is especially relevant as
used to mitigate both crisis risks and emergence
the concern about the involvement and practic-
of moral outrage. Additionally, the study aims
es of organizations regarding environmental is-
to differentiate between ethical and unethical
sues has been raised significantly in the recent
green communication practices in the context
years, with stakeholders becoming increasingly
of their impact on corporate legitimacy and val-
sensitive and critical towards the companies that
ue congruence between an organization and its
do not respect the environment (Pizzetti et al.,
stakeholders.
2020).
Literature review
Revisited Situational Crisis Communication
Contextualized within the legitimacy theory Theory (Coombs & Holladay, 2022) suggests
(Scherer et al., 2013), three types of legitimacy inclusion of the moral outrage as a cognitive
contribute to the development of corporate le- appraisal associated with the theory. The mor-
gitimacy: cognitive, pragmatic, and moral legiti- al outrage has three key elements: assessment of
macy. Cognitive legitimacy is based on common situation as negative, appraisal of responsibility,
assumptions of an organization’s societal envi- and perception of injustice and greed. Moreover,
ronment. Moral legitimacy relies on judgments Coombs and Holladay (2022) indicated the need
about the organization, its behavior, and ethics. of redefinition of the response strategies to the
Pragmatic legitimacy is based on the percep- crises that generate high moral outrage and
tion of key stakeholders related to their personal highlighted an importance of questioning value
benefit from corporate activities and commu- congruence between the stakeholders and orga-
3 Abstracts 156

nizations during such crises. munication practices.

Methodology Analyzing in the context of application of

green communication to respond to the cri-
A document analysis has been deployed to
ses described in the revisited Situational Crisis
identify the role of green communications in
Communication Theory, the literature evidence
the context of crisis response. Total of 66 cases,
indicates that companies can use green com-
including 26 described in the research articles,
munication to address the crises that come with
and 40 cases identified in publicly available me-
high moral outrage, such as scansis and man-
dia databases and websites, had been included in
agement misconduct. Green communication, if
the research.
company practiced it ethically, can help to ad-
dress both need for ethical base response and
Each case has been analyzed from the ethical
acknowledgement of the moral violations. In
perspective of green communication practice
addition, ethical green communication can be
(ethical or unethical communication) and as-
used during and after crisis to reduce the risk of
sociated with a particular element of the crisis
questioning the value congruence between the
development or response, as described in the re-
stakeholders and the organization, and conse-
visited Situational Crisis Communication Theo-
quently represents potentially powerful element
ry (Coombs and Holladay, 2022). Further, sen-
of the bolstering strategy.
timent analysis has been deployed for the cases
that are possibly associated with negative aspect
of triadic appraisal of the moral outrage. Practical and social implications
The study provides guidelines to communica-
Results and conclusions tion practitioners about possible usage od green
communication in primary and secondary crisis
The document analysis of research publications
response strategies described in the Situation-
and media content reviewed within this study
al Crisis Communication Theory (Coombs &
indicated a significant role of green communica-
Holladay, 2022). Moreover, the study offers the
tions in the context of the moral outrage triadic
evidence about possible negative reputational
appraisal discussed in the reformulated Situa-
impact of unethical green communication prac-
tional Crisis Communication Theory. Unethical
tices and exposures of irresponsible behaviors
green communication, such as greenwashing
during the crises. It also depicts how such prac-
or various forms of misleading corporate green
tices and behaviors contribute to the generation
claims, occurs as active contributor, or, in cer-
and development of high moral outrages related
tain cases, as a key source of development of
to the crises.
negative aspect of an appraisal, consequently
leading to crises that generate high moral out-
rage. Moreover, findings of the study indicate Keywords
that companies are using green communication green communication, crisis communication, Sit-
to mitigate the responsibility, that is identified as uational Crisis Communication Theory
second critical element of the triadic appraisal.
Further, green communication is used as a tool
to address the issues related to the perception of
injustice and greed, when the crisis is not caused
by environmental issues or unethical green com-
3 Abstracts 157

References
Coombs, T., & Holladay, S. (2015). CSR as cri-
sis risk: expanding how we conceptualize the
relationship. Corporate Communications: An
International Journal, 20(2), 144-162.
Coombs, W. T., & Holladay, S. J. (Eds.).
(2022). The handbook of crisis communication.
John Wiley & Sons.
Pizzetti, M., Gatti, L., & Seele, P. (2021). Firms
talk, suppliers walk: Analyzing the locus of
greenwashing in the blame game and intro-
ducing ‘vicarious greenwashing’. Journal of
Business Ethics, 170(1), 21-38.
Scherer, A. G., Palazzo, G., & Seidl, D. (2013).
Managing legitimacy in complex and hetero-
geneous environments: Sustainable develop-
ment in a globalized world. Journal of manage-
ment studies, 50(2), 259-284.
Seele, P., & Gatti, L. (2017). Greenwashing re-
visited: In search of a typology and accusa-
tion‐based definition incorporating legitimacy
strategies. Business Strategy and the Environ-
ment, 26(2), 239-252.
3 Abstracts 158

Ways to Foster Internal Communities:

Harnessing the Power of Effective
CSR Communication
Shen, Hongmei, San Diego State University (USA)
Jiang, Hua, Syracuse University (USA)

Introduction and Purpose Literature Review

Organizations are increasingly expected to con- Following the community approach to inter-
tribute to social good. Corporate social respon- nal public relations by Shen and Jiang (2021),
sibility (CSR) initiatives are examples of such we argue that organizations and employees are
contributions. Organizations have attempted to both members of internal communities regard-
align their CSR activities with business goals and ing CSR. The role of public relations is to foster
actively communicated to stakeholders about and sustain communities. Such communities are
such activities, often in the hopes of improving “created and dissolved by voluntary individuals
organizational reputation and brand values. A and/or organizations with shared experiences,
key audience of such CSR communication is em- interests, identities and norms” (Shen & Jiang,
ployees. Internal CSR communication has been 2021, p. 420). When organizations engage in in-
tied to positive employee outcomes, including ternal CSR communication that is informative,
relevant, transparent, consistent, factual, and
enhanced job performance and creativity. Theo-
non-promotional to their employees, employees
retical frameworks such as the excellence theory,
are likely to feel enabled, supported, and empow-
relationship management theory, and dialogue
ered. These internal CSR agents will potentially
theory have been commonly applied in CSR
derive a sense of community regarding perti-
communication research in public relations. In
nent CSR issues. These community agents will
this paper, we introduce an alternative frame-
ultimately be more satisfied at work and show
work to help shed light on the mechanisms to higher levels of contextual performance.
sustain employee CSR involvement. Adopting a
community approach (cf. Shen & Jiang, 2021), The key concepts involved in our study are ef-
internal CSR communication can help enable fective internal CSR communication, employee
and empower employees to become active agents CSR agency, employee sense of CSR community,
who are essential internal community members. employee job satisfaction and contextual perfor-
Strong internal CSR communities could natural- mance. Effective internal CSR communication
ly drive employees’ job satisfaction and volun- is informative, relevant, transparent, consistent,
tary citizenship behaviors towards other internal factual, and non-promotional. Such effective
community members. communication could enable employees to be
more involved in CSR. Their CSR agency can be
manifested first as self-efficacy, or beliefs in their
3 Abstracts 159

ability to enhance their organization’s CSR activ- Keywords

ities for example. Also, such agency of internal Community approach, effective CSR communica-
community members can demonstrate as peer tion, employee CSR agency, sense of community,
CSR support and members’ opportunity to pro- employee behaviors
vide input and contribute to their organizations
in terms of CSR. Employees’ sense of agency will
References
likely activate their sense of community, which
in turn enhances their job satisfaction and con- Shen, H., & Jiang, H. (2021). Rethinking internal
textual performance. public relations: Organizations and publics as
community members. Journal of Public Rela-
Methodology tions Research, 33(6), 415-428.
We will conduct an online survey, using partici-
pant pools from a market research company. All
measures have been previously validated. IRB
approval has been secured. Data collection will
take 2-3 weeks to complete. We expect data anal-
ysis, including descriptive statistics and struc-
tural equation modeling analysis, to be done in
March. Our full manuscript will be prepared in
late Spring.

Results and Conclusion

We expect to identify the role of effective CSR
communication in building and sustaining in-
ternal communities on CSR issues. The cama-
raderie could have a transformative impact on
individual employees’ positive feelings as well as
actual voluntary behaviors at work.

Practical and Social Implications

We hope to add empirical evidence to the com-
munity approach to public relations. With re-
lationship-building and dialogue tools at their
disposal, public relations professionals are fully
capable of strengthening communities of various
sizes and bringing different groups to work to-
gether toward common community goals. Such
community-enhancing work can easily tran-
scend organizational and national boundaries as
people seek creative and sustainable solutions to
social-economic issues that impact us all.
3 Abstracts 160

Toward Sustaining an Alumni

Community: The Role of Identity and
Agency on Alumni Engagement
Shen, Hongmei, San Diego State University (USA)
Northup, Temple, San Diego State University (USA)

Introduction and Purpose the drivers (e.g., identity strength and salience)
As the world becomes increasingly polarized and outcomes (alumni engagement) of alumni’s
and distrust surged, scholars have envisioned individual agency.
different ways that public relations can contrib-
ute to the common good. For example, Shen and Individual agency highlights community mem-
Jiang (2021) renewed the call for a community bers’ ability to disrupt community rules, pro-
approach to public relations, echoing the prop- cesses, and values, or choose not to do so (Shen
osition by Kruckeberg and Starck (1988) that & Jiang, 2021). Alumni’s identity strength refers
public relations should be about restoring and to their identification with an academic unit as
maintaining a sense of community. On the other a part of their self-description whereas identity
hand, recent research (e.g., Ni & Shen, 2023) on salience denotes the relative importance of such
publics highlighted the importance of people’s an identification to their total sense of self. Re-
identity, particularly their identity salience, in search has shown that more salient and stronger
influencing their perceptions, motivations, and group membership could increase individual’s
even behaviors. Therefore, guided by the com- self efficacy, a component of individual agen-
munity approach, our study sought to identify cy. Empowered community members often are
ways to sustain communities in such times of more active actors in community life.
turmoil. Specifically in the higher education
context, we examined the ways in which alum-
ni’s identity strength and salience impacted Methodology
their sense of agency and ultimately their en- We distributed an online survey among a U.S.-
gagement behaviors. based academic unit’s alumni database. A total
of 217 alumni completed the survey in Spring
Literature Review 2022, with validated measures on five-point
Adopting the seven tenets of community ap- Likert-type scales. We performed descriptive
proach by Shen and Jiang (2021), grounded in statistics to develop profiles of participants, a
responsive communitarianism, we believe that a series of hierarchical regression to identify con-
core pillar of community development is com- trol variables, and a two-step structural equation
munity members’ individual agency. Integrating modeling analysis to test the hypotheses.
literature from intercultural communication,
sociology, and public relations, we investigated
3 Abstracts 161

Results and Conclusion Practical and Social Implications

The alumni identified strongly with the academ- Extending our findings beyond a higher educa-
ic unit (M = 4.43, SD = .75), but their identity sa- tion setting, we believe that community build-
lience was moderate (M = 3.11, SD = 1.24). Their ing remains an effective way to strengthen social
level of agency was also moderate (self-efficacy: cohesion and reduce conflict and polarization.
M = 3.72, SD = .93; peer support: M = 3.47, SD Organizations and publics are all members of
= 1.02; ability to influence: M = 3.16, SD = 1.00). the larger communities, bound by agreed-upon
The alumni reported lower levels of instrumen- and renegotiated community rules and norms.
tal engagement (M = 1.49, SD = .62) and com- Enabled and empowered institutional and indi-
municative engagement (M = 1.49, SD = .76) but vidual community members can sustain growth
a moderate level of affective engagement (M = and creativity as they work towards common
3.19, SD = .99). All measures were highly reli- goals. Public relations professionals are key to
able, with alpha values ranging from .77 to .95. this participatory process.

Based on hierarchical regression results, age was Keywords

controlled for in the follow-up two-step struc-
Community development, identity strength, iden-
tural equation modeling analysis. Confirmatory
tity salience, agency, alumni engagement
factor analysis yielded satisfactory results, with
good model fit index values and high loadings of
items on their respective factors. Second-order References
structural phase analysis results revealed that Kruckeberg, D., & Starck, K. (1988). Public rela-
both identity strength (path = .53, p < .001) and tions and community: A reconstructed theory.
identity salience (path = .32, p < .001) were sig- Praeger.
nificant predictors of individual agency, which
Ni, L., & Shen, H. (2023). A cultural ap-
in turn significantly impacted alumni engage-
proach to understanding publics and their
ment (path = .84, p < .001). Indirect effects re-
information behaviors during COVID-19:
sults showed that individual agency was a sig-
Self-construal and identity salience. Journal
nificant mediator between the identity variables
of Public Relations Research, 35(1), 1-16. doi:
and alumni engagement.
10.1080/1062726X.2022.2149533
In conclusion, alumni’s identity with an academ- Shen, H., & Jiang, H. (2021). Rethinking internal
ic unit and the salience of such an identity could public relations: Organizations and publics as
activate their agency, including self efficacy, community members. Journal of Public Rela-
sense of peer support, and ability to influence the tions Research, 33(6), 415-428.
organization. Empowered alumni agents would
be more likely to engage with the academic unit,
including guest lecturing, mentoring, providing
career opportunities, attending events, commu-
nicating, and feeling enthusiastic and excited
about the organization.
3 Abstracts 162

Internal and External Aspects of

Sustainability Communication. An
investigation of CSR reporting and
media coverage in different industries
2020-21
Sievert, Holger, Macromedia University of Applied Sciences Cologne (Germany)
Hetzel, Esther, Macromedia University of Applied Sciences Cologne (Germany)
Meißner, Florian, Macromedia University of Applied Sciences Cologne (Germany)

Introduction and purpose of the study Literature Review

According to the conference call of papers, crises As a theoretical framework of this paper, the
and change are driving forces behind the Pub- conceptualization of sustainability was dealt
lic Relations profession and sustainability is the with. It was pointed out again that already at the
ability of a system to maintain continuity over end of the 20th century more and more crises
time. It therefore seems more and more import- hit the world. Based on this, the urgency has
ant that companies include sustainability com- become apparent that technologies and social
munication on a professional level in their focus. organizations must be improved to improve sus-
This is necessary in order not only to maintain tainability (WCED, 1987). Furthermore, it has
their (and at the end our all) simple existence on been mentioned that corporate communication
the long run, but first also to implement sustain- of companies has a significant impact on the
ability on a normative level all over their organ- company’s reputation (Cornelissen, 2004; Van
isation including external stakeholders and thus Riel & Fombrum, 2007). Subsequently, the 17
to develop positively. But how sustainable are Sustainable Development Goals of the United
sustainability reporting and sustainability relat- Nations will be used to analyse them intensive-
ed media relations of companies? What are the ly by applying them to the subject of the study.
sustainability issues they are focussing on? And However, according to Pradhan et al. (2017), the
what the differences on the topics mentioned difficulty here is to be able to measure the suc-
can be observed between different countries or cess of the implementation of SDGs in compa-
industries? This paper will present two explor- nies in a target-oriented manner.
atory studies addressing these and other ques-
tions: On the one hand, the study examines sus-
Methodology
tainability issues in companies’ (self) reporting
in Europe and the U. S., and on the other hand, The first study examines if, and to what extent,
it analyses the sustainability media reporting on the UN’s 12 Sustainable Goals are represented
different industries in Germany. in formal reporting of the German Stock Index
3 Abstracts 163

DAX 30 and the listed companies on the Dow All in all, the two explorative studies show a
Jones Industrial Index. Applying a quantitative high degree of necessary differentiation regard-
analysis, financial and non-financial documents ing industries, self-representation, and media
(n= 314) from 2019 to 2020, and website sec- reporting as well as across national contexts. Of
tions (n= 230), concentrating on Values, CSR, course, the two studies have several limitations:
Sustainability, SGDs, and Covid-19, are ana- For instance, the two studies had to follow part-
lysed. This data collection process took place ly different research designs although they were
from May 1, 2020, to May 25, 2020. based on the same theoretical foundations and
approaches.
Study two contains a research question which
examines how and to what extent does the me- Practical and social implications
dia report on the topic of sustainability in the
The paper once again demonstrates the impor-
financial, media and sports industry in Germa-
tance of sustainability issues for corporations
ny. Therefore, a quantitative analysis was used
and their communications around the globe. It
as the research design, based on thematic query
also shows that some industries, including the
by media intelligence service “Press Relations”.
media industry, still need to catch up. The study
The codebook as a measurement tool includes,
can serve as „food for thought” for companies
in addition to baseline data, acting persons, such
and academics: It can help them to better un-
as internal and external actors, how the different
derstand the implications and dynamics of SDG
SDGs were addressed, and, of course, the indus-
communication. To act really professional in
tries. The study was conducted in the period No-
this context and not to focus only on very small
vember 1, 2020, to October 31, 2021. Numerous
aspects near to “greenwashing” is a really im-
of articles (n=1017) which include daily news-
portant task for the future!
papers, magazines and trade journals in Germa-
ny, Austria, and Switzerland, were examined.
Keywords
Results and conclusions Sustainability, CSR, ESG, Public Relations, Com-
munications
The results of the first study show differences
among DAX and DJ listed companies in regard
of their SDG representation: German companies
have a higher general reference to SDGs than
American corporations that focus much more
on their own industries.

Study two found a distinct reporting on sustain-

ability issues across three different industries:
The least coverage on SDG issues during the an-
alysed period could be found within the sports
industry; the most intensive and positive media
reporting was observed in the finance industry;
in the media industry there was the highest cov-
erage on peace and justice issues.
3 Abstracts 164

“Personal” Influence in “Public”

Relations Practices: Evidence from
Italy
Sriramesh, Krishnamurthy, University of Colorado (USA)
Valentini, Chiara, University of Jyvaskyla (Finland)

Introduction and Purpose of the Study exploded as well as the interest in these digital
Personal influence is one of the most ubiqui- natives’ use of personal influence (e.g., Bakker,
tous, and arguably powerful, tools that humans 2018; Freberg et al., 2011; Khamis et al., 2017).
of every culture use. Public relations practi- The four models of public relations offered by
tioners also use personal influence in leveraging Grunig and Hunt (1984), that dominated public
relationships with their stakeholders – perhaps relations literature at least for three decades, only
much more so than they would like to admit. Yet, focused on mass-mediated communication. It
scholarship in our field has paid scant attention was only when the models were tested outside
on how personal influence is leveraged for dif- the Western countries that the extensive use of
ferent public relations purposes in different cul- personal influence via practitioners’ own inter-
tural contexts. Most studies have been restricted personal relationships with stakeholders were
to a few countries of Asia. To widen the focus identified (Chen and Chen, 2004; Chow and
of public relations scholarship vis-à-vis personal Ng, 2004; Hung, 2004, Sriramesh, 1988, 1992,
influence, this study empirically investigated the Huang, 1990). Personal influence refers to the
presence, and use, of personal influence among capacity of certain individuals to obtain some-
Italian public relations professionals. thing by counting on their relations with other
individuals. Sriramesh and Fisher (2021) in re-
viewing public relations literature focused on
Literature Review personal influence argue that public relations is
The importance of personal influence has re- connaturally a profession about persuasion, and
ceived greater recognition in allied commu- persuasion is often elicited through personal in-
nication disciplines than in public relations fluence as a part of relationship building effort
even though public relations practitioners rely undertaken by public relations professionals. To
heavily on their personal connections to get be effective, personal influence depends on the
professional work done. Early communication status, trustworthiness, and credibility of indi-
theorizing such as the two-step-flow in mass viduals in a reciprocal relationship (Toth 2000).
communication (Katz and Lazarsfeld, 1955), Mutual and beneficial relationships with stake-
and the diffusion of innovations (Rogers, 1962) holders build trust and credibility and “both of
and subsequent studies showed the important which are necessary when trying to persuade, in
role of opinions leaders in influencing public a non-normative sense, various stakeholders to
perceptions of media messages. In recent years, take an action, attitude, or stance” (Sriramesh
the phenomenon of social media influencers has and Fisher, 2021, p. 338). Hence, personal influ-
3 Abstracts 165

ence as a dimension of relationship management Practical and Social Implications

is also a strong indicator of successful public The study helps us understand how Italian pro-
relations (Toth, 2000), and can lead to positive fessionals leverage their personal influence in
organizational outcomes (e.g., Gallicano, 2009; their daily public relations activities. Further, it
Valentini, 2009; White et al., 2010). helps us delineate differences in the manifesta-
tions of this ubiquitous public relations tool in
Methodology difference cultures. These key dimensions help
A survey was conducted through a self-adminis- us advance the body of knowledge of public re-
trated, web-based questionnaire and was devel- lations.
oped from earlier studies investigating personal
influence in public relations literature. Survey Keywords
participants included public relations profes- Personal influence public relations, public rela-
sionals across the three major sectors: public/ tions in Italy, personal influence strategies
government, non-profit, and for-profit private
sectors.

Results and Conclusions

The findings show the presence and regular use
of personal influence by professionals from all
sectors to cultivate interpersonal relationships.
Personal influence is considered a personal re-
source and used to leverage own influencing
power. The findings also document four major
manifestations of personal influence, that were
named: relational closeness strategy, engagement
strategy, expertise strategy, and added value
strategy. Although there a few overlaps, many of
these manifestations are distinctly different from
personal influence identified by earlier studies,
especially from Asia. This lends credence to our
assumptions that personal influence is not lim-
ited to Asian or non-Western cultures and that
personal influence is pragmatic and effective as
a public relations tool.
3 Abstracts 166

Internal communication channel

trends, the energy crisis and
sustainability: Can a middle ground be
found in South Africa?
Sutton, Lucinda B, North-West University (South Africa)
Le Roux, Tanya, Bournemouth University (UK)

Introduction and purpose of the study Sustainable internal communication (not com-
During Covid-19 the importance of internal municating about sustainability) is the next
communication as a lifeline for organisations, challenge. For internal communication, as a
were highlighted once again. However, since the business function to stay viable it needs to re-
flect the sustainability agenda of the organisa-
pandemic further seemingly incompatible chal-
tion within its own operations. Although the
lenges for internal communication has arisen,
sustainability agenda suggests a wider definition
like the energy crisis, and the question of sus-
than just environmental impact (UN 2023), the
tainability.
preservation of natural resources and limiting
their environmental footprint is the focus of this
The emergence of an energy crisis impacting on
study.
electricity provision, which in turn impacts on
technology use in communication, has been op-
This study aims to understand how the above-
posing increasing technological advances. Var-
mentioned elements contribute to new trends in
ious countries face rolling electricity blackouts.
internal communication, by analysing longitudi-
Some examples include developing countries
nal data gathered from internal communication
like Pakistan, India and South Africa. However,
practitioners and consultants in South Africa.
the phenomenon is not limited to developing
countries. Austria, Switzerland and the UK, as
some examples of developed countries has also Literature review
started to prepare for possible blackouts (Evans The study is conducted from a systems and re-
2023; World Population Review, 2023). In South flective approach and will use a multi-dimen-
Africa, Eskom (the South African national elec- sional theoretical framework to accommodate
tricity utility), is unable to supply power to the the complex research context. Elements from
entire country at the same time, necessitating the following theories will be incorporated in
loadshedding (a blackout schedule by rotating the theoretical framework: stakeholder relation-
the available electricity between consumers) in ship management theory, strategic communica-
blocks of 4–6 hours at a time. As a result, elec- tion management theory, technological accep-
tronic means of communication becomes al- tance model, uses and gratification theory and
most obsolete. sustainability theory.
3 Abstracts 167

The baseline study that would provide informa- therefore provided clear goal achievement value,
tion to the research is Sutton’s (2020) PhD in specifically where internal communication de-
which she found: (1) that the South African en- partments have to compete for funding.
vironment is the major driver impacting on how
internal communication is executed, and (2) the However, the strong move back to printed forms
preference for electronic internal communica- of internal communication seems to oppose the
tion channels, which did not reflect stakeholder sustainability agenda. Interestingly, very few in-
needs. terviewees mentioned a concern for sustainabil-
ity and prioritised it lower than the need to get
Methodology their message across.
A qualitative, longitudinal method will be used
by comparing the pre-pandemic data (gathered Practical and social implications
by Sutton in 2019) to data gathered after the pan- Lessons learnt from this research could extend
demic and during the electricity crisis (in 2022). to internal communication practitioners in oth-
A qualitative longitudinal research method was er countries facing, or potentially facing, similar
seen as appropriate for this study, as it explores challenges.
the respondents’ views over time and during dif-
ferent challenging environmental challenges. Finding a sustainable way of communicating
through printed material in the context of an
The same ten internal communication practi- energy crisis could not only help the internal
tioners at the Top 500 companies in South Afri- communication departments be more business
ca, as well as the eight internal communication relevant, but help the internal communication
consultants in South Africa that were purposive- department strategically contribute to the over-
ly selected, were again used in the study. all organisation’s sustainability goals.

Results and conclusions In addition, future studies could investigate this

challenge within the wider sustainability discus-
South African organisations are struggling to
sion, as per the UN definition.
implement and adopt new technology trends.
Internal communication practitioners and con-
sultants highlight that most organisations (in Keywords
different industries) experience a lack of free Internal Communication; Internal Communica-
WiFi in the workplace, access to smartphones, tion Channels; Energy crisis; Sustainability
and unequal levels in training and literacy, over
and above the electricity outages. References

The above then leads to the post-pandemic Evans, E. 2023. UK Blackouts. https://www.
trend to move back to traditional forms of in- edinburghnews.scotsman.com/read-this/uk-
ternal communication, such as town hall meet- blackouts-the-exact-times-your-house-could-
ings (where possible) and printed media, which face-hours-of-power-cuts-this-winter-amid-
more closely resembles the stakeholder needs. energy-crisis-3888951 Edinburgh News, 26
Interviewees argued that, even more than face to Jan 2023.
face opportunities, printed media ensured their Sutton, LB. 2020. A framework for strategic in-
messages reaching the internal stakeholders. It ternal communication management in South
3 Abstracts 168

Africa, based on current trends [Afrikaans]

[online]. Thesis (Phd). North-West Univer-
sity. Available from: https://repository.nwu.
ac.za/bitstream/handle/10394/36349/Sutton_
LB.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
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cessed 26 Jan 2023]
3 Abstracts 169

The impact of corporate social

responsibility on brand loyalty and
employer brand reception: The
mediating role of brand authenticity
Špoljarić, Anja, University of Zagreb (Croatia)
Dropulić, Branka, University of Zagreb (Croatia)
Tkalac Verčič, Ana, University of Zagreb (Croatia)

Introduction and purpose of the study nization’s employer brand.

For quite some time researchers have focused
on the way organizations conduct their business With major changes that are happening all
in terms of being socially responsible (Aguinis around, consumers are becoming more aware of
& Glavas, 2012). Publics tend to recognize the how businesses, both positively and negatively,
way organizations manage their business prac- impact the world. For them to perceive an or-
ganization’s corporate brand as positive, they
tices, and they tend to positively reciprocate
require organizations to strive towards respon-
when an organization’s business focus shifts
sible business practices. When organizations
from profit-driven to environmental, social and
communicate how they achieve CSR, external
governance (ESG) framework (Tkalac Verčič &
publics gain an insight into how an organization
Sinčić Ćorić, 2018). However, this is only possi-
ensures positive impact on an environmental
ble when an organization’s corporate social re-
and societal scale by creating sustainable gover-
sponsibility (CSR) is authentic, and is perceived
nance. This, in turn, creates positive perception
as such (Alhouti et al., 2016).
of an organization and increases brand loyalty
(Tkalac Verčič & Sinčić Ćorić, 2018).
The question that arises is whether it is possible
to build employer brand perception and loyalty
ESG oriented business practices are becoming
based on corporate social responsibility without
increasingly more important among younger
understanding the role of brand authenticity?
generations of consumers, since negative impact
on environment and society leads to greater un-
Literature review certainty about their future (Spiegelhalter et al.,
While CSR research has extensively dealt with 2011). These consumers, especially generation
customer-based outcomes (Aguinis & Glavas, Z, require organizations to be responsible and to
2012), we argue that CSR indeed does impact transparently communicate their responsibility.
customer’s perception of an organization, espe- Less and less are they willing to support and as-
cially within ESG-oriented generation, but at the sociate themselves with brands that evade their
same time it is responsible for shaping an orga- environmental and societal responsibility (Dabi-
3 Abstracts 170

ja et al., 2019). It is, therefore, crucial to deter- Bibliography

mine whether brand authenticity drives loyalty Aguinis, H., & Glavas, A. (2012). What we know
to an organization, as determined by both brand and don’t know about corporate social respon-
loyalty and perceived employer attractiveness sibility: A review and research agenda. Journal
among ESG-oriented generation. of Management, 38(4), 932-968. https://doi.
org/10.1177/0149206311436079
Methodology
Alhouti, S., Johnson, C. M., & Holloway, B. B.
In order to determine whether ensuring authen- (2016). Corporate social responsibility au-
tic perception of CSR can drive loyalty, both thenticity: Investigating its antecedents and
among customers and potential employees, we outcomes. Journal of Business Research, 69(3),
will conduct structural equation modelling. We 1242-1249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbus-
are in the process of collecting data, using pre- res.2015.09.007
viously validated scales that measure customer’s
perception of CSR, perceived brand authenticity, Dabija, D. C., Bejan, B. M., & Dinu, V. (2019).
brand loyalty and employer attractiveness. Data How sustainability oriented is Generation Z in
is being collected among generation Z, which we retail? A literature review. Transformations in
identified as the generation whose primary focus Business & Economics, 18(2), 140-155.
are sustainable business practices, to determine Spiegelhalter, D., Pearson, M., & Short, I. (2011).
if positive CSR perception drives their loyalty. Visualizing uncertainty about the future.
Science, 333(6048), 1393-1400. https://doi.
Results and conclusion org/10.1126/science.1191181
We are still in the process of data collection. We Tkalac Verčič, A., & Sinčić Ćorić, D. (2018).
will complete our research and conduct the ap- The relationship between reputation, employ-
propriate analysis before June 30th 2023. er branding and corporate social responsibil-
ity. Public Relations Review, 44(4), 444-452.
Practical and social implications https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2018.06.005

Results of the study aim to determine the impor-

tance of communicating, and participating in,
CSR and ESG oriented business practices with
the intent to create loyal customers and poten-
tial employees among ESG oriented generation
of consumers.

Keywords
Corporate social responsibility; environmental,
social, governance; brand authenticity; brand loy-
alty; employer brand.
3 Abstracts 171

Environmental, Social and Governance

(ESG). Just a “public relations
exercise”?
Thompson, Gareth, University of the Arts London (UK)

Introduction and purpose of the study Literature review

The Environmental, Social and Governance In a report on the ESG opportunity for PR,
(ESG) framework for corporate planning and Waddington and White (2021) reminded prac-
reporting is 20 years old next year. Since a 2004 titioners that there is “no bigger issue” to which
meeting of the United Nations and a group of they should be attending and went on to identi-
financial institutions in Switzerland, ESG has fy eight areas where they could assist clients or
matured from a nascent corporate social respon- their own organisation with PR tasks that are re-
sibility initiative to a significant new asset class lated to ESG. Yet the relationship between public
for sustainable investing. In Europe alone, ex- relations and ESG is not always positive. One re-
change-traded funds (ETFs) invested with ESG cent analysis conceded that while ESG emerged
principles had inflows of €51bn ($54bn) in 2022, partially as an extension of CSR activity and
accounting for 65 percent of all fund flows ac- had made widespread impact in some fields, for
cording to analysis from Morningstar (Human, many companies, it was no more than “a public
2023). relations exercise” (Daugaard and Ding, 2022).

Despite this momentum, in January 2023, 21 Methodology

Republican state attorneys-general in the US be-
The methodology used in this paper is an anal-
gan a legal and media attack at corporate proxy
ysis of the public relations discourse used by the
advisers over their ESG-compliant recommen-
campaigners against ESG that have emerged in
dations for state pension funds and other invest-
the last five years. The study is based on a search
ments tied to climate and social goals. Specifi-
of press statements, online and print news cov-
cally, the campaign has warned ISS and Glass
erage using ProQuest to gather a corpus.
Lewis against making voting recommendations
based on net zero carbon emissions goals. This
paper offers an assessment of the argumentation Results and conclusions
used by this new generation of campaigners and The concerted campaign by Republican state at-
influencers against ESG principles who have torneys-general in the US is a case of one part of
emerged in since 2020 and the public relations the US government (Republican attorneys gen-
argumentation used to promote and defend eral at state level) actively campaigning against
ESG. the guidance and proposed policy of another,
the US Securities and Exchange Commission
(SEC). The argumentation used by opponents
3 Abstracts 172

of ESG in their public relations discourse has Keywords

combined populist and legal contentions. The ESG, environment, sustainability, investment.
populist discourse is that the actions of fund
managers who pursue ESG strategies are making
References
ordinary citizens poorer: “Your actions threaten
the economic value of our states’ and citizens in- Daugaard, D. and Ding, A. (2022) Global Driv-
vestments and pensions – interests that may not ers for ESG Performance: The Body of Knowl-
be subordinated to your social and environmen- edge. Sustainability 2022, 14(4) 1-21.
tal belief ”. Human, T. (2023) European ESG ETFs grab 65
percent of inflows in 2022, finds Morningstar.
Practical and social implications IR Magazine, 13 January.
The ESG framework for investment has become Waddington, S. and White, J. (2021) The ESG
an enduring and effective driver of corporate Opportunity for PR, Vuelio, 4 May. Available
change towards sustainability in the face of the at: https://www.vuelio.com/uk/blog/research-
climate emergency. ESG has also been posi- and-report-what-is-esg-and-what-is-the-op-
tioned by the United Nations (UN) as central to portunity-for-public-relations/
the corporate response to the UN’s Sustainable
Development Goals. Analysis of public relations
discourse in this study suggests lines of argu-
ment that ESG proponents could use to counter
the “local versus global” argumentation that is
being used by US Republicans and other oppo-
nents of ESG.
3 Abstracts 173

Attitudes towards sustainable

development and employer brands:
Comparing generations X, Y and Z, in
two countries
Tkalac Verčič, Ana, University of Zagreb (Croatia)
Verčič, Dejan, University of Ljubljana and Herman & partnerji (Slovenia)

Introduction and purpose of the study Literature review:

Sustainable development is defined as “develop- As economic, social, technological, and demo-
ment that meets the needs of the present without graphic changes are reshaping the environment,
compromising the ability of future generations organizations need to focus their attention on
to meet their own needs” (Brundtland Commis- employees, current and potential. The aim for
sion, 1987, p. 47) and has the aim of uniting the organizations should be to develop values with
interests of economic growth and environmental which employees can identify and through that
protection (Cho et al., 2021). It is a part of cor- ensure involvement, loyalty, and long-term suc-
porate social responsibility and has an econom- cess. Sustainable development plays an import-
ic, social, and environmental dimension (Choi ant role in organizations employer branding and
& Ng, 2011). A part of managing sustainable how potential (and current) employees perceive
organizations is communicating organization- it. Those potential employees are increasingly
al commitment to it (Godemann & Michelsen, recruited from the new, younger generations.
2011). There is a growing stream of research on Though analyzing the relationship between these
sustainability communication, as well as its posi- areas seems quite logical and obvious, there is
tive outcomes, such as enhancing organizational not much research in the area (Rzemieniak et
reputation (Park & Cameron, 2013), increasing al., 2021). The research that can be found is re-
intention to purchase (Choi & Ng, 2011), or af- lated to CSR and job attractiveness (Turban &
fecting employer brands (Rzemieniak & Wawer, Greening, 1997) or CSR perception and employ-
2021), especially for the new generations enter- er attractiveness (Tkalac Verčič & Sinčić Ćorić,
ing the workforce. The main goal of this study 2017). There is a lack of cross-generational and
was to contribute to the understanding of the multinational comparison towards sustainabil-
connection between attitudes towards sustain- ity (Brand et al., 2022). In this paper we focus
able development communication and attitudes on Generations X, Y and Z. We test if the con-
towards employer brands. We wanted to test this nection between attitudes towards sustainable
relationship and see if it is affected by nationality development and employer attractiveness varies
and age. according to 1) generation; and 2) nationality.
Although the literature is inconclusive about the
potential effects, we expect a differential impact
3 Abstracts 174

of both generation and nationality. Brand, B. M., Rausch, T. M., & Brandel, J.
(2022). The Importance of Sustainability As-
Methodology pects When Purchasing Online: Comparing
Generation X and Generation Z. Sustainabili-
To answer the research question, we will use
ty, 14(9), 5689.
two sets of items for measuring attitudes (to-
wards sustainable development and employer Brundtland Commission. (1987). Our common
brands). Attitudes towards sustainable develop- future. The brundtland report. Oxford, UK:
ment will be measured with 5 items developed World Council on Sustainable Development.
by TNS Kantar (Bask et al., 2020), and attitudes Cho, M., Park, S. Y., & Kim, S. (2021). When an
towards employer brands will be measured with organization violates public expectations: A
4 items used for the measurement of ethics and comparative analysis of sustainability commu-
CSR dimension (a part of the Employer brand nication for corporate and nonprofit organiza-
scale by Tanwar and Prasad, 2016). We will use a tions. Public Relations Review, 47(1), 101928.
purposeful stratified sample from three genera-
tions (x, y, and z) in two countries (Croatia and Godemann, J., & Michelsen, G. (2011). Sustain-
Slovenia). ability communication–an introduction (pp.
3-11). Springer Netherlands
Results and conclusion Park, S.-A., & Cameron, G. T. (2013). Proactive
environmental risk communication: Science
The study tests an implicit progressivist assump-
reporters’ evaluation of for-profit corpora-
tion in sustainability discourse that support for
tions’ sustainability communication. PRism,
sustainability in general is inversely proportion-
10(1), 1–16.
al with age and economic development.
Rzemieniak, M., & Wawer, M. (2021). Employ-
Practical and social implications: er branding in the context of the company’s
sustainable development strategy from the
The main practical implication of the study to perspective of gender diversity of generation
help manage sustainable development commu- Z. Sustainability, 13(2), 828.
nication and adjust it to specific needs of differ-
ent generations and cultures. Tanwar, K., & Prasad, A. (2016). Exploring
the relationship between employer branding
and employee retention. Global business re-
Keywords:
view, 17(3_suppl), 186S-206S.
Sustainable development attitude, employer
Verčič, A. T., & Ćorić, D. S. (2018). The relation-
brand, generational differences, national differ-
ship between reputation, employer branding
ences.
and corporate social responsibility. Public Re-
lations Review, 44(4), 444-452.
Bibliography
Turban, D. B., & Greening, D. W. (1997). Cor-
Bask, A., Halme, M., Kallio, M., & Kuula, M. porate social performance and organizational
(2020). Business students’ value priorities attractiveness to prospective employees. Acad-
and attitudes towards sustainable develop- emy of management journal, 40(3), 658-672.
ment. Journal of Cleaner Production, 264,
121711.
3 Abstracts 175

The impacts of communication in

sustainability in Italy
Vazzoler, Sergio, Amapola (Italy)
Armuzzi, Giulia, Gruppo Maggioli (Italy)
Bosello, Federica, Autorità di Sistema Portuale del Mare Adriatico Settentrionale (Italy)
Burighel, Micol, Amapola (Italy)
Colle, Matteo, Gruppo CAP (Italy)
Conti, Emilio, Amapola (Italy)
Martello, Stefano, Comm to Action (Italy)
Marzetta, Alberto, Amapola (Italy)
Milan, Gloria, ICDLAB Sostenibilità e Comunicazione (Italy)
Parigi, Riccardo, MUST S.r.l. (Italy)
Persico, Maria Grazia, MGP&Partners and NSA S.r.l. (Italy)
Talluri, Marco, Ambientenonsolo (Italy)

Introduction and purpose of the study paper are to demonstrate the effectiveness or
The recent proposal (October 2022) by Global ineffectiveness of the communication asset in
Alliance to include among the 17 SDGs a new sustainability processes by highlighting possible
areas of priority for action in the future.
objective involving responsible communication
attests to the importance of the communication
asset in the framework of an overall ecological Results and conclusions
transition process. Starting from this assump- Since this is a start-up research at the state it is
tion, the research aims to investigate the state of not possible to identify definitive conclusions.
the art of environmental communication in Italy These will emerge in the course of the analytical
by verifying how much communication contrib- work and will be ready for presentation at the
utes to the correct declination of environmental conference in question.
sustainability issues.
Potential implications for practice and
Methodology society
To date, it is not yet possible to quantify the sam- Understanding the state of the art of communi-
ple, which will be communicated in the study. cative presence in the organizational chart and
The subject of the research will be small and decision-making of organizations allows for
medium-sized enterprises, large companies and more precise identification of vulnerable areas
public institutions. To evaluate the outcome of allowing future research to focus analytical ef-
the actions, an ex ante closed-ended test will forts on the most needful spaces of intervention
be administered to take a snapshot of the pres- by modulating corrective actions more quick-
ent, which will be repeated ex post to measure ly and operationally. All this against a deci-
improvement deviations. The objectives of the sion-making delay that in the Italian landscape
3 Abstracts 176

is already evident and inescapable. In addition, Literature Review

a more exact knowledge of the existing situation G. Bologna, Manuale della sostenibilità, Edizioni
can allow a more effective accreditation of com- Ambiente, 2009. Corporate Reporting Forum,
munication not only with respect to the purpose Creazione di valore e Sustainable Business
of sustainability but also as a daily practice of Model. Approccio strategico alla sostenibilità,
dialogue with the public and reporting on the 2020.
actions put in place.
S. Martello, S. Vazzoler (a cura di), Libro Bianco
Keywords sulla comunicazione ambientale, Pacini Edi-
tore, 2020.
Multidisciplinarity: communication involves an
exact knowledge of the various organizational ar- S. Martello, S. Vazzoler (a cura di), L’anello Man-
eas that it has a duty to represent and narrate. cante. La comunicazione ambientale alla pro-
A communicator is a professional with a neces- va della transizione ecologica, Pacini Editore,
sarily multidisciplinary skill set to be calibrated 2022.
according to the priorities indicated. E. Sasson (a cura di), Per un capitalismo inclu-
sivo, Harvard Business Review, 2022.
Complexity: the frame of reference is highly com-
plex in terms of the number of interlocutors, in-
terconnected issues and, from a communicative
point of view, the adoption of numerous gram-
mars with respect to a single purpose. Therefore, it
is important to always remember complexity as a
variable in any communication intervention re-
gardless of the nature and purpose of the organi-
zation implementing it.

Responsible communication: communication is

50% information and 50% persuasion; ensuring
this balance in any communicative process pro-
tects the quality of the process itself by mitigating
the risk of greenwashing and imposing on each
communicator deontological and operational re-
sponsibility in the choice of tools, tone of language
and substance of information released externally.

Uniqueness: every communicative process is a

unique and non-replicable process. While this as-
sumption implies a difficulty in comparing expe-
riences, it fully justifies an increasingly responsible
approach calibrated over the medium to long
term, to the benefit of isolated actions that are not
continuous over time.
3 Abstracts 177

Legitimatization of gas in the

hydrogen discourse in Australia
Weder, Franzisca, The University of Queensland (Australia)
Watt, Ned, The University of Queensland (Australia)
Burdon, Jasmine, The University of Queensland (Australia)
Singh, Shreya, The University of Queensland (Australia)
Lee, Kumchong, The University of Queensland (Australia)
Courtois, Cedric, The University of Queensland (Australia)
Ashworth, Peta, The University of Queensland (Australia)

Introduction / purpose: sition in conventional and future energy markets.

The paper examines how hydrogen is represent- This requires specific communication strategies
ed in international, national and social media in and new forms of Sustainability-PR, aiming at
Australia and how the hydrogen story not only re-framing a fossil energy source and position-
travels from industry to the media, but much ing gas and the existing infrastructure (pipelines
more how it is also communicatively used by the etc.) as inevitable in the transition process from
gas industry to get the social license for keeping grey (gas based) to green hydrogen and the gen-
a fossil fuel legitimate. eral expansion of hydrogen production.

Background The biggest challenge from a Public Relations

perspective: The introduction of a new, rath-
The use of renewable energies is rapidly expand-
er complex technology creates either a lack of
ing on a global scale. The climate crisis and cur-
interest and understanding or a public contro-
rent political situation in Europe has accelerated
versy, not only on a community level (NIM-
the development and introduction of innovative
BY-phenomenon), but also on a larger scale in
technologies. Hydrogen is one such innovation,
environmental discourses, where gas is often
that has the potential to respond to the increas-
ing possibility of energy security, especially in perceived as the new coal. First endeavors of
countries that are dependent on imported gas the gas industry to ‘greenify’ gas by labeling it
and with prevailing challenges of rising energy as “natural gas” or even “sustainable gas” led to
costs and fear of blackouts. On the other side of greenwashing accusations, mistrust and gener-
the globe, countries like Australia are aiming for al skepticism on sustainability communication.
global leadership in the export of renewable en- The question arises: What is the communication
ergy; here, hydrogen is debated as the technol- and legitimization potential for the gas industry
ogy of the future, green hydrogen as the way to producing and delivering a ‘fossil fuel’ in the sus-
transform renewable energy like wind and solar tainability discourse? How does the gas industry
into a form of energy that is not only easier to keep / get their license to operate? And what role
transport but also easier to store. In this situa- does hydrogen play in getting the social license
tion, the gas industry seeks to preserve their po- to operate?
3 Abstracts 178

Literature Review on existing conceptual work on framing renew-

able energy (Rochyadi-Reetz et al., 2019) and
The role of the gas industry in times of an
with specific framing concepts that are tested in
emerging energy crisis and in the light of climate
energy and sustainability communication (Snow
change is critical. Existing literature predomi-
& Benford, 2000; Weder, 2021; Benighaus & Ble-
nantly explores the introduction of new energy
icher, 2018; Ganowski et al., 2018; Luederitz et
technologies and related information strategies
al., 2016), and existing literature from the area
from either an energy management, develop- of strategic sustainability communication (Wed-
ment and policy or public acceptance perspec- er et al., 2021; Guske et al., 2019; Berg-Hukki-
tive (i.e., Lee et al., 2022; Batel / Devine-Wright, nen, 2011), we created a framework for three
2015; Emodi et al., 2021; Bharadwaj et al., 2023; legitimization strategies that are key for Sustain-
Schmidt & Donsbach, 2016; Djerf-Pierre et al., ability-PR: (1) the narrative of growth and gain
2015). From a communication perspective, pre- (green economy narrative, eco-efficient growth,
vious media content analyses also focus mainly prognostic, solution focused), (2) the narrative
on renewable energy and their representation of de-growth and loss (diagnostic, problem fo-
in the media (Rochyadi-Reetz et al., 2019; Kim cused) and (3) the narrative of post-growth
et al., 2014; Hindmarsh, 2014; Devine-Wright, (mobilization, critique, telling a story about the
2011, Wright & Reid, 2011). The research shows future).
that in many countries the development of re-
newable energy sources is controversially de- For the combined quantitative and qualitative
bated, especially regarding infrastructural, eco- media content-analysis, the first set of data from
nomic, social and environmental aspects and Australian media outlets was collected with a
times of crisis (Vespa et al., 2022; Dehler-Hol- google domain search for the last 5 years (2017-
land et al., 2021). 2022; wide array of search terms), which was
then filtered for relevance (natural gas and hy-
Analyzing the hydrogen discourse in tradition- drogen) and scraped from the original sources
al media formats like newspapers or magazines (250 characters or more). We topic modelled to
on the one hand and the resonance of the topics the sample of articles (N= 9,253) to distinguish
discussed on social media helps to reconstruct themes in the discourse, this was followed by a
the hydrogen related debate and to explore the qualitative analysis of a randomized sample of N
way gas is talked about in relation to the new = 900 articles, answering not only the question
technology. An analysis of the framing of gas in of how much the hydrogen story has established
the hydrogen discourse as well as sustainability on the media agenda within the past 5 years,
related narratives in this discourse has not yet but also how this story is told. The articles were
been undertaken , thus the study at hand has picked proportional from the topics, and a frame
been conceptualized. analysis (manual coding / 3 coders) was applied.
Twitter data consisted of Tweets mentioning the
word “hydrogen” from a list of 181 accounts con-
Methodology sidered influential in hydrogen-related Twitter
This study is not just centred on the topics, but discourse. Using the DATA (DMRC Academic
also the framing of an issue by politicians, the Twitter Archive) collector (Vodden, 2022), N=
industry, specific key players and scientists. 2.4 million tweets and retweets were collected.
Therefore, the study at hand examines how tra- The analysis of social media data is currently in
ditional and social media cover gas as a critical progress, preliminary findings will be provided
energy resource, related specifically to hydrogen at the conference in addition to the detailed
as a new form of energy and storage. Building up analysis of the (traditional) media discourse.
3 Abstracts 179

Results and conclusions Practical, social and research implica-

The dominant topics in which gas (and its po- tions
tential as future energy source) is debated in Exploring both the hydrogen and gas as an en-
Australia are financial and economic aspects ergy source discourse, offers possible insights
(export), policy development and in particular into the existing (and missing) communication
geopolitics as well as agricultural aspects in the strategies of an industry which is still focused
production of biofuels from a broader perspec- on their “product” (gas). Industry is trying to
tive. However, the deep dive with a qualitative reframe a fossil fuel as “natural” or “renewable”,
analysis of the media coverage shows that while which it is not. Thus, the study not only points
the economic benefits of hydrogen were framed to problems of miscommunication but also
as potential, hydrogen is highly politicized, and highlights a gap in communication opportuni-
we found a relatively small number of environ- ties from a Sustainability-PR. Local stories and
mental and technology frames, and if so, they engagement and an energy security perspective
were mainly related to the impact of the Glasgow is missed within the current ways (and lack) of
Climate Change Conference in 2021. communication, i.e., bringing in an energy se-
curity frame. The practical implications of the
The narrative of growth and a prognostic per- study thus are, that in the future, energy policy
spective on the future is dominant, hydrogen is activities and the gas industry in particular need
seen as a solution for existing problems, while to get their social license to operate by commu-
the gas industry was discussed predominantly nicating an “outgoing” energy resource as facil-
in line with the story of degradation of environ- itator and “backup” in times of uncertainty and
ment – if it even played a role. This is supported crisis, which will be further discussed at the end
by the finding that the environment frame was of the paper/presentation as well as future re-
not seen as important in a prognostic, future and search potential.
growth perspective.
Keywords
The study at hand shows that hydrogen technol-
Framing, narrative, storytelling hydrogen, renew-
ogies are still emergent and communicated very
able energy, future fuel, SLO
vaguely; arguments around the potential of hy-
drogen to store (surplus) energy and thus, the
interplay of gas, hydrogen and renewable ener-
gy sources are not communicated specifically as
well as only common sense-statements around
export or future potential for net-zero strategies
are given, which are less likely to engage stake-
holder and motivate action. Thus, the study at
hand explores the missed potential from a Sus-
tainability-PR perspective, in creating a story
of gas as source and facilitator of energy tran-
sition processes to all renewables. There is also
a lack of motivational storytelling and scenarios
of how this role of the gas industry in transition
processes could look like.
3 Abstracts 180

Redesigning public relations

beyond sustainability: Discursive
entrepreneurs, deep adaptation, and
hyper-reflexivity
Willis, Paul, University of Huddersfield and Leeds Beckett University (UK)
McKie, David, University of Waikato (New Zealand)

Introduction demonstrates how institutions inherited from

This paper considers the design, methods, and the preceding Holocene period have a patholog-
roles of public relations in a context that has al- ical path dependency that favours ecologically
ready gone beyond sustainability. Building on destructive outcomes and that thwarts attempts
converging disciplinary and interdisciplinary to confront the planetary problems while pur-
research that acknowledges the present Anthro- porting to solve them. To better respond, the
pocene age as an evolving epoch of potentially authors advocate for an ecological reflexivity
requiring “the incorporation into human insti-
catastrophic changes, it contends both that es-
tutions of better ways to listen to ecological sys-
caping escalating risks will take more than earth
tems” with the hope that responding to signals
summits, geoengineering, and technological
from the Earth system will generate the foresight
fixes, and that a different kind of public relations
“to anticipate potentially catastrophic changes in
is required to confront the profound, human-in-
the system” (p. 18).
duced instability that stalks the Anthropocene.
Answering the research question “How to en-
Scanning an organisation’s environment and
gage more effectively with the current and com-
listening to stakeholders is core public relations
ing challenges of the Anthropocene”, the authors
business. However, path dependency illustrates
frame ways forward around three clusters of
how the state and market – given their preoccu-
concepts and practices.
pation with material growth and perception of
the natural world as primarily a resource – sys-
Literature
tematically frustrate attempts to check planetary
Anthropocene literature fractures conventional degradation. As a management discipline public
distinctions between humanity and nature and relations plays an important role in the corpo-
generates questions about dealing with our det- rate capture of climate agendas and contributes
rimental impact as a species that also threatens to how information about the condition of the
our own life support systems. This paper reviews natural world is repressed by feedback systems;
perspectives from philosophy, politics, and sci- how ecological concerns are subjugated; how
ence to evaluate their implications for public status quo narratives are promoted; and how
relations. Dryzek and Pickering’s (2019) book the non-human world continues to be exploited.
3 Abstracts 181

Despite globalised rhetoric associated with sus- Implications

tainable development and business movements Ecological reflexivity also requires rethinking
promoting ESG (Environment, Social and Cor- the core values and practices underpinning
porate Governance), the character of this dilem- public relations. This will involve focussing on
ma does not change: “sustainable development non-human stakeholders, listening to, and de-
is a lie. It has been a successful one because it veloping, empathy for nature as well as cultivat-
helps middle class professionals earn salaries ing the ability to adapt rapidly on mitigation.
while pretending that’s for them caring about the There is potential to add this thinking to existing
world” (Bendall, 2023). public relations scholarship on Climate Change
Denial (e.g., Almiron & Xifra, 2021; Munshi &
To avoid following pathological pathways, the Kurian, 2020) and activist PR, and to synthe-
authors propose three ways forward for public sise it with compatible works (e.g., Complexity
relations: discursive entrepreneurship (to extend Science-Inspired approaches, the Stakeholder
listening capabilities to “hear” signals from earth Environment as a Commons, and Wicked Prob-
system scientists and the natural world) and to lems), but the field urgently needs to undertake
shape a formative sphere for more Anthropo- the radical work and research required.
cene-appropriate responses; deep adaptation (to
foreground the role of intermediaries and devel- The findings generated by this study have been
op dynamic strategies aligning with geological used to inform the development of a new sus-
time scales and post-anthropocentric thinking); tainability communication programme to be
and an expanded hyper-reflexivity (to respond delivered to experienced communication prac-
to signals from the earth itself and expand em- titioners on behalf of the Chartered Institute of
pathy to include humans, non-humans and in- Public Relations in the United Kingdom. The
animate objects). module seeks to answer the question how do
you listen to nature?
Methodology
Drawn from, and interpreting, interdisciplinary Keywords
research and contemporary issues, this concep- Adaptation, Anthropocene, listening, non-human
tual paper aims to communicate, contribute to, stakeholders.
and stimulate Anthropocene-informed debates
in public relations.
References
Conclusions Bendell, J. (2023). Can you escape sustainable
development. Downloaded, 29 January, from
Public relations in the Anthropocene must en- https://jembendell.com/
gage in its own process of deep adaptation.
Specifics include developing its capacity to lis- Dryzek, J. S., & Pickering, J. (2019). The politics
ten to feedback from natural systems and oth- of the Anthropocene. Oxford, UK: University of
er non-humans; and extending environmental Oxford Press.
scanning beyond the issues generated by hu- Laine, M. (2010), The nature of nature as a stake-
mans in order to broaden stakeholder theory holder. Journal of Business Ethics, 96 (S1): 73-
to reconsider the character of nature as a stake- 78.
holder and how to best engage with it (Laine,
2010).
3 Abstracts 182

Exploring the Public Engagement

in Missing People on Social Media
Platform - Douyin Xunren as An
Example
Wu, Shih Chia, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong, S.A.R. China)
Liu, Xueyi, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong, S.A.R. China)
Kuo, Man Ying, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong, S.A.R. China)
Chan, Ziang, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong, S.A.R. China)

Introduction and purpose of study Literature review

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) means According to Moran, Muzellec & Johnson
that firms need to uphold ethical standards in (2020), call-to-actions (CTA) can effectively in-
their activities and consider their impact on crease social media engagement by increasing
stakeholders and societies (Sarkar & Searcy, clicks, likes, or shares. The same could also apply
2016). The widespread use of the internet has to missing person appeals on social media. Soly-
opened a myriad of new opportunities for firms mosi, Petcu & Wilkinson (2020) explored the
wishing to achieve greater effectiveness in CSR public engagement with missing person appeals
and communication. Social media with unri- on Twitter and discovered that tweets which
valled connectivity has become an increasingly included a call-to-action ultimately resulted in
popular channel. In 2016, ByteDance, a Chi- higher engagement.
nese internet technology company, launched its
CSR initiative “Douyin Xunren” campaign on its Solymosi, Petcu & Wilkinson (2020) who ex-
Douyin platform, a destination for short-form amined public engagement with missing person
mobile videos. “Douyin Xunren” aimed to assist appeals on Twitter discovered that tweets with
missing people search across Mainland China. multiple photos induce higher engagement than
Contrary to traditional ways of searching, such those with only a single image and those with-
as asking around and posting notices, short vid- out.
eos are used in Douyin platform as the carrier to
spread information about missing persons and Storytelling is defined as facts expressed through
mobilize users to look for them. emotions that heighten engagement and the de-
sire to act (Dickman, 2003). Numerous studies
The study aims to explore how the content fea- have established storytelling as a useful tool in
tures of videos on “Douyin Xuren” affect public increasing customer engagement by evoking
engagement and whether findings from research emotions and enhancing persuasiveness (Gor-
about Western social media (i.e., Twitter) can be ry & Westbrook, 2011). Robiady, Windasari &
applied to Chinese social media (i.e. Douyin). Nita (2021) further explored this concept in the
3 Abstracts 183

online non-profit crowdfunding setting and un- provide public with more detailed information
covered that storytelling had a significant pos- that resonates with them emotionally, thus en-
itive effect on both customer engagement and couraging them to take action to help return
donation achievements. missing people to their families.

Methodology Practical and theoretical implications

A content analysis was conducted on the vid- Enriching the study of CTA efficiency, the
eos from the Douyin Xunren platform. Top 100 findings show when conducting online CSR
video samples, published between 2021 and campaigns about missing person appeals, indi-
2022, were selected according to the popularity viduals and social media platforms may adopt
(total number of likes). Among these samples, multi-sensory CTAs to stimulate the public’s
92 videos promoting missing people were valid perceptual and emotional bonding to moti-
samples and 8 invalid ones with unrelated top- vate engagement. A high variety of character-
ics were excluded. The videos were evaluated in istic images provide viewers with more direct
three attributes: CTA (a combination of verbal and explicit information, which could lead to
and written forms), variability images (number a comprehensive understanding and proactive
of images with a minimum of 0 and a maximum engagement. It concludes that CSR content on
of 10) and storytelling (covering different sto- short-video platforms like Douyin should fit
rytelling elements, incl. title, type, context, sto- the platform tonality of visual stimulation. The
ryline, scenes, characters, style, content, signifi- research also shows that complete and informa-
cance, and inclusion). Public engagement refers tive storytelling in online CSR communication
to the sum of the number of likes, comments gets viewers’ attention and engages viewers with
and forwards for each video. Data analysis was a deeper emotional resonance. Therefore, it is
carried out using SPSS to assess the relationship recommended that individuals and social media
between the variables. platforms may consider enhancing the integra-
tion of storytelling in CSR video content to con-
Results and conclusion nect with the public.
Statistically, there was a significant correla-
Compared to missing person appeals on Twitter,
tion between CTA and audience engagement
Douyin Xuren also addresses perceived senti-
(r=0.486, p <0.017), and no significant difference
ment of viewers; this study dived into more con-
was shown in the participation of different types
tent features including CTAs, photos and sto-
of CTA. Variability images were also positively
rytelling that contribute to engagement results,
correlated with audience engagement (r=0.531,
which goes beyond the findings on Twitter. Fu-
p<0.001), with 40% of the videos in the sample
ture studies can be expanded to more social con-
contained at least two quality portraits. These
tent formats or to validate whether higher public
suggest that the more videos that contain recog-
engagement in online CSR campaigns of miss-
nizable images, the higher the engagement of
ing people appeals may bring higher efficiency
the audience. When examining the relationship
to successful searching.
between storytelling and audience engagement,
the search videos with storytelling generated
high level of engagement (r=0.596, p<0.002), Keywords
indicating the positive impact of storytelling on CSR, engagement, missing people, social media
public engagement. Overall, all three attributes platform, Douyin Xunren
3 Abstracts 184

References
Robiady, N., Windasari, N., & Nita, A. (2021).
Customer engagement in online social crowd-
funding: The influence of storytelling tech-
nique on donation performance. International
Journal of Research in Marketing, 38(2), 492-
500.
Solymosi, Petcu & Wilkinson. (2021). Exploring
public engagement with missing person appeals
on Twitter, Policing and Society, 31:7, 798-821,
DOI: 10.1080 / 10439463.2020.1782409
3 Abstracts 185

Consequences of Unfulfilled
International Commitments to
Sustainability
Yeo, SunHa, University of Oklahoma (USA)
Lee, Hyelim, University of Oklahoma (USA)
Hollenczer, James, University of Oklahoma (USA)
Kim, Soo Yun, University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley (USA)
Ko, Sungan, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (Republic of Korea)

Purpose macy.
In 2015, 193 Member States of the United Na- STOPS hypothesizes that individuals’ problem
tions adopted a New Sustainable Development recognition, constraint recognition, and in-
Agenda (NSDA) to end poverty by 2030 and volvement determine their communication be-
pursue a sustainable future. However, reports havior (Kim & Grunig, 2011) Notably, problem
have shown that prosperous countries put less recognition examines the gap between what we
effort into sustainability than developing coun- expect and what we experience.
tries (Gill, 2021). This study applies the situa-
tional theory of problem solving (STOPS) to In addition, this study includes exposure to en-
discern what kinds of adverse situations coun- vironmental education as a leading variable of
tries will encounter if they violate global publics’ referent criteria, an antecedent in the STOPS
expectations. model. Educated publics tend to detect prob-
lems faster and more sensitively (Dewey, 1916).
Literature Review
Hypotheses
Organizations choose socially preferable values
to serve as behavioral guidelines and the core el- H1: The bigger the expectation disconfirmation
ements of their identities. These values also con- regarding NSDA (problem recognition), the
tribute to public schemas used to identify orga- higher the situational motivation in problem
nizations (Grunig, 1993). Advocated attractive solving.
values are a part of symbolic activities which do H2: The higher the constraint recognition re-
not entail significant benefits for organizations garding NSDA, the lower the situational moti-
(Grunig, 1993; Grunig et al., 2002). Further, or- vation in problem solving.
ganizations risk adverse consequences without H3: The higher the involvement recognition re-
behavioral activities to support symbolic val- garding NSDA, the higher the situational mo-
ue-making (Grunig, 1993). To publics, the dis- tivation in problem solving.
parity between expectation (symbolic activity) H4: The higher the situational motivation in
and experience (behavioral activity) diminishes problem solving, the higher the communica-
organizational credibility, attraction and legiti- tive action.
3 Abstracts 186

H5: The more exposed to pro-environmental ed- Keywords

ucation, the higher the presence of a referent STOPS, New Sustainable Development Agenda,
criterion. environmental education
H6: The higher the presence of a referent criteri-
on, the higher the communicative action.
Reference
Methodology Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and education: An
introduction to the philosophy of education.
Through online surveys with Americans, this New York: MacMillan
study will compare countries that have exhibit-
ed sustainable behavior and countries that have Gill, V. (2021, June, 11). Poorer nations ‘more fo-
shown no change from 2012-2019. Participants cused on sustainability’. BBC. https://www.bbc.
will complete a questionnaire measuring the com/news/science-environment-57432580
level of expectation disconfirmation, constraint Grunig, J. E. (1993). Image and substance: From
recognition, involvement recognition, exposure symbolic to behavioral relationships. Public
to environmental education, and communica- Relations Review, 19(2), 121-139. https://doi.
tion behavior. org/10.1016/0363-8111(93)90003-U
Grunig, L. A., Grunig, J. E., & Dozier, D. M.
Results (2002). Excellent public relations and effective
People are expected to show more positive organizations: A study of communication man-
communication actions toward faithful coun- agement in three countries. Mahwah, NJ: Erl-
tries and adverse reactions toward unfaithful baum.
countries. However, the intensity of praise and Kim, J.-N. & Grunig, J.E. (2011). Problem Solv-
criticism will differ depending on the individu- ing and Communicative Action: A Situational
al’s educational level and situational settings. A Theory of Problem Solving. Journal of Commu-
limitation of the study would be conducting the nication, 61, 120-149. https://doi.org/10.1111/
survey only in the U.S., where most educational j.1460-2466.2010.01529.x
institutes teach the importance of sustainability.
Future research should compare countries that
heavily emphasize the importance of sustain-
ability with those that do not.

Implications
Theoretically, STOPS will be transposed to a
geopolitical setting; ‘education’ will be explored
as a possible antecedent. Practically, countries
will be aware of the risk associated with unre-
quited symbolic activity.
3 Abstracts 187

Figure: Research Model

Problem Recognition
(Expectation Disconfirmation H1
of Sustainability Value)

H2 Situational Motivation in
Constrain Recognition Communicative Action
Problem-Solving
H4

Involvement Recognition H3

H6
Exposure to H5
Pro-environmental Reference Criterion
Education
3 Abstracts 188

Words Matter: The Consequences of

Supervisor Verbal Aggressiveness
on Workplace Culture, Employee-
Organization Relationships, and
Employee Behavior
Yue, Cen April, University of Connecticut (USA)
Qin, Yufan Sunny, James Madison University (USA)
Men, Linjuan Rita, University of Florida (USA)

Introduction and purpose of the study examine the harmful effects of supervisor ver-
Effective communication with internal stake- bal aggressiveness on the emotional culture of a
holders is crucial for organizations and leaders team, the quality of the employee-organization
amidst the rising trend of “quiet quitting” and relationship, and ultimately, employees’ counter-
productive work behaviors.
the Great Resignation. Research has shown that
managers who lack effective communication
and trust-building skills are more likely to have Literature review
disengaged employees who engage in deviant Bullying and verbal abuse are unfortunately
behaviors. According to Zenger and Folkman prevalent in the workplace. According to re-
(2022), managers who are least effective have search, 30% of American workers have report-
three to four times as many employees who par- ed being directly bullied, and 49% have either
ticipate in “quiet quitting.” This lack of motiva- experienced bullying or witnessed it in their
tion and deviant behavior has been attributed to workplace (Namie, 2021). Such bullying is of-
inappropriate and abusive supervision by man- ten enacted through communication exchanges,
agers (Tepper et al., 2008). This study examines with the majority of instances being initiated by
the impact of negative communication behavior supervisors targeting subordinates. In this study,
by managers and argues that employees’ coun- we focus on the use of verbal aggressiveness by
terproductive work behavior is partly a result of supervisors, which encompasses name-calling,
their managers’ use of verbal aggression. the use of vulgar and demeaning language, gas-
While scholars have shed light on the impor- lighting, and making threats (Infante & Rancer,
tance of exemplary internal communication and 1996). It is important to distinguish verbal ag-
its role in promoting positive employee behav- gressiveness from a lack of exemplary commu-
iors (Jiang & Men, 2017; Kang & Sung, 2017), nication, as it represents a distinct behavior that
limited attention has been given to the negative embodies the opposite of effective communica-
impact of destructive internal communication. tion.
To address this gap, the current study aims to
3 Abstracts 189

This study examines the relationship between behaviors.

supervisor verbal aggressiveness and subordi-
nates’ counterproductive work behavior, which Our study advances the existing literature on
is defined as intentional behavior that is con- leadership communication by emphasizing the
trary to the organization’s interests (Gruys & destructive impact of the dark side of leadership
Sackett, 2003). Additionally, the study aims to communication. By highlighting the negative
unravel the underlying process that drives this emotional culture and employee counterpro-
relationship by examining the connection be- ductive work behavior as direct consequences
tween supervisors’ verbal aggressiveness, the of supervisor verbal aggressiveness, our research
negative emotional culture within teams, and expands the current theoretical understanding
decreased quality of the employee-organization of verbal aggressiveness in the workplace.
relationship. By investigating the detrimental ef-
fects of supervisor verbal aggressiveness on cul- A key limitation of our study is that the data were
ture, relationships, and employee behavior, this collected only at a single point in time, which
study highlights the need for organizations to hinders our ability to establish causality between
take proactive measures to address this form of the variables being examined. In order to further
leadership communication behavior. explore the causal relationships, future research
could consider conducting field experiments
and collecting data over a longer period to estab-
Methodology
lish a clear causal sequence among the variables.
To test the proposed hypotheses, we conducted
an online survey through Qualtrics. Our sample Practical and social implications
was selected through quota sampling to ensure
The findings of this study have important impli-
that the demographics of the participants (e.g.,
cations for the profession. It is crucial for super-
gender, age, race, ethnicity) were representative
visors to be mindful of the impact of their com-
of the general population as per the U.S. Cen-
munication style on their subordinates and team
sus. Participants were required to be full-time
culture. They must be cautious in avoiding the
U.S. workers employed in medium and large-
use of verbal aggressiveness and should strive
sized organizations. Our final sample consisted to communicate in a respectful and profession-
of 392 cases. The average age of participants was al manner. To this end, leadership development
46 years old, with women making up 51.8% of programs should place a strong emphasis on
the participants. teaching effective communication skills, includ-
ing empathy, argumentation, and communica-
Results and conclusions tion competence (Avtgis & Chory, 2010). In ad-
Findings revealed that supervisor verbal aggres- dition, organizations should consider including
siveness predicts employees’ counterproductive assessments of verbal aggressiveness as part of
work behaviors. Moreover, verbal aggressiveness supervisors’ performance evaluations.
contributes to the formation of a negative team
culture which in turn fuels employees’ deviant Keywords
behaviors. However, we did not find any evi- verbal aggressiveness, leadership communica-
dence of a negative relationship between verbal tion, employee-organization relationship, culture,
aggressiveness and decreased employee-orga- counterproductive work behavior
nization relationship quality, nor between re-
lationship quality and counterproductive work
3 Abstracts 190

Constructing what is the right thing to

do: Framing the political responsibility
of Fifa sponsors in Qatar World Cup
2022
Zhao, Hui, Lund University (Sweden)
Wang, Yijing, Erasmus University Rotterdam (The Netherlands)

Introduction tent analysis to analyze 293 international news

The corporate sociopolitical advocacy (CSA) coverages related to two Qatar World Cup 2022
human rights issues: working conditions of mi-
phenomenon has become increasingly common
grant workers and LGBTQ rights.
in contemporary society. It is partially driven
by the public demanding corporations to take
a stance on controversial political and social is- Originality
sues. Although aligning with the public’s interest, This study contributes to the literature by (1)
when a company commits to CSA, its demon- demonstrating the construction of corporations’
stration of support for or opposition to one side political responsibility on two human rights is-
of a controversial sociopolitical issue has the risk sues and comparing them; (2) exploring the
of alienating certain stakeholder groups. Thus, news media’s role in constructing the political
corporations often face the dilemma of what is responsibility of corporations to engage in social
the right thing to do. political issues.

Literature review Practical and social implications

In communication literature, most research fo- The findings of this study provide guidelines
cused on understanding the impact of CSA on for communication managers on determining a
corporate constituents. Only a few studies exam- proper CSA strategy towards a controversial is-
ined how the public pressure corporations to en- sue intensified in public debate.
gage in CSA. To fill this gap, this study advances
the knowledge of CSA by examining the role of Keywords
media in constructing corporations’ political re-
corporate sociopolitical advocacy, political issues,
sponsibility in sociopolitical issues.
news media, human rights, corporate communi-
cation
Methodology
Qatar World Cup 2022 human rights contro-
versy was chosen as a case. Informed by fram-
ing theory, the study employs qualitative con-
3 Abstracts 191

How are corporate sustainability

activities reflected in the evaluation of
companies’ media appearance?
Milić, Patricia, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)
Žabkar, Vesna, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)
Čater Barbara, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)
Čater, Tomaž, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)

Introduction and purpose of the study Literature review

Despite the considerable volume of publications Sustainability activities
on sustainability, the literature is fragmented, To be successful in corporate sustainability, the
studies are primarily focusing on self-reported managers should first examine various sustain-
methods or literature reviews and either on so- ability activities and integrate them into a co-
herent strategy. However, the literature on such
cial, environmental or governance dimension of
activities is unsystematic and scattered and to
sustainability and hence omitting the interrelat-
develop ©TPI, an extensive literature review was
edness of dimensions. A few studies examined conducted to identify the activities (Čater, Čater,
CSR-related media content and none of them Milić & Žabkar, in press).
used clipping data to complement the self-re-
ported data in the context of measuring corpo- Media appearances
rate sustainability (Lee & Carroll, 2011). To help Frequency of media appearances and the tone
reduce some of the gaps, we present a framework (positive / negative / neutral) of media content
for measuring corporate sustainability grounded have effects on firm’s reputation. Also, media
in ESG framework (Sustainability Business Index appearances may influence firm’s strategies and
engagement in various sustainability activities
– ©TPI) and we question whether the self-report-
since, larger media coverage (positive or nega-
ed results on corporate sustainability activities are
tive) facilitates voluntary participation in vari-
also reflected in sustainability-related media ap- ous sustainability activities (Barbeito-Caamaño
pearances. & Chalmeta, 2020; Gan, 2006).

The research questions we focus on are: (1) Is Methodology

©TPI score related to sustainability-related me-
Our study is twofold. Data about sustainability
dia appearances; and (2) Do companies that
activities was collected with two questionnaires
score high on ©TPI have more favorable sus- between December 2021 and February 2022
tainability-related media appearances? from employees responsible for ESG in medi-
um or large companies in a CEE country: 91
firms responded to the environmental and gov-
3 Abstracts 192

ernance dimensions (7.6% response rate) and valence media appearances. Also, TPI_E is sig-
130 to the social dimension (10.6% response rate) nificantly related to media content containing
of the ©TPI questionnaire. Three dimensions environmental keywords. The finding suggests
of sustainability index were determined: social that the firms’ efforts to protect natural environ-
(TPI_S), environmental (TPI_E) and gover- ment are praised by the media. Conversely, the
nance (TPI_G). non-significant results between TPI_G and me-
dia reach are somewhat surprising and further
We used one-year media clipping data (year analysis is needed to better understand it.
2021, Kliping) from a sample of 170 medium
and large companies from all major media in Practical and social implications
the country, containing keywords related to the
The developed ©TPI can be applied to medium
three dimensions (87 keywords). Each media
and large companies in any industry. With the
publication was examined and evaluated either
combination of self-reported and clipping data,
as positive, negative, or neutral. As weights, data
©TPI holistically measures firm’s sustainabili-
on media reach was used. Sustainability scores
ty performance. Consequently, it can become
on each dimension were compared to each com-
a cornerstone measure of sustainability perfor-
pany’s ©TPI questionnaire score.
mance in the CEE region and beyond.

Results and conclusions

Keywords
Correlations between ©TPI dimensions and
Corporate sustainability, sustainability index,
clipping data show a positive relationship be-
clipping, measuring sustainability
tween TPI_S and media valence; companies
which perform well in socially responsible ac-
References
tivities play an important role in the community
and that is reflected in the media appearances. Barbeito-Caamaño, A., & Chalmeta, R. (2020).
Interestingly, there is a positive correlation be- Using big data to evaluate corporate social re-
tween TPI_S and negative media valence, which sponsibility and sustainable development prac-
may infer that companies’ efforts relating to va- tices. Corporate Social Responsibility and Envi-
riety of stakeholders are heavily scrutinized by ronmental Management, 27(6), 2831–2848.
the media. Further analysis is needed to look for Čater, T., Čater B., Milić, P., Žabkar, V. (in press).
differences between firms’ size and industry for Drivers of corporate environmental and social
more insightful findings and discussion. A pos- responsibility practices: A comparison of two
itive relationship was found between TPI_S and moderated mediation models. Journal of Busi-
firms’ media appearances in content contain- ness Research.
ing social or governance related keywords. This
finding is somewhat expected since firms which Gan, A. (2006). The Impact of Public Scrutiny
are more involved with socially responsible ac- on Corporate Philanthropy. Journal of Business
tivities are expected to receive more media at- Ethics, 69(3), 217–236.
tention. Lee, S. Y., & Carroll, C. E. (2011). The Emer-
gence, Variation, and Evolution of Corporate
Correlation analysis between environmental Social Responsibility in the Public Sphere,
(TPI_E) and governance (TPI_G) dimensions 1980–2004: The Exposure of Firms to Pub-
and clipping data shows a significant and pos- lic Debate. Journal of Business Ethics, 104(1),
itive relationship between TPI_E and positive 115–131.
4 Papers 193

Towards a better future: An

assessment of sustainability practices
in the aviation sector from the
perspective of public relations
Çiçek, Meltem, Istanbul Maltepe University Vocational School (Turkey)

Introduction agement approach, namely management, based

With the sustainability approach, which is also on communication, focused on the social and
expressed as maintaining the existence, func- psychological needs of individuals (İngeç, 2021:
tions and productivity of ecological systems in 331, 332).
the global context, brands have initiated many
studies in order to fulfill their social social re- Public relations is a field that manages the com-
sponsibility duties. Public relations and corpo- munication process carried out in line with the
rate communication plans are used to publicize rules determined in order to ensure information
these efforts and create awareness of sustain- flow, motivation, integration, evaluation, train-
ability by raising public awareness. In addition, ing, decision-making and control in the realiza-
brand reputation is also managed through these tion of the goals of the organization. Sustainabili-
practices. Brands develop strategies that increase ty communication is a communication approach
rational benefit by appealing to the minds and used to manage relations between stakehold-
hearts of consumers with an understanding of ers in order to create awareness and behavior-
sustainability. al change regarding environmental, social and
economic sustainability (Özgen, 2022:e3). The
The task of Public Relations is to establish a pos- support and participation of all stakeholders is
itive dialog with the target audience and poten- also important for the success of PR profession-
tial customers and to create a positive image. It als’ sustainability communication efforts. Sus-
is a necessity to create the image and corporate tainability communication plays an active role
identity of the organization, to promote the val- in the adoption of corporate sustainability proj-
ues of the organization and the organization ects by internal and external stakeholders as well
(Yavuz, 2016:334). Ingeç, (2021); according to as in the formation of a sustainability-oriented
Rex F. Harlow’s comprehensive definition of corporate culture (Akbayır, 2019). A harmony of
public relations in 1976, “Public relations is a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Diversi-
unique management function that helps to estab- ty, Equity and Inclusivity (DEI), Environmental,
lish and maintain the process of mutual commu- Social, Governance (ESG) is crucial for the re-
nication, acceptance, understanding and cooper- alization of these goals in businesses. IFC stan-
ation between an organization and its publics.” dards for international financing also encourage
Public Relations should adopt an inclusive man- companies to develop sustainability-centered
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business models. For financial support to be Research questions:

given to businesses, the business must first have 1. What are the characteristics of a sustainable
some standards. In this context, businesses are airline and airport?
expected to fulfill many criteria such as envi- 2. What strategy has the aviation industry ad-
ronmental risk management, labor and working opted to reduce its negative impact on the
conditions, resource efficiency, prevention of en- environment?
vironmental pollution, public health and safety, 3. What is the relationship between sustainabil-
protection of biodiversity, sustainable manage- ity and corporate culture?
ment of living natural resources and many other 4. Sustainability and PR relationship in the avi-
criteria. In a nutshell, sustainability starts with ation industry
the understanding of social social responsibility,
which is at the center of Public Relations plan- Data were collected by analyzing the sustain-
ning, and emphasizes the right of people to live ability reports and corporate web pages of the
in a healthy world both today and in the future. brands in the sample. The data are described and
interpreted in the context of sustainability and
The aviation sector is one of the most environ- PR activities.
mentally damaging sectors globally. In this con-
text, it is important to plan sustainability efforts Overview of the Concept of Sustainabil-
in the aviation sector. In this study, sustainability ity
efforts in the aviation sector are examined in re-
lation to the discipline of Public Relations. Qual- Sustainability is the realization that today’s gen-
itative research method was used in the study. erations are responsible for the future. It also
In order to understand how the aviation sector means ensuring that economic developments,
implements sustainability, case study meth- material resources and values are protected
od was used in this study from the perspective and transferred to future generations (Yavuz,
of qualitative approach and the collected data 2016:330, 331). In other words, sustainability
were analyzed by content analysis. Purposive means meeting today’s needs while consider-
(convenience) sampling technique was used to ing tomorrow’s needs (Balay, 2022:839). The
determine the sample. Turkish Airlines was pre- prominent features of sustainable economies are
ferred for the airline sample and İGA Istanbul the regulation of relations between human and
Airport was preferred for the airport sample. nature, ensuring that future generations ben-
Turkish Airlines and Istanbul Airport, two lead- efit fairly from the world’s resources, avoiding
ing brands in the Turkish aviation industry, were wastefulness in services and products, and pri-
selected as the sample because they produce cre- oritizing economic efficiency (Baumgartner and
ative projects on sustainability, implement sus- Quaas, 2010).
tainability policies consistently, demonstrate the
results of their work with concrete data, report After the Industrial Revolution, while business-
regularly, and their work has been deemed wor- es focused on growth, environmental damage
thy of many international awards. In addition, was ignored. With the awareness of consum-
these two brands were also preferred due to their ers, thinking about social transformation and
market share in the sector and high number of sustainability has also contributed to corpo-
passengers. The answers to the following re- rate image and reputation (Kavoğlu, 2012: 14,
search questions were sought in the context of 15). Kotler (2000) states that with this change,
the United Nations Sustainability Goals. both marketing practitioners and theoreticians
have changed their perspectives in line with this
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change in perception. In this context, businesses sonsumption and production, Climate action,
need to work with a philosophy that includes so- Life below water, Life on land, Peace, justice and
cial social responsibility (Kotler, 2000: 17). strong institutions, Partnerships fort he goals

After the Second World War, the concept of Corporate social responsibility activities of busi-
sustainability started to be considered due to nesses are also very important for sustainability.
concerns about the long-term depletion of the In other words, corporate social responsibility
world’s resources. The concept of sustainability, is the economic, social and environmental pro-
which came to the fore with the declaration of grams carried out for all stakeholders. Practices
the Club of Rome, first drew attention to the im- related to social responsibility and sustainability
portance of energy resources and food resourc- concepts are the main responsibility of public
es. Many meetings held in the following years relations departments. In this context, all plan-
emphasized that the depletion of non-renewable ning should be coordinated by Public Relations
energy resources and other natural resources (Hoştut, 2018:103).
and environmental pollution are problems that
require international cooperation. The world’s As it is known, the International Finance Corpo-
resources are finite and sustainable development ration (IFC), while providing financial support
of the physical-chemical-biological environment to businesses, makes evaluations according to
is crucial. At its Summit in 2000, the United Na- sustainability studies on issues such as resoırce
tions proposed an 8-point “21st Century Goals” efficiency, community, biodiversity, cultural her-
for international development. At the 2015 Sum- itage, indigenous people. Coordination with all
mit, the 17-point “Sustainable Development stakeholders is also essential in fulfilling the IFC
Goals” replaced these recommendations. These criteria based on IFC performance standards in
consist of environmental and economic sustain- sustainability studies planned by PR.
ability goals as well as social and social sustain-
able development goals. For the realization of
Turkish Civil Aviation and Sustainability
these goals, 169 targets were set (Alpman and
Approach in Aviation
Göğüş, 2017:2). International agreements have
started to take action on sustainability and the The Chinese invented the kite around 400 BC.
climate crisis. Transformation is essential to pro- Since the kite was the forerunner of balloons and
tect the planet. In order for this transformation gliders, it has an important place in the history
to be widespread and rapid, all countries need to of aviation. The first successful manned flight at-
implement transformative policies in line with tempt was made by Abbas Ibn Firnas of Anda-
sustainable development goals (Balay, 2022:838). lusia in 852. Hazerfen Ahmet Çelebi, one of the
scientists of the Ottoman Empire, made the first
The United Nations Sustainable Development flight attempt in Istanbul in 1630 with wings he
Goals consist of 17 articles. Businesses refer to built himself. In 1783, the Montgolfier brothers
these articles while making sustainability plan- made the first manned flight with a balloon. The
ning with an international approach. These are; first sustainable, controllable motorized flight
No poverty, Zero hunger, Good healty and well-be- was made in 1903 with the airplane produced
ing, Quality education, Gender quality, Clean wa- by the Wright brothers. In 1909, German Count
ter and sanitation, Affordable and clean energy, Ferdinand von Zeppelin founded the world’s
Decent work and economic growth, Industy, inno- first commercial airline. In Istanbul, Turkey, the
vation and infrastructure, Reduced inequalities, first airport was opened in 1912 and the first civil
Sustainable cities and communities, Responsible aviation flights were made in 1933 (Ekşi, 2019).
4 Papers 196

Aviation covers a wide range of areas from the proaches are on the agenda when designing life
design, production, use and operation of air- sustainably. These approaches have an import-
planes (The Oxford Dictionary, 2014). Airline ant place in the aviation industry as in all sec-
transportation contributes to the economies tors. The aviation industry is one of the leading
of countries and is also an important sector in sectors that need to develop a sustainable busi-
terms of its social, cultural and environmental ness strategy. Since there are negative environ-
impacts. Civil Aviation activities are carried out mental impacts in both production and service
according to the standards set by international in the aviation industry, steps should be taken to
institutions such as the International Civil Avi- reduce them.
ation Organization (ICAO), the European Civil
Aviation Conference (ECAC), the European Or- Who is Turkish Airlines (THY)?
ganization for the Safety of Air Navigation (EU-
ROCONTROL) and the European Association Turkish Airlines, THY, started its journey with
of Aviation Authorities (JAA) (Oto, 2011:12). 5 airplanes on May 20, 1933 and today it is the
airline that flies to the most destinations in the
With globalization, the aviation sector connects world. Flying to more than 120 countries and
the world at commercial and cultural points and over 300 destinations, THY has won many
contributes to the formation of a global village. awards. In 2022, the World Class award was giv-
However, when the environment is considered, en to seven global airlines, including Turkish
it should not be forgotten that the aviation in- Airlines. Turkish Airlines is a member of the
dustry is one of the most environmentally dam- Star Alliance and has won many awards such
aging sectors. For this reason, efforts are being as Europe’s Best Airline, Europe’s Best Inflight
made rapidly on sustainability in aviation and Entertainment System and Best Business Class
these efforts are publicized through Public Re- Catering. Star Alliance is the first truly global
lations. airline alliance founded in 1997 to provide in-
ternational travelers with worldwide access, rec-
The U.S. Transportation Research Board ex- ognition and seamless service. Turkish Airlines
plained the main environmental impacts of civil also sponsors a wide range of sports including
aviation as global climate change, air pollution, football, basketball, golf, equestrian, and golf,
emissions, ecology and natural habitat, noise, and has been the main sponsor of the EuroLe-
land and material use, energy and water con- ague, a competition of 18 European sports clubs,
sumption, water pollution and waste (Transpor- since 2000.
tation Research Board Environmental Impacts
of Aviation Committee 2004, cited in Karasar, About IGA Istanbul Airport
2019:11). Karasar, 2019:11).
Istanbul Grand Airport started construction of
Airports are suitable places for the installation the new Istanbul Airport in 2015 and the new
of renewable energy facilities to consume ener- airport opened in 2018 and started operating at
gy without interruption (Yıldız et al., 2020: 171). full capacity in 2019. Since the construction of
Points such as following the rules, minimizing the airport, all operations have been managed in
negative environmental impacts, and think- an environmentally responsible manner. İGA Is-
ing about the environment first while develop- tanbul Airport serves with its 1.4 million square
ing summarize the environmental policy of the meter main terminal building, 3 independent
aviation sector. As Karasar 2019:10 emphasiz- runways, air control tower and support facilities.
es, Deep Ecology and Voluntary Simplicity ap- Istanbul Airport received an international cer-
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tificate by signing the ‘Covid-19 Aviation Health sure, corporate culture, reputation and image
Safety Protocol’ issued by the European Union management is indicated.
Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). It is the first air-
port in the world to receive the ‘Airport Health Sustainability Practices from Airline Perspec-
Accreditation’ certificate issued by Airports tive
Council International (ACI). Istanbul Airport
Turkish Airlines regularly publishes its sustain-
received the ‘Digital Transformation Award’ at
ability reports every year, which are accessible to
the 16th ACI Europe Awards organized by Air-
all stakeholders. In these reports, the company
ports Council International Europe (ACI Eu-
explains its sustainability efforts in great detail.
rope). Istanbul Airport is the Best Airport in
The company divides its sustainability efforts
Europe in the field of digital transformation.
into three categories: very high priority issues,
Awarded the “5-Star Airport” award by Skytrax,
high priority issues and important issues, and
İGA received the “Airport of the Year” award in
conducts them through national and interna-
2021 and 2022 from Regional Air Transport, one
tional projects.
of the most important publications of the glob-
al aviation industry, and the “Best Transit Air-
THY developed a sustainability program at 4
port” and “Best Family-Friendly International
main points in order to support sustainable de-
Airport” awards at the “2022 Leisure Lifestyle
velopment: Management, economy, environ-
Awards” given by Global Traveler, a travel maga-
ment society. Turkish Airlines Sustainability
zine headquartered in the USA. Istanbul Airport
Working Committees work on the following
also received the “5 Star Airport” award from Sk-
topics:
ytrax. IGA is also the recipient of the “Outstand-
• Sustainability Strategy,
ing Achievement” award by the Airline Passen-
• Corporate Social Responsibility and Com-
ger Experience Association (APEX). Making a
munication Projects,
name for itself with its green library and numer-
• Emissions Management
ous social responsibility activities, IGA supports
• Sustainable Practices
the United Nations Sustainable Development
Goals and works with the slogan “Our diversity
What is Turkish Airlines doing for the Birleşmiş
is our richness”. Aiming to be Carbon Neutral
Milletler sustainable development goals?
by 2050, the airport conducts all its operations
• For Articles 1 and 2 (1.1 Eradication of Ex-
in accordance with sustainability principles.
treme Poverty 1.4 Equal Access to Property,
Aviation affects the rural-urban environment,
Basic Services, Technology and Economic
ecological balance and natural life due to nega-
Resources 2.4 Sustainable Food Production
tive environmental impacts. Therefore, sustain-
and Resilient Agricultural Practices)
ability should be considered under 3 headings:
economic, social and environmental in harmo-
Turkish Airlines generates direct and indirect
ny with the ecosystem (Oto, 2011:17, 30)
economic value in geographies through the so-
cio-economic connectivity it provides between
Findings its destinations. It provides employment for mil-
In this section, the details of sustainability prac- lions of people. In 2021, Turkish Airlines oper-
tices at the airline and airport are explained in ated flights to 25 of the 46 countries categorized
the context of Turkish Airlines and Istanbul Air- as the least developed countries by the United
port. The place of sustainability studies in Public Nations. In this context, Turkish Airlines con-
Relations studies in the context of public disclo- tributes to the economic development of these
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countries by carrying their production to target and Social Policies that Promote Equality
markets. It also enables these countries to devel- 10.A Special and Differentiated Treatment
op social relations with the world. for Developing Countries)

It is developing a Sustainable Bio-Jet Fuel Project Diversity and equality are among the company’s
through R&D projects with universities. Thus, core values. Equal treatment of employees is of
agricultural lands will not be used for the pro- primary importance. Male and female employ-
duction of sustainable aviation fuels. Sustainable ees are employed in a balanced manner. The
biofuel will be produced without polluting wa- participation of disadvantaged individuals in
ter, soil and other natural resources. the workforce is supported with fair wages and
• For Article 3 (3.3 Combating Infectious Dis- working conditions. Cargo transportation is car-
eases 3.8 Achieving Universal Health Cover- ried out for the needs of developing countries.
age 3.B Supporting Research and Develop- • For items 7.12.13 (7.2 Increase the Glob-
ment for Affordable Vaccines and Medicines al Share of Renewable Energy 7.3 Double
and Universal Access to them) the Improvement in Energy Efficiency 7.A
Support Access to Clean Energy Research,
With cold chain corridors on over 400 different Technology and Investment 12.2 Sustainable
routes, Turkish Cargo plays a leading role in the Management and Use of Natural Resources
transportation of vaccines and medicines under 12.4 Responsible Chemical and Waste Man-
favorable conditions. The COVID-19 pandem- agement 12.5 Significantly Reduce Waste
ic has clearly demonstrated the importance of Generation 12. 6 Encourage Companies to
the vaccine and medical supply chain, but this Implement Sustainability Practices and Sus-
transportation is not limited to the days of the tainability Reporting 12.8 Promote a Univer-
pandemic. Turkish Airlines supplies vaccines sal Understanding of Sustainable Lifestyles
and medical supplies to Africa and many other 13.1 Strengthen Resilience and Adaptive Ca-
destinations. pacity to Climate-Related Disasters 13.2 In-
• For Article 4 (4.3 Equal Access to Affordable tegrate Climate Change Measures into Poli-
Technical, Vocational and Higher Education cies and Plans 13.3 Enhance Knowledge and
4.4 Increasing the Number of People Qual- Capacity to Combat Climate Change)
ified for Financial Success 4.5 Ending Dis-
crimination in Education) Turkish Airlines consciously manages the en-
vironmental impacts arising from flight opera-
Turkish Airlines supports employee develop- tions within the context of its Sustainability Pol-
ment through collaborations with universities’ icy and Environmental Policy. The airline makes
undergraduate and graduate programs. In addi- plans to reduce its impacts in areas such as com-
tion, employment opportunities are increased. bating climate change, environmental impact
• For Articles 5 and 10 (5.1 Eliminate Dis- management, responsible procurement, waste
crimination against Women and Girls 5.5 management, energy and emission management
Ensure Full Participation in Leadership and and clean energy. It optimizes flight operations
Decision Making 5.C Develop and Strength- to increase fuel efficiency to reduce its carbon
en Applicable Legislation and Policies for footprint. It also invests in new technologies and
Gender Equality, 10. 2 Promote Universal adds new generation aircraft to its fleet. It priori-
Social, Economic and Political Inclusion tizes aircraft and engines with high fuel efficien-
10.3 Ensure Equal Opportunities and Elim- cy. It conducts sustainable bio-fuel development
inate Discrimination 10.4 Implement Fiscal studies. Recyclable products are preferred for
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the products and materials used in the aircraft. tainability 25 Index. The Company effectively
Internal communication activities on sustain- communicates its social responsibility and sus-
ability are carried out to raise the awareness of tainability efforts, which are part of its corporate
employees. culture, to the media and all internal and exter-
• For item 9 (9.4 Improvement of All Indus- nal stakeholders through the activities of the
tries and Infrastructures for Sustainability Corporate Communications Department.
9.5 Increasing Research and Improving In-
dustrial Technologies) Sustainability Practices from the Perspective
of Istanbul Airport
The Company is constantly renewing its fleet. Its
fleet, which has an average age of 8.5 years with Sustainability efforts at Istanbul Airport are
its new generation aircraft, continuously im- managed with an integrated approach covering
proves its infrastructure through digitalization, all operations and internal and external stake-
R&D and innovation efforts. holders are informed through the Corporate
• For Article 11 (11.2 Accessible and Sustain- Communications Department. Efficient use of
able Transportation Systems 11.5 Reducing natural resources is an important point of IGA’s
the Negative Impacts of Natural Disasters sustainable environmental approach. The IGA
11.6 Reducing the Environmental Impacts of Environmental and Social Impact Assessment
Cities) Report was taken into consideration when plan-
ning environmental performance strategies.
Airlines bring cultures together by connecting Sustainability reports are published regularly
different cities of the world. It plans to reduce every year. Airport stakeholder communication
the negative impacts of noise and carbon emis- is planned by the Corporate Affairs Directorate.
sions on sustainable urban life. Continuously Attaching importance to transparent and good
improves its low-noise operation capability. It communication, the brand carries out import-
manages waste. It cooperates to meet the needs ant activities in areas such as social media, press
of the people of the region in disaster-affected communication, sponsorship, environmental
areas and plans aids. and social responsibility projects, culture and art
• For Article 15 (15.3 Halting Deforestation activities. In addition, the Customer Experience
and Restoring Degraded Forests 15.7 Elim- Directorate also communicates with external
inating Illegal Hunting and Trafficking of stakeholders.
Protected Species)
In order to minimize the environmental foot-
It has signed the “United for Wildlife Buck- print, Combating Climate Change is given im-
ingham Palace Declaration” (UFW) to prevent portance. Work is planned under the Climate
illegal trade in wild animals and to raise sec- Change Adaptation and Action Plan. In this
toral awareness on this issue. In addition, envi- context, the authorities participated in the Cli-
ronmentally friendly materials are preferred in mate Week in New York in 2017 and the 25th
the products given to passengers. Toys given to Inter-Country Climate Negotiations Summit or-
child passengers are Forest Stewardship Council ganized by the United Nations in Spain in 2019.
(FSC) certified products. On climate, Istanbul Airport is the world’s larg-
est LEED-certified building as of the date of cer-
Work on the items summarized above contin- tification. The entire terminal and outdoor areas
ues rapidly. In 2022, Turkish Airlines is the first are monitored with IoT (Internet of Things)
and only airline to be included in the BIST Sus- LoraWan technology to ensure optimization in
4 Papers 200

operations. Thus, energy efficiency and green- In the context of sustainability at the airport,
house gas emission reduction are aimed. plans are made especially in the areas of emis-
sion management, waste management, water
İGA, which conducts sustainability studies at management, biodiversity, noise management,
international standards in accordance with the energy efficiency and zero carbon. Emission
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, management activities to reduce the carbon
has been certified by the British Standards Insti- footprint are carried out within the scope of the
tution in the following categories: program to combat climate change. ISO 14064
• ISO 14001 Environmental Management Greenhouse Gas Calculation and Management
• ISO 27001 Information Security Manage- System infrastructure was established. Annual
ment reporting for the ISO 14064 Greenhouse Gas
• ISO 50001 Energy Management Systems Management standard continues. In addition,
• ISO 9001 Quality Management heating, cooling and ventilation systems were
• ISO 10002 Customer Satisfaction Manage- optimized in accordance with the climate, mini-
ment mizing greenhouse gas emissions at source.

Extensive Trainings for Raising Environmental Wastewater at the airport is collected through
Awareness are provided, aiming to raise sustain- the wastewater sewage infrastructure system
ability awareness among all stakeholders. In this and treated at the Domestic Biological Wastewa-
context, Istanbul Airport offers a wide range of ter Treatment Plant with a capacity of 15 thou-
trainings such as Environmental and Sustain- sand m3 /day, and the recycled water is used as
ability Rules, Wildlife Management Trainings, landscaping and cooling water.
ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management
System trainings, ISO 14001 Environmental A “Zero Waste Program” has been developed
Management System Awareness Raising Train- for Total Waste Management. According to this
ings and ISO 50001 Energy Management System target, waste-related performance indicators of
Awareness Raising Trainings, Zero Waste Pro- all companies that manage and deal with waste
gram trainings, Sustainability Projects trainings. are regularly monitored. Waste is tracked from
the source to the final point through a database
How is a Sustainable Environmental Approach and software. In addition, an art workshop was
Planned at IGA Airport? established with the ARTWIST (From Waste to
• carbon emission management Art) Project. Artwist aims to raise waste aware-
• energy efficiency ness and provide social and economic benefits
• water management for the project’s target groups.
• waste management
• biodiversity and wildlife management Thanks to the Biodiversity Action Plan, wildlife
• noise management is regularly monitored throughout the year and
measures are taken to protect the habitat. Auri-
According to IGA 2020 sustainability report ca also carries out afforestation activities.
data; 52.95 Million TL was spent on environ-
mental activities and investments. In 2020, 297 Noise measurements are made around the air-
tons less carbon dioxide emissions, 13,149 bar- port and noise maps are prepared. Strategic
rels of fuel saved, 10 million kilowatts of energy Noise Map is being prepared and online mon-
saved, 297 kg of raw materials saved compared itoring continues.
to 2019.
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The zero carbon target is planned in accordance The report explains that sustainability is import-
with the Standard for Establishment Level Cal- ant in the corporate culture and that the airport
culation and Reporting of Greenhouse Gas provides a fair, equal and safe working environ-
Emissions and Removals. In this context, a 2050 ment that values employee development. The
Carbon Neutral roadmap has been determined. organization has an open corporate culture. Dis-
Energy efficiency: ISO 50001 Energy Manage- crimination is not allowed in any way. Gender
ment System has been installed and effective Equality is also fundamental to the corporate
studies are carried out on conscious energy con- culture. Table 1 summarizes the corporate cul-
sumption and energy saving. All systems are ture and competencies of Istanbul Airport.
continuously controlled and continuity is en-
sured. For example, total direct greengas emis- In addition, the Cultural Ambassadors Program
sion (scope 1 - tons of Co2) was reduced from was planned to create the corporate culture and
37,370.70 in 2019 to 28,102.88 in 2020. Water values of İGA. It is important that employees
consumption per year (m3) decreased from have a happy career journey in the company.
1,3331,673 in 2019 to 829,447 in 2020. Specif- Equal opportunity is emphasized. Training and
ic energy consumption (kWh/ passenger) de- personal development of employees are sup-
creased from 170.89 in 2019 to 126.23 in 2020. ported through trainings at İGA Academy. In-
clusion and equality are important. In addition,
According to the sustainability report, between projects within the context of accessible airport
2020 and 2021; carbon dioxide emissions de- policies are announced to stakeholders through
creased by 297 tons. 13,146 barrels of fuel saved, the press. One of the most important parts of
10 million kilowatts of energy saved, 297 kg. of İGA’s corporate culture is sustainability. Plans
raw materials saved, 5973 m3 of storage space are made in this context under the leadership of
saved. the Sustainability Committee. Stakeholder dia-
log is of utmost importance.

Table 1: İSTANBUL AIRPORT COMPETENCIES

Source: Çukurkaya, 2019:150

CORPORATE FUNCTIONAL MANAGERIAL

COMPETENCIES COMPETENCIES COMPETENCIES

Internal & External

Work Information Strategic Perspective
Customer Sensibility

Taking Responsibility &

Communication & Team Spirit Target & Direction Union
Sense Of Business Ownership

Planned And Programmed

Innovation & Proactivity Focused On Development
Work

Analytical Thinking & Problem

Continuous Development Recognition & Appreciation
Solving

Producing Quality & Efficient

Respect Change Management
Business Results
4 Papers 202

Conclusion pollution, use of sustainable materials, develop-

“The society of the age of manufactured uncer- ment and use of environmentally friendly avi-
ation fuels, young fleet, planning research and
tainties is a risk society” (Balay, 2022:837). Dam-
development collaborations with universities to
age to the environment is a great risk for the
develop new technologies, gender equality, fair
future of the world and it is essential to devel-
working environment, inclusion and diversity.
op sustainability awareness on an international
platform to prevent this.
In addition to being responsible for coordinat-
ing with the management and relevant depart-
Sustainability processes are based on the prin-
ments in the preparation of annual sustainabil-
ciples of stability, responsibility and account-
ity reports, Public Relations specialists are also
ability. Sustainability practices are needed in
responsible for publicizing the awards received
the context of businesses’ missions to integrate
by the brand, planning and implementing events
with and contribute to society. The answer to
and meetings with stakeholders in line with the
the question of how the business will bring
brand’s sustainability approach, and preparing
the eco-system in which it is located to a bet- press releases. In addition, under the coordina-
ter point is in sustainability studies (Özgen, tion of the Corporate Communications depart-
2022:e2). ment, they also plan trainings and social respon-
sibility projects for internal and external target
The answers to the research questions of the audiences in order to raise social awareness on
study investigating sustainability communica- sustainability.
tion in the aviation industry are summarized
below: Sustainability is one of the most important parts
of the corporate culture of both brands. In or-
The tangible indicator of transparent informa- der for this understanding of sustainability to be
tion flow is sustainability reports, which include reflected and adopted in the corporate culture,
numerical data, the company’s sustainability ap- strategic communication activities are carried
proach and all sustainability-related activities. out for the internal target audience.
These reports are published regularly every year
and shared openly with the public. Therefore, Stakeholder dialog is emphasized in sustainabil-
sustainability reports are the most important ity efforts and collaborative projects are carried
communication tool of the brand in sustainabil- out. Corporate Communication departments
ity communication. It has been determined that carry out the necessary communication activ-
both aviation brands in the sample have pre- ities to publicize and understand social social
pared reports reflecting their sustainability ap- responsibility projects. In this context, the two
proach and have planned and implemented all brands in the sample plan comprehensive com-
communication activities, especially media. munication activities for their stakeholders with
the principle of transparent communication
Both brands have plans and projects in line with on sustainability. It is understood that detailed
the sustainability goals of the United Nations. studies are carried out to inform the public, raise
Both brands have taken measures to reduce the awareness, and manage the image and reputa-
negative environmental impacts of the aviation tion of the brand.
industry, and are working on topics such as
combating climate change, energy management, Sustainability strategies of airports and airlines
waste management, water management, noise are not only important in terms of respect for the
4 Papers 203

future of the world, but also valuable in terms of Üniversitesi İletişim Fakültesi Elektronik Der-
brand value, corporate reputation, efficiency in gisi, Vol. 6 No. 1, pp. 101-128.
business processes, innovation, cost optimiza- İngeç, A. K. (2021). “Halkla ilişkiler için bir par-
tion and financial value, access to international adigma önerisi”, Akademik Hassasiyetler, Vol. 8
financing and financing opportunities, and op- No.17, pp. 321-341.
portunities in the international market. In this
context, the development of sustainability strat- Karasar, Ş. (2019). “Kalıcı başarı için atılan adım:
egies and strong communication are important. sürdürülebilirlik”, Çiçek, M. (Ed.), Just Landed
The planning of Corporate Communications Havalimanında İtibar yönetimi. Papatya Bilim
departments and the theme of sustainability in Yayınevi, İstanbul, pp. 9-12.
public relations activities are also very valuable Kavoğlu, S. (2012). “itibar yönetimi açısından
in terms of social social responsibility. yeşil pazarlama: örnek olay incelemesi”, Tarih
Kültür ve Sanat Arastırmaları Dergisi (ISSN:
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sürdürülebilir gelişme göstergeleri”, Sürdürüle- ve havaalanları: Esenboğa Havalimanı Örneği,
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4 Papers 205

A Lens to Examine Communication

Through Business Continuity
Management
Hytönen, Eveliina, Laurea University of Applied Sciences (Finland)
Ruoslahti, Harri, Laurea University of Applied Sciences (Finland)

Introduction The process of building resilience needs com-

Cyber incidents and business interruptions rank munication and collaboration between social
networks (Vos, 2017). Resilience and continui-
as the foremost business risks according to the
ty management have wide societal impacts and
Allianz Risk Barometer 2023 (Allianz Risk Ba-
they are particularly important for critical infra-
rometer, 2023). Today’s organizations may al-
structure organizations (Ruoslahti, 2020). Busi-
most constantly face adversities and critical in-
ness Continuity Management (BCM) is a pro-
cidents such as natural or manmade disasters,
cess that attempts to identify threats and their
technological innovations, public relations cri-
impacts on an organization. The BCM process
ses, and cyber-attacks. This has led many orga-
offers a framework for building organizational
nizations to reconsider their approaches to their
resilience and facilitates an efficient response
business continuity management processes and when encountering critical events. (BSI 2006;
practices, and to resilience building. Further- ISO 22301:2019; Herbane, 2016.) Basic BCM
more, individuals, organizations, and society principles that can help in managing continuity
are becoming more dependent on complex and and consequently improving resilience are e.g.,
interlinked cyber systems and their intercon- identifying risks, critical activities, key person-
nections to carrying out everyday activities. The nel, creating guidelines and procedures, and
growing number and sophistication of cyberse- open communication (Ruoslahti, 2020).
curity threats and attacks have become a reality The Resilience Matrix has been developed to
in the daily life and have also evolved into one of help in focusing on creating shared situational
the foremost risks to jeopardize business conti- awareness and to facilitate decision-making by
nuity (Michel & King, 2019). Continuity man- sharing information across networks operating
agement strategies for critical infrastructure in physical, information, cognitive, and social
operators and their networks, such as other or- domains (Linkov et al., 2013). The Resilience
ganizations rely on other networks. They can be Matrix does not explicitly discuss or state the
viewed as part of a system of systems. Resilience role of communication in different phases of
and continuity of these systems can be enhanced the event management cycle and resilience de-
by studying and improving interconnectivity velopment. Communication and communica-
and functions between these networks (Linkov tion management can, however, contribute to
et al., 2013). organizational resilience (Buzzanell, 2010; Ishak
& Williams, 2018). Effective multistakeholder
communication and collaboration is essential
4 Papers 206

for continuity and reputation management, and stressful events over time (Palma-Oliveira &
consequently for improved organizational cyber Trump, 2016).
resilience (Knight & Nurse, 2018).
Organizational resilience and business
This paper approaches sustainability from a continuity management
perspective that combines organizational cyber
On an organizational level, the term ‘resilience’
resilience with the principles of business conti-
can describe the inherent characteristics of orga-
nuity management. The purpose of this paper
nizations that can respond more quickly, recover
is to describe how a modified Resilience Matrix
faster, or develop more unusual ways of doing
(Linkov et al., 2013) can be used as a framework
business under pressure than others (Vogus &
to understand and explain communication and
Sutcliffe, 2007). In the field of economics, re-
communication management within different
silience is often characterized as the aspiration
stages of the resilience cycle. The Resilience Ma-
or aim of business continuity management sys-
trix discussed in this article combines an event
tems, or as the articulation of the future state
management cycle with elements of business
of organization following achievement of its
continuity management and an element of cyber
strategy. Business Continuity Management can
threat intelligence in the context of the EU Com-
be seen as one of several activities that support
mission funded Project DYNAMO (Dynamic
and enhance resilience. (Herbane, 2016.) Orga-
Resilience Assessment Method including a com-
nizational resilience can also be approached as
bined Business Continuity Management and
a dynamic process that needs to be developed
Cyber Threat Intelligence solution for Critical
with the understanding of the different types of
Sectors). In this article, the modified Resilience
capacities within organization that contribute to
Matrix is viewed and explained through the the-
resilience (Madani & Parast, 2021).
oretical background presented in the paper, and
implications for communication and communi-
Resilience can be characterized as a dynamic
cation management are presented.
construct, where organizations that are consid-
ered resilient can either adopt an anchored or
The research questions of this study are:
an adaptive mindset towards resilience (Ishak
• RQ1: How can the Resilience Matrix be used
& Williams, 2018). Anchored-resilient orga-
to explain communication needs and re-
nizations, when encountering a critical event
quirements in different stages of the event
“are surprised but prepared, think about how
management cycle?
to maintain their identity, and quickly look for
• RQ2: How can the Resilience Matrix be used
a return to normalcy” (p. 192). Adaptive-resil-
to explain communication management
ient organizations, “understand disruptions as
needs and requirements in different stages of
part of their process, view change as normal, and
the event management cycle?
look forward to how they can adapt” (p. 192).
(Ishak & Williams, 2018.)
Literature review
The National Academy of Sciences (2012) de- The National Initiative for Cybersecurity Ca-
fines resilience as “the ability to prepare and reers and Studies (NICCS) defines cybersecurity
plan for, absorb, recover from, or more success- as “[t]he activity or process, ability or capability,
fully adapt to actual or potential adverse events”. or state whereby information and communica-
Resilience can also be seen as the capability of tions systems and the information contained
a system to recover in the middle of shocks or therein are protected from and/or defended
4 Papers 207

against damage, unauthorized use or modifica- and re-training the personnel. The Resilience
tion, or exploitation” (NICCS, 2023). Dalal et al. Matrix covers each phase of the event manage-
(2022) include the human-factor in the defini- ment cycle with each domain: physical, informa-
tion of cyber security, more specifically the defi- tion, cognitive, social, providing guidelines for
nition of organizational cyber security as “the resilience metrics that need to be developed and
efforts organizations take to protect and defend combined to measure overall system resilience.
their information assets, regardless of the form (Linkov et al., 2013; National Research Council,
in which those assets exist, from threats internal 2012.)
and external to the organization” (p. 5).
Business Continuity Management (BCM) can
The term ‘cyber resilience’ can be defined as the be characterized as a management process that
ability of the system to prepare, absorb, recover, seeks to comprehensively identify threats and
and adapt to adverse effects, particularly effects their impacts on an organization. The BCM
associated with cyberattacks (Linkov & Kott, process offers a framework for building orga-
2018). Björck et al. (2015) define the concept of nizational resilience and facilitates an efficient
cyber resilience referring “to the ability to con- response when hit by an adverse event, while
tinuously deliver the intended outcome despite safeguarding the interests of stakeholders, rep-
adverse cyber events” (p. 312). Thus, they state utation, brand, and value-generating activities
that for the cyber resilience to be effective and (BSI 2006; ISO 22301:2019). BCM can be de-
efficient it needs to be approached holistically scribed as a cyclical process, where a well im-
and in parallel on several levels within organi- plemented plan-phase prepares the organization
zation. and its personnel to absorb- and recover-phases,
while the adapt-phase encourages feedback that
A systems approach to resilience can be de- is utilized to improve future operations and
scribed and analyzed using the Resilience Ma- planning (Savage, 2002). Especially, when de-
trix, that has been developed to facilitate focus- veloping continuity management against cyber
ing on creating shared situational awareness and threats and aiming at enhancing organizational
decentralized decision-making by distributing cyber resilience, the plan-phase can be divided
information across networks operating in phys- into three sub-phases: prepare, prevent, and pro-
ical, information, cognitive, and social domains. tect (Hiermaier, Scharte & Fischer, 2019).
(Linkov et al., 2013.) The Resilience Matrix or One traditional BCM approach describes a pro-
event management cycle can be simplified into cess where the plan-phase consists of several
four functions: plan, absorb, recover, and adapt. basic BCM principles: 1) conducting a business
1) The plan-phase involves establishing proce- impact analysis (BIA), 2) defining recovery time
dures to ensure the availability of services and targets (RTO, RPO), 3) performing a risk as-
the proper functioning of assets, 2) the ab- sessment (RA), 4) obtaining executive support,
sorb-phase involves tasks such as preserving the 5) testing the process, and 6) providing training
functionality and service availability of the most and creating awareness (Lindstedt & Armour,
crucial assets while mitigating disruptions, 3) in 2017). BCM can thus be considered to enhance
the recovery phase, the organization strives to knowledge management and dynamic capabili-
recover assets, restore their functions, and en- ties that can then again improve organization-
sure service availability, and 4) the adapt-phase al performance and resilience against critical
includes gaining and collecting knowledge and events (Fischbacher-Smith, 2017).
information about the event for learning and
changing of procedures, configuring the systems,
4 Papers 208

Figure 1: The Resilience Matrix (Linkov et al. 2013)

The organizational capabilities that support and many levels within the organization, 4) exercise
facilitate business continuity planning can be de- for improvement, not for testing, 5) learn the
scribed as 1) adequate and genuine management business, 6) measure and benchmark, 7) obtain
commitment, 2) a clear continuity strategy, 3) a step-by-step direction from leadership, 8) ex-
plan for regular development, 4) training and clude the risk assessment and business impact
counselling, and 5) periodic reporting (Maur- analysis, and 9) prepare for impacts, not caus-
er & Lechner, 2014). Traditional approaches to es (Lindstedt & Armour, 2016). Flexibility and
BCM have been criticized for not being flexi- adaptability in BCM can be achieved through
ble and adaptive enough (Lindstedt & Armour, 1) integrating business continuity and strategic
2016; Hatton & Brown, 2021). An Adaptive management more closely; 2) embedding a re-
Business Continuity (ABC) approach suggests silience thinking culture across the organization;
that continuous improvement of organizational 3) decentralizing business continuity planning;
recovery capabilities with a focus on continued 4) planning based on principles; and 5) exercis-
delivery of services can be achieved by follow- ing more frequently (Hatton & Brown, 2021).
ing nine principles: 1) create continuous value,
2) document only for mnemonics, 3) engage at
4 Papers 209

Communication contributing to organi- tuted through communicative processes (Ishak

zational resilience & Williams, 2018). An adverse event, such as
natural disaster, pandemic, or system failure,
Weick and Sutcliffe (2015) state that instead of
leads to individuals and organizations enacting
technical control measures and formal proce-
the communicative practices of resilience (Buz-
dures, cultural features, which they define as
zanell, 2010). As organizational communication
“mindful organizing”, such as a general preoc-
continues to evolve, organizations should con-
cupation with failure, a reluctance to simplify,
sider the multifaceted, dynamic nature of resil-
a sensitivity to operations, a commitment to re-
ience also in the preparation and recovery stages
silience and a deference to expertise, contribute
of the resilience (Ishak & Williams, 2018).
to organizations achieving resilience. Different
organizational practices enable mindful orga-
Risk communication has been actively re-
nizing; resilience is built through sharing values
searched in the field of communication (Nurse
and norms, and collaborating, i.e., through con-
et al. 2011; Goerlandt et al. 2020). From the
stant communication and recalibration of the
BCM and the organizational resilience cycle
situation. Thus, resilience can be constructed point of view, there are several essential topics
via communicative practices or communication emerging. A crucial area of focus should be on
processes (Buzzanell, 2010: Ishak & Williams, risks with potentially significant societal conse-
2018). quences, such as climate action failure, weapons
of mass destruction, breakdown of information
Communication contributes to organizational infrastructure, natural disasters, and cyberat-
resilience in different ways, it supports repu- tacks (Goerlandt et al. 2020).
tation management as part of continuity man-
agement (Vos, 2017). Communication aims In the field of public relations, there is a consid-
to clarify risks and how they are managed and erable amount of research on crisis communi-
enables collaboration for preparedness activi- cations, situational crisis communication theory
ties (Reynolds & Seeger, 2005). Communication (SCCT) (Coombs, 2007) and theory of image
facilitates the creation of situational awareness, restoration (Benoit, 1997) being the major mod-
and supports crisis management, information els in this area (Avery et al., 2010). A lot of cri-
sharing, decision making, and contributes to les- sis communication research focuses on corpo-
sons learnt sharing, and training (Vos & Schoe- rate crisis communication strategies to research
maker, 2004). Communication also supports the response strategies during a crisis (Cannaerts
interaction between stakeholders and enhances 2020). Avery et al. (2010) state that situational
commitment and awareness building contrib- crisis communication theory and the theory of
uting that way to continuity management of an image restoration provide frameworks for the
organization. (Vos, 2017). types of responses available to organizations
during a crisis, but they have been criticized for
Buzzanell (2010) claims that the communica- not being practical, and not providing more de-
tive construction of resilience consists of five tailed criteria that would facilitate organizations
processes: crafting normalcy, maintaining, and to determine which approach to use in a crisis.
utilizing communication networks, using al-
ternative logics to make sense of the situation; Cannaerts (2020) proposes a multistakeholder
legitimizing negative feelings while foreground- perspective towards crisis communication rath-
ing productive action; and affirming identity an- er than studying it more narrowly from the per-
chors. Thus, organizational resilience is consti- spective of crisis response strategies. For crisis
4 Papers 210

communication to be effective it needs to be di- that since the five-stage implementation of crisis
versified across different crisis stages and diverse communication in the CERC model describes
stakeholders; internal and external collaboration communication also in the plan (prepare, pre-
and training and rehearsal between stakeholders vent and protect) phase of the event manage-
are of great importance for effective crisis com- ment cycle, the model could offer insights also
munication. Regarding cyber crises, Knight, and regarding communication in the resilience cycle.
Nurse (2020) suggest a public communication
model for communicating in the case of cyber BCM in organizational resilience
incident such as data breach. They state that ef-
fective multistakeholder communication and Critical success factors of BCM are, e.g., manage-
collaboration is essential for reputation and con- ment support, organizational preparedness, and
tinuity management, and consequently for cyber embeddedness of continuity practices across the
resilience. organization. It is essential for senior manage-
ment to initiate, authorize, and support a busi-
Different stages of the resilience cycle can be ness continuity program from the initial stages
used to describe how communication tasks of its implementation (Chow, 2000; Järveläinen
vary during the stages (Vos, 2017). The Crisis 2013). Organizational preparedness encom-
and Emergency Risk Communication mod- passes understanding diverse recovery methods
el (CERC), that was originally developed for and risk mitigation strategies, developing, and
healthcare crisis situations, provides a frame- maintaining business continuity plans, build-
work for interactive crisis communication (Veil ing crisis management teams, and establishing
et al., 2008). In the CERC model, crisis commu- redundancy among key personnel (Lindström,
nication is implemented in five different stages Samuelsson, & Hägerfors, 2010; Herbane, Elliot
of the event management cycle. 1) In the pre- & Swartz, 2004).
crisis stage, the operating environment is moni-
tored and warning messages about the crisis are Embeddedness of continuity practices means
received. The goal of communication is to pro- integrating practices into processes, and staff
vide guidance and prepare for a possible crisis and senior management being highly commit-
and plan activities. 2) During the initial event ted to work within the organization. To enhance
stage, communication aims to reduce uncer- the integration of the BCM process and prac-
tainty, and support different target groups. 3) In tices, organizations can employ different ways
the maintenance stage, the aim is to create and to communicate and emphasize the importance
maintain situational awareness by communicat- of BCM, including awareness-raising, train-
ing about the background of the event. In addi- ing, and addressing the varying topics of BCM
tion, communication is needed for cooperation from the perspectives of different target groups.
to restore normalcy and to correct rumors and (Herbane, Elliot & Swartz, 2004.) The main ap-
misunderstandings. 4) In the resolution stage, proaches to business continuity management
communication is needed to inform the target arise from collaborative work and effective
groups on how the crisis was managed and to communication between stakeholders. Collab-
increase awareness of possible new risks. 5) In oration and communication enable monitoring
the evaluation stage, the communication enables the context and building reliable relationships,
the evaluation of crisis management and crisis thus facilitating the development of collective
communication, sharing of lessons learned, and responses during crises. Leaders and managers
knowledge about the crisis. (Reynolds & See- should foster a collaborative culture within the
ger, 2005; Veil et al., 2008.) It can be suggested, organization and with its stakeholders, actively
4 Papers 211

take part in daily work to strengthen employee tinuity management (BCM) including risks,
commitment and show support. (Sánchez & De critical functions, key personnel, guidelines and
Batista, 2023.) procedures, and open communication, are com-
bined with the event management cycle.
Methodology
The research questions of this study are:
This paper approaches sustainability from a per-
• RQ1: How can the Resilience Matrix be used
spective that combines organizational cyber re-
to explain communication needs and re-
silience with the principles of business continui-
quirements in different stages of the event
ty management. This paper describes a modified
management cycle?
Resilience Matrix (Linkov et al., 2013), and how
• RQ2: How can the Resilience Matrix be used
it can be used as a framework to understand and
to explain communication management
explain communication and communication
needs and requirements in different stages of
management within different stages of the re-
the event management cycle?
silience cycle. The Resilience Matrix discussed
in this article combines an event management
cycle with elements of business continuity man- Results
agement and an element of cyber threat intel- The Resilience Matrix can be used to view and
ligence in the context of the EU Commission explain communication and communication
funded Project DYNAMO (Dynamic Resilience management needs and requirements in dif-
Assessment Method including a combined Busi- ferent stages of the event management cycle
ness Continuity Management and Cyber Threat by utilizing the matrix as a framework for data
Intelligence solution for Critical Sectors). The collection and for theoretical approaches. In
methods of the development process of the mod- this article, the aim is to view and describe the
ified Resilience Matrix have included a literature DYNAMO Resilience Matrix through the theo-
review and a series of development workshops retical background presented in the paper and
that resulted in the development of the DYNA- present implications for communication and
MO Resilience Matrix (DRM). The DYNAMO communication management.
Resilience Matrix is based on the Resilience Ma-
trix by Linkov et al. (2013) and on a prior matrix The event management cycle with its four func-
by Ruoslahti (2020). tions: plan, absorb, recover, and adapt, and with
its four domains: physical, information, cog-
The DYNAMO Resilience Matrix developed for nitive, and social, could be implied to contain
the project recognizes a six-phase event man- communication as one of the elements to be
agement cycle (Figure 2). The plan-phase, that looked at and developed when aiming at overall
has been defined as a single phase in the matrix resilience of a system, such as an organization.
by Linkov et al. (2013), is divided here into three The event management cycle, or the Resilience
phases: prepare, prevent, and protect, based on Matrix (Linkov et al. 2013) does not explicitly
the model proposed by Hiermaier et al. (2019). discuss or state the role of communication in dif-
The response-phase corresponds to the absorb ferent phases of the event management cycle and
phase in the matrix by Linkov et al. (2013), while resilience development. However, when viewing
the recover-phase is the same in both matrixes, communication through the DYNAMO Resil-
followed by the same learn and adapt-phase. In ience Matrix, where the event management cycle
the modified Resilience Matrix, elements of cy- is combined with elements of business continu-
ber threat intelligence (CTI) and business con- ity, and an aspect of cyber threat intelligence is
4 Papers 212

Figure 2: The DYNAMO Resilience Matrix (DRM).

Combined from Linkov et al. (2013) and from Ruoslahti (2020).

added, and through the theoretical background (Herbane, Elliot & Swartz, 2004). Communica-
presented in this article, it can be claimed that tion is part of mindful organizing, where it ena-
communication and communication manage- bles e.g., preoccupation with failure through col-
ment is needed in various parts of the Resilience laboration and sharing norms such as guidelines
Matrix. and procedures (Weick & Suttcliffe, 2015). Com-
munication contributes to resilience mindset
In the plan phase, that in this paper includes of an organization by promoting a culture that
three sub-phases: prepare, prevent, and protect, emphasizes situational awareness (Weick & Sut-
communication and communication manage- cliffe, 2015). By collaborating and communicat-
ment is needed for prevention and prepared- ing, it is possible to monitor the context and es-
ness. When conducting the various BCM func- tablish relationships to support the development
tions, i.e., considering CTI, identifying, and of collective responses during crisis (Sánchez &
assessing risks, identifying critical activities, and De Batista, 2023). Thus, communication also
key personnel and competencies, and creating supports the interaction between stakeholders
guidelines and procedures, communication and and enhances commitment (Vos, 2017) and en-
communication management can be claimed gagement to the BCM that is part of resilience
to be part of those functions. Communication building (Herbane, Elliot & Swartz, 2004).
and communication management within those
functions aids in creating awareness of risks and In the response-phase of the Resilience Matrix,
prevention and in collaborating for prepared- communication and communication manage-
ness activities (Reynolds & Seeger, 2005; Veil et ment supports BCM functions by providing
al., 2008.), as well as of the significance of busi- warnings and instructions (Vos, 2017), as well as
ness continuity management in the organization by explaining the crisis to relevant target groups
4 Papers 213

and stakeholders (Reynolds & Seeger, 2005; Veil Communication is one of the factors contribut-
et al., 2008; Vos, 2017). People make sense of the ing to organizational resilience in various ways.
organization through communication (Weick, The role of communication in the organizational
2001), and sense making in case of a crisis hap- cyber resilience throughout the resilience cycle
pens via interaction and interpretative actions calls for more research in the field of commu-
(Vos, 2017). Also, in the response-phase there nication and communication management. It is
is a need for situational awareness; resilience important to understand what kind of commu-
is built through constant communication that nication and communication management can
aids recalibrate the situation (Weick & Sutcliffe, foster organizational cyber resilience, or in the
2015). Individuals and organizations enact the worst case, dismantle resilience. The modified
communicative practices of resilience also in the Resilience Matrix offers an integrative approach
response-phase, as there is a need to make sense to organizational cyber resilience combining
of the situation, collaborate and utilize commu- theoretical and practical aspects of technological
nication networks to craft normalcy (Buzzanell, and human factors. Cyber resilience and what
2010). constitutes it needs to be addressed from an
integrated perspective, not only from the tech-
In the recover-phase, communication and com- nology point of view. Policy makers, corporate
munication management can facilitate exchang- executives, managers, employees, and cyberse-
ing experiences and views (Vos, 2017), and curity professionals need the integrated view on
sharing knowledge and lessons learnt, as well as cyber resilience to understand and plan holisti-
support organizational learning (Vos & Schoe- cally for cyber resilience. Further study with the
maker, 2004; Reynolds & Seeger, 2005; Veil et modified Resilience Matrix as a framework of
al., 2008). Also, after a critical event, commu- data collection and analysis can provide valuable
nication enables affirming identity anchors, knowledge that will have practical implications
thus supporting the recovery back to normalcy in organizations in communication manage-
(Buzzanell, 2010). The role of communication ment and planning in complex and fast chang-
and communication management is essential in ing digital environment. Added understanding
enabling internal and external collaboration and of how to manage and plan communication, and
training and exercise with employees and stake- communicate organizational cyber resilience is
holders also in the recover-phase (Cannaerts, a contribution to theory and may even benefit
2020). society.

Conclusions Acknowledgements. This study has received

funding by the European Union project DYNA-
Communication and communication manage-
MO, under grant agreement no. 101069601. The
ment needs and requirements in different stages
views expressed are those of the author(s) only
of the event management cycle can be described
and do not necessarily reflect those of the Eu-
and explained by utilizing the DYNAMO Re-
ropean Union. Neither the European Union nor
silience Matrix as a framework for an approach
the granting authority can be held responsible
where earlier studies and research results are
for them.
viewed in relation to the different parts in the
matrix.
4 Papers 214

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The impacts of communication in

sustainability in Italy
Milan, Gloria, ICDLAB Sostenibilità e Comunicazione (Italy)
Armuzzi, Giulia, Gruppo Maggioli (Italy)
Bonometto, Caterina, ICDLAB Sostenibilità e Comunicazione (Italy)
Bosello, Federica, Autorità di Sistema Portuale del Mare Adriatico Settentrionale (Italy)
Burighel, Micol, Amapola (Italy)
Colle, Matteo, Gruppo CAP (Italy)
Parigi, Riccardo, MUST S.r.l. (Italy)
Talluri, Marco, Ambientenonsolo (Italy)
Vazzoler, Sergio, Amapola (Italy)
Martello, Stefano, Comm to Action (Italy)

Introduction will still have to comply voluntarily if they want

to be kept in the supply chain of those subject
Globally, communication is becoming increas-
to the constraint. Added to this is the growing
ingly important as a lever to increase the sus-
attention of consumers towards those organisa-
tainability of organisations and thus contribute
tions that certify their commitment to the envi-
more generally to sustainable development.
ronment and the common good.
In the face of the worsening environmental and
social crises that we are currently experienc-
Thus, the entire business world is stimulated not
ing, this process has accelerated in recent times,
only to adopt sustainable behaviour in environ-
receiving new and relevant calls from both in- mental and social terms, but also and above all
ternational bodies and those representing the to equip itself to place stakeholder relations at
world of communication itself. the centre of its activities as an indispensable as-
set.
In December 2022, for example, the Corporate
Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) will Stakeholder management must be practised ex
see the light of day, endorsed by the European ante, at the policy-making stage, by integrating
Parliament and the Council of Europe as a useful stakeholder concerns into the organisation’s
tool for achieving sustainability goals, including strategies.
climate neutrality by 2050.
The introduction of the concept of double mate-
Indeed, the timetable for the entry into force riality, which requires reporting not only on the
of the new non-financial reporting obligations impact of the company on sustainability issues
envisages a massive expansion of the scope of (inside-out perspective), but also on the impact
companies affected, some from 2024 and others of sustainability issues on the company (out-
from 2026. Among other things, even organisa- side-in perspective), also contributes to broad-
tions not affected by the reporting obligations ening the scope of reporting, the mapping of
4 Papers 218

stakeholders with whom to relate, and the type In the first book, environmental commu-
of communication techniques and tools to be nication is investigated for the first time in
deployed. all its complexity, with a multidisciplinary
methodological approach, from the process-
At the same time, just a year ago, the Global Al- es of training and professional recognition
liance for Public Relations and Communication to the experiences developed within various
Management1 mobilised by launching a call to spheres ranging from infrastructure, com-
support the appeal to the United Nations to add a panies, theatre, museums, utilities, etc.
new goal to the Sustainable Development Goals
dedicated to ‘Responsible Communication’, In the second book, the focus is on the in-
starting with the recognition of the crucial role it vestigation of models, methodologies and
plays in creating trust, consensus, dialogue, and tools to be made available to different organ-
partnerships between different actors, which are isational and application realities, in an at-
pre-conditions for the effective and transversal tempt to provide concrete answers to those
pursuit of all the goals of the 2030 Agenda. who are accountable to regulations, inves-
tors, consumers, other companies and insti-
The origin of the research tutions and still find themselves unprepared.
But in the face of an increased responsibility Now that the approaches and implementa-
attributed to communication for sustainable tion tools have been mapped out, the natu-
development and a greater awareness of com- ral next step becomes the field study, in or-
municators in this regard at an international lev- der to understand whether communication
el, what is the state of the art of environmental today is indeed already an asset that can make
communication in Italy? a relevant and effective contribution to the
sustainability path of organisations. Further-
This issue has been analysed in two volumes more, the aim is to understand how strongly
published - between 2020 and 2022 - by the for- and with what margins for improvement.
mer working group dedicated to environmental
communication of the Italian Public Relations On this topic, the comparison between the lit-
Federation, integrated with other professionals: erature and practice highlights some relevant
these are “Libro Bianco sulla comunicazione am- aspects, but also some misunderstandings. This
bientale”2 and “L’anello mancante. La comunica- sometimes makes it difficult for the external ob-
zione ambientale alla prova della transizione eco- server to distinguish good practice from bad.
logica”.3 The complexity of a rapidly changing market
and the pressure of public opinion on sustain-

1 The Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management is the confederation of the world’s leading public relations
and communication management associations and institutions representing around 360,000 professionals and academics worldwide.
2 Libro Bianco sulla comunicazione ambientale, Stefano Martello, Sergio Vazzoler (eds.); foreword by Rossella Sobrero; contributions
by: Federica Bosello, Matteo Colle, Emilio Conti, Stefania Itolli, Stefano Martello, Alberto Marzetta, Roberto Mezzalama, Gloria Milan,
Riccardo Parigi, Maria Grazia Persico, Paolo Silingardi, Marco Talluri, Sergio Vazzoler, published by Pacini Editore for the New Fabric
series in 2020
3 L’anello mancante. La comunicazione ambientale alla prova della transizione ecologica, Stefano Martello, Sergio Vazzoler (eds.); pref-
ace by Ermete Realaci; contributions by: Giulia Armuzzi, Federica Bosello, Micol Burighel, Matteo Colle, Emilio Conti, Luisa Crisi-
giovanni, Fabio Iraldo, Stefano Martello, Alberto Marzetta, Gloria Milan, Riccardo Parigi, Maria Grazia Persico, Massimiliano Pontillo,
Marco Talluri, Sergio Vazzoler; afterword by: Ottavia Ortolani; published by Pacini Editore for the New Fabric series in 2022.
4 Papers 219

able development issues may sometimes push 2. the second involved the administration of
companies to hastily adopt solutions, conduct the questionnaire to a sample of 100 organi-
and communication approaches that are dis- sations, distributed throughout Italy, divided
connected from a real corporate sustainability as follows: large companies, SMEs and public
strategy. In this way, companies risk greenwash- institutions;
ing. The desire to provide quick answers to the 3. the third phase consisted of processing the
market and stakeholders does not allow for re- responses to the questionnaire and analysing
flection and the identification of clear and mea- the results;
surable objectives, but gives way to isolated and 4. the fourth phase, which based from the find-
unproductive communication initiatives, with ings that emerged from the analysis of the re-
negative effects on internal relations and dia- sponses, consisted of an in-depth interview
logue with stakeholders. with 7 organisations representative of the
initial sample on 4 key macro themes: stake-
We could mention, for example, the effects of holder engagement, reporting, measurement
these choices on intergenerational dynamics, (KPIs) and double materiality.
particularly on the younger generations. Often
frustrated expectations, unmet needs and fears Research findings
lead to reactions of anger and resistance that
The contact system strongly favoured the rela-
prevent the opening of a dialogue and inhibit
tional aspect and the dialogue phase with the
any attempt to work together for change. In this
organisations. 36% of the identified sample re-
way, companies find themselves in a vicious cir-
sponded to the questionnaire, highlighting, al-
cle that renders all communication efforts ster-
beit informally, the reactive level and interest of
ile.
the organisations involved in the macro topics
investigated.
Research methodology
In 2023, the working group deemed it important The breakdown of responding organisations is
to sound out the state of the art of sustainabili- as follows: 44% large companies, 42% SMEs and
ty communication in Italy and its direct impacts 14% public sector organisations.
through the analysis of the activities of a signif-
icant sample in terms of relevance of its impacts The findings are summarised below.
made up of large companies, SMEs and Public 1. Knowledge of reporting tools: All those
Institutions. involved in the survey are familiar with the
sustainability report. Knowledge of the oth-
In order to achieve this, the methodology of er tools (social report, environmental report,
qualitative-quantitative analysis was used, ar- Non-Financial Statement, integrated report)
ticulated in several steps consisting of different is functional to the type of organisation in-
activities: volved. Furthermore, all organisations that
1. the first phase consisted of a 13-question responded indicated that they were familiar
questionnaire designed to provide a snap- with at least 1 of the sustainability reporting
shot of the state of the art on the following tools. This underlines the extent to which
macro issues: sustainability reporting and its sustainability is now part of each organisa-
tools, prevalence of ESG issues and factors, tion’s knowledge.
organisational impacts, double materiality, 2. Realisation of communication tools: On
stakeholder engagement and benefit taking; this issue, 72% of the sample declared that
4 Papers 220

they realised or were in the process of real- report, which is central to the new European
ising a sustainability report. The other tools sustainability reporting directive.
are probably identified according to the type 5. Organisational profile “Sustainability
of organisation, while 11% of the sample in- Committee”: just over half of the organiza-
dicated that they do not implement any tools. tions involved have a Sustainability Commit-
3. Benefits of sustainability reporting: The or- tee in their organization chart. This means
ganisations involved highlighted the benefits that, from an organisational point of view,
listed below: there is a polarisation between those or-
• improved business risk management 75%; ganisations that have planned and have an
• improved active participation of relevant ad hoc committee to monitor sustainability
stakeholders in business operations 75%; issues and those that do not have one. This
• improvement in medium- to long-term fact leads us to reflect on the fact that, de-
strategic planning 70%; spite everything, sustainability is still not ful-
• easier access to line of credit 64%; ly accredited in the organisational profile of
• easier access to public funding 42%; companies, making it more difficult to deal
• strengthened brand reputation in investor with the complexity of the challenge/com-
relations 61%; mitment.
• improved economic performance 22%; 6. Significance of stakeholder relations: 97%
• sustainability reporting is only a cost for of the sample consider stakeholder engage-
the company 0%. ment activities to be very relevant, both
The analysis of this data provides two imme- in terms of internal and external engage-
diate indications. The first is the improvement ment. In terms of implementation meth-
in the risk profile resulting from the introduc- ods, it is interesting to note that 50% of
tion of sustainability reporting. Indeed, risk the sample define their engagement activ-
analysis in all its senses is the basis for the ity as structured, while the remaining half
double-materiality approach. The second is are taking steps to structure it. It is evident
that sustainability reporting is not perceived that organisations are becoming aware of
as merely a cost to the organisation, which is the importance of stakeholder engage-
consistent with the results of the previous re- ment as a strategically planned activity.
sponses. Regarding stakeholder engagement meth-
4. Double-Materiality Approach: It is note- ods, the most commonly used are working
worthy that 58% of the organisations sur- groups, company visits, the company web-
veyed use double-materiality (inside-out site, newsletters, meetings, events and school
risks and outside-in risks) in sustainability visits.
reporting, which is really interesting be- 7. Benefits of stakeholder engagement: The
cause it shows how proactive organisations analysis shows that the benefits are related to
are and how they anticipate the mandatory the risk management from an ESG perspec-
requirement expressed in the CSRD. 19% of tive, to the values of the brand, to the brand
the sample still use traditional materiality reputation, to improvement listening and di-
that only analyses the organisation’s outward alogue as a process, to ensure the economic
impacts, and 23% do not prepare a materi- and social growth.
ality analysis. These last two figures allow us 8. Importance of communication and en-
to argue that companies need to continue to vironmental communication: Commu-
deepen their understanding of the subject in nication is confirmed as a strategic asset
order to draw up a true double-materiality in the phases of building, governing and
4 Papers 221

measuring the organisation’s relationship Specifically, the following evidence emerged:

with stakeholders. Particular emphasis is 1. Engagement: the main evidence concerns
also placed on environmental communica- the need for a strategic and simultaneously
tion activities, considered relevant by 86% widespread conduct that equally interests
of the sample, while 14% of the sample has all the organisation’s publics including those
not yet implemented any communication that appear to be peripheral. By extending
activities, a fact that makes it necessary to the scenario of listening first and then act-
reflect on possible difficulties related to the ing, the strategy can cover all the expecta-
complexity of the subject or the economic tions expressed by stakeholders and become
and organisational effort required. a force capable of consolidating the brand’s
In terms of the communication methods reputation at all levels and a natural antidote
used by organisations, events (87%) are in to conflicts and polarisation of opinion. In
first place, followed by the dissemination of this sense, the listening and planning phases
the sustainability report (81%) and themat- assume a strategic value capable of acting
ic visits to the organisation’s plants (71%). concretely to transform actions of a ‘sporad-
This shows how organisations are “faithful” ic’ nature into projects hinged in time and
to their mission, a fact also confirmed by the space.
response on the “organisational impact” an- 2. Reporting: the sustainability report is con-
alysed in point 5 and perhaps still far from firmed as a well-known and practised tool for
establishing a more structured and coherent organisations. The objective is increasingly
approach to the complexity that sustainabil- focused on towards the positive qualification
ity expresses. of the relationship with the various stake-
holders. Companies are increasingly using
The second phase involved in-depth interviews this tool from an ESG perspective to mea-
with 7 organisations selected as particularly sig- sure their social, environmental and gover-
nificant for the sector of reference and the ob- nance impacts. And it is precisely the direct
jectives of the research in order to explore three involvement of management in the process-
key areas of sustainability communication iden- es of defining and reporting on sustainability
tified in the analysis of the first phase: that is an important outcome of the prepa-
1. Engagement, ration of the report, which is becoming a
2. Reporting and useful tool for managing sustainability pol-
3. Measurement (KPI). icies, triggering innovative processes on the
organisational and production front, and
These three issues were investigated: implementing a rewarding relationship with
a. The status of implementation, stakeholders.
b. The critical issues encountered, 3. Measurement: Key Performance Indicators
c. the results achieved and the impact on sus- (KPIs) are fundamental tools for measuring
tainability policies. and managing an organisation’s success. In-
deed, there is a growing awareness of sustain-
In addition, the double-materiality approach ability in terms of measurement. KPIs for
was analysed to verify the acceptability of this measuring sustainability impact are crucial
new reporting parameter and to identify any for different organisations to track and as-
critical issues. sess our environmental, social and economic
contributions. These KPIs help organisations
measure progress towards sustainability
4 Papers 222

goals and demonstrate commitment to re- One critical area that emerged from the survey
sponsible practices. In addition, transparen- is the fact that, in general, organisations do not
cy in reporting these metrics to stakeholders have a Sustainability Committee in-house. This
is essential to building trust and credibility in shows that, even today, sustainability is still not
sustainability efforts. fully accredited in the organisational profile,
4. Double-Materiality: Organisations are ap- making it more difficult to deal with the com-
proaching double-materiality with caution, plexity of the challenge and commitments re-
but with the awareness that they will need quired to transform sustainable actions into an
to comply with a European regulation in the integrated long-term sustainability strategy.
very near future. Double-materiality is a new
and not easy issue for organisations to deal In conclusion, communication, including sus-
with. At the moment, there is not as clear and tainability and environmental communication,
defined a ‘literature’ on the subject to guide plays an important role in an organisation’s sus-
the way forward, and this is seen by some tainability path. For the future, it is emphasised
organisations as a barrier to adoption. Oth- that communication will have to play an increas-
ers, on the other hand, have already started ingly decisive role in the implementation of the
to tackle the issue in a more pioneering way, sustainability strategy, both inside and outside
trying to identify the difficulties involved in the organisation, weaving like a weaver the fab-
analysing positive and negative impacts, in ric between the different competences and the
defining the right stakeholders to involve, in relationships between the different categories of
order to succeed in combining the two mate- stakeholders, for an increasingly integrated and
rialities, the traditional one linked to impacts long-term process.
and the financial one.
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It is clear from the survey results and the inter- Ambiente, 2009.
views conducted that sustainability has now be- Corporate Reporting Forum, Creazione di valore
come part of the organisations’ knowledge base. e Sustainable Business Model. Approccio strate-
All organisations are aware of the need to inte- gico alla sostenibilità, 2020.
grate this paradigm into their communication
C. Mio, L’azienda sostenibile, Laterza editori,
methods as well.
2021.
Many organisations, especially large companies, S. Martello, S. Vazzoler (ed. by), Libro Bianco
already operate in this context, using its tools sulla comunicazione ambientale, Pacini Edi-
and dynamics with awareness. tore, 2020.
S. Martello, S. Vazzoler (ed. by), L’anello mancan-
Despite the fact that almost all of the organisa- te. La comunicazione ambientale alla prova del-
tions surveyed consider the stakeholder engage- la transizione ecologica, Pacini Editore, 2022.
ment process to be absolutely relevant in risk
E. Sasson (ed. by), Per un capitalismo inclusivo,
management and brand reputation, only half
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4 Papers 223

Academic publications create

sustainable knowledge in funded
projects
Ruoslahti, Harri, Laurea University of Applied Sciences (Finland)
Hytönen, Eveliina, Laurea University of Applied Sciences (Finland)

Introduction and purpose of the study Diverse input helps facilitate innovation and
The European Union (EU) promotes innova- complex problem-solving, as creativity is a
tive collaborations across different sectors and source of new ideas and creative processes, and
cross-borders, where multiple authorities, aca- it “is a complex and diffuse construct” (Alves et
demic institutions, end-users, and industry are al., 2007, p. 28). Besides proposed innovations
output, project results, and new knowledge for
involved in innovation projects. Europe aims
innovation, externally funded innovation proj-
to increase its competitive advantage (Europe-
ects are expected to provide active project com-
an Commission, 2016). EU-funded innovation
munication and dissemination.
projects are part of the industrial innovation
policies of the European Union (EU). Innova-
This paper describes an approach where the sus-
tion projects bring together multiple stakehold-
tainability of externally funded projects can be
ers that may have very diverse backgrounds to
increased by creating knowledge by first focus-
co- create knowledge through complex coopera-
ing on academic publication of articles (also re-
tion (Ruoslahti, 2018), and the Horizon program
ferred to as papers) that then lead to more speci-
calls for European research and development
fied knowledge toward needed official outcomes
initiatives to strengthen collaboration for inno-
and deliverables. This approach adds to project
vation (European Commission, 2019), “multi-
communication and dissemination toward aca-
disciplinary and multisectoral networks can play
demic audiences.
important roles in members’ competitiveness”
(Alves, Marques, Saur & Marques, 2007, p. 32).
The research question is: How can academic
publishing promote knowledge development in
EU-funded innovation projects may involve high
externally funded projects?
numbers of participants and they can, therefore,
be characterized as complex. This complexity
can be seen as a positive characteristic as Bas- Literature
sett-Jones (2005) for example, concludes that, The European Commission (2014) outlines that
diversity can enhance creativity and innovation, communication on European research projects
although when managed poorly, it can also be “a should aim at demonstrating the ways in, which
cause of misunderstanding, suspicion and con- “European collaboration has achieved more
flict” (p. 169). than have otherwise been possible” (p. 1) and
how its outcomes are both relevant to the lives of
4 Papers 224

us Europeans. In the context of externally fund- holders to create new knowledge.

ed projects knowledge can be conceptualized as
value (Ruoslahti, 2019). Project dissemination
Co-creation involves communication and inter-
Innovation Projects action (Gustafsson, Kristensson & Witell 2012).
According to Franco and Pinho (2019) inno- Knowledge creation can be approached from the
vation needs research to create technological perspective of co-creation, where collaboration
advancements and new or improved products. requires communication among multiple actors
EU-funded innovation projects are multi-stake- (Bhalla 2014, Galvagno & Dalli 2014, Pirinen
holder projects, as their consortia are required to 2015).
include multiple actors that represent end-users,
industry, and/or academia (European Commis- Timely project communication on the success
sion, 2019). Innovation network stakeholders of project activities is a core interest of projects
need to put enough emphasis on discussing what during and even beyond, the lifespan of the proj-
expectations they have for their relationships ect (European Commission, 2014). Dissemina-
and the emergent culture during the innovation tion plans provide frameworks to coordinate and
project (Mitleton-Kelly, 2005). Networks of re- manage communication activities throughout
lationships are sustained through communica- the implementation of the project (GAP, 2016;
tion, feedback, and inter-dependence. “When SAFETY4RAILS, 2020). Project dissemination
they meet a constraint, they are able to explore includes both dissemination materials and dis-
the space of possibilities and find a different way semination activities. (Hyttinen, 2017).
of doing things, i.e., they are creative and inno-
vative” (Mitleton-Kelly, 2005, p. 45). Projects The best use of project results is when they
face internal or external crises to form turbulent are taken up by end-users, policymakers, the
environments; “as many crises combine different scientific community, or industry (European
kinds of threats, cooperation with other actors is Commission, 2014). Project dissemination of
needed for their mitigation” (Vos, 2017). European Union (EU) funded research and in-
novation projects should highlight achieving
Organizations explore for alternative ways to more by collaboration than would have been
work toward their aims (Mitleton-Kelly, 2005), possible without it (Hyttinen, 2017).
and opportunities for encounters can support
the co-creation of value by mapping end-us- Projects in themself function as organizations,
er processes and practices (Payne, Storbacka & which each have a plan, vision, mission, clear
Frow, 2008). Innovation projects can be studied budget, and schedule (Henriksson, Ruoslahti
as systems and their global features should be & Hyttinen, 2018). Showing relevant outcomes
seen as a whole (Aaltonen and Sanders, 2005). makes better use of results within the triple-he-
Stakeholder management offers a systematic lix model of innovation with interactions be-
approach to organize involved relationships be- tween academia (universities), industry and
tween organizations and the stakeholders (Rol- government (Hyttinen, 2017). Main actor or-
off, 2008). Knowledge co- creation is important ganizations in projects are partners by contract
in promoting structured innovation and creativ- who work together to generate new knowledge,
ity, which build competitive advantage (Bagay- skills, and innovations (Henriksson et al., 2018).
ogo et al., 2014). Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) Learning by Developing (LbD) is an action
advocate dynamic interactions between stake- model where projects are seen as learning en-
4 Papers 225

vironments that provide a context with five The quality of project research can be improved
dimensions: authenticity, experiential nature, by developing professionalism in the manage-
partnership, creativity, and research orientation ment of external communication, and by active-
(Laurea, 2011). Thus, projects can be seen as au- ly sharing best practices (Vos & Schoemaker,
thentic environments, which employ experien- 2004). Co-creation can improve resource inte-
tial approaches in partnership to aim at creative gration in complex settings and offer a frame-
innovations with a research-based orientation. work to design and manage co-creation process-
The value that is authentically created output, es (Frow et al., 2015), such as this article writing
which comes from joint activities, shared ex- process.
periences, and partnerships between its stake-
holders seeking to enhance the reputation of Methodology
the project, position its outcomes and internal
The method of this study is participatory action
consistency (Vos & Schoemaker, 2011). Project,
research (Denzin & Lincoln, 1995) and co-cre-
partners co-create with stakeholders, so their
ative writing (Engeström, 2004). This method
shared experiences become vital for dissemina-
was used in the Horizon 2020 funded project
tion, where new competencies become built on
ECHO, the European network of Cybersecurity
knowledge sharing between organized groups of
centres and competence Hub for innovation and
experts and professionals (Pirinen, 2015).
Operations, task 9.5 (T9.5) Societal impact as-
sessment.
Wilson et al. (2010) find that a key dissemina-
tion success factor is to interact with end users
The work in ECHO T9.5 was structured part-
and Davis Cross (2015) notes that traditional
ly to produce knowledge creation as individual
ways of sharing knowledge and interacting with
studies, many of which aimed at publishing aca-
end-users such as press releases, seminars and
demic papers. This was possible, as most outputs
conferences should be coupled with modern
of T9.5 these individual studies did not include
electronic platforms that provide secure possi-
sensitive or confidential information. These indi-
bilities for co-creative knowledge sharing and
vidual studies produced an emerging and collec-
learning online.
tive body of knowledge that was then condensed
and referenced when producing task outcomes
Publishing project results and writing its three official deliverables.
The key aim for dissemination is to make re-
search results known to different stakeholder Researchers in ECHO T9.5 were encouraged to
groups, such as academia, industry, professional structure the output of their work as academic
end user organizations, and policymakers in a articles, which were submitted for publication
planned and targeted way (European Commis- to relevant academic journals and conferences.
sion, 2017). Project communication refers to the The choice of publication forum was left to the
strategic and targeted measures that promote authors of each article. A paper was presented
the project action and results to a multitude of at each of the two conferences, the 11th Inter-
audiences, and possibly engaging in a two-way national Conference on Multimedia Communi-
exchange, an example of which are articles that cations, Services and Security (MCSS 2022) and
are presented in academic conferences to reach Digilience 2022 which were hosted in collabora-
out to academic audiences to demonstrate how tion with the ECHO project.
EU funding contributes to tackling societal chal-
lenges (European Commission, 2016).
4 Papers 226

Results of these individual studies produced knowledge

The sample of this study are 17 academic articles deliverable D9.13 Societal impact assessment
published under the efforts of ECHO T9.5 Soci- toolkit. Seven studies created knowledge for
etal impact assessment. These academic publica- D9.14 E-skills & Training toolkit. The deliver-
tions involved 14 authors. able D9.15 Selected case studies contains eight
Firstly, these academic papers generated input studies, one of which also contributed to D9.13
to provide valuable knowledge and background (Table 1).
content for the throughput efforts towards e.g.,
deliverables D9.13 Societal impact assessment The seventeen articles of the sample involve 14
toolkit, D9.14 E-skills & Training toolkit, which different authors from three different organi-
were the planned official outputs of T9.5. Sec- zations. Only two of these were by one author,
ondly, eight of these published papers were in- which shows the co-creative nature of the T9.5
cluded as the individual cases that comprised efforts. Of these papers fifteen (15) were written
the main body of text in deliverable D9.15 Se- co-creatively by two or more authors, four of
lected case studies (Figure 1). them by three authors, and two of them by four
authors.
Figure 1 demonstrates that this practical project
approach example demonstrates that focusing The published articles of the sample have been
first on proving needed background knowledge cited a total of 46 times and have been present-
as input, and work on this provide planned de- ed to audiences of approximately 310 conference
liverables as outputs can be a very valid and re- participants. These efforts have also been report-
warding way of knowledge creation in the con- ed as communication and dissemination efforts
text of funded projects. This approach has also under the ECHO project.
been adopted in another Horizon-funded proj-
ect DYNAMO, where the task T3.2 Human fac- Besides these official funded ECHO efforts, the
tors for dynamic resilience. project provided opportunities for student learn-
ing at the Laurea University of Applied Sciences,
The sample of this article are seventeen (n = which was coordinator for T9.5. The total body
17) published academic papers produced back- of knowledge were elaborated and enrichened
ground knowledge for the outputs of T9.5. Four by six bachelor’s theses that, though not part

Figure 1: Academic papers published under the task for background knowledge and as part of deliverables.
4 Papers 227

Table 1: Academic papers published under ECHO task 9.5.

Confer-
ence
# Task Authors Title Published Cited
audience
(~)
Showing evidence of
safeguarding networks
ECHO Aaltola, K. &
1 in Cyber-Physical Springer, in press, 2021 - -
D9.13 Ruoslahti, H.
Domains by Societal
Impact Assessment
Information & Secu-
Societal Impact Assess-
ECHO Aaltola, K. & rity: An International
2 ment of a Cyber Secu- 2 -
D9.13 Ruoslahti, H. Journal, 46, no. 1, 53-
rity Network Project
64, 2020
Societal Impacts of
Proceedings of the
Hytönen E., Cyber Security in Ac-
ECHO European Conference
3 Trent. A. & ademic Literature – a 1 40
D9.13 on Cyber Warfare and
Ruoslahti, H. Systematic Literature
Security. 2022
Review
ECHO WSEAS Transactions
Societal Impacts of
D9.13 Ruoslahti, H. on Environment and
4 Cyber Security Assets 2 30
and & Davis, B. Development, 17, 1274-
of Project ECHO
D9.15 1283. 2021
Cyber Range (CR) ca- European Conference
Aaltola, K., pabilities, interactions on Cyber Warfare and
ECHO Ruoslahti, H. and features in acqui- Security (ECCWS)
5 2 45
D9.14 & Heinonen, sition of cyber skills 2022
J. by experts – Empirical
study
Ruoslahti H., Cyber Skills Gaps – a
ECHO Coburn, J., Systematic Literature Connections: The
6 5 -
D9.14 Trent, A. & Review of Academic Quarterly Journal. 2022
Tikanmäki, I. Literature
Information & Secu-
From Classroom to
ECHO rity: An International
7 Ruoslahti, H. Online Teaching – A 5 -
D9.14 Journal, 46, no. 3, 285-
Case during COVID19
292. 2020
Organizational Learn- Information & Secu-
ECHO Ruoslahti, H. ing in the Academic rity: An International
8 12 -
D9.14 & Trent, A. Literature – Systematic Journal, 46, no. 1: 65-
Literature Review 78. 2020
4 Papers 228

Table 1: Academic papers published under ECHO task 9.5. (continued)

Cyber Situational Annals of Disaster Risk
Pöyhönen, J.,
Awareness in Critical Sciences: Special issue
ECHO Rajamäki, J.,
9 Infrastructure Protec- on cyber-security of 10 -
D9.14 Ruoslahti, H.
tion critical infrastructure,
& Lehto, M.
Vol 3, No 1. 2020
The 11th International
Ruoslahti, H. Conference on Mul-
ECHO Societal Impacts of
10 & Heinonen, timedia Communi- 45
D9.15 Cybersecurity
J. cations, Services and
Security – MCSS 2022
Proceedings of the 20th
European Conference
ECHO Federated on Cyber Warfare
Rajamäki, J.
ECHO Cyber Range as a Tool and Security. Eze, T., L.
11 & Ruoslahti, - 40
D9.15 for Validating SHAPES Speakman & C. Onwu-
H.
services biko (Eds.), Academic
Conferences Interna-
tional, Reading. 2022​
Aaltola, K.,
Ruoslahti, H. Desired cybersecurity European Conference
ECHO & Heinonen, skills and skills acqui- on Cyber Warfare and
12 - 40
D9.15 J. sition methods in the Security (Vol. 21, No. 1,
organizations pp. 1-9).

Digital Transformation,
Empirical study on
Cyber Security and
ECHO Aaltola, K. cyber range capabili-
13 Resilience of Modern 6 -
D9.15 ties, interactions and
Societies, Springer.
learning features
2021
Cybersecurity Work-
Presented in ICCWS
force Capacity Build-
Rathod, P. & 2020 15th International
ECHO ing: a case of special-
14 Kämppi, P. Conference on Cyber - 45
D9.15 isation studies within
Warfare and Security,
the undergraduate pro-
Norfolk, USA. 2022
gramme
Ruoslahti, H. Tulevaisuudenkestävä
Impacts of Cybersecu-
ECHO & Tikanmä- bisnes–osaaminen sys-
15 rity on Skills Develop- 1 25
D9.15 ki, I. teemeissä: johtaminen
ment and Leadership
ja yrittäjyys–osa 4. 2022
4 Papers 229

Table 1: Academic papers published under ECHO task 9.5. (continued)

International Confer-
ence on Multimedia
Tikanmäki, I.
E-Skills in Cybersecu- Communications, Ser-
ECHO & Ruoslahti,
16 rity vices and Security (pp. - 35
D9.15 H.
36-48). Cham: Springer
International Publish-
ing. 2022
Frisk, I., Ti- Case Laurea – ECHO
ECHO
17 kanmäki, I. & E-skills and Training Digilience 2022 - 30
D9.15
Ruoslahti, H. Toolkit
TOTAL 46 310

Table 2: How the published articles relate to attributes from literature.

Attributes from literature How the published articles relate

Fifteen articles published under the case task
Co-creative collaboration requires communica-
were written co-creatively by two or more au-
tion among multiple actors (Bhalla, 2014)
thors: four by three and two by four authors
Dissemination plans provide frameworks to These articles were coordinated research ef-
coordinate and manage communication activities forts, which doubled as communication and
(SAFETY4RAILS, 2020) dissemination activities
Highlight achieving more by collaboration than
Co-creative research efforts and ensuing aca-
would have been possible without it (Hyttinen,
demic papers achieved more by collaboration
2017)
New competencies become built on knowledge These academic papers show fifteen practical
sharing between organized groups of experts and examples of how competencies become built
professionals (Pirinen, 2015) on knowledge sharing ECHO experts
Key aim to make research results known to differ- These academic papers show seventeen ex-
ent stakeholder groups, such as academia (Euro- amples of making research results known to
pean Commission, 2017) academia
Co-creation can improve resource integration The co-creative writing process helped im-
and framework for co-creation processes (Frow et prove resource integration for a co-creation
al., 2015) process in the case task.
4 Papers 230

of the funded efforts of ECHO, were written in On a wider note, authored academic publica-
collaboration with the task T9.5, and 150 ECTS tions provide an excellent basis project public
from student assignment which also drew from relations as practical dissemination messages,
the work of this task. professional articles, and web, newsletters, or
blog posts. This same approach has now been
Co-creative collaboration requires communi- adopted to the DYNAMO, Dynamic Resilience
cation among multiple actors are demonstrated Assessment Method including combined Busi-
in that fifteen articles published under the case ness Continuity Management and Cyber Threat
task ECHO T9.5 were co-creatively written and Intelligence solution for Critical Sectors -project
involving multiple authors. Dissemination plans task T3.2 Human factors in business continuity
can provide clear frameworks to coordinate and management and resilience development.
manage communication activities, and these ar-
ticles demonstrate an example of coordinated The work in DYNAMO T3.2 during the spring
research efforts to create knowledge and could of 2024 will be organized accordingly to co-cre-
also be reported as communication and dissem- atively write 10 – 15 academic papers that can
ination activities. These academic papers show be submitted for publication. These papers will
seventeen practical examples of openly sharing create a body of knowledge that will be used to
knowledge and making research results known write the T3.2 section in the DYNAMO deliver-
to academia. Co-creation can improve resource able D3.2
integration and provide a framework for co-cre-
ation processes, and the co-creative writing This approach is not suitable for all project tasks.
process under the case task ECHO T9.5 helped When the data is sensitive and outputs confi-
improve resource integration for a co-creation dential, open academic publications may not
process in the case task. be possible. However, even though in such cas-
es limited studies from open-source materials
could help provide needed background for the
Conclusions
more sensitive efforts or restricted deliverables.
First, where appropriate, this approach serves The potential of article volumes as high as in
to promote knowledge creation and transfers. this case example of ECHO T9.5 or the planned
Co-creative writing within the efforts of exter- efforts of DYNAMO T3.2 may not be possible,
nally funded projects can improve resource in- but any publications are a plus for knowledge
tegration within the project task in question and creation, dissemination, and co-creative writing
provide a framework for co-creation processes processes.
for knowledge creation.
The academic implications of this study are that
An additional practical implication of these re- it demonstrates increased academic visibili-
sults is that project output communication can ty. Publications in both academic journals and
be used to help guide and focus project input conferences promote open academic discussion.
and throughput communication, and work ef- Conference presentations especially promote
forts in ways that promote knowledge creation timely face-to-face discussions and connections,
and dissemination in academic forums. These which may result in future collaborations be-
academic publications may also serve individual tween cross-border researchers across scientific
authors as part of their doctoral studies and as sectors.
overall academic merit.
4 Papers 231

More study is recommended on the outreach of Engeström, Y. 2004. New forms of learning in
the knowledge from academic papers. This study co-configuration work. Journal of Workplace
has only looked at the numbers of citations and Learning, Vol 16 ½, 2004, Emerald Group
sizes of conference audiences. More in-depth re- Publishing Limited, 11-21.
sults could be gained by looking at if and how European Commission (2014). Horizon 2020,
these ideas presented in the sample articles have Communicating EU research and innovation
been used to integrate further new knowledge.
guidance for project participants, Version 1.0,
All these implications help promote the sustain-
25 September 2014.
ability of the project and its results. This has been
the case in ECHO T9.5 and is expected to be so European Commission (2016). Webpage: What
also in DYNAMO T3.2, where research efforts is the difference between dissemination, ex-
will aim at published articles to produce needed ploitation and communication? Research
background knowledge for official outputs. and Innovation. Participant Portal, available
at: https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/
Acknowledgement portal/desktop/en/support/faqs/faq-933.html
(accessed 25 May 2017).
This study has received funding by the Europe-
an Union projects ECHO, which has received European Commission (2017). Webpage: Eu-
funding from the European Union’s Horizon ropean Commission, Research & Innova-
2020 research and innovation programme un- tion, Participant Portal, support, available at:
der the grant agreement no. 830943, and DY- https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/
NAMO, under grant agreement no. 101069601. portal/desktop/en/support/faqs/faq-933.html
The views expressed are those of the author(s) (accessed 25 May 2017).
only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Commission (2019). Webpage: Fund-
European Union. Neither the European Union ing & tender opportunities, Find calls for pro-
nor the granting authority can be held responsi- posals in Horizon 2020, https://ec.europa.eu/
ble for them. info/funding- tenders/opportunities/portal/
screen/programmes/h2020 (accessed 18th
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Internal and External Aspects of

Sustainability Communication. An
investigation of CSR reporting and
media coverage in different industries
2020-21
Sievert, Holger, Macromedia University of Applied Sciences Cologne (Germany)
Meißner, Florian, Macromedia University of Applied Sciences Cologne (Germany)
Hetzel, Esther, Macromedia University of Applied Sciences Cologne (Germany)

Introduction to implement sustainability on a normative lev-

In 2015, the UN introduced the 17 Sustainable el all over their organisation including external
Development Goals (SDGs) (United Nations, stakeholders to create positive development. But
2018) to build a common ground for generat- how sustainable are sustainability (self-)report-
ing and sustainability-related media relations of
ing worldwide improvement in a variety of ar-
companies? What are the sustainability issues
eas related to environmental, social, economic,
they are focussing on? And what differences re-
and ethical aspects. Adopted by all 193 United
lated to the mentioned topics can be observed
Nations member states, the plan offers “a shared
between different countries or industries? This
blueprint for peace and prosperity for people
paper will present two exploratory quantitative
and the planet, now and into the future” (United
content analyses. The first study examines if, and
Nations, 2018, n.p.). Ongoing sustainability cri-
to what extent, the UN’s 17 Sustainable Goals are
ses require leaders to be ready for fast-changing
represented in formal reporting of the German
circumstances and sustainability management
Stock Index DAX 30 and the listed companies on
to be established on a strategic (change) level
the Dow Jones Industrial Index. Study 2 looks at
(Boone et al., 2020).
how and to what extent daily newspapers, mag-
azines and trade journals in Germany, Austria,
Crises and change are also driving forces behind
and Switzerland report on the topic of sustain-
the Public Relations profession that understands
ability in the financial, media and in Germany.
sustainability very general as the ability of a sys-
tem to maintain continuity over time (see the
Call for Papers of this conference). It therefore Theoretical Foundation & State of the
seems more and more important that companies Research
include sustainability communication on a pro- In the following, key terms are defined, and an
fessional level. This is necessary in order not only eclectic state of research is presented. Due to the
to safeguard their existence in the long run, but limited scope of this paper, only a few selected
also in a short and medium-term perspective, studies are cited to provide a brief overview of
4 Papers 234

research on ESG management, CSR manage- of environmental and social goals as well as re-
ment and sustainability management and relat- sponsible corporate governance (von Jürgen-
ed communication. sonn & Köster, 2021). As a term for a more ho-
listic concept of sustainability, ESG seems to be
Sustainability, CSR & ESG in general gaining acceptance in recent years and also to be
replacing the previous use of the CSR concept in
The concept of sustainability was first defined
many areas. However, it is most frequently used
by the World Commission on Environment
in relation to financial reporting (as recently also
and Development (WCED) in December 1983
criticised in this context, as other papers in these
(United Nations, 1983). In its famous so called
conference proceedings show).
“Brundtland Report”, the WCED (1987) empha-
sises that technology and the behaviour of or-
ganisations of all kinds are the decisive factors Management of sustainability, CSR and ESG
for successful sustainability. In 2015, as men- as a more specific aspect
tioned above, the United Nations presented the Sustainability management refers more specifi-
17 Sustainable Development Goals (DGs) (Unit- cally to the management practices of a company
ed Nations, 2018). A detailed presentation of the aimed at its sustainable development. Looking
individual goals will be omitted here, as they will at modern industry, it can be said that sustain-
appear in the later analyses and are easily acces- ability management primarily refers to the eco-
sible via the cited sources. nomic production and consumption of services
and products from the perspective of protecting
CSR stands for “Corporate Social Responsibil- and preserving the environment and its resourc-
ity” and pursues the idea that companies, with es (Cohen, 2011). As sustainability management
a special focus on internal and external stake- has become indispensable, the corresponding
holders, commit themselves to ecologically and research is also growing. In a recent study, more
ethically correct actions under the aspect of than 40,000 articles from 27 leading manage-
corporate success and are also guided by social ment journals were examined to find out how
values (Hopkins, 2012). CSR defines the range and whether sustainability is positioned as a
of obligations a company has towards society separate research discipline in the management
(Carroll, 1971). Wood (1991) distinguishes be- environment (Dordi & Palaschuk, 2022). The
tween different levels of CSR. In this context, the authors found that the discourse on sustainabil-
institutional level of CSR is the way a company ity management is increasing and that more and
legitimises itself. The World Business Council more articles address this topic. The study also
for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) defines shows that there is still a lot of research to be
CSR as the moral behaviour of a company to- done in the field of sustainability management.
wards society (World Business Council for Sus- CSR management means in this context that
tainable Development, 1999). companies maintain their core activities and
additionally focus their activities on their so-
The term ESG stands for “Environmental, So- cial responsibility. The focus is on customers,
cial, Governance” and was popularly first used employees, other relevant stakeholder groups
in a 2004 report entitled “Who Cares Wins,” a and society as a whole (Wunder, 2017). Gam-
joint initiative of financial institutions at the erschlag et al. (2010) showed that a company’s
invitation of the United Nations (The Global profitability correlates positively with a higher
Compact, 2004). It means that corporate finan- implementation of environmental information
cial goals go hand in hand with the fulfilment in corporate CSR communication (Gamerschlag
4 Papers 235

et al., 2010). According to Schaltegger (2011), Communication of sustainability, CSR and

sustainability commitment influences the envi- ESG as focus of this paper
ronmental success of companies to an unprec-
An important aspect of sustainability, CSR and
edented extent, with the type of corporate gov-
ESG as well as their management is the corre-
ernance in particular influencing the relevance
sponding professional communication. In the
of sustainability for corporate success. However,
literature, especially CSR communication has
Crane et al. (2017) conclude that there is not yet
received a lot of attention. It can be understood
a clear answer to how CSR management affects a
as a special, yet fundamental aspect of CSR (or,
company’s profitability, as appropriate methods
more generally, of sustainability and ESG). This
and measurement indicators are being devel-
aspect functions as “a process of anticipating
oped slowly.
stakeholders’ expectations” linked with an “ar-
ticulation of the respective sustainability policy
ESG management focuses on the fact that com-
[…] to provide true and transparent informa-
panies must not only pay attention to economic
tion about a company’s or a brand’s integration
factors in their business activities, but also take
sustainability factors into account; the idea of of its business operations, social and environ-
is that companies fulfil their social responsi- mental concerns, and interactions with stake-
bility, but also optimise their corporate success holders” (Podnar, 2008). Schoeneborn & Trittin
through a sustainable and responsible orienta- (2013) highlight CSR communication’s role as
tion (Conrads et al., 2021). ESG management an instrument to influence the perception of the
also means that investment decisions of compa- organisation by the stakeholders. However, their
nies should be based on classic, financial compo- instrumental perspective limits CSR communi-
nents paired with social, environmental, ecolog- cation to a transmission function only. There-
ical and governmental factors. When companies fore, the objective of research in the area is to
take into account environmental aspects in their find techniques to communicate CSR messages
managerial decisions, it means that, for exam- more effectively to stakeholders (Bhattacharya,
ple, emissions, energy consumption or other en- Sen & Korschun, 2011).
vironmental initiatives are included. The social
responsibility of a company can be measured According to the literature, sustainability, CSR
by the fact that companies assume and take into and ESG communication is becoming increas-
account, for instance, appropriate working con- ingly important to attract customers, investors
ditions and human rights. The analysis of a com- and business partners: The origin of this de-
pany’s performance in a governance dimension velopment can be found in the financial sector,
therefore refers to efforts against corruption, where due to negative previous experiences, in-
tax payments, actions of the CEO or the inde- vestors have agreed to place ESG-related issues
pendence and transparency of various corporate as a prerequisite for investment. From there, a
bodies (Silvola & Landau, 2021). A quantitative whole web of sustainability, compliance and
bibliometric analysis of 981 articles from over CSR communication has developed (Germann
141 journals published on ESG management be- & Seitz, 2022). And since at least a decade, cli-
tween 2001 and 2021 (Senadheera et al., 2022) mate change was one of the core factors for sus-
showed that the number of articles on ESG al- tainability-related communication of all kinds
most doubled every year from 2017 onwards; (Newig, 2011). It therefore offers a variety of op-
one reason for this is that the results of ESG rat- portunities for future research (Pan et al., 2022).
ing providers have an impact on direct financial From a practical perspective, successful sustain-
aspects, among others. ability communication is associated with vari-
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ous factors. On the one hand, companies must Turunen & Halmen, 2021), food (de Leon et al.,
implement a thematically appropriate strategy 2021), forestry (Lähtinen et al., 2017), logistics
that is communicated externally (Heinrich & (Piecyk & Björklund, 2015; Centobelli et al.,
Schmidtpeter, 2018). Corresponding specialised 2020), mining (Lodhia, 2014), real estate (Masal-
reports by companies are therefore indispen- skyte et al., 2014), retail (Simões & Sebastiani,
sable for enhancing their reputation in society. 2017) shipping (Wang et al.), tourism (Bogren &
Above all, however, they offer orientation for in- Sörenson, 2021) or wineries (Dressler & Pauno-
vestors. A study that examined the potential of vic, 2021). However, research to date offers only
ESG factors and related indicators in relation to little insight into sustainability across industries.
their competitiveness using a sample of selected However, for the sake of brevity and with a view
sustainability reports shows that the frequency to our own empirical analysis presented below,
of ESG-related buzzwords is increasing signifi- this paper will concentrate on the finance, media
cantly (Jilkova & Knihova, 2022). and sports industry.

But not only the external, also the internal side For the finance industry, sustainability and re-
of CSR communication is crucial (Bekmeier et lated communication seems to be a high priority
al., 2017; Duthler & Danesh, 2018; Song & Tao issue. A lot of information on this can be found
2022). Based on several empirical studies dealing in surveys dealing with Corporate Responsi-
with an insurance case, Sievert & Wagner (2017) bility Reporting’s including communication
could show that the conditions which influence of e. g. investment companies. In this context,
the sustainability processes are predominantly KPMG International’s (2022) “Survey of Cor-
top-down oriented and even if participation is porate Responsibility Reporting” demonstrates
required, it is rarely realised. According to Siev- that “sustainability reporting has become an ac-
ert al. (2021), only if these structures and the hi- cepted part of disclosure and transparency for
erarchies behind them are culturally much more many large companies, with a continued uptake
open, internal CSR communication can become of sustainability reporting globally and increas-
part of sensemaking processes within the or- ing integration into mainstream financial re-
ganisation: “If companies really want to act in porting.” European companies have emerged as
more responsible way, a more communicative global leaders in this regard (Campagnolo et al.,
approach is needed concerning CSR commu- 2015). In this context, some authors have devel-
nication and management. In this context, CSR oped “archetypes” e. g. for the banking industry
communication via internal social media can be (Yip & Bocken, 2018). But KPMG International
a role model for more interactive internal com- (2022) also states that “this work is challenging
munication in general.” and growth in reporting has slowed as compa-
nies focus inward, assessing the investment nec-
essary to mitigate their risks and take advantage
State of research on sustainability, CSR and
of the opportunities that have come to light”.
ESG communication in different industries
In addition, there is quite a lot of recent litera- Concerning the media and communication in-
ture available about sustainability communica- dustry, the prioritisation of sustainability appears
tion concerning individual industries. Examples to be limited. In democratic countries, journal-
are the airline industry, (Zieba & Johansson, istic media typically function as watchdogs of
2022), automotive (Cioca et al., 2019), civil ser- those in power but they rarely criticise each oth-
vice (Laužikas & Miliūtė, 2020), especially fash- er, which is why media journalism (journalistic
ion (Da Giau et al., 2016; SanMiguel et al., 2021; reporting of the media industry itself) is rela-
4 Papers 237

tively marginal (Neverla, 2019). The few exist- differentiated (François et al., 2021). All in all, a
ing empirical findings in this regard are mostly “pragmatic perspective on the future of sustain-
related to how news organisations report on sus- ability in sport”, as postulated by Kellison and
tainability issues in the broader (non-journalis- McCullough (2018), seems to be predominant
tic) media environment, for example regarding in this industry.
new digital technologies (Brantner & Sauerwein,
2021) or issues of data protection and data se- Theoretical conclusions & selected hypotheses
curity in digital environments (Meissner & von on both studies within this paper
Nordheim, 2018). Furthermore, it is worth men-
tioning a conference of the “European Media The theoretical foundations and the state of the
Management Association” (EMMA) in 2021 on research have shown clearly that sustainability,
the topic of “Media Management and Sustaina- CSR and ESG are overlapping concepts both
bility”. In this context, a special journal publica- from an academic and managerial perspective.
tion has been announced, but is not yet available At the same time, they are still different subjects
except some first articles with a much broader, with non-identical perspectives. We therefore
also economic understanding of sustainability decided to use the United Nations’ 17 Sustain-
(Bomnüter et al., 2023). Further specific und able Development Goals as a comprehensive
specialised analysis on the media industry and framework including a broad variety of sustain-
its sustainability have been done also out of the ability dimensions. Based on this multi-faceted
two presented research studies in this paper and concept, this paper will from here on consist-
will be published soon separately (Sievert et al., ently use the term “sustainability communica-
forthcoming). tion”.

If comes to the sports industry, a lot of existing With a view to the literature on sustainability
literature can be found dealing directly or indi- and its communication, it also became clear that
rectly with the major North American profes- climate action is the most frequently addressed
sional leagues (e. g. Ciletti et al., 2010; Mallen SDG in recent years. In addition, differences be-
et al., 2013; MuCullough, 2020). In comparison, tween U.S. American and European sustainabil-
however, it looks like sustainability communi- ity reporting were mentioned. But most notably,
cation is not perceived as that important in this there are important differences between indus-
industry. A current overview is provided, for ex- tries regarding sustainability communication.
ample, by Cury et al. (2023), who observes sus- Based on these observations, this paper will fo-
tainability and its communication “as an emerg- cus on the following six hypotheses:
ing field with predominantly North American • H1: Climate Action is by far the most fre-
(in terms of both authorship and geographical quently mentioned SDG in companies’ doc-
settings) studies”, stating a high need for fur- uments.
ther development. The comparatively quite few • H2: European companies address a greater
European studies emphasise a lot of national variety of SDG issues in their reporting than
differences (François et al., 2019): Communica- American.
tion by French clubs obviously “tends to high- • H3: There are huge difference between indus-
light sport’s values, involve few media channels, tries related to which SDG sectors are cov-
whereas communication by UK clubs explicitly ered.
vaunts their social responsibility and involves • H4: Climate Action is by far the most fre-
numerous channels.” The situation for interna- quently mentioned SDG in the media cover-
tional Corporate Brands seems to be even more age during 2020-21
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• H5: Depending on the industry, media cov- ing of the sustainability aspect within each ar-
erage on SDG tends to be either a side aspect ticle, among other variables. The time frame
or an exclusive report. was November 1, 2020, until October 31, 2021.
• H6: The tonality of media reporting on sus- The sample included a broad range of websites,
tainability issues differs a lot between indus- most of which belong to relevant newspapers,
tries. magazines, and business papers predominant-
• Hypotheses 1 to 3 will be answered with ly from Germany, but also featured key outlets
the first study conducted within this paper; from Austria and Switzerland. With regard to
study two will focus on hypotheses 4 to 6. both industries, relevant articles were selected
The overall methodology for both studies according to the prevalent, sustainability-related
will be presented in the following chapter. keywords in the finance and the media industry.
Both database queries have been elaborated iter-
Methodology & Limitations atively until a sample with a tolerable amount of
false positives was achieved. The primary aim,
This paper presents two exploratory studies thus, was not to compare the absolute numbers
which are both based on quantitative content
of articles on all industries, but rather to have a
analyses of sustainability communication while
solid sample for the analysis of sustainability di-
adopting different perspectives (internal and ex-
mensions addressed in media reporting.2
ternal). The first study examines if, and to what
extent, the UNs’ 17 Sustainable Development
Concerning the methodology, it should be not-
Goals are represented in formal reporting of
ed that both studies have clear limitations: The
the German Stock Index DAX 30 and the listed
companies on the Dow Jones Industrial Index. first exploratory study focuses only on large
Applying a quantitative content analysis, 314 fi- European and American companies. The lim-
nancial and non-financial documents from 2018 itations of the second study are mainly related
to 2020, and 230 website sections, concentrating to thematic differences within the different in-
in one way or the other on Corporates Values, dustries (sports, finance, media), which is why
CSR, Sustainability, SDGs and Covid-19, are an- it was not possible to use the same keywords.
alysed. For this purpose, the broad sustainability Furthermore, the SDGs are broad categories that
definition mentioned above was used. The data do not allow for a more differentiated analysis.
collection process took place from May 1, 2020 Finally, it should be mentioned that due to dif-
to May 25, 2020.1 ferent approaches, the two studies delineate the
media industry as an industry a bit differently.
For the second study, we conducted a manual For reasons of space, the following presentation
content analysis (n = 1017) of online news re- of results for this paper concentrates on the hy-
porting containing topical keywords related to potheses. By the way, for the sake of clarity in
sustainability in three industries (media, sports, the partly very complex figures, decimal places
and finance). Besides the SDG categories, the have been omitted from Study 1 here and in the
authors also coded the tonality and the weight- following for this paper.

1 For this first sub-study, the authors would like to thank Castulus Kolo and Sofia Matt for the fruitful collaboration.
2 The authors also like to thank the participants of a student project in the Media and Communication Management Master’s program
at Macromedia University, who contributed significantly to the data collection of this second sub-study, namely: Tom Brinckmann,
Susanne Bruns, Cenk Erdem, Philipp Leben, Justin Lissner, Simon Lorscheid, Joris Müller, Fabian Richter, Lucas Schmitz, Viktoria
Schulte-Witten, Markus Strausfeld. Finally, we also would like to thank the partner of the second project, the media intelligence firm
pressrelations.
4 Papers 239

4 Selected Results differences with regard to how often SDGs were

Hypotheses linked to Company reports, inter- addressed.
nal documents and websites
H2: European companies address overall much
H1: Climate Action is by far the most frequently more SDG issues in their reporting than Amer-
mentioned SDG in the companies‘ documents
ican
The results (figure 1) show that a general refer-
DAX companies have a higher SDG represen-
ence to SDGs is made in about 70 per cent of
tation than Dow Jones companies as visible in
all documents and website sections. In roughly
30 per cent of all analysed data there is no ref- figure 2. The 17 SDGs among all Types of Me-
erence to SDGs. This hypothesis could not be dia Divides by DAX and DJ shows that the mean
confirmed. “Climate Action”, although ranking value for the DAX is 14.2 per cent and for the
highest, was not by far the most frequently men- DJ 7.9 per cent. Thus, the second hypothesis was
tioned SDG in the companies’ documents. It was confirmed.
mentioned 16 per cent in total—and closely fol-
lowed by SDG 8 “Decent Work, Growth” with A total of 264 DAX companies and 299 DJ com-
a total of 15 per cent. “Consumption and Pro- panies were examined in the study. First of all, it
duction” as the 12th SDG was mentioned a total can be seen that DAX companies often address
of 14 per cent in the documents of the compa- by far more SDG topics in their reporting. What
nies surveyed. This shows that there were no big is particularly worth mentioning is that not

Figure 1: Ten most frequently mentioned SDGs among all types of analysed media (Study 1; n= 314; multiple
assignments possible.
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a single SDG was addressed more often by DJ H3: There are huge difference between industries
companies than by DAX companies. Only pov- related to which SDG sectors are covered
erty was addressed by both DJ and DAX compa-
nies with 5 per cent each. The biggest difference There are huge differences between industries
can be seen in the reporting of the ninth SDG visible in figure 3 and therefor this hypothesis
“Industry and Innovation”. In the case of Amer- can be considered confirmed. Obviously, many
ican companies, this SDG was only addressed industries do focus a lot on SDG which seem to
in 5 per cent of the cases examined. In contrast, be very closed to their business.
17 per cent of German companies report on this
SDG. As examples can be mentioned “Affordable
and clean energy” (21 per cent) for the “Ener-
gy, Chemicals, Industry Suppliers” field, “Good

Figure 2: Representation of 17 SDGs among all types of company owned media by DAX and DJ (Study 1; n =
314); multiple assignments possible.)
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Health, Wellbeing” (also 21 per cent’) for the aim.

“Pharmaceutical and Health Care” companies
or “Climate Action” (22 per cent) for the “Auto- However, only within the context of “Informa-
motive, Aerospace, Machinery” industries. The tion Technology, Media, Telecommunication”
situation for Financial Services and linked busi- there seems to be a really addressing of very dif-
nesses as well as for the group led by Fast Mov- ferent SDG sectors with three around 20, seven
ing Consumer Goods is quite more dispersed around 15 and another four around ten per cent.
without having one clearly leading sustainability This could be understood as an indicator that the

Figure 3: Distribution of SDGs among various industry fields (Study 1; n= 314; multiple assignments possible).
4 Papers 242

media-related companies analyzed do take the This hypothesis has to be rejected. “Climate
approach of the UN SDGs a bit more holistically Action“ is only the second most frequently ad-
than others do. However, one could also ask if dressed in the context of the finance industry
maybe media companies’ SDG communication (24.0 per cent) after “Sustainable Consumption
might be more professional and better in reality. and Production” (36.6 per cent), and it does not
play any significant role in the sports or the me-
Hypotheses linked to media news coverage dia business (figure 4). This is quite surprising
H4: Climate Action is by far the most frequently given that, for instance, the film industry has an
mentioned SDG in the media coverage during enormous carbon dioxide footprint due to high
2020-21 energy consumption or professional sports clubs

Figure 4: Distribution of SDGs with a minimum prevalence of 5 per cent (Study 2; n = 1017; multiple entries
possible; percentages refer to the total number of coded SDGs within an industry).
4 Papers 243

due to frequent air travel. H5: Depending on the industry, media coverage
on SDG tends to be either a side aspect or an
If we take a deeper look at the data, we find exclusive report
that media reporting pays attention to very dif-
ferent aspects of sustainability depending on Due to the limited interest of journalism in cov-
the industry. While “Sustainable Consumption ering its own business; as mentioned above in the
and Production”, as already mentioned, domi- literature, it was assumed that how prominently
nates coverage of the finance industry, the most sustainability issues are addressed in reporting
frequently reported dimensions in the sports (with regard to the thematic focus of the coded
and the media business are “Decent Work and articles) would also differ. The data confirm this
Growth” (23.5 per cent) and “Peace, Justice, and at least to a certain degree concerning the media
Strong Institutions” (35.2 per cent) respectively. industry, where sustainability topics have clear-
The latter, which may at first sight seem surpris- ly the lowest proportion of exclusive reporting
ing, is probably due to media’s watchdog role on such topics, at 22,7 per cent. Finance comes
in society, which has increasingly come under in at 43,9 per cent and sports at 49,0 per cent.
pressure around the world in recent years. However, concerning the media industry, the

Figure 5: Focus on sustainability in media coverage per industry (Study 2; n= 1.000).

Figure 6: Tonality of media coverage by focus (Study 2; n= 1001).

4 Papers 244

second most prominent category is the most self-reporting and external media coverage in
frequent across all industries with 52,3 per cent. different industries.
Finance and sports have only 38,6 per cent and
21,7 per cent respectively in this category. The First, the analyses conducted here shows very
hypothesis can therefore only be confirmed to a clearly a high degree of differentiation already
limited extent. It is striking, however, that when within, but also between (self-)reporting and
sustainability is addressed in the media coverage media coverage regarding sustainability issues.
of all three industries, it is usually the dominant Among other aspects, the importance of climate
aspect within the respective articles. This is quite action as a key SDG was not as high as expected
surprising given the overall relatively low atten- in both studies. Study 1 showed that European
tion towards sustainability in the sports and me- countries devote more attention to SDG issues
dia businesses. than the U.S. corporations. Study 2 showed that
the tonality and the thematic focus of media re-
H6: The tonality of media reporting on sustain- porting depended a lot on the industry covered.
ability issues differs a lot between industries.
Secondly, the country and industry-specific
This hypothesis could be confirmed, as the fi- variables also have several implications that
nance industry as a whole was rated 56.9 per practitioners of sustainability communication
cent positive and rather positive, followed by the should be aware of. The range of professional-
sports industry with 17.7 per cent and only last ly manageable aspects is probably very limited.
the Media industry with 15.8 per cent. It is con- E.g., tonality can probably only be influenced to
spicuous that sustainability coverage related to a very limited degree by communicators. Stud-
the media industry is predominantly neutral— ies like the one presented here can help practi-
while the finance industry shows a slant towards tioners to better understand the complexity and
a positive tonality and coverage of the sports detail of sustainability communication and a ne-
industry has a slightly negative tonality. This is cessity for a very high degree of specific profes-
another evidence how coverage differs between sionalisation.
industries. In other words, there seems to be a
general tendency in each industry regarding Thirdly, the paper entails clear limitations as
the tonality when it comes to media coverage of mentioned in the methodology, but it also
sustainability. This implies that it might be more demonstrates some of the potential for future
difficult e. g. for a PR professional in the sports research that may allow for a broader in-depth
business to get sustainability coverage with a knowledge. In this context, there are many de-
positive tonality. On the contrary, it appears to siderata already for each individual study, e.g. a
be relatively easier in the finance industry to do broader international approach. Also, it would
so. An alternative interpretation would be that be desirable to develop an „all in one“ study on
communicators in the finance industry are more sustainability communication comparing (self-)
effective in generating positive reporting as com- reporting, media coverage, and – additional-
pared to their colleagues in the sports business. ly – self-reflection of professionals, combining
different industries in one integrative research
design instead of many industry-specific studies.
Conclusion
All in all, theory building and research on com-
The aim of this paper was to showcase internal parative sustainability communication is still
and external aspects of sustainability commu- at the very beginning. The proceedings of the
nication by investigating thematically related Bledcom conference, however, are a good and
4 Papers 245

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4 Papers 249

Professional Sustainability in a Time

of AI-Generated Disinformation:
A Challenge for Public Relations
and Communication Management
Practitioners
Swiatek, Lukasz, University of New South Wales (Australia)
Vujnovic, Marina, Monmouth University (USA)
Kruckeberg, Dean, UNC Charlotte (USA)
Galloway, Chris, Massey University (New Zealand)

Although disinformation – the “deliberate information to be expanded significantly, the

spread of misleading or biased information” speed of its distribution to be accelerated, and its
(McCorkindale, 2020, p. 1) – has been a chal- volume to be increased. Adding to this troubling
lenge with which public relations and commu- situation is the fact that AI technologies are de-
nication management have been grappling for veloping at an “extremely rapid pace” (Béranger,
many years, AI-generated disinformation cre- 2021, p. xi). This type of AI-powered disinfor-
ates fresh problems for practitioners and schol- mation is already causing varied forms of harm,
ars. This form of disinformation (also referred to ranging from publics being deceived to election
as ‘AI-assisted disinformation’) involves AI, and campaigns being subjected to tampering. In
AI tools, being used to produce disinformation the hands of hostile state actors, Temby (2020)
(Temby, 2020). Although much of today’s disin- warns, “AI tools have the potential to produce
formation involves AI in some form, this paper disinformation on a scale to overwhelm com-
distinguishes disinformation (that usually incor- munication networks”.
porates AI) from AI-generated disinformation
(that is actively produced through, or by, AI). This paper explores the implications of devel-
opments in AI-generated disinformation for the
The intentionally deceptive content that is part professional sustainability of public relations and
of AI-generated disinformation is created and communication management practitioners. The
spread through multiple means. These include paper argues that this form of disinformation
AI-assisted deepfakes (synthetic images or vid- will increasingly negatively impact the profes-
eos of people and events), automated bots, text sional sustainability of these practitioners. Crisis
generator tools, and sockpuppets (online iden- situations involving AI-generated disinforma-
tities posing as real people), among other things tion are especially likely to impact practitioners’
(Subramaniam, 2021; Temby, 2020). AI enables professional sustainability negatively. Scholars
the scale of the – increasingly realistic – dis- and practitioners in public relations and relat-
4 Papers 250

ed areas need to grapple more urgently with the scholarship about AI in public relations, see
AI-generated disinformation and draw on other Swiatek et al. (2023).
fields to widen their repertoire of approaches for
dealing with this more problematic version of Although growing numbers of public relations
disinformation. If practitioners find themselves studies are examining AI critically, few are fo-
inadequately prepared for tackling the difficul- cusing directly on AI in connection with disin-
ties arising from AI-generated disinformation, formation and crisis. Critical studies have ex-
particularly in crisis situations, their ability to amined, for instance, the damage caused by Big
operate productively will likely decline, and the Data-driven public relations (Gregory & Halff,
organisations and communities that they serve 2020), as well as the ways in which AI technol-
will likely suffer multiple negative consequences, ogies perpetuate biases, and limit voice and di-
ranging from large-scale relationship damage to versity (Bourne & Edwards, 2021). In terms of
financial losses. disinformation, Wiesenberg and Tench (2020)
have examined the usage of social bots in a dis-
The paper contributes to two areas of public information era. While scholarship about AI
relations scholarship, the first area being schol- in crisis communication has been growing in
arship about disinformation. This area of inqui- recent years – primarily focusing on AI, public
ry, Edwards (2021) points out, has its roots in relations and crisis prediction (see, for example,
research about propaganda and public opinion Farrokhi, Shirazi, Hajli & Tajvidi, 2020; Ghani
manipulation. Over the decades, authors such & Gordon, 2022) – AI-generated disinforma-
as Shell (1992) have highlighted the unethical tion has received little attention to date in the
nature of disinformation in organisational con- crisis communication scholarship. As this brief
texts. Recently, various scholars (see, for exam- outline of the literature has shown, a need exists
ple, Macnamara, 2020; Thompson, 2020) have to understand the implications of AI-generated
emphasised the concerning growth of digital disinformation for public relations. Specifically,
disinformation around the world. More specific in terms of practice, research is needed to un-
studies have examined, for instance, ‘prebunking derstand how (or even whether) the public rela-
strategies’ for public relations disinformation at- tions profession has engaged with AI-generated
tacks (Boman, 2021), and the nature of disinfor- disinformation; understanding this situation is
mation-susceptible publics (Krishna, 2021). the first step in determining the ways in which
the profession can undertake further work in
The second area of scholarship to which the dealing with this type of disinformation in safe-
paper contributes is the area of AI in public re- guarding practitioners’ professional sustainabil-
lations. This is a relatively new, but rapidly ex- ity.
panding, area that is being given increasing at-
tention due to the growth of AI technologies and The remainder of this paper is divided into five
their uses in the profession and societies more sections. First, professional sustainability, in
broadly. Initial work about ‘algorithmic public relation to AI-generated disinformation, is dis-
relations’ (Collister, 2015), as well as automata cussed in greater depth. Second, the method
in connection with publics (Tilson, 2017), has used to understand how (if at all) AI-generated
been enlarged through studies examining the disinformation is being discussed in the public
functional uses of AI in public relations, critical relations profession is outlined. Third, the results
issues, ethical challenges, and the teaching- and of research about the state of existing public re-
learning-related considerations with which edu- lations discussions about AI-generated disinfor-
cators need to grapple; for a recent overview of mation are presented. Fourth, the implications
4 Papers 251

arising from these results are discussed. Fifth, fi- the dynamics of crises considerably. Valentini,
nal thoughts and avenues for future research are Romenti, and Kruckeberg (2018) note the grow-
presented in the conclusion. ing consensus that social media exacerbate the
development of critical situations and the for-
Professional Sustainability in Relation mation of new types of crises. The result of this
to AI-Generated Disinformation ever-more challenging situation, they explain, is
that the managers of organisations that are af-
With societies around the world increasingly
fected by crises “have less time to plan and to
focusing on the welfare of workers, professional
implement actions to solve these crises and,
sustainability is being given ever-greater atten-
thus, to restore their reputations, with even less
tion in both macro-level (public) and micro-level
time to monitor how publics perceive and dis-
(organisational unit) contexts. As Friedman and
cursively talk about these organizations’ actions
Banta (2023) note, sustainability can be defined,
in their online networks” (Valentini, Romenti, &
drawing on Robertson (2014), as a system’s abil-
Kruckeberg, 2018, p. 59).
ity to function and endure autonomously in the
long term. With this definition in mind, these
To understand the state of current industry dis-
authors describe professional sustainability, in-
cussions about AI-generated disinformation
corporating the view of Hoel et al. (2021), as the
in connection with public relations, and espe-
extent to which a given profession, or trained
cially crises and crisis communication, original
group of individuals, can continue to operate as
research examined the news items and com-
a productive entity in current and future con-
mentary published in online trade media. This
ditions. Friedman and Banta share the view of
research was required to understand how – or
Pereno and Eriksson (2020) that any consider-
even whether – this nascent form of disinfor-
ation of professional sustainability, or a profes-
mation, and the chaos that it entails, has begun
sion’s systemwide ability to maintain its current
to be discussed by communication profession-
workforce in a feasible way, needs to understand
als. These individuals need to gain a sense of the
the extent to which the current socio-political
difficulties created by large volumes of rapidly
climate hinders or supports both the profes-
spread, relationship- and reputation-damaging
sion-at-large and each practitioner distinctly.
deceptive content that can overwhelm the prac-
titioners trying to respond to it. Through this
Both individual communication practitioners
first research-focused step, the profession can
and the communication profession-at-large face
(in the not-too-distant future) undertake further
increasingly significant challenges from AI-gen-
work in dealing with this type of disinformation
erated disinformation, especially in crisis situa-
and, by extension, help to safeguard the profes-
tions. As noted in the paper’s introduction, this
sional sustainability of communicators and the
type of disinformation makes communicators’
communication profession-at-large.
work much more challenging on multiple levels
– ranging from the building of relationships and
trust to the maintaining of reputations – thus Method
negatively impacting professional sustainabil- To understand the ways in which public rela-
ity. The difficulty of dealing successfully with tions practitioners have engaged with AI-gen-
AI-generated disinformation in crisis situations erated disinformation to date, especially in cri-
is especially acute. Digital technologies, and sis situations, the following research question
particularly social media, have made practi- guided the original research: “How (if at all) is
tioners’ jobs increasingly difficult by changing AI-generated disinformation being discussed in
4 Papers 252

public relations and crisis communication trade so new. It is also understandable given the mul-
media?” To answer this research question, con- tiple forms that disinformation takes, and prac-
ventional qualitative content analysis, following titioners’ divided focus on those varying forms.
Hsieh & Shannon (2005), was used. This meth- The industry portals featured many articles about
od was chosen as the most suitable tool to help disinformation – as a topic in its own right, and
answer the research question because it allows in relation to crisis – but very few articles about
emerging themes and patterns to be identified AI-generated, -assisted or -powered disinforma-
in data, allowing “categories and names for cate- tion. One PRWeek article, ‘Tech Talk with Black-
gories to flow from the data” (Hsieh & Shannon, bird.AI CEO Wasim Khaled’, notes that “Black-
2005, p. 1279). The analysis was undertaken by bird is an AI-driven, disinformation intelligence
searching the leading online public relations platform”. A commentary (on O’Dwyer’s) by one
media portals for published content about dis- of the founders of Cyabra, a SaaS platform that
information, crises, and crisis communication. uses AI to detect disinformation online, also
The portals were: PRWeek, O’Dwyer’s, PR Daily, encourages professionals to use AI to fight dis-
PRovoke Media, Public Relations Today, and PR information. These results show that part of the
News Online. This selection of leading industry profession is beginning to understand the need
news and commentary portals sufficed to un- to use AI to counter disinformation: a positive
derstand the nature of the current discussions. sign.
To ensure that no published content was over-
looked, a more universal Google search was also Otherwise, the disinformation-related articles
undertaken using five search strings – featuring on the industry portals covered various topics.
the asterisk wildcard to help the search capture Many PRovoke Media articles about disinforma-
as many relevant results as possible – in connec- tion related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine;
tion with public relations, crisis communication, these articles included, for instance, ‘Combat-
crisis, and crises: ting Misinformation & Disinformation: The
• “AI * disinformation” + “public relations”, 10 Greatest Myths About The War In Ukraine’,
• “AI * disinformation” + “crisis communica- ‘Agency Creates Toolkit To Fight Russia’s Disin-
tion”, formation War’, and ‘Analysis: A Turning Point
• “AI * disinformation” + “crisis”, and In The Disinformation War?’. The published
• “AI * disinformation” + “crises”. content on Public Relations Today covered dig-
ital disinformation from multiple angles; exam-
All of these searches – involving the online ples included ‘Most Americans Consider Disin-
trade media portals, as well as Google – enabled formation a Problem, Study Finds’ (re-published
a comprehensive understanding of the state of from PRSay), ‘Traditional and Social Media Are
current discussions to be formed. Sowing Disinformation and Division, Report
Says’ (published from PRSay), ‘Why disinforma-
tion is one of the biggest problems in society—
Results
and may prolong the pandemic’ (republished
The examination of the published industry con- from Agility PR Solutions).
tent revealed that, on the whole, professionals in
public relations and related areas are yet to en- The broader searches using Google indicated that
gage meaningfully with AI-generated disinfor- relevant discussions are still few. Several websites
mation, especially in relation to crises and crisis published Blackbird.AI’s announcement about
communication. This finding is understandable, the completion of a $10M Series A fundrais-
given the fact that this form of disinformation is ing effort deliberately designed to enhance the
4 Papers 253

organisation’s efforts in combating disinforma- termine whether audio or video files have been
tion. The site Marketing Brew published a news subjected to tampering), technologies to ensure
item, titled ‘PR giant Weber Shandwick wants the provenance of content, and media education
to help brands combat fake articles, narratives (to help individuals learn how to evaluate infor-
about them’, dealing with Weber Shandwick’s mation critically) (Subramaniam, 2021). Some
new Media Security Center designed to help of these options will be helpful primarily for
brands combat misinformation and disinforma- practitioners, while other options are also likely
tion; the Center provides access to the Blackbird. to help stakeholders and the members of publics
AI platform. Otherwise, it is other fields – from with which practitioners engage more generally.
international relations to defense – that are cur- These options will become increasingly import-
rently leading the discussions about AI-fueled ant for helping manage crisis situations, in par-
disinformation. Examples of articles published ticular.
in these other fields include ‘Deep Fakes and
Dead Hands: Artificial Intelligence’s Impact on Ultimately, though, combatting AI-generated
Strategic Risk’ (published by the Nuclear Threat disinformation will require a multi-pronged
Initiative), ‘Deepfakes and Synthetic Media in approach, not just from communications pro-
the Financial System: Assessing Threat Scenar- fessionals, but also from professionals in other
ios’ (published by the Carnegie Endowment for fields. Honigberg (2022, par. 2) rightly points
International Peace), and ‘Researchers Warn Of out that:
‘Dangerous’ Artificial Intelligence-Generated While machine learning techniques can also
Disinformation At Scale’ (published by Edge). be used to combat disinformation, they will
likely remain insufficient to counterbalance the
Discussion expanding universe of anonymous digital mer-
cenaries. Unless liberal democracies develop
The results of the original research indicate that
whole-of-society counter-disinformation strat-
communication practitioners need to begin to
egies, AI-enhanced disinformation operations
discuss the threats posed by AI-generated disin-
will further exacerbate political polarization,
formation more earnestly in order to help safe-
erode citizen trust in societal institutions, and
guard professional sustainability, for individuals
blur the lines between truth and lies.
and the profession-at-large, more effectively.
The communication professions’ discussions
Hence, communication practitioners will likely
are clearly and sadly lagging behind discussions
need to work more closely with the defense and
taking place in other fields. In addition to dis-
security sectors, as well as government agencies,
cussing the threats posed by AI-generated dis-
to assist in the broader fight against AI-generat-
information more actively, the professionals also
ed disinformation.
need to engage in more earnest brainstorming to
develop creative solutions to a set of challenges
that will only grow in the coming years. Conclusion
Increasingly sophisticated disinformation has
In that respect, the professionals should draw on made the work of strategic communicators
theory and practice from other fields to expand tough. AI-generated disinformation has made
the current debates and to enrich the repertoire it even tougher. Developments in this type of
of options available to combat AI-generated disinformation in the years to come will make it
disinformation. These options include the use tougher still. Indeed, this paper has argued that
of media forensics techniques (that help to de- this form of disinformation will increasingly
4 Papers 254

negatively impact the professional sustainabil- flections on the field. In C. Valentini (Ed.), Public
ity of these communicators. Crisis situations Relations (pp. 601–614). De Gruyter Mouton.
involving AI-generated disinformation are espe- https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110554250-031
cially likely to impact practitioners’ profession- Collister, S. (2015). Algorithmic public relations:
al sustainability negatively. The paper’s original Materiality, technology and power in a post-he-
research has shown that scholars and practi- gemonic world. In J. L’Etang, D. McKie, N.
tioners in public relations and related communi- Snow, & J. Xifra (Eds.), The Routledge handbook
cation areas need to grapple more urgently with of critical public relations (pp. 360–371). Rout-
AI-generated disinformation and draw on other ledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315852492
fields to widen their repertoire of approaches for
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disinformation. sional legitimacy: Public relations’ account-
ability in the disinformation debate. European
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5 Extended Abstracts 256

Segmentation of public in children

vaccination communication in
Slovenia, implementing STOPS/CAPS
and pragmatic multimethod approach
Kropivnik, Samo, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)
Vrdelja, Mitja, NIJZ (Slovenia)

Introduction and purpose of the study Methodology

In public health perspective, vaccination pro- Situational motivation has been conceptualized
grammes significantly add to long term safe as a) affective involvement, b) cognitive involve-
co-existing. On the other hand, in society there ment, c) trust in the paediatrician, d) trust in
is no generally accepted consensus about their the health system and e) trust in science. These
benefits and risks and that makes promotion five variables have been measured on five-point
of vaccination rather difficult. To improve it, Likert scale. Communicative action has been
the paper advocates a model for recognising conceptualized through a) information acqui-
involvement of mothers of young children in sition, b) information selection and c) informa-
communication of children vaccination, devel- tion transmission, each on four or five different
oped by applying situational theory to vaccina- channels respectively. For these fourteen vari-
tion as sensitive and insufficiently researched ables five points categorical scale describing fre-
interdisciplinary topic (Vrdelja, 2023), as well as quentness of use has been employed. The model
introduces methodological complements to em- with the above defined indicators has been em-
pirical analyses of the model data. pirically confirmed on a general level, drawing
on large probability sample of mothers in Slo-
venia (year 2016, N = 1704), using bivariate sta-
Literature review
tistical methods (Vrdelja, 2023). In so doing, we
In the study we are drawing on Situational The- have encountered the problem of dealing with a
ory of Publics (STP; Gruning, 1997 and 2005), very large number of bivariate statistics, deter-
particularly on Situational Theory of Problem mining association between pairs of variables.
Solving and on Communicative Actions in With just five numerical indicators measuring
Problem Solving (STOPS and CAPS; Kim and situational motivation and fourteen ordinal in-
Grunig, 2011), as well as on studies demon- dicators measuring communicative action, there
strating importance of vaccination programmes are seven hundred pairs of variables and conse-
(e.g., Andre et.al, 2008) and particularly the quently the same number of associations to eval-
crucial role of communication in vaccination uate and interpret. Such a big number of pieces
programmes accomplishment (e.g., Leask et. al, of information is certainly difficult to accom-
2012; Olowo et.al, 2020). plish, summarize and present in a comprehend-
5 Extended Abstracts 257

ible way. Therefore, in the core of the paper, we channels turned out to be the most distinctive.
upgrade data analyses with two more pragmatic, Furthermore, information transmission stands
jet efficient ways to analyze typical STOPS mod- out when associations are considered on a more
els, based on combination of numerical and cat- detailed level.
egorical variables. The first one draws on reach
tradition of visual methods and depicts associ- Besides the vivid insight in relations among
ations between situational motivational vari- indicators in the analysed STOPS model, an
ables and communicative action variables with outline of segments of the public under inves-
line graphs. Its ultimate advantage is that line tigation in Slovenia has been provided as a sup-
graphs are much easier to comprehend (follow) plementary result of hierarchical agglomerative
than sets of numbers. The second way draws on clustering method. On the most general level,
formal mathematical procedures, namely on three constructive segments develop. The first is
multivariate agglomerative clustering method characterized by high involvement and low trust
and seriously reduces the final number of asso- accompanied with intensive communicative ac-
ciations that must be evaluated and interpreted, tivity. The antagonistic one is distinguished by
since in the core of this method are analyses of low involvement and high trust, complemented
similarities in data matrix, heading to fusion of with lack of communicative action. The third is
parts that are similar enough to be regarded be- somewhere in the middle regarding situation-
ing equal in further analyses. al motivation variables as well as communica-
tive action indicators. Segmentation on more
Results and conclusions detailed levels reveals additional valuable mi-
crosegments.
Both advocated innovative ways of analysing the
STOPS model provided us with an abundance of
consequential results, presented in an upcoming Practical and social implications
journal article. Here, in the extended abstract, The uncovered relations among attitudes and
we would like to draw attention to some of them, communication behaviour, and in particular
connecting both applied methods. their fusion in outlined segments enable im-
provement of every step of children vaccination
Primarily, we have visibly demonstrated how communication planning and implementation.
communication behaviour, measured as fre-
quency of information acquisition, information Keywords: STOPS (situational theory of prob-
selection and information transmission in tradi- lem solving), CAPS (communicative behaviour in
tional and social media as well as in direct com- problem solving), vaccine hesitancy, vaccination
munication, differ with level of cognitive and communication, trust
affective involvement in the topic, accompanied
with level of trust in science, in health system
and in medical personnel (paediatrician). In
general, high level of involvement, accompanied
with low level of trust correspond to significant-
ly more frequent communication and vice ver-
sa, but there are suggestive differences regard-
ing components of communication behaviour
(i.e., communication channels and forms of
communication activity). As expected, online
5 Extended Abstracts 258

Literature
Andre, F. E., Booy, R., Bock, H. L., Clemens, J.,
Datta, S. K., John, T. J., Lee, B. W., Lolekha,
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uni-lj.si/IzpisGradiva.php?id=146944
 WITHOUT
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