scholarly journals Communicating science in organizational contexts: toward an “organizational turn” in science communication research

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 137-154
Author(s):  
Mike S. Schäfer ◽  
Birte Fähnrich
Keyword(s):  
Science Communication ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Strategic Communication ◽  
Communication Research ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Contexts ◽  
Organizational Settings ◽  
Research Fields ◽  
Scientific Organizations

PurposeResearch on science communication in organizational contexts is scarce – even though many cases can be found where organizations from science and beyond communicate about science-related issues, or where organizational contexts have an impact on the communication of individual scientists and scientific organizations. Therefore, it is time for an “organizational turn” in science communication research, and for more scholarly emphasis on the specific cases that science-related communication in, from and about organizations presents. Such an approximation would benefit both science communication research and analyses of strategic and organizational communication.Design/methodology/approachThis special issue of the “Journal of Communication Management” on “Communicating Science in Organizational Contexts” is a step in this direction: It compiles commentaries from leading scholars in the respective fields as well as research articles coming from various disciplines and conceptual as well as methodological paradigms. In the editorial, we assess overlaps between scholarship on science communication and strategic communication, respectively, based on a meta-analysis of journals in the field(s), develop a guiding heuristic for analyzing science communication in organizational settings, and introduce the contributions to the special issue.FindingsThe meta-analysis shows that overlaps between science communication research and scholarship on strategic communication are scarce. While organizations and their communication appear occasionally, and increasingly often, in science communication research, scholars of strategic communication only rarely analyze science communication.Research limitations/implicationsThe meta-analysis is limited to the publications of five scholarly journals over ten years. It still demonstrates the lack of research in the intersection of scholarship on science communication and strategic communication.Practical implicationsScientific organizations are rapidly extending and professionalizing their strategic communication, and an increasing number of organizations beyond science communicate on science or science-related issues. Understanding science communication in organizational settings, therefore, is crucial for practitioners in both areas.Originality/valueAnalyzing science communication in organizational settings is of increasing importance – yet few studies exist that have done it, and the respective research fields devote not much attention to one another. The special issue is a first foray into this new, intersectional field.

scholarly journals Science communication, strategic communication and rhetoric: the case of health authorities, vaccine hesitancy, trust and credibility

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 163-167
Author(s):  
Øyvind Ihlen
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Communication ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Strategic Communication ◽  
Rhetorical Theory ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Contexts ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Essential Knowledge

PurposeThere is a great potential in pulling together science communication and strategic communication, especially given how the former has gained importance in organizational contexts. Strategic communication, including rhetorical theory, can offer insights that are invaluable to understand the contests over what “truth” is and how different political perspectives influence such debates. The case of vaccine hesitancy is used as an illustration of the challenges posed to organizations and organizational communication around science-related issues today. There is a need to understand the audience in order to build credibility, or ethos, while at the same time recognizing the contingent and situational character of this endeavor.FindingsRhetoric and strategic communication can offer science communication the essential knowledge to strengthen credibility. While much attention has been geared toward understanding the audience, strategic communication and rhetoric in particular go further and also spell out the strategic implications for communication that is intended to strengthen credibility. Additionally, rhetoric alerts us to how credibility, or ethos, is not a fixed quality in a sender or a text but is situational and constantly negotiated. While the case of vaccine hesitancy and health authorities is used as an illustration, all organizations share the need to somehow have others believe in what they are saying. The toolboxes of strategic communication and rhetoric hold a number of insights and approaches that could benefit science communication.Originality/valueThe study pulls together insights from rhetoric and strategic communication that can inform science communication.

scholarly journals Organizational diversity: making the case for contextual interpretivism

2015 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 496-509 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. J. Greeff
Keyword(s):  
Diversity Management ◽  
Internal Communication ◽  
Organizational Diversity ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Contexts ◽  
Organizational Settings ◽  
Managing Diversity ◽  
Functional Aspects ◽  
Excellence Theory

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to make a case for contextual interpretivism in managing diversity in organizational settings, specifically in its bearing on internal communication, going against the dominating functionalistic stance of venerated and ubiquitous approaches. Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative and quantitative methodologies were employed to explore the potential of contextual interpretivism within the mining and construction industries of South Africa, due to the fecund diversity context of its employee population. Findings – This paper points to the enriched understanding that could result from following a contextual interpretivistic approach to internal communication for diversity management, and in so doing discusses the ways in which this could take hold in organizations through the application of germane theoretical assertions of revered internal organizational communication literature, specifically the excellence theory and communication satisfaction. Research limitations/implications – The main limitation to this research is the restricted generalizability of its empirical research. Further research is required for the exploration of the central premise in other organizational contexts. Practical implications – The paper provides insights into the ways in which organizations could approach its diversity management so as to speak to more than just the functional aspects thereof, and rather to the importance of nurturing an understanding of employees’ interpretation of the organization’s diversity endeavors. Originality/value – The implications of applying a new approach to diversity management in organizational settings is discussed and argued, offering an empirical application thereof, which gives way to practical, data-driven recommendations for use in organizational settings.

scholarly journals A Relational Identity-Based Solution to Group Polarization: Can Priming Parental Identity Reduce the Partisan Gap in Attitudes Toward the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 687-718
Author(s):  
Chen Zeng
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Strategic Communication ◽  
Policy Support ◽  
Communication Research ◽  
Relational Identity ◽  
Partisan Polarization ◽  
Identity Based ◽  
Parental Identity ◽  
Beliefs And Attitudes

This study explores the influence of both group identity (e.g., partisan identity) and relational identity (e.g., parental identity) on beliefs and attitudes toward the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Results from a between-subject randomized survey experiment suggest that partisans are motivated to process factual information about COVID-19 through a partisan lens. However, priming parental identity can reduce partisan polarization over risk perceptions, policy support, and precautious behaviors. These findings demonstrate the need to incorporate relational identity into identity-based science communication research and offer a relational identity-based strategic communication solution to partisan gaps in responses to COVID-19.

Vijf grote uitdagingen in de wetenschapscommunicatie

2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-197
Author(s):  
Ionica Smeets
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Research Field ◽  
List Type ◽  
Communication Research ◽  
Press Releases ◽  
Third Mission ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Sciences And Humanities ◽  
Science News

Abstract Five major challenges in science communication This article gives an overview of five major challenges in the field of science communication – with a focus on the Dutch/Flemish situation and the role that communication scientists can play in tackling these challenges. The research field is fragmented and the balance between the practical and academic aspects of science communication can be improved. In policies there is a large emphasis on informing society, whilst science communication should also be a dialogue with society. Connecting with society is the third mission of universities, but reward systems for scientists who do this are rudimentary and should be improved. Incorrect science news is at least partly caused by universities sending out exaggerated press releases. Researchers should take responsibility for how their own universities communicate about their work. Social sciences and humanities are underrepresented both in science communication activities and science communication research and should be involved more.

Destination leadership: a new paradigm for tourist destinations?

2014 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harald Pechlaner ◽  
Metin Kozak ◽  
Michael Volgger
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Power Structures ◽  
New Paradigm ◽  
Leadership Theories ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Contexts ◽  
Tourist Destinations ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Inclusive Processes

Purpose – This special issue of Tourism Review provides an original body of work that complements existing research on tourist destinations, and offers an opportunity for tourism research to contribute to broader leadership theorizing. Design/methodology/approach – This editorial introduction embeds the included papers into general reflections about destination leadership. Findings – This introduction summarizes how the papers in this special issue contribute to two streams of research: First, the papers use and advance leadership theories that are particularly suited to inter-organizational contexts, such as distributed and systemic leadership. Second, they illustrate that destination leadership needs to be treated and understood in relationship to governance arrangements, power structures, and social networks among leaders. Originality/value – Sustainable destination competitiveness greatly depends on effective strategies as well as efficient and inclusive processes and structures. Existing research on destination management and destination governance clearly illustrates the relevance of these requirements. However, the human factor in the form of motivation, inspiration, and role modeling – i.e. destination leadership – is also crucial. Yet, so far leadership has not received the necessary attention in both tourist destinations and networked environments in general. This is all the more remarkable since social networks pose particular challenges for leadership.

University communications as auto-communication: the NTNU ‘Challenge Everything’ campaign

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 227-243
Author(s):  
Sarah R. Davies
Keyword(s):  
Science Communication ◽  
Strategic Communication ◽  
Sense Making ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Communication Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
University Culture ◽  
University Marketing ◽  
Internal Sense ◽  
Insight Into

PurposeThis article offers an in-depth exploration of university communications practice by describing and analysing a publicity and recruitment campaign, called ‘Challenge Everything’, carried out by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in 2018. By providing insight into internal sense-making around the campaign it contributes to literatures in science communication and communication management.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative research uses semi-structured interviews and informal organisational ethnography, mobilising concepts of sense-making and auto-communication to guide analysis. The focus is on how organisation members made sense of the Challenge Everything campaign.FindingsThe analysis focuses on four key themes within organisational sense-making about the campaign: the openness of the campaign meant that it was readily picked up on and personalised by university staff; its meaning was always contextual, shaped by organisation members' roles, interests, and concerns; its controversy seems to primarily derive from questions of representation, and specifically whether organisation members recognised within it their own experiences of university culture; and its development points to the rise of new forms of expertise within university organisation, and the contestation of these.Research limitations/implicationsThe research offers only a partial snapshot of one instance of university communications. However, in demonstrating how public campaigns also operate as auto-communication it has important implications for strategic communication within complex organisations such as universities.Originality/valueThe research has particular value in offering an in-depth qualitative study of university marketing practices and the effects these have within an organisation.

Twenty-one years of publishing Meditari Accountancy Research: a coming of age

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lyn Murphy ◽  
William Maguire
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Research Methods ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Accounting Research ◽  
Research Fields ◽  
Research Journal ◽  
Emerging Trends

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the performance and current position of the Meditari Accountancy Research Journal by building a profile of the articles published over the 21 years since its inception. Design/methodology/approach – A descriptive meta-analysis of 293 articles published in 30 issues was conducted and comparable South African and international studies to structure the research were drawn upon. Contributors, research fields, research methods, citations and jurisdictions were examined and emerging trends assessed. Findings – Meditari Accountancy Research Journal has a strong relationship with the South African accounting community. All dimensions of this article indicate that Meditari Accountancy Research has evolved over the 21 years since its inception and has made progress towards an international research journal. Research limitations/implications – Given that this study relates to one accounting research journal only, there is no specific benchmark against to which to assess its progress. However, the literature offers a basis for comparison. Practical implications – The challenge is to maintain the traditional South African links while meeting the needs of a changing international accounting research environment. Originality/value – The current study provides a comprehensive basis for an evaluation of the journal and its future potential by reviewing the full history of Meditari Accountancy Research Journal, which presents insights into the articles published within it, including the range and predominance of contributing authors, research methods, research fields, nature of research, citation rates and jurisdictions.

Employee learning and development in virtual HRD: focusing on MOOCs in the workplace

2018 ◽  
Vol 50 (5) ◽  
pp. 261-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sunyoung Park ◽  
Shinhee Jeong ◽  
Boreum Ju
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Development ◽  
Human Resource Development ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Support Tool ◽  
Organizational Contexts ◽  
Organizational Settings ◽  
Corporate Websites ◽  
Employee Learning

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the potential of using massive open online courses (MOOCs) for employee learning and development in organizational settings by reviewing the literature and examining several cases from a virtual human resource development (HRD) perspective. Design/methodology/approach To collect information on MOOCs in the workplace, the authors reviewed peer- and non-peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, books, white papers, corporate websites and blogs, and business magazines published between 2008 and 2018. Findings A total of 18 cases were summarized to present the use of MOOCs in organizational settings for training and development, organizational development, career development, and professional development. For a more in-depth review, three cases were selected and the details were introduced in terms of context, process/progress, and outcomes: McAfee, Rabobank, and Library and Information Science. Practical implications When organizations decide to use MOOCs for their employee development and learning, practitioners could also establish the selection criteria of MOOCs for specific purposes based on their organizational contexts by assessing the effectiveness of existing MOOC programs. Originality/value This study highlights the use of MOOCs in organizations to examine their potential as a support tool for virtual HRD to facilitate employee learning and development in the workplace.

scholarly journals Neoliberalism and management accounting: reconfiguring governmentality and extending territories

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Danture Wickramasinghe ◽  
Christine Cooper ◽  
Chandana Alawattage
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Research ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Management Accounting ◽  
Social Connections ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Settings ◽  
Neoliberal Governmentality ◽  
The Future

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to introduce the themes and aims of this Accounting, Auditing & Accountability (AAAJ) special issue and comments on the papers included in the issue. The paper provides a thematic outline along which the future researchers can undertake more empirical research examining how neoliberalism shapes, and shaped by, management accounting.Design/methodology/approachThis entails a brief review of the previous critical accounting works that refer to liberalism and neoliberalism to identify and highlight the specific themes and trajectories of neoliberal implications of management accounting has been and can be explored. This is followed by a brief commentary on the papers the authors have included in this special issue; these commentaries explain how these papers capture various dimensions of enabling and enacting neoliberal governmentality.FindingsThe authors found that management accounting is now entering new territories beyond its conventional disciplinary enclosures of confinement, reconfiguring its functionalities to enable and enact a circulatory mode of neoliberal governmentality. These new functionalities then produce and reproduce entrepreneurial selves in myriad forms of social connections, networks and platforms within and beyond formal organizational settings, amid plethora of conducts, counter-conducts and resistances and new forms of identities and subjectivities.Research limitations/implicationsThis review can be read in relation to the papers included in the special issue as the whole issue will inspire more ideas, frameworks and methodologies for further studies.Originality/valueThere is little research reviewing and commenting how management accounting now being enacted and enabled with new functionalities operating new territories and reconfiguring forms of governmentality. This paper inspires a new agenda on this project.

scholarly journals Five thoughts about improving science communication as an organizational activity

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 155-161
Author(s):  
John C. Besley
Keyword(s):  
Science Communication ◽  
Scientific Community ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Strategic Communication ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Communication Strategy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Community Needs ◽  
Organizational Activity

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe five key lessons learned from a decade of studying how scientists and science communicators think about communication strategy.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on the experience of the researcher and the underlying literatures on strategic communication and science communication.FindingsThe key argument is that the scientific community needs to put more priority into enabling organizations to plan and implement strategic communication efforts on behalf of science. At present, there is too much reliance on individual communicators.Originality/valueThe value of this paper is in the degree to which it argues for a more strategic, organization-focused approach to science communication that emphasizes the setting of clear behavioral goals, followed by discussion about what communication objectives might help achieve those goals and the communication tactics needed to achieve the prioritized objectives.

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