The stakeholder-communication continuum: An alternate approach to internal and external communications

Academic scholarship and professional literature have defined communications as existing in two groups: internal and external/public relations. However, globalism, technology, evolving communication practices, and the maturation of the public relations field have evoked changing attitudes and perceptions regarding stakeholder identification, publics, and communications. This researcher sent a broad, representative survey to university alumni, conducted in-depth interviews with university staff, and performed a content analysis of alumni-facing communications, resulting in an alternate method of viewing internal and external communications. Dubbed the stakeholder-communication continuum, the theory places internal and external communications on either end of a spectrum, with stakeholder groups plotted along the continuum based on their relationship to the organization and each other. ©Journal of Professional Communication, all rights reserved.

The mathematical corporation: Where machine intelligence and human ingenuity achieve the impossible

Communications and public relations are becoming increasingly complex and machine-driven. Authors Sullivan and Zutavern explore the long-term implications of this complexity in The Mathematical Corporation, a book about how communications professionals must negotiate the power of new technology with the possibility of humans becoming redundant. This book review argues that The Mathematical Corporation is ultimately hopeful, as it suggests that communications professionals can use new technology in forward-thinking ways without causing social and economic turmoil. ©Journal of Professional Communication, all rights reserved.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the essential value of public relations

In this editorial for issue one of volume six of the Journal of Professional Communication, the author discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting period of sheltering in place and economic lockdown has demonstrated the essential importance of effective and strategic public relations for government and all manner of organizations in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. The editorial also contains a summary of each article in this issue of JPC, as well as acknowledgement of peer reviewers and JPC staff. ©Journal of Professional Communication, all rights reserved.

Healthy discourse: How Canadian physicians use Twitter to communicate in healthcare

Although several medical organizations predict that the Canadian healthcare landscape will undergo a significant shift resulting from increased use of social media by Canadian healthcare practitioners, little research exists in Canada about how and why Canadian physicians use social media. To address this research gap and establish a baseline for future Canadian research, this paper sought to examine how Canadian physicians perceive Twitter in relation to healthcare. By conducting interviews with 18 Canadian physicians of varying specialties and backgrounds from British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Nova Scotia, this exploratory study has provided qualitative data that will aid an important and growing area of health communications research. ©Journal of Professional Communication, all rights reserved.

10 Tips for strategic public relations during the COVID-19 pandemic

This practical paper enumerates 10 tips for strategic communciations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Driven by data, the tips focus on knowing your audience, having empathy for what they are going through and having an understanding of how people’s perception of the relative value of mainstream media and social media as information sources has changed during the pandemic crisis. The paper emerged from a podcast interview organized by Dave Scholz at Léger with Alex Sévigny which focused on the rise of social media that happened during the pandemic, caused by the widespread and sudden movement to working from home across the economy. ©Journal of Professional Communication, all rights reserved.

Reputation and social capital: A hammer for the glass ceiling

Through a case study of the DeGroote Women’s Professional Network of the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University, this article investigates how and to what extent women’s networks can contribute to building the female leadership pipeline by combating women’s barriers to obtaining leadership roles. Supported by a thorough review of literature, the study examines the perceived and potential value members acquired from the Network. The results reveals while the DWPN may have the structure to support these elements, both network facilitators and members must consciously use the network strategically to support their advancement. Further study insights included seven recommendations on how networks can build members social capital and five pillars a network must incorporate to be positioned to support the advancement of women. ©Journal of Professional Communication, all rights reserved.

Sheridan@50: A creative history for a creative campus

Sheridan’s celebration of its 50th anniversary in 2017 provided a unique opportunity for our internal community – students, alumni, staff, and faculty – to co-create and explore the rich history of the college. We partnered with Dr. Peter Kikkert, then Sheridan Professor of Public History, and Dr. Christian Knudsen, Sheridan Professor of Cultural History. The key outputs were a documentary (exploring Sheridan’s history) and a travelling display of eight historical towers (documenting Sheridan’s creation, development, successes, failures, capabilities, culture, and the societal forces that have shaped it). A social campaign, web landing page, three key events, and publications (both print and digital) helped engage our internal community and disseminate the findings. The initiative helped archive Sheridan’s history, build awareness of its achievements and progress, demonstrate how its founding values (creativity, innovation, community, inclusivity) still guide the institution, and increase people’s knowledge, pride, and sense of belonging with Sheridan. ©Journal of Professional Communication, all rights reserved.

Journalism and public relations

The information technology revolution and the expansion of social media have deeply transformed the nature of our interpersonal relations as well as our relationship with our environment. At a time when everyone has become a prolific user, producer, and publisher of content in cyberspace, we must reflect on the relevance of public relations and the new rules of the game. The role of public relations is more important than ever, but it must adapt to significant changes in communications brought about by new technologies. The CPRS College of Fellows launched a collection of essays to contribute to discussion surrounding these issues. This is the first essay in the collection. A previous version of this article was published in French in Versailles (2019).

Creating and implementing a new visual identity

In 2015, Halton Healthcare, a hospital corporation in the GreaterToronto Area, began to create and implement a disciplinedvisual identity. To do so, the organization enhanced and reorganizedits communications capabilities. Over the next year,they created a new visual identity and applied it across threehospitals and several community-based care settings. The teamused an iterative approach, obtaining buy-in from internalstakeholders, including senior leadership. The result was anaward-winning new visual identity consonant with the mission,vision, and values of Halton Healthcare.

Data science and communications management

In this editorial for issue two of volume five of the Journal of ProfessionalCommunication, the author discusses how data science is changingthe communications landscape. He suggests that advances intechnology are making it easier to learn about and communicate withpublics. The author challenges communciations professionals to makebetter use of this new technology in their own work.