Strategic Communication Research Articles

Impact of Public Relations Efforts on Tourism Industry Growth in Developing Countries

Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess the impact of public relations efforts on tourism industry growth in developing countries. Materials and Methods: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: By leveraging strategic communication and media engagement, these efforts have enhanced the visibility and appeal of tourist destinations. Effective public relations campaigns have helped to counteract negative perceptions and highlight unique cultural, historical, and natural attractions, drawing international tourists. These campaigns often involve collaboration with travel influencers, media outlets, and social media platforms to reach a broader audience. Consequently, increased tourist arrivals have stimulated local economies, creating jobs, and generating revenue. Additionally, public relations initiatives have played a crucial role in crisis management, swiftly addressing issues such as natural disasters or political instability, thereby maintaining the destination's attractiveness and reassuring potential visitors. Overall, the strategic use of public relations has proven to be a vital tool in promoting tourism and fostering economic development in developing countries. Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Situational theory of publics, relationship management theory and integrated marketing communications may be used to anchor future studies on assessing the impact of public relations efforts on tourism industry growth in developing countries. In practical terms, tourism stakeholders in developing countries must prioritize the implementation of digital PR strategies that leverage modern communication tools and platforms. From a policy standpoint, it is crucial for governments and tourism authorities in developing countries to establish comprehensive PR policies that support sustainable tourism growth.

Measuring prime ministerial brands: Exploring Needham’s framework for assessing the UK’s Boris Johnson and the Greek Kyriakos Mitsotakis

Using political branding as an analytical lens can help explain the emotional connections and evaluative perceptions citizens have regarding political parties and their leaders. Measuring what makes a successful brand is best usually conducted with the benefit of hindsight, we can explain why a brand was a success or a failure based on public opinion data and attribute this to events. However, our research seeks to test the extent that analysis of strategic communication can offer opportunities to predict outcomes. We explore the communication of two prime ministerial brands who, due to their similarities and differences, offer an opportunity to assess the extent that the dimensions of a successful brand are universal. We employ Needham’s framework, developed to demonstrate why the brand of UK prime minister Tony Blair (1997–2008) proved so popular. We find that the dimensions of a successful brand are present in the strategic communication of both premiers. However, we find that the nature of some brands may make them appropriate for campaigning, but not for governance in challenging times. We argue that political brands need to be consistent, but once in government must be adaptable for the changing conditions and develop an appropriate style to accommodate the challenges facing a prime minister in the 21st century.

Nutrition and Physical Activity Education in Medical School: A Narrative Review.

This review explores the diverse landscape of integrating nutrition and physical activity education into medical school curricula, focusing on the imperative role of physicians in promoting health through lifestyle changes. By examining global medical education structures, we uncovered disparities in nutrition and physical activity training, and highlighted the need for a shared framework to address international and regional challenges. Despite acknowledging the importance of both nutrition and physical activity, studies have consistently uncovered deficiencies in medical school curricula, especially in skills related to providing lifestyle advice and behavioral counseling. Survey studies among medical students have illuminated various perceptions and knowledge gaps, emphasizing the need for more comprehensive and mandatory nutrition and physical activity training. While acknowledging progress, challenges, such as time constraints, resource availability, and faculty expertise, persist. Integrating lifestyle education results in resistance, a demand for strategic communication, and faculty buy-ins. These findings underscore the importance of a holistic approach that balances theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and confidence that medical students need to promote effective nutrition and physical activity in healthcare.

Investigating the Role of Artificial Intelligence to Measure Consumer Efficiency: The Use of Strategic Communication and Personalized Media Content

This study examines the relationships between strategic communication, personalized media content, AI, and consumer service efficiency in social marketing companies in Saudi Arabia. The study used a cluster sampling technique with a quantitative research design. The study targeted 498 responses via distributing the survey links on social media platforms. Using the SEM analysis in Smart PLS 4, this research tested the research hypotheses. The findings showed that strategic communication significantly improves personalized media content and consumer service efficiency, confirming its importance in business customer interactions and outcomes. Customized media content does not significantly improve consumer service efficiency, suggesting other mediating factors may be involved. AI mediates this relationship, bridging strategic inputs and service outcomes. AI boosts strategic communication and personalized content, improving consumer service efficiency. The results showed that AI fully mediates strategic communication and personalized media content into improved service efficiency, demonstrating its transformative potential in business communications and operations. The study shows that AI supports and improves digital marketing communication strategies. It is statistical evidence and confidence intervals that exclude zero, AI-enabled the application of personalized content and strategic directives to improve service efficiency in the mediation analysis.

Exploring the first impression of a company: an empirical analysis of IPO prospectuses applying the impression formation model

PurposeThe present study aims to identify how firms positioned their corporate reputation (i.e. impressiveness vs respectability) in their initial public offering (IPO) communication based on the impression formation model. Further, the study examined whether this presentation of corporate reputation was related to IPO success (i.e. stock price and volume of trading).Design/methodology/approachThe present study analyzed 248 IPO prospectuses that were submitted to the major US stock markets. Specifically, various substantive and symbolic information and cues in IPO prospectuses were content analyzed.FindingsThe results suggest that bigger (in terms of revenue) IPO companies featured more “impressiveness” in their IPO prospectus, leading to greater IPO success. Bigger (in terms of both revenue and number of employees) IPO companies featured more “respectability” impressions in the IPO prospectus, although they did not achieve direct IPO success on the first day of IPO. Different types of industry used different information cues to feature “impressiveness” and/or “respectability,” suggesting that different types of firms view different cues to be important to IPO communication.Practical implicationsThe results also suggest some practical guidelines for the strategic use of contents, tables and illustrations. Using more charts, tables and illustrations in IPO prospectus summaries was associated with a higher volume of trading on the first day. The more illustrations included in the IPO prospectus summaries, the less investors were willing to pay for initial stock prices.Originality/valueIPO communication is a generally understudied area in corporate communication and strategic communication scholarship. The results should help to explain which communicative aspects and PR strategies effectively manage the firm’s impression to maximize the chances of an IPO success as well as initially build the financial reputation of a company. By doing so, the findings contribute to the broader advancement of financial communication within the strategic communications domain.

Using Short-Form Videos to Get Clinical Trial Newcomers to Sign Up: Message-Testing Experiment.

Recruiting participants for clinical trials poses challenges. Major barriers to participation include psychological factors (eg, fear and mistrust) and logistical constraints (eg, transportation, cost, and scheduling). The strategic design of clinical trial messaging can help overcome these barriers. While strategic communication can be done through various channels (eg, recruitment advertisements), health care providers on the internet have been found to be key sources for communicating clinical trial information to US adults in the social media era. This study aims to examine how communication source (ie, medical doctors and peers) and message framing of TikTok videos (ie, psychological and logistical framing) influence clinical trial-related attitudes, perceptions, and sign-up behaviors under the guidance of the integrated behavioral model. This study used a 2 (source: doctor vs peer) × 2 (framing: psychological vs logistical) between-participant factorial design web-based experiment targeting adults in the United States who had never participated in clinical trials (ie, newcomers). A Qualtrics panel was used to recruit and compensate the study respondents (n=561). Participants viewed short-form videos with doctors or peers, using psychological or logistical framing. The main outcome measures included perceived source credibility, self-efficacy, attitude toward clinical trial participation, behavioral intention, and sign-up behavior. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the direct and indirect effects of message factors on the outcome variables. Source (doctor=1; peer=0) and framing (psychological=1; logistical=0) were dummy-coded. Doctor-featured messages led to greater perceived source credibility (β=.31, P<.001), leading to greater self-efficacy (95% CI 0.13-0.30), which in turn enhanced behavioral intention (95% CI 0.12-0.29) and clinical trial sign-up behavior (95% CI 0.02-0.04). Logistical barrier-framed messages led to greater self-efficacy (β=-.09, P=.02), resulting in higher intention to participate in clinical trials (95% CI -0.38 to -0.03) and improved sign-up behavior (95% CI -0.06 to -0.004). Logistical barrier-framed messages were also directly associated with an increased likelihood of signing up for a clinical trial (β=-.08, P=.03). The model accounted for 21% of the variance in clinical trial sign-up behavior. Attitude did not significantly affect behavioral intention in this study (β=.08, P=.14), and psychological and logistical barrier-framed messages did not significantly differ in attitudes toward clinical trial participation (β=-.04, P=.09). These findings advance our understanding of how people process popular message characteristics in short-form videos and lend practical guidance for communicators. We encourage medical professionals to consider short-form video sites (eg, TikTok and Instagram Reels) as effective tools for discussing clinical trials and participation opportunities. Specifically, featuring doctors discussing efforts to reduce logistical barriers is recommended. Our measuring of actual behavior as an outcome is a rare and noteworthy contribution to this research.

Navigating through digitalization challenges in strategic communication: introducing the VUCA radar

PurposeIn recent years, the acronym VUCA has gained traction in strategic communication (SC) as an umbrella term that summarizes the recurrent challenges (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) of digital communication environments. However, an integrated reflection on how the VUCA dimensions facilitate a deeper understanding of specific digitalization challenges and how to navigate through these challenges is lacking. This article aims to explore and substantiate the descriptive (how) and prescriptive (how to) potential of VUCA for SC under digitalization conditions.Design/methodology/approachWe first provide a systematic discussion of the four VUCA dimensions based on the general strategy literature. While their descriptive value is undisputed, prescriptive advice on how to respond to these challenges is contradictory. We substantiate this observation in a second empirical step based on problem-centered interviews with strategic communicators at the agency and corporate levels.FindingsOur findings reveal that VUCA facilitates a systematic mapping of digitalization challenges consistently identified by professionals. The proposed strategic responses, however, remain contradictory at the theoretical and empirical levels. Hence, we propose the VUCA radar as a comprehensive descriptive and prescriptive framework.Originality/valueThe radar provides (a) a systematic overview of recurrent digitalization challenges to SC at the industry and practice levels and (b) prescriptive advice on how to navigate through these challenges by balancing contradictory strategic responses at the levels of vision, understanding, clarity and agility.

Application of Public Relations Tools for Revenue Generation by Taraba State Board of Internal Revenue

This study investigates the efficacy of public relations (PR) tools employed by the Taraba State Board of Internal Revenue to bolster revenue generation. The research objectives encompass identifying specific PR strategies, eval_uating their effectiveness, and proposing actionable recommendations. Employing a mixed-methods approach, quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews were conducted to gather comprehensive insights. The study was built on Two Symmetrical Model, Excellence Theory, and Transfer Process Model. Findings indicate a moderate utilization of PR tools, with 63% of respondents reporting extensive to moderate use. Notable strategies include social media engagement, press releases, and community outreach initiatives. Qualitative data elucidates participant experiences, highlighting the impact of these strategies on promoting tax compliance and fostering positive public perception. Effectiveness assessments reveal tangible outcomes, with participants citing increased tax compliance rates and positive media coverage as key indicators. This underscores the significance of strategic communication in driving revenue generation efforts. However, challenges such as limited collaboration with external stakeholders and the absence of comprehensive eval_uation mechanisms are identified. Based on the findings, several recommendations are proposed to optimize PR efforts and enhance revenue generation outcomes. These include fostering closer collaboration with stakeholders, implementing robust eval_uation mechanisms, and tailoring communication strategies to diverse audience segments. Additionally, there is a call for continuous professional development to ensure staff proficiency in PR roles.

Challenging and Enhancing Legitimacy Through Humor: A Comparative Study of Candidates’ Use of Humor on Facebook before the 2019 and 2023 Finnish Parliamentary Elections

A prevalent aspect of contemporary digital campaigning is the use of humor to attract attention, elicit amusement, and mark group boundaries. This study investigates the humor in digital campaigns during two recent Finnish parliamentary elections, focusing on how different styles of humor are used to (de)legitimize political ideas and actors. Our original dataset consists of 125,604 posts by 1262 candidates on Facebook six months before the 2019 and 2023 election days. Using Facebook’s haha reactions and manual coding to annotate humor style, we focused on 729 posts with seemingly intentional humor by candidates. We show how different parties and individual candidates used humor to varying degrees and in different styles. Overall, the proportion of humorous posts was not high, but the populist radical right Finns Party candidates used humor by far the most, and their style was primarily aggressive, aimed at delegitimizing the incumbent government, political opponents, and their reference groups. Candidates from other major parties also used some humor, but overall the tone was more positive. Some of these candidates were profiled as “humor specialists” who produced similar combinations of ridicule and anti-elitism as the Finns Party candidates or, alternatively, focused on disseminating self-deprecating and affiliative humor. Affiliative and self-deprecating humor was used to foster closeness, ordinariness, and spontaneity, thus legitimizing oneself as a relatable candidate. The paper discusses how candidates use humor strategically to stand out in a competition for attention between candidates, and elaborates on the implications of using different humor styles in strategic political communication.

Before and after. Italian MPs and political communication

ABSTRACT The crisis of political representation has several explanations, including the collapse of trust in political institutions and the weakening of the role of the party as an intermediary between voters and elected representatives. This is counterbalanced by a strategy of individual representation pursued by politicians. This article aims to examine representation in Italy through a highly innovative approach, that of the strategic communication of the elected during the electoral campaign and in office: not only the parliamentary work of the elected, but also the overall analysis of the electoral campaign and constituency communication. The study identifies changes in representation, including functional and thematic autonomy from the party, personalization of activities, promotion of independent communication tools, and party-independent agendas. It also highlights the backstage structuring of a new relationship between voters and elected representatives in politics. A study conducted on 150 Italian parliamentarians in Chamber of Deputies (17th Legislature, 2013–18) revealed varying logics of representation based on their political affiliation, career paths, and individual characteristics.

Culture matters: Cultural variability in corporate codes of conduct as a means to foster organizational legitimacy

AbstractIn recent decades, implementing a code of conduct (CoC) as part of an organization's CSR infrastructure has become a sine qua non for gaining trust and fostering credibility. Despite numerous studies aimed at identifying cultural differences in the content of CoCs, little is known about what causes those differences and how they relate to an organization's communicative endeavor to gain trust and strengthen its legitimacy. In response, this article examines potential cultural differences in the public availability, design, and content of CoCs of corporations headquartered in countries in the Confucian Asian versus Anglo cultural clusters from the perspective of strategic communication. Drawing on the concepts of individualist versus collectivist culture and low‐ versus high‐context communication, the findings reveal significant differences, including that Anglo‐based companies more often make their CoCs publicly available and, in turn, significantly more comprehensive than Confucian Asian codes. Furthermore, compared with Anglo CoCs, significantly fewer CoCs of companies headquartered in Confucian Asia address the importance of moral values in daily business practices and sensitive issues such as prohibited behavior, whistleblowing, and sanctions following code violations. Those findings indicate significant institutional and cultural differences in companies' communication about ethical principles and corresponding conduct and suggest that, across cultures, CoCs differ in their content and are not accorded equal relevance as a means to foster legitimacy via CSR communication.

Strategy Texts as Auto-Communication: How Narrative, Language, and Visual Symbolism Exercise Discursive Control

ABSTRACT Strategy texts are an important way of communicating a strategy to a range of different stakeholders, including internal audiences as the organization communicates with itself (auto-communication). In this article, we analyze two related strategy texts that were produced for auto-communicative purposes as part of a strategic change initiative in a UK organization that employed a storytelling approach to strategic communication. Our multimodal analysis shows how narrative, visual symbolism and directive lexical choices and grammatical forms used in the two strategy texts exercise discursive control using three main mechanisms: (1) encouraging action through future-focused narrative structure; (2) strengthening emotional attachment with the organization through purposeful selection of anecdotes from a shared stock of stories; and (3) defining desired actions and behaviours through visual symbolism and directive lexical choices and grammatical forms. Moreover, the article contributes to current debates of the nature of strategic communication by demonstrating the tension between linear and dialogic communication in practice, while also providing rare empirical insights on the use of auto-communication in contemporary strategic communication.

دور القيادة الاستراتيجية في تحقيق التميز التنافسي: دراسة تطبيقية على مجموعة شركات دله البركة بجدة

This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the concept of the role of strategic leadership in achieving competitive advantage. The study also aims to determine the role of strategic leadership in achieving competitive advantage in Dallah Al Baraka Company - Jeddah, and to know the level of practices of its senior leadership, and to know the level of practices of middle leadership (department heads). of senior leaders and employees from the point of view of their employees. To achieve the objectives of the study in the chosen environment, Dallah Al Baraka Group of Companies - Jeddah, the field study was applied to a sample of (30) of the company’s employees, divided into 10 (senior leadership); (10) Department heads; (10) employees in the departments, and a questionnaire form was designed with a set of scales, and each scale measures each dimension and each variable separately. The questionnaire form included four sections: demographic data, the role of strategic leadership in achieving competitive excellence, and the impact of strategic leadership on financial performance, the impact of strategic leadership on creative and innovative aspects. Then the researcher used the descriptive analytical method through which he attempts to describe the phenomenon - the subject of the study, answer its questions, and test its hypotheses - and analyze its data using the statistical program SPSS. The study reached several results, the most important of which are: Strategic leadership decisions and practices led to an increase in revenues and profits at Dallah Al Baraka Company. Strategic leadership also contributed to achieving growth and expansion in the organization’s activities and investments. The study also demonstrated the presence of clear indicators that reflect the impact of leadership on competitive advantage. The results of the study confirmed that leadership practices work to achieve competitive excellence in a sustainable manner in Dallah Al Baraka companies, and that creativity and encouraging innovation is the primary factor in enhancing the competitive ability of the organization. The study concluded with some recommendations, the most important of which is the necessity of having effective communication channels to achieve the primary goal of strategic leadership, let it be strategic communication. The study also recommended the need to strive towards training the organization’s employees, whether they are leaders or employees in their work sites, in a way that enables them to perform their work and achieve innovative growth during training.

The Role of Digital Influencers as Opinion Leaders in Strategic Marketing Communication among Boutique Owners in Nairobi, CBD, Kenya

Purpose: The objectives for the study was to establish the role of digital influencers as opinion leaders in strategic marketing communications. Methodology: A descriptive research design was used. The population of study was boutique owners in Nairobi CBD, from which a sample were drawn. The sampling technique was purposive sampling based on the respondent’s special characteristics necessary for the study. Questionnaires containing both open and closed ended were used as the research instruments for the study. The data collected was then processed and analyzed using SPSS software or Advanced Excel. Data was presented inform of tables. Findings: The results indicated that descriptive statistics were used to evaluate the relationship between the roles of digital influencers as opinion leaders in strategic marketing. Respondents indicated that digital influencers were extremely influential as opinion leaders in strategic marketing. The inferential results further indicate that there was a positive relationship between the role of digital influencers as opinion leaders and strategic marketing however the relationship was found not significant (β= 0.03, P-value 0,051&gt; 0.005). Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study was anchored on elaboration likelihood model theory. The study recommends formulation policies regulating social media platforms so as to ensure more accountability and credibility of the information shared in those platforms.

From Bar to Sportainment: The Role of Strategic Communication in Holywings' Brand Transformation

The strategic transformation of brands in the digital age necessitates a dynamic and multifaceted approach to communication. The case of Holywings, an Indonesian establishment that successfully transitioned its brand identity from a conventional bar to a prominent player in the sportainment industry, exemplifies this phenomenon. The research employed a qualitative methodology, incorporating in-depth interviews with key stakeholders and a comprehensive content analysis of Holywings' social media presence. The interviews provided insights into the strategic rationale and communication tactics employed, while the content analysis examined the types of content shared, engagement metrics, and overall communication style. The findings revealed a multifaceted strategic communication approach, leveraging both digital and traditional marketing channels. Social media platforms, particularly Instagram and TikTok, played a pivotal role in showcasing Holywings' sportainment offerings and fostering audience engagement. The content strategy focused on sports-centric events, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and interactive elements, amplified by the use of gimmicks, drama, and storytelling. The integration of offline activations further enhanced the brand experience, fostering a sense of community and loyalty. The strategic communication efforts yielded a significant shift in brand perception, successfully repositioning Holywings as a leader in the sportainment industry. The omnichannel engagement model facilitated a seamless and personalized customer experience, driving brand advocacy and repeat business. In conclusion, the study underscores the pivotal role of strategic communication in shaping brand perception, navigating the complexities of brand transformation, and achieving sustainable growth in the digital age. The findings highlight the importance of adaptability, innovation, and a customer-centric approach in crafting a compelling brand narrative and fostering meaningful connections with the target audience.

Interpersonal Communication Strategies to Increase Iron-Folic Acid Supplement Consumption: Reduction in Anemia Through Normative Innovations (RANI) Project

More than half of women of reproductive age in India are anemic. This study investigates the role of interpersonal communication in increasing the consumption of iron-folic acid supplements. Interventions that increase interpersonal communication may influence and empower individuals and the larger community in promoting behavior change. This investigation uses data from a cluster randomized intervention to understand the pathways by which interpersonal communication mediates the consumption of iron-folic acid supplements. Longitudinal data from control and intervention arms in rural Odisha, India, were collected at baseline (N = 3,691) and 20 months later at end-line (N = 3,394). Structural equation models highlighted the positive role of interpersonal communication in mediating iron-folic acid supplement use. This study illustrates that even during social distancing due to COVID-19, strategic interpersonal communication can improve iron-folic acid supplement use. Our results elucidate two key interpersonal communication pathways at play, namely the ritualistic and instrumental pathways in improving health behavior change in the community.

Komunikasi Strategis Lobi dan Negosiasi dalam Upaya Peredaman Konflik Agraria Desa Pakel, Banyuwangi

Land is an important part of human life. Therefore, the state as the highest organization is obliged to provide people's agrarian rights. However, until now, agrarian conflicts still haunt the affected communities. An example is Pakel Village, Banyuwangi, where most of the area is still controlled by the colonial plantation authorities and Perhutani. The conflict, which started in 1993, then re-emerged in 2012 and continued in 2017 until now. Until now there has been no clear solution and the state has not been able to fulfill its promise. Neither legally nor has it been able to provide a protective umbrella that can guarantee the Pakel community. This research aims to analyze conflict and how strategic communication can reduce agrarian disputes in Pakel Village. The research is descriptive qualitative type. Data collection techniques in this research were obtained through literature study or library research through journal research article sources and online news. The research results reveal several stages of strategic communication that can be pursued in the process of reducing agrarian conflict, namely: (1) consolidating internal parties related to conflict resolution; (2) conducting mediation involving all parties involved in the conflict; and (3) involving stakeholders in conflict resolution. Consolidation is a communication process, where all parties are involved in high intensity discussions. The mediation process is also part of the communication strategy in resolving agrarian conflicts. Through this consolidation and mediation, the government as the guarantor of law and justice or what we can call a mediator can map the point of origin of the conflict, the actors involved, the magnitude of the losses, as well as the strategies and tactics for resolving it.

Planning space exploration: Appraising and appreciating a curated collection of NASA's roadmap visualizations

For supporting strategic planning and communication amongst stakeholders, roadmapping is a widespread practice across many industries. However, there is a notable gap in acknowledging and appreciating the pioneering roadmap visualizations published by NASA. This paper will address this gap by presenting and critiquing a curated collection of 10 exemplar visualizations, each representing a distinctive design form. Despite potential aesthetic limitations, these examples offer themselves as convenient and useful templates for other organizations seeking to develop their own roadmaps. By deconstructing these formats and emphasizing their unique features, this paper aims to broaden the adoption and adaptation of these foundational visual schemes, while recognizing NASA's contributions to the practice of roadmapping.

Marking History and Making History: Temporal Narratives and Strategic Internal Communication

Marking History and Making History: Temporal Narratives and Strategic Internal Communication

From “minimalists” to “professional all-rounders”: Typologizing Swiss universities’ communication practices and structures

Abstract In the past two decades, the public communication of universities has become more important and received increased scholarly attention. While many studies have focused on individual university communicators (micro level) or all such practitioners in one country (macro level), our study analyzes organizational differences. It is the first-ever study to typologize universities’ communication practices and structures at the organizational level across an entire country. Based on a survey of communication practitioners in the central communication offices at all universities in Switzerland and using hierarchical cluster analysis, we classify 37 universities into four types of communicating universities: minimalists, well-resourced competitors, specialized strategists, and professional all-rounders. Those types are further characterized on the basis of official statistics. The analysis shows that the four types of universities differ considerably in their communication patterns and organizational characteristics and that the amount of resources available for communication is only loosely coupled with professional and strategic communication practices.