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The purpose of this article is to offer new insights into crisis communication in service ecosystems. The authors present a framework to conceptually categorize service crises and then analyze key aspects of crisis communication among different stakeholders in a service ecosystem.

Building on crisis communication and service ecosystems research, we propose a framework to better understand crisis communication during service crises in service ecosystems. In doing so, we propose a typology of service crisis in service ecosystems and identify the main factors of crisis communication under the lens of the Rhetorical Arena Theory (RAT).

This article integrates communication theory and service research in the area and identifies different key dimensions to gain a deeper understanding of crisis communication in service ecosystems. Moreover, and building on RAT, several research lines are recommended in order to explore further macro (i.e. the role and interactions between different stakeholders in the event of a crisis) and micro (i.e. individual aspects related to the context, media, genre and text) dimensions, and their importance during the communication process.

Our framework offers a typology of service crises and suggests the importance of considering a multi-actor, multi-channel perspective in communication when a crisis occurs in order to monitor and avoid the potential negative impact for both the organization's recovery and the service ecosystem evolution afterward.

The purpose of this paper is to describe strategic improvisation, a contemporary concept and approach based on the creative arts and organizational crisis theory, as a valuable approach for communication professionals. Strategic improvisation combines the need for planning and structure with creative action, and is a normative idea of how to work in an efficient way.

The concept is developed in a collaborative project between a major Swedish communications agency and a university scholar. The empirical foundation consists of 25 qualitative interviews with a strategic selection of successful communication professionals, identified as typical strategic improvisers.

An analysis of the interviews led to 11 defining patterns or themes typical for strategic improvisation and strategic improvisers. The interviews and the theoretical framework is the foundation of a communication model. Strategic improvisation is defined as a situational interpretation within a given framework. The model has three interconnected parts: a clear framework (composition), a professional interpretation (interpretation) and a situational adaptation based on given possibilities and conditions (improvisation).

This is not a peer reviewed paper, but a paper in the section “In Practice,” directed toward communication professionals.

The ideas and model are connected to theories of improvisation, especially in music, which is rare in the field of communication management, and developed in a collaborative project between practice and research.

This study aims, first, to explore and analyze if and how organizational members’ professions or occupations influence perceptions of internal crisis communication. The second, related, aim is to discuss the role of internal communication in creating a strong organizational identity during a prolonged crisis such as the Covid-19 pandemic.

This study is mainly conceptual but uses quantitative data from a survey conducted in a health-care organization in late 2020 to illustrate the theoretical reasoning.

The results show that the administrative groups perceive factors in the internal crisis communication more favorably than the professional groups. The study suggests that organizational members perceive internal crisis communication differently depending on which intra-organizational group they belong to. This further points to the absence of a “rally-around-the-flag” effect and highlights the importance of working proactively with professionals and in internal crisis communication.

This study highlights the role of professionals in crisis communication, which is an aspect that so far has been ignored. The internal professionalization processes and an intriguing power struggle between professions have obvious consequences for crisis communication. As shown in the overview of earlier research on internal communication, leadership and professional organizations, the prerequisites for creating an increased organizational unity among coworkers are challenging. The idea that a crisis may, as in certain political situations in society, create a “rally-around-the-flag” effect is still relevant, even if the case study is an example of how this did not happen.

The aim of this paper is two-fold: to describe and to consider the implications of the synthesis between terrorism, the media and strategic communication, using the Norway attacks as an example; and to describe and analyze the challenges and execution of crisis communication during and after the Norwegian attacks.

The article is based on earlier research and secondary data (an extensive assessment made by the Norwegian police authority in 2012), as well as a minor media analysis focusing on representation of the perpetrator. An interview with two high-ranking communication officials working for the crisis management coordination secretariat in Norway has served as supplementary material.

The crisis challenged the linear process of standard planning and information transmission. The terrorist attacks in Norway and how they were framed, especially before the perpetrator was identified, are linked to a global discourse on terrorists, and demonstrate the need for developing specific terrorism crisis communication theory. The news media coverage gave the perpetrator and his political messages publicity, but more as a lone disturbed individual, associated with school shootings more than with terrorism. There is a need for increased knowledge about terrorism as strategic communication or public relations. The variety among stakeholders and the increased possibilities for terrorists to control and plan their communications in have implications during all phases of a crisis. New strategies and tactics that oppose and defeat the terrorist's communication goals must be developed.

The article views terrorism from a communication perspective and develops important questions about the relationship between terrorism, media, strategic communication and crisis communication.

This study aims at establishing if the use of change agency aides can have an effect on a specific target group in a public information campaign. The target group is elderly citizens.

Using both diffusion theory and social network theory the theoretical concept for the interpersonal network communication campaign is presented. The object of this study is the analogue terrestrial television (ATT) switch-off in Denmark. The units of analysis are the whole Danish population and elderly Danish citizens. The rate of awareness-knowledge of the ATT switch-off among all Danish households and the rate of awareness-knowledge of the ATT switch-off among elderly citizens aged 65+ were measured.

In the 3 month campaign period the double-digit gab (12 percent) was reduced to a two percent gap. It appears that interpersonal network communication can have an effect, with respect to elderly citizens who are targeted by change agent aides.

It is a limitation of this study that the change agent aides were not monitored and surveyed systematically to document their effort.

It is likely that the use of change agent aides can make sense with respect to other target groups. However, the use of change agent aides will not necessarily work with any subject matter. Who can benefit from using change agent aides, can vary from subject matter to subject matter, and with the complexity of the subject matter.

Little research appears to have been carried out in recent years. One can only speculate as to why apparently no research has been carried out in recent years, but if practitioners are unsure of the effect of using change agent aides, for instance, they may refrain from using them, and consequently there may not be many cases to study.

To explore the applicability of the organic theory of public relations to address “wicked” problems in public health systems.

This is a conceptual paper, based on critical assessment and application of relevant theory.

The organic approach to public relations practice is more likely to succeed than largely organisation–centric models as advocated in the work of J.E.Grunig and others. The rationale is that addressing wicked problems involves recruiting a wide range of insights and facilitating collaborative action. The broad, inclusive orientation of the organic theory is expected to be more effective than familiar, but more narrowly organisation-focused strategies.

The organic theory advocated here has potential heuristic value for future research in communication related to the delivery of social services.

Public health system managers and policy makers who adopt an organic approach to communicating system issues, especially adverse events, are more likely to build public support for their work than if they seek to address only “strategic” publics (Grunig & Hunt, 1984) who are seen as potential threats to the organisation’s ability to fulfill its mission.

Applying the organic theory of public relations to address wicked problems in public health management and communication breaks new ground. It contrasts with the managerialist orientation not only of public health systems in many western countries, but also the organisation-centric communication strategies often adopted to attempt to mitigate the effects of “wickedness” shown in recurrent adverse events. Such strategies may neglect the interest society as a whole has in public health outcomes.

The purpose of this paper is to examine and analyze the prevailing form of rationality that governs the challenges, goals and roles of communication professionals. The authors will also explore alternative forms of rationality and discuss what these would imply.

The paper is based on survey results from The European Communication Monitor (ECM) and qualitative interviews with communication managers in Sweden. First, the authors present the ECM data and the Swedish interview material, i.e. the authors depict the practitioners’ perceptions of what they understand as important work tasks and roles. The interviews focus on the actual practices of linking communication goals to business goals. Second, the results are challenged from a reflexive perspective, using theories from the paradox turn and questioning the “taken-for-granted thinking” in corporate communications.

The ECM data show that the main challenge in practice is “linking business strategy and communication.” The Swedish respondents stand out when it comes to “building and maintaining trust” since this is considered to be almost as important. The qualitative interview study strengthens the results in the ECM. The interviewees seem to do their work according to the traditional management agenda – i.e. they break down overall business goals and translate these to measurable communication goals. The results are reflected upon using paradox theory. Two paradoxes are discussed: between managerialism and professionalism, and strategic generalists and operational specialists.

The study is based on survey data that have been collected through a convenience sample, and the interview study is a pilot study.

The paper focuses conflicts between normative practitioner ideals and reality, and helps practitioners to reflect upon mainstream thinking.

Based on the empirical findings in the ECM, the interviews and the theoretical framework, the authors conclude that if the idea of The Communicative Organization is to be fruitfully realized, it is necessary to depart from a multi-dimensional rationality and question ideas that are taken for granted. The use of paradox theory and concepts such as functional stupidity is rather original in corporate communication research. Additional research could further explore paradoxes in order to spark dialogue, which may undermine one-dimensional thinking and functional stupidity.

The purpose of this study is to describe and reflect on strategic communication and its relevance for organizational development and the service sciences.

The approach is conceptual and based on an analysis of relevant earlier research. In the first part of the paper, contemporary organizational challenges are discussed, using a communication perspective. Then, a discussion about communication foundations follows. Finally, four arguments why strategic communication is valuable for organizational development is discussed, raising questions for further empirical research.

The main driving force behind the increased interest in strategic communication is the organizational need of legitimacy to operate in the late modern society. The analysis concludes that there are possible synergies to be made between strategic communication (following a holistic and ritual approach to communication) and the service sciences. The four arguments for focusing strategic communication for organizational development are its relevance for organizational efficiency, image, identity and transparency. There is need of further empirical research.

Communication has for many years mainly been viewed as a transmission system and organizational function for production and distribution. In this paper, strategic communication is viewed as a critical organizational management process.

The purpose of this paper is to explain the “evaluation deadlock” or “stasis” diagnosed by many authors. The explanation relies on a thought experiment.

The paper is conceptual and builds on a thought experiment inspired by qualitative research such as interviews with communication consultants in Sweden. It makes use of principal–agent theory and Akerlof’s theory of lemon markets.

A plausible explanation for the evaluation stasis requires consideration of practitioners’ self-interest as businesspeople. The deadlock is explained by an anomaly in practitioner populations and passive or active but covert resistance. If the long-time neglect of measurement and evaluation has led to expectation inflation and overpromising, even well-performing actors might shy away from rigorous measurement and evaluation practices in their own mandates, since they fear being measured against promotional, not realistic standards. At the same time, on the level of industry discourse, these practitioners would still advocate for measurement and evaluation in principle, so as to avoid the suspicion of underperformance.

The paper suggests an explanation for further empirical investigation. It does not attempt to demonstrate anything else than that the suggestion is plausible and that it warrants further investigation.

The scientific community engaged in the measurement and evaluation debate appears puzzled by the discrepancy between practitioners’ words and actions. The authors hope that the paper contributes to a more realistic and thus more constructive dialogue between practitioners and academics in the measurement and evaluation debate.

Inspired by Alvesson and Spicer’s concept of functional stupidity, the paper argues that attempts to explain the evaluation stasis have been marked by circumspection and narrowness. At present, explanations for the evaluation stasis tend to focus on lack of knowledge or inadequate systems or frameworks. The paper offers a more comprehensive explanation.