Corporate Communications Today: First Hand Insights from Europe’s Top Companies.

Date and Time:
Friday, 24 January 2025
1 PM (CET)

What to expect from the webinar

The webinar will give first-hand insights into results and learnings from the European Communication Monitor (ECM) 2024/25, the longest-running empirical study in the field and an EUPRERA signature project run by researchers in six countries.

The speakers will report on the new methodological approach which combines qualitative and quantitative instruments and focuses on the elite group of Chief Communication Officers of the 300 largest businesses across Europe. These leaders shape the future of the profession more than anybody else. Interestingly, their perspectives on key topics like responding to geopolitical issues and taking a stance or using artificial intelligence in communication departments differ from what broader surveys tell us.

Participants will benefit from a concise overview of key results and the chance to discuss implications for practice as well as for future research in public relations and strategic communication. The speakers will also provide an outlook on the next edition of the ECM project.

Speakers

Prof. Dr. Alexander Buhmann is Associate Professor of Corporate Communication at BI Norwegian Business School, Oslo, Norway. His research is situated at the intersection of communication, digital technology, and management with a focus on reputation management, digitalization, and artificial intelligence.

Prof. Dr. Ralph Tench is Director of Research at Leeds Business School in the United Kingdom and a former President of EUPRERA. His research involves internationally funded projects from the private sector, the European Union, and research councils. He is author of Europe’s best-selling textbook on strategic communication, “Exploring Public Relations and Management Communication” (5th ed., Pearson).

Prof. Dr. Ansgar Zerfass is Professor and Chair of Strategic Communication at Leipzig University, Germany. He serves the community as Consulting Editor of the “International Journal of Strategic Communication”, USA, Editorial Board Member of „Corporate Communication Review“ and ECM lead researcher since 2007. The former President of EUPRERA has published 44 books and almost 450 articles and studies in several languages on corporate communications, communication management, and public relations.

Caroline Siegel, M.A., supports the ECM study as project manager. She also works as research associate at Leipzig University, Germany, and received the prestigious Grunig & Grunig Thesis Award from the International Communication Association in 2024 for the best graduate thesis worldwide.

Duration

1 hour