The Unclear Role of Strategic Communicators : Professionalization Through Reflexivity on Action
Simonsson, Charlotte LU
; Heide, Mats
LU
and Andersson, Rickard
LU
(2025)
In Journal of Communication Management
- Abstract
- The strategic role of communication practitioners has been discussed
since the 1970s. While it might not be surprising that managers and
coworkers view their roles as unclear, it is more surprising that commu-
nication practitioners themselves also struggle with explaining their
strategic roles and the value of their work. To elucidate the strategic
work of communication practitioners, we conducted a study of individual
and group interviews with 81 senior managers and communication
practitioners in four organizations – primarily those linked to the strategic
development of the organization’s communication. Drawing on theories
on professionalization and reflexivity as our analytic lens, our... (More) - The strategic role of communication practitioners has been discussed
since the 1970s. While it might not be surprising that managers and
coworkers view their roles as unclear, it is more surprising that commu-
nication practitioners themselves also struggle with explaining their
strategic roles and the value of their work. To elucidate the strategic
work of communication practitioners, we conducted a study of individual
and group interviews with 81 senior managers and communication
practitioners in four organizations – primarily those linked to the strategic
development of the organization’s communication. Drawing on theories
on professionalization and reflexivity as our analytic lens, our analysis
reveals three patterns indicating how managers and communication
practitioners understand the role of communication practitioners. While
the analysis shows that communication practitioners’ understanding of
their work reflects a relatively narrow, production-oriented view of com-
municators, the analysis also revealed that they could more clearly
elucidate their strategic role when engaging in collective sensemaking
and identity work with colleagues in the group interviews. Thereby, the
study shows the critical importance of communication practitioners tak-
ing the time to regularly engage in detached reflexive conversations with
colleagues and clients, i.e. the managers and employees, to more clearly
elucidate their strategic role and value contribution. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/5d9cddde-e3b7-4a5a-9114-56f4872b6726
- author
- Simonsson, Charlotte
LU
; Heide, Mats
LU
and Andersson, Rickard
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025-08
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- epub
- subject
- in
- Journal of Communication Management
- publisher
- Emerald Group Publishing Limited
- ISSN
- 1363-254X
- DOI
- 10.1080/1553118X.2025.2535972
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 5d9cddde-e3b7-4a5a-9114-56f4872b6726
- date added to LUP
- 2025-09-02 15:10:03
- date last changed
- 2025-09-03 14:39:06
@article{5d9cddde-e3b7-4a5a-9114-56f4872b6726,
abstract = {{The strategic role of communication practitioners has been discussed<br/>since the 1970s. While it might not be surprising that managers and<br/>coworkers view their roles as unclear, it is more surprising that commu-<br/>nication practitioners themselves also struggle with explaining their<br/>strategic roles and the value of their work. To elucidate the strategic<br/>work of communication practitioners, we conducted a study of individual<br/>and group interviews with 81 senior managers and communication<br/>practitioners in four organizations – primarily those linked to the strategic<br/>development of the organization’s communication. Drawing on theories<br/>on professionalization and reflexivity as our analytic lens, our analysis<br/>reveals three patterns indicating how managers and communication<br/>practitioners understand the role of communication practitioners. While<br/>the analysis shows that communication practitioners’ understanding of<br/>their work reflects a relatively narrow, production-oriented view of com-<br/>municators, the analysis also revealed that they could more clearly<br/>elucidate their strategic role when engaging in collective sensemaking<br/>and identity work with colleagues in the group interviews. Thereby, the<br/>study shows the critical importance of communication practitioners tak-<br/>ing the time to regularly engage in detached reflexive conversations with<br/>colleagues and clients, i.e. the managers and employees, to more clearly<br/>elucidate their strategic role and value contribution.}},
author = {{Simonsson, Charlotte and Heide, Mats and Andersson, Rickard}},
issn = {{1363-254X}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{Emerald Group Publishing Limited}},
series = {{Journal of Communication Management}},
title = {{The Unclear Role of Strategic Communicators : Professionalization Through Reflexivity on Action}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1553118X.2025.2535972}},
doi = {{10.1080/1553118X.2025.2535972}},
year = {{2025}},
}