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Dejan Verčič

University of Ljubljana, Department of Communication, Chair in Marketing Communication and Public Relations, Faculty Member

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Strategic Communication researcher @FDVLjubljana and practitioner @herman&partners | Co-founder @Bled_Com and @communicationmonitor.eu | Pathfinder Award by IPR and Distinguished Public Relations Scholar by EUPRERA

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Papers by Dejan Verčič

European communication monitor 2014: excellence in strategic communication-key issues, leadership, gender and mobile media: results of a survey in 42 countries

Zerfass and the research team for the whole document and all parts, charts and data. The material... more Zerfass and the research team for the whole document and all parts, charts and data. The material presented in this document represents empirical insights and interpretation by the research team. It is intellectual property subject to international copyright. Illustration licensed by istockphoto.com. Title graphic provided by Helios Media. Permission is gained to quote from the content of this survey and reproduce any graphics, subject to the condition that the source including the internet address is clearly quoted and depicted on every chart. It is not allowed to use this data to illustrate promotional material for commercial services. Publishing this PDF document on websites run by third parties and storing this document in databases or on platforms which are only open to subscribers/members or charge payments for assessing information is prohibited. Please use a link to the official website www.communicationmonitor.eu instead.

Europe, practice of public relations in

by betteke van ruler and Dejan Verčič

Public Relations in a Corporativist Country: The Case of Slovenia

Reflexive mediatization and remaking of the middleman

The emergence of public relations in early 20th century was largely fuelled by the rapid mediatiz... more The emergence of public relations in early 20th century was largely fuelled by the rapid mediatization of society. As journalists gained power as middlemen between organizations and society framing news and setting public agenda in the mass media, organizations (corporations and governments alike) responded by introducing counter-parts on their side: public relations practitioners as middlemen between the mass media and organizations. Public relations practitioners enabled organizations to become reflexive (van Ruler and Vercic 2005) to the mass media expectations and adjust their behaviors to journalistic needs. Media relations -- management of relations between organizations and the mass media -- is the most common practice area in the public relations sector (Swerling, Thorson & Tenderich 2012 ; Wilson & Supa 2013 ; Zerfass et al. 2011). In the second half of the 20th century, more than 150 studies explored relations between public relations and the mass media and they found that...

Introduction to the special section: CSR in hypermodern times

Public Relations Review, 2018

Introduction to the special section: CSR in hypermodern times Sustainable development and (corpor... more Introduction to the special section: CSR in hypermodern times Sustainable development and (corporate) social responsibility have been practiced in modern times at least for over 120 years in various parts of the world even though the term Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has gained renewed attention mostly in the last two decades. The founding of Global Compact under the aegis of the United Nations, prompted by several misdeeds and scandals of corporations immediately preceding the founding, acted as a catalyst in the resurgence of this term at the dawn of the new millennium. The stated vision of Global Compact is to "mobilize a global movement of sustainable companies and stakeholders" to create a better world. To that end, the compact calls on corporations to adhere to ten principles on human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption in performing their activities. Following those principles, the United Nations noted, will advance broader societal goals including sustainable development as enshrined in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) that are to be attained by 2030. The Compact reminds us that it is relevant for all humans to ponder what responsibilities businesses and other organizations have towards individuals, communities, the environment in our immediate vicinity, and the eventually our fragile planet itself. As public relations scholars and practitioners, it is important for us to ask what role public relations and strategic communication has in this endeavor to advance social responsibility and sustainable development. Assessing our role in such laudable activities will also help the field "repair" its own reputation as a mercenary that always does the bidding of corporations. We believe public relations scholarship has not given adequate attention to studying the role of communication in sustainable development, which is integral to social responsibility of not only corporations but governments and non-profits as well. Modern times are over. We now live in hypermodern times, which prompted us to reflect that in the theme of the 24 th International Public Relations Symposium (also known as BledCom). Among other things, the Internet has blurred the boundary between the public and the private and the political and the commercial. Advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) should induce us to question the very essence of humanness. It is worth asking: What does it mean to be socially responsible and to whom? To the critical eye, it appears as though individuals are becoming ever more self-centered and in an increasingly globalized world we are probably becoming less interested in other humans and humanity as a whole. Does religion have a role in such convergence? Is there a need for a new humanism and renaissance of conscience? What is the link between corporate reputation and perceived corporate social responsibility? How is CSR in hypermodern times affected by socioeconomic environments? What is the role of internal communication in employee engagement with the CSR activities of the corporation? We saw these questions as germane for further probing and identified this topic as the theme of the 24 th International Public Relations Research Symposium (popularly known as BledCom), that was held in Lake Bled, Slovenia, on June 30 and July 1, 2017: CSR in Hypermodern Times. Over 140 scholars from 27 countries across five continents attended the symposium. This special section of Public Relations Review offers readers seven selected papers delivered at the conference addressing the theme. We believe these papers are representative of the diversity of approaches that speakers at the conference took to in addressing the theme. Golob, Turkri, and Kronegger compared the meaning networks of CSR in Turkey and Slovenia with fundamentally different cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, and argued that there is a need for an institutional perspective when studying CSR associations and expectations in a particular society. The findings suggest that the two societies have diverse collective cognitive structures regarding CSR suggesting that CSR is socially constructed, which carries implications both for scholarship and practice. Tkalac-Verčič and Ćorić's study attempted to contribute to the understanding of corporate reputation and its connections with perceived corporate social responsibility and employer brands. Reputation, according to the study's results, seems to be the umbrella concept that encompasses both perceived CSR and employer brands. In other words, organizations that develop strategies of socially responsible behavior and nurturing employer brands have higher levels of perceived reputation among respondents. Duthler and Dhanesh examined relationships among three models of internal communication, employees' perception of CSR, and employee engagement. Their data from employees across different sectors in the United Arab Emirates, revealed that social and sustainable dimensions of CSR most strongly predicted social and affective dimensions of employee engagement and both two-way

Co-Orientation Between Publics in Two Countries: A Decade Later

American Behavioral Scientist, 2019

Thirteen years ago, a study was conducted in which authors opened a question of applying co-orien... more Thirteen years ago, a study was conducted in which authors opened a question of applying co-orientation theory in studying communication behavior between two countries. The original study had two primary objectives: to compare attitudes toward certain issues relevant for the two nations and to examine degrees of agreement, accuracy, and congruency between two nations under the co-orientation model. The original study was later extended with another one in which authors included a third country and introduced not only evaluations of two countries’ attitudes toward a third country but also evaluations of opinions the two countries have between themselves (and to which the first is only an observer). They called it “second-order co-orientation.” More than a decade later, the original study was replicated to test how potential agreement, accuracy, and congruency between the two counties on these issues have changed over time.

Convergence of crisis response strategy and source credibility: Who can you trust?

Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 2018

The Relationship Between Culture and Public Relations

Theory, Research, and Practice, 2011

Looking for digital in public relations

Public Relations Review, 2015

The purpose of this study was to review the growth of the body of knowledge on the nexus between ... more The purpose of this study was to review the growth of the body of knowledge on the nexus between public relations and ICTs, and digital, social and mobile (DSM) media. We also sought to assess whether these "new" media had induced the body of knowledge to redefine the term public and whether these media had induced us to think differently with regard to the rules of engagement with these publics. Our review of over 35 years of articles in the Public Relations Review that discussed ICTs and DSM media revealed a lop-sided growth of the field. But the focus has almost exclusively been on using these media as "tools" for purposes of media relations with negligent study of DSM media stakeholders and publics. Issues of the Digital Divide and Privacy are absent, while amalgamation of public relations, advertising and journalism in DSM media is overlooked.

Internal communication: Definition, parameters, and the future

Public Relations Review, 2012

As an organizational function, internal communication is gaining in importance, meriting a specia... more As an organizational function, internal communication is gaining in importance, meriting a special issue on the topic. This importance is evident in many recent efforts among practitioners in Europe and the US to seek recognition of this field as an independent domain. Scholarship on internal communication has not kept pace with these initiatives. This introduction to the special issue addresses several key issues related to this topic and presents findings from a Delphi study of the leaders of European associations on internal communication. Results of the study are fuzzy: respondents see internal communication as interdisciplinary management function integrating elements of human resources management, communication and marketing, but at the same time they see it primarily as a part of the organization's communication function that is simultaneously managerial and technical. However, they contend that internal communication is an independent research field.

Introduction to this special section: The impact of globalization on public relations

Public Relations Review, 2007

Digital natives and social media

Public Relations Review, 2013

Digital natives (also known as "Generation Y" and "Millennials"), a generation born during of aft... more Digital natives (also known as "Generation Y" and "Millennials"), a generation born during of after introduction of digital technologies, 1980s and after, have mixed preferences for media use in personal and professional lives. A study by Friedl and Tkalac Verčič (2011) showed that even though digital natives prefer digital media in their personal lives, this is not necessarily reflected in their business lives. This study addressing preferences of "traditional" vs. "the new media" in a university setting found an opposite result.

Strategic Communication in Europe: Insights from the European Communication Monitor

Collaboration and conflict between agencies and clients

Public Relations Review

Public relations agencies are an important part of the public relations industry, but their relat... more Public relations agencies are an important part of the public relations industry, but their relations with client organizations are rarely studied. There is more literature and studies in agency-client relations in advertising than in public relations. This paper reviews literature and reports results of an empirical study into perceptions of public relations agencies and their clients on the reasons for their cooperation and sources of conflict between them. Results show that agencies misperceive reasons for which they are hired and the sources of conflict in the relationship. The paper offers several suggestions about how to tackle the problem: notwithstanding rebranding into consultancies and firms, public relations agencies-client relations should be studied as a particular example of a broader family of agency-client relations. Also agencies should study and strategically manage relations with their clients, while being realistic about client organization's needssometimes they just need additional arms and legs.

Communication Excellence, 2017

Exploring academic reputation – is it a multidimensional construct?

Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 2016

Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to explore the possible congruence of an academic organizati... more Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to explore the possible congruence of an academic organization's reputation among various stakeholder groups. A potential measure of reputation that can be applied across multiple stakeholder groups gives an opportunity to compare their perceptions and therefore work toward a consistent reputation. The authors also tested the model of academic reputation as a multidimensional concept. Design/methodology/approach-The qualitative stage included 25 in-depth interviews with members of key stakeholder groups. In the quantitative stage, the initial questionnaire was based on the reputational quotient of academic institutions, comprised of 26 items representing eight dimensions of reputation. It was administered among three key stakeholder groups, the general public (n ¼ 400), employees of the business school that was the focus of the study (n ¼ 154), and fourth year students of the school (n ¼ 446). Findings-Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that criteria applied by various stakeholder groups were similar, but the model of academic reputations as a multidimensional concept was not confirmed. The theoretical assumption of an eight factor solution for the concept of academic institutions was not supported. It seems that, in this particular case, only one main dimension emerged. Theoretically, that implies a general factor determining overall reputations across stakeholders. Research limitations/implications-Future research should apply a new, reduced questionnaire in multiple academic organizations and try to avoid some of the limitations such as differing methods of data collection, and ensure complete anonymity for all respondents. Practical implications-This study offers input for the development of a robust and general questionnaire that could be developed to be used across organizations and their publics. Originality/value-The study demonstrates that reputation is a unidimensional construct and that it should also be measured as such.

Global public relations and communication management: A European perspective

Public Relations Review, 2015

ABSTRACT

Managing CEO communication and positioning

Journal of Communication Management, 2016

Purpose-The study examines the practices of positioning Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and other... more Purpose-The study examines the practices of positioning Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and other top executives in the public sphere and approaches to manage their communication activities. Design/methodology/approach-A neo-institutional framework is used to explain the growth of CEO positioning in mediatisated societies. Research questions are derived from previous research and tested in a quantitative online survey with 512 heads of corporate communication in 21 countries across Europe and a qualitative survey with 42 communication leaders in 12 countries. Findings-The majority of companies position their CEOs and/or other top executives, but only a minority guide these activities through a sound management process. European CEOs are primarily presented based on their functional and ethical competencies. A minority of communication leaders prefer the uniform positioning of their CEOs in different markets; others argue for localised approaches. More companies in high power distance countries have a specific communication strategy for their CEOs, compared to companies in low power distance countries. Significant differences were also identified between listed and privatelyowned companies. Research limitations/implications-The study indicates the importance of CEO positioning from the perspective of corporate communication leaders. Investigating the expectations and experiences of CEOs themselves might provide additional insights. Originality/value-The article presents the first large-scale study on CEO positioning, informs practitioners on the state of practice in Europe and identifies knowledge that can be integrated into education of business and communications students alike.

Organising and communicating in hypermodern times

DIGITAL AND VISUAL: The European Communication Monitor 2017 shows that the strategic communication function is undergoing a fundamental transformation

Communication Director, 2017

European communication monitor 2014: excellence in strategic communication-key issues, leadership, gender and mobile media: results of a survey in 42 countries

Zerfass and the research team for the whole document and all parts, charts and data. The material... more Zerfass and the research team for the whole document and all parts, charts and data. The material presented in this document represents empirical insights and interpretation by the research team. It is intellectual property subject to international copyright. Illustration licensed by istockphoto.com. Title graphic provided by Helios Media. Permission is gained to quote from the content of this survey and reproduce any graphics, subject to the condition that the source including the internet address is clearly quoted and depicted on every chart. It is not allowed to use this data to illustrate promotional material for commercial services. Publishing this PDF document on websites run by third parties and storing this document in databases or on platforms which are only open to subscribers/members or charge payments for assessing information is prohibited. Please use a link to the official website www.communicationmonitor.eu instead.

Europe, practice of public relations in

by betteke van ruler and Dejan Verčič

Public Relations in a Corporativist Country: The Case of Slovenia

Reflexive mediatization and remaking of the middleman

The emergence of public relations in early 20th century was largely fuelled by the rapid mediatiz... more The emergence of public relations in early 20th century was largely fuelled by the rapid mediatization of society. As journalists gained power as middlemen between organizations and society framing news and setting public agenda in the mass media, organizations (corporations and governments alike) responded by introducing counter-parts on their side: public relations practitioners as middlemen between the mass media and organizations. Public relations practitioners enabled organizations to become reflexive (van Ruler and Vercic 2005) to the mass media expectations and adjust their behaviors to journalistic needs. Media relations -- management of relations between organizations and the mass media -- is the most common practice area in the public relations sector (Swerling, Thorson & Tenderich 2012 ; Wilson & Supa 2013 ; Zerfass et al. 2011). In the second half of the 20th century, more than 150 studies explored relations between public relations and the mass media and they found that...

Introduction to the special section: CSR in hypermodern times

Public Relations Review, 2018

Introduction to the special section: CSR in hypermodern times Sustainable development and (corpor... more Introduction to the special section: CSR in hypermodern times Sustainable development and (corporate) social responsibility have been practiced in modern times at least for over 120 years in various parts of the world even though the term Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has gained renewed attention mostly in the last two decades. The founding of Global Compact under the aegis of the United Nations, prompted by several misdeeds and scandals of corporations immediately preceding the founding, acted as a catalyst in the resurgence of this term at the dawn of the new millennium. The stated vision of Global Compact is to "mobilize a global movement of sustainable companies and stakeholders" to create a better world. To that end, the compact calls on corporations to adhere to ten principles on human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption in performing their activities. Following those principles, the United Nations noted, will advance broader societal goals including sustainable development as enshrined in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) that are to be attained by 2030. The Compact reminds us that it is relevant for all humans to ponder what responsibilities businesses and other organizations have towards individuals, communities, the environment in our immediate vicinity, and the eventually our fragile planet itself. As public relations scholars and practitioners, it is important for us to ask what role public relations and strategic communication has in this endeavor to advance social responsibility and sustainable development. Assessing our role in such laudable activities will also help the field "repair" its own reputation as a mercenary that always does the bidding of corporations. We believe public relations scholarship has not given adequate attention to studying the role of communication in sustainable development, which is integral to social responsibility of not only corporations but governments and non-profits as well. Modern times are over. We now live in hypermodern times, which prompted us to reflect that in the theme of the 24 th International Public Relations Symposium (also known as BledCom). Among other things, the Internet has blurred the boundary between the public and the private and the political and the commercial. Advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) should induce us to question the very essence of humanness. It is worth asking: What does it mean to be socially responsible and to whom? To the critical eye, it appears as though individuals are becoming ever more self-centered and in an increasingly globalized world we are probably becoming less interested in other humans and humanity as a whole. Does religion have a role in such convergence? Is there a need for a new humanism and renaissance of conscience? What is the link between corporate reputation and perceived corporate social responsibility? How is CSR in hypermodern times affected by socioeconomic environments? What is the role of internal communication in employee engagement with the CSR activities of the corporation? We saw these questions as germane for further probing and identified this topic as the theme of the 24 th International Public Relations Research Symposium (popularly known as BledCom), that was held in Lake Bled, Slovenia, on June 30 and July 1, 2017: CSR in Hypermodern Times. Over 140 scholars from 27 countries across five continents attended the symposium. This special section of Public Relations Review offers readers seven selected papers delivered at the conference addressing the theme. We believe these papers are representative of the diversity of approaches that speakers at the conference took to in addressing the theme. Golob, Turkri, and Kronegger compared the meaning networks of CSR in Turkey and Slovenia with fundamentally different cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, and argued that there is a need for an institutional perspective when studying CSR associations and expectations in a particular society. The findings suggest that the two societies have diverse collective cognitive structures regarding CSR suggesting that CSR is socially constructed, which carries implications both for scholarship and practice. Tkalac-Verčič and Ćorić's study attempted to contribute to the understanding of corporate reputation and its connections with perceived corporate social responsibility and employer brands. Reputation, according to the study's results, seems to be the umbrella concept that encompasses both perceived CSR and employer brands. In other words, organizations that develop strategies of socially responsible behavior and nurturing employer brands have higher levels of perceived reputation among respondents. Duthler and Dhanesh examined relationships among three models of internal communication, employees' perception of CSR, and employee engagement. Their data from employees across different sectors in the United Arab Emirates, revealed that social and sustainable dimensions of CSR most strongly predicted social and affective dimensions of employee engagement and both two-way

Co-Orientation Between Publics in Two Countries: A Decade Later

American Behavioral Scientist, 2019

Thirteen years ago, a study was conducted in which authors opened a question of applying co-orien... more Thirteen years ago, a study was conducted in which authors opened a question of applying co-orientation theory in studying communication behavior between two countries. The original study had two primary objectives: to compare attitudes toward certain issues relevant for the two nations and to examine degrees of agreement, accuracy, and congruency between two nations under the co-orientation model. The original study was later extended with another one in which authors included a third country and introduced not only evaluations of two countries’ attitudes toward a third country but also evaluations of opinions the two countries have between themselves (and to which the first is only an observer). They called it “second-order co-orientation.” More than a decade later, the original study was replicated to test how potential agreement, accuracy, and congruency between the two counties on these issues have changed over time.

Convergence of crisis response strategy and source credibility: Who can you trust?

Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 2018

The Relationship Between Culture and Public Relations

Theory, Research, and Practice, 2011

Looking for digital in public relations

Public Relations Review, 2015

The purpose of this study was to review the growth of the body of knowledge on the nexus between ... more The purpose of this study was to review the growth of the body of knowledge on the nexus between public relations and ICTs, and digital, social and mobile (DSM) media. We also sought to assess whether these "new" media had induced the body of knowledge to redefine the term public and whether these media had induced us to think differently with regard to the rules of engagement with these publics. Our review of over 35 years of articles in the Public Relations Review that discussed ICTs and DSM media revealed a lop-sided growth of the field. But the focus has almost exclusively been on using these media as "tools" for purposes of media relations with negligent study of DSM media stakeholders and publics. Issues of the Digital Divide and Privacy are absent, while amalgamation of public relations, advertising and journalism in DSM media is overlooked.

Internal communication: Definition, parameters, and the future

Public Relations Review, 2012

As an organizational function, internal communication is gaining in importance, meriting a specia... more As an organizational function, internal communication is gaining in importance, meriting a special issue on the topic. This importance is evident in many recent efforts among practitioners in Europe and the US to seek recognition of this field as an independent domain. Scholarship on internal communication has not kept pace with these initiatives. This introduction to the special issue addresses several key issues related to this topic and presents findings from a Delphi study of the leaders of European associations on internal communication. Results of the study are fuzzy: respondents see internal communication as interdisciplinary management function integrating elements of human resources management, communication and marketing, but at the same time they see it primarily as a part of the organization's communication function that is simultaneously managerial and technical. However, they contend that internal communication is an independent research field.

Introduction to this special section: The impact of globalization on public relations

Public Relations Review, 2007

Digital natives and social media

Public Relations Review, 2013

Digital natives (also known as "Generation Y" and "Millennials"), a generation born during of aft... more Digital natives (also known as "Generation Y" and "Millennials"), a generation born during of after introduction of digital technologies, 1980s and after, have mixed preferences for media use in personal and professional lives. A study by Friedl and Tkalac Verčič (2011) showed that even though digital natives prefer digital media in their personal lives, this is not necessarily reflected in their business lives. This study addressing preferences of "traditional" vs. "the new media" in a university setting found an opposite result.

Strategic Communication in Europe: Insights from the European Communication Monitor

Collaboration and conflict between agencies and clients

Public Relations Review

Public relations agencies are an important part of the public relations industry, but their relat... more Public relations agencies are an important part of the public relations industry, but their relations with client organizations are rarely studied. There is more literature and studies in agency-client relations in advertising than in public relations. This paper reviews literature and reports results of an empirical study into perceptions of public relations agencies and their clients on the reasons for their cooperation and sources of conflict between them. Results show that agencies misperceive reasons for which they are hired and the sources of conflict in the relationship. The paper offers several suggestions about how to tackle the problem: notwithstanding rebranding into consultancies and firms, public relations agencies-client relations should be studied as a particular example of a broader family of agency-client relations. Also agencies should study and strategically manage relations with their clients, while being realistic about client organization's needssometimes they just need additional arms and legs.

Communication Excellence, 2017

Exploring academic reputation – is it a multidimensional construct?

Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 2016

Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to explore the possible congruence of an academic organizati... more Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to explore the possible congruence of an academic organization's reputation among various stakeholder groups. A potential measure of reputation that can be applied across multiple stakeholder groups gives an opportunity to compare their perceptions and therefore work toward a consistent reputation. The authors also tested the model of academic reputation as a multidimensional concept. Design/methodology/approach-The qualitative stage included 25 in-depth interviews with members of key stakeholder groups. In the quantitative stage, the initial questionnaire was based on the reputational quotient of academic institutions, comprised of 26 items representing eight dimensions of reputation. It was administered among three key stakeholder groups, the general public (n ¼ 400), employees of the business school that was the focus of the study (n ¼ 154), and fourth year students of the school (n ¼ 446). Findings-Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that criteria applied by various stakeholder groups were similar, but the model of academic reputations as a multidimensional concept was not confirmed. The theoretical assumption of an eight factor solution for the concept of academic institutions was not supported. It seems that, in this particular case, only one main dimension emerged. Theoretically, that implies a general factor determining overall reputations across stakeholders. Research limitations/implications-Future research should apply a new, reduced questionnaire in multiple academic organizations and try to avoid some of the limitations such as differing methods of data collection, and ensure complete anonymity for all respondents. Practical implications-This study offers input for the development of a robust and general questionnaire that could be developed to be used across organizations and their publics. Originality/value-The study demonstrates that reputation is a unidimensional construct and that it should also be measured as such.

Global public relations and communication management: A European perspective

Public Relations Review, 2015

ABSTRACT

Managing CEO communication and positioning

Journal of Communication Management, 2016

Purpose-The study examines the practices of positioning Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and other... more Purpose-The study examines the practices of positioning Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and other top executives in the public sphere and approaches to manage their communication activities. Design/methodology/approach-A neo-institutional framework is used to explain the growth of CEO positioning in mediatisated societies. Research questions are derived from previous research and tested in a quantitative online survey with 512 heads of corporate communication in 21 countries across Europe and a qualitative survey with 42 communication leaders in 12 countries. Findings-The majority of companies position their CEOs and/or other top executives, but only a minority guide these activities through a sound management process. European CEOs are primarily presented based on their functional and ethical competencies. A minority of communication leaders prefer the uniform positioning of their CEOs in different markets; others argue for localised approaches. More companies in high power distance countries have a specific communication strategy for their CEOs, compared to companies in low power distance countries. Significant differences were also identified between listed and privatelyowned companies. Research limitations/implications-The study indicates the importance of CEO positioning from the perspective of corporate communication leaders. Investigating the expectations and experiences of CEOs themselves might provide additional insights. Originality/value-The article presents the first large-scale study on CEO positioning, informs practitioners on the state of practice in Europe and identifies knowledge that can be integrated into education of business and communications students alike.

Organising and communicating in hypermodern times

DIGITAL AND VISUAL: The European Communication Monitor 2017 shows that the strategic communication function is undergoing a fundamental transformation

Communication Director, 2017