Back to the Roots? The Applications of Communication Science Theories in Strategic Communication Research

Abstract

Recently, the field of strategic communication has been criticized for lacking a coherent theoretical synthesis. Recognizing that strategic communication is a sub-discipline of communication science, we study how the field is anchored in the corpus of established communication theories–including social science, interpretative, and critical approaches. To describe the use, development, and context of communication theories in strategic communication publications, we analyzed all articles published in ten public relations/ corporate communication/ organizational communication/ strategic communication journals over twenty years (N = 4,027). While the vast majority of articles did not refer to one of the 91 communication theories, the share of references to these theories has been increasing. Overall, we found a high diversity of approaches–with considerable differences among journals–indicating a broad discourse. However, we also found a growing relevance of the social science paradigm. We argue that a stronger focus on communication theories may facilitate a consilient synthesis and increase the relevance of the field, academically and practically. We therefore propose to strengthen the communication science perspective in strategic communication.