Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
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Sustainable Business Research Institute (SuBRI)
European Communication Monitor
The challenge
For 15 consecutive years (2017-2021) our research into the principles of excellence in communications management is supporting the professionalisation of an unregulated sector as it undergoes dynamic development in response to digitisation, mediatisation and changing business demands.
Supported by the European Public Relations Education and Research Association (EUPRERA) and the European Association of Communication Directors (EACD), our annual European Communication Monitor (ECM) survey of over 5000 communications professionals from more than 80 countries is the most comprehensive analysis of communication management worldwide.
The Approach
Over the last fourteen years more than 25,000 European communication professionals from over 40 countries participated in the survey of the monitor. Every year tens of thousands (40,000 in 2016) throughout Europe are invited with personal emails based on a database provided by the EACD. Additional invitations are sent via national research collaborators and professional associations. The online questionnaires (in English) are based on research questions and hypotheses derived from previous research and literature; they are pre-tested with communication professionals from various countries.
The survey focuses on:
- New ways to enable top management and other staff
- Stakeholder engagement
- The role of social media influencers
- Social media skills and management competencies
European communication monitor 2018 Strategic communication and the challenges of fake news, trust, leadership, work stress and job statisfaction
The Impact
Our research has driven organisational success by modelling high performing communications functions and creating a framework of excellence. It has steered the professionalisation of practice by establishing a standardised competency framework. It has braced the future sustainability of the sector by raising awareness of unfair practices such as gender pay gaps and ensured the sector is better prepared for technological advancements such as AI and reputational challenges from issues like fake news and cyber security.
The ECM is the largest and longest running transnational study of strategic communication worldwide
The study explores current practices and future developments of strategic communication and public relations in companies, non-profits and other organisations including communication agencies. The reach of the ECM findings now extends to include bi-annual surveys in the Asia-Pacific (since 2015), Latin America (since 2015) and North America (since 2018) regions which has created a truly global picture of modern communication management practice.
The communication monitor series is the most comprehensive research in the field worldwide, covering more than 80 countries. It is the only continuous global research in the field which adheres to full standards of empirical research and provides transparency about its sampling procedures and respondents.
Results have been reported in more than 160 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, contributions in professional magazines, keynotes, presentations and webinars in multiple languages on various continents.
...we are proud to have supported this innovative research project and ultimately see such a significant contribution to the day to day practice of top executives and communicators alike. It is refreshing to see empirical work used in such a pragmatic and practical way to help professionalise and improve future performance of strategic communication and ultimately our organisations.
Outputs and recognition
- Zerfass, A., Verhoeven, P., Moreno, A., Tench, R., & Verčič, D. (2020). European Communication Monitor 2020. Ethical challenges, gender issues, cyber security, and competence gaps in strategic communication. Results of a survey in 44 countries
- Zerfass, A., Verčič, D., Verhoeven, P., Moreno, A., & Tench, R. (2019). European Communication Monitor 2019. Exploring trust in the profession, transparency, artificial intelligence and new content strategies. Results of a survey in 46 countries. Brussels: EUPRERA/EACD, Quadriga Media Berlin
- Zerfass, A., Tench, R., Verhoeven, P., Verčič, D., & Moreno, A. (2018). European Communication Monitor 2018. Strategic communication and the challenges of fake news, trust, leadership, work stress and job satisfaction. Results of a survey in 48 Countries. Brussels: EACD/EUPRERA, Quadriga Media Berlin
- Zerfass, A., Moreno, A., Tench, R., Vercic, D., & Verhoeven, P. (2017). European Communication Monitor 2017. How strategic communication deals with the challenges of visualisation, social bots and hypermodernity. Results of a survey in 50 countries. Brussels: EACD/EUPRERA, Quadriga Media Berlin
- Tench, R., Vercic, D., Zerfass, A., Moreno, A. & Verhoeven, P. (2017). Communication Excellence – How to Develop, Manage and Lead Exceptional Communications. London: Palgrave Macmillan
- Zerfass, A., Verhoeven, P., Moreno, A., Tench, R., & Vercic, D. (2016). European Communication Monitor 2016. Exploring trends in big data, stakeholder engagement and strategic communication. Results of a survey in 43 countries. Brussels: EACD/EUPRERA, Quadriga Media Berlin
- Zerfass, A., Vercic, D., Verhoeven, P., Moreno, A., & Tench, R. (2015). European Communication Monitor 2015. Creating communication value through listening, messaging and measurement. Results of a survey in 41 countries. Brussels: EACD/EUPRERA, Helios Media
- Zerfass, A., Tench, R., Vercic, D., Verhoeven, P., & Moreno, A. (2014). European Communication Monitor 2014. Excellence in Strategic Communication – Key Issues, Leadership, Gender and Mobile Media. Results of a survey in 42 Countries. Brussels: EACD/EUPRERA, Helios Media
- Zerfass, A., Moreno, A., Tench, R., Vercic, D., & Verhoeven, P. (2013). European Communication Monitor 2013. A Changing Landscape – Managing Crises, Digital Communication and CEO Positioning in Europe. Results of a Survey in 43 Countries. Brussels: EACD/EUPRERA, Helios Media
- Zerfass, A., Vercic, D., Verhoeven, P., Moreno, A., & Tench, R. (2012). European Communication Monitor 2012. Challenges and Competencies for Strategic Communication. Results of an Empirical Survey in 42 Countries. Brussels: EACD/EUPRERA, Helios Media
- Zerfass, A., Verhoeven, P., Tench, R., Moreno, A., & Vercic, D. (2011). European Communication Monitor 2011. Empirical Insights into Strategic Communication in Europe. Results of a Survey in 43 Countries. Brussels: EACD/EUPRERA, Helios Media
- Zerfass, A., Tench, R., Verhoeven, P., Vercic, D., & Moreno, A. (2010). European Communication Monitor 2010. Status Quo and Challenges for Public Relations in Europe. Results of an Empirical Survey in 46 Countries. Brussels: EACD/EUPRERA, Helios Media
- Zerfass, A., Moreno, A., Tench, R., Vercic, D., & Verhoeven, P. (2009). European Communication Monitor 2009. Trends in Communication Management and Public Relations. Results of a Survey in 34 Countries. Brussels: EACD/EUPRERA, Helios Media
- Zerfass, A., Moreno, A., Tench, R., Vercic, D., & Verhoeven, P. (2008). European Communication Monitor 2008. Trends in Communication Management and Public Relations – Results and Implications. Leipzig: University of Leipzig/Euprera
- Zerfass, A., Van Ruler, B., Rogojinaru, A., Vercic, D., & Hamrefors, S. (2007). European Communication Monitor 2007. Trends in Communication Management and Public Relations – Results and Implications. Leipzig: University of Leipzig/Euprera
- Zerfass, A., Hagelstein, J., & Tench, R. (2020). Artificial intelligence in communication management: a cross-national study on adoption and knowledge, impact, challenges and risks. Journal of Communication Management
- Wiesenberg, M., & Tench, R. (2020). Deep strategic mediatization: Organizational leaders’ knowledge and usage of social bots in an era of disinformation. International Journal of Information Management
- Verhoeven, P., Zerfass, A., Verčič, D., Moreno, A., & Tench, R. (2020). Strategic communication across borders: Country and age effects in the practice of communication professionals in Europe. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 14(1), 60-72
- Verhoeven, P., Zerfass, A., Verčič, D., Tench, R., & Moreno, A. (2018). Public relations and the rise of hypermodern values: Exploring the profession in Europe. Public Relations Review, 44(4), 471-480
- Verčič, D., Tench, R., & Tkalac-Verčič, A. (2018). Collaboration and conflict between agencies and clients, Public Relations Review, 44(1), 156-164
- Tench, R., Tópic, M., & Moreno, A. (2017). Male and female communication, leadership styles and the position of women in public relations. Interactions: Studies in Communication & Culture, 8(2-3), 231-248
- Tench, R., Moreno, A., & Okay, A. (2017). Re-fuelling the talent tank. A qualitative study of key deficiencies, future needs, and life-long learning needs of communication management professionals in Europe. Communication & Society, 30(3), 109-127
- Tench, R., & Topic, M. (2017). One Step Forward, Two Steps Back? An Analysis of European PR Practitioners? Views on the Position of Women in the PR Industry (2009-2015). Current Politics and Economics of Europe, 28(1), 83-105
- Tench, R., Laville, L., & Kiesenbauer, J. (2016). Exploring the magic of mentoring: Career planning for the public relations profession. In P. S. Brønn, S. Romenti, & A. Zerfass
- Tench, R., & Jones, B. (2015). Social media: the Wild West of CSR communications. Social Responsibility Journal, 11(2), 290-305
- Moreno, A., Navarro, C., Tench, R., & Zerfass, A. (2015). Does social media usage matter? An analysis of online practices and digital media perceptions of communication practitioners in Europe. Public Relations Review, 41(2), 242-253
- Moreno, A., Verhoeven, P., Tench, R., & Zerfass, A. (2014). Increasing power and taking a lead – What are practitioners really doing? Empirical evidence from European communications managers (Incrementar el poder y asumir el liderazgo – ¿Qué hacen realmente los profesionales? Evidencias empíricas sobre los gestores de comunicación en Europa). Revista Internacional De Relaciones Publicas, 4(7), 73-94
- Verhoeven, P., Tench, R., Zerfass, A., Moreno, A., & Vercic, D. (2014). Crisis? What Crisis? How European communication professionals handle crises and crisis communication. Public Relations Review, 40(1), 107-109
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