Organicom

Measurement and Evaluation in Organizational Communication and Public Relations

Organicom is pleased to invite you to send contributions to the Dossier 42 (May - August 2023) dedicated to Measurement and Evaluation in Organizational Communication and Public Relations, which will be published in August 2023.

Deadline for submission: April 06, 2023.

To submit your article access: https://www.revistas.usp.br/organicom/about/submissions 

Call for papers

In recent decades, the measurement and evaluation function has demonstrated its relevance in the strategic management of communication in organizations (Macnamara,2023; Capizzo, 2022; Macnamara & Gregory, 2018; Adi & Stoeckle, 2021). The wisdom of the classic axiom "you cannot manage what is not measured" is undeniable nowadays for communication management. 

Yet measurement and evaluation as an essential stage in the strategic planning of communication (see the RACE matrix), has a less straightforward history including research history. Countries likes the United States, United Kingdom and Germany claim more than 80 years of professional experience in measurement and evaluation of communication (Lindenmann, 2005). Associations too, mostly western-based, celebrate decades of practice. AMEC (International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication) for instance celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2021, launching a dedicated space for academic collaborations, while the IPR Measurement Commission has reached this milestone this year. Within the Latin American space, notable contributions were made by (in chronological order) Castillo y Álvarez-Nobell (2015); Batteries and Bowen (2013); Likely and Watson (2012); Alvarez-Nobell (2011); Álvarez-Nobell y Lesta (2010); Armendariz (2010); Michaelson and Stacks (2011); Cuenca (2010); Yanaze (2010); Lindenmann (2005) and Kunsch (1997) among others. 

Already anticipating recent trends in the field, in 2005 Volume 2 of the Organicom magazine (2005) dealt with this topic. Published under the title "Avaliação e mensuração em Comunicação Organizacional", the journal features significant works: Xifra-Triadú (2005), Grunig (2005), Lopes (2005) and Yanaze & Crepaldi, (2005).

In 2022, as in 2005, measurement and evaluation of communication remains both exciting and worrying as it raises the expectations of those who bet and invest in organizations, based on the potentials offers of communication management. This is partly due to the fact that technology and digitization have modified and integrated communicative processes around a virtual world, intensifying the value and impact of the meaning of actions and messages under fundamentally relational flows and characteristics.

Measurement and evaluation give a strategic and essential role to those who exercise the function of Dircom (PR/Comms), as it enables them to constantly prove their contribution towards the achievement of organizational purposes and their adding value to the organization. However, to demonstrate this contribution, it is necessary to embrace and apply – both in academia and in corporate environments (companies, NGOs, research providers and communication agencies) - a set of assumptions. These assumptions -empirical, theoretical and even methodological- once recognized would allow practitioners and academics alike to understand this integral (and integrated) vision of measurement and evaluation in strategic communication. These assumptions must legitimize the evaluation function in integral relation to the communication planning processes that are supposed to create the effects. 

In this special edition, the Organicom Journal seeks to bring together theoretical, applied and empirical studies on the function, practices and tools of measurement and evaluation in the strategic planning of communication, as a continuous, formative and summative activity in terms of results; and in relation to the objectives organizations, the purpose and those objectives (such as the SDGs; ‘wicked problems’ and VUCA) that also guide the economic impact, social and environmental.

In this sense, articles that meet the following subtopics will be accepted: 

Topics 

1. Transformations in contexts, organizations and communication and their impact on measurement and evaluation. Agendas and issues management. From Social Responsibility to the triple bottom line and beyond. Management of crises and potential conflicts.
2. Evaluation in strategic planning in communication: goal-oriented systems: purpose and objectives. Planning perspectives in communication and measurement system at the organizational level. Measurement of professional performance. Decision making and information systems. 
3. The function of measurement and evaluation in communication: background and evolution of the different contexts. Standards, difficulties (diagnose, investigate and evaluate). Formative and summative evaluation. Measurement and evaluation models: production, exposure, impact and participation. Impact Levels. Indicators and variables. Key performance indicators in communication (KPI). 
4. Measurement and evaluation strategies and tools in virtual contexts. Map of actors. Audiences, networks and communities Big data and social media. Participating in the conversation. AI and machine learning.
5. Strategies and tools for measurement and evaluation for the control of the public agenda and social impact: Evaluation of the Lobby and Opinion Leaders. Transparency and accountability. Evaluation of sponsorship, associated image and event management. Relationship with marketing and advertising. 
6. Measurement and evaluation strategies and tools for the control of media agendas: integral content management. Measuring transmedia. Press management and media relations. Automations, machine learning and artificial intelligence. 
7. Trends and comprehensive evaluation models. Evolutions models.

Coordinadors

PhD. Alejandro ALVAREZ-NOBELL (University of Málaga; Director del Latin American Communication Monitor – EUPRERA. ESPAÑA)

PhD. Ana ADI (Quadriga University of Applied Sciences. GERMANY)

PhD. Antonio CASTILLO-ESPARCIA (University of Málaga; Presidente de AIRP - Asociación de Investigación en Relaciones Públicas. SPAIN)

Thomas STOECKLE (Bournemouth University & PR Academy London; Analytics & Insights Partner at Dot I/O Health. UNITED KINGDOM)

PhD. Valéria de Siqueira Castro LOPES (São Paulo University. BRASIL)

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Reference

Adi, A & Stoeckle, T. (2021). Future of Communications and Public Relations (PR).(Re) Imagining the Role, Function and Purpose of the Communication Profession. ESSACHESS–Journal for Communication Studies, 14(1 (27)), 7-14.

Álvarez Nobell, A. (2010): La evaluación en Comunicación. Desarrollo histórico y principales antecedentes. España. Tenerife, España. 2010. Libro. Artículo Completo. Congreso. II Congreso Internacional Latina de Comunicación Social. Sociedad Latina de Comunicación Social. (ISBN: 978-84-938428-0-2) - http://www.revistalatinacs.org/10SLCS/actas_2010/alejandro_cordoba.pdf 

Álvarez Nobell, A. y Lesta L. (2011): Medición de los aportes de la gestión estratégica de comunicación interna a los objetivos de la organización. Revista PALABRA CLAVE. Bogotá: Universidad de La Sabana. 2011 vol.14 n°1. p11 -30. ISSN: 0122-8285. - http://palabraclave.unisabana.edu.co/index.p 

Armendáriz, E. (2010). Las relaciones públicas y su evaluación. Madrid. España: Fragua comunicación 

Asociación Internacional de Medición y Evaluación de la Comunicación. http://www.amecorg.com

Capizzo, L. (2022). What counts amid contention? Measuring perceived intractable problems in public relations. Public Relations Review, 48(2), 1-11. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2022.102179

Castillo, A. y Álvarez Nobell, A. (2015): Evaluación en comunicación estratégica. Madrid: McGrawHill 

Cuenca Fontbona, J. (2010). “La investigación en la planificación estratégica de las relaciones públicas investigación aplicada y formativa: la auditoría de relaciones públicas” en Las Relaciones públicas en la Sociedad del Conocimiento. Asociación de Investigadores en Relaciones públicas (AIRP). España. 

Grunig, J. E. (2005). Guia de pesquisa e medição para elaborar e avaliar uma função excelente de Relações Públicas. Organicom, 2(2), 46-69. https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2238-2593.organicom.2005.138881

ICOMI: Instituto de estudios de la Comunicación Institucional (2002). Medición del aporte de la Comunicación Institucional al valor de la organización y sus marcas. Argentina: Universidad de Ciencias Empresariales y Sociales. 

Kunsch, M. (1997). Obtendo resultados com relaçoes públicas. São Paulo: Pioneira. 

Likely, F.; Watson, T. (2012). Measuring the edifice: public relatiosn measurement and evaluation practices over the course of 40 years. En Public Relations Journal, Vol. 5, No. 3. 

Lindenmann, W. K. (ed.), (2005). Putting PR Measurement and Evaluation. Into Historical Perspective. Miami, USA: Institute for Public Relations Research, University of Florida. 

Lipschultz, J. H. (2023). "Big data analytics": Technology, tools, and strategic change. In D. Pompper, K. R. Place, & N. Weaver (Eds.), The Routledge Companion to Public Relations (pp. 363-372). Routledge.

Lopes, V. de S. C. (2005). O relações públicas como gestor da imagem e a importância da mensuração dos resultados em Comunicação Corporativa. Organicom, 2(2), 70-95. https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2238-2593.organicom.2005.138882

Macnamara, J. (2000). The ad value of PR (Advertising balues to measure PR: why they are invalid). Asia Pacific Public Relations Journal, Vol 2, No 1, 99-103, Canberra University. 

Macnamara, J. (2023). Measurement, evaluation + learning (MEL): New approaches for insights, outcomes, and impact. In D. Pompper, K. R. Place, & C. K. Weaver (Eds.), The Routledge Companion to Public Relations (pp. 225-236). Routledge.

Macnamara, J., & Gregory, A. (2018). Expanding evaluation to progress strategic communication: Beyond message tracking to open listening. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 12(4), 469-486.

Michaelson, David; Stacks, Don (2011). Standardization in public relations measurement and evaluation. En Public relations journal. Vol. 5, No. 2. Public Relations Society of America. 

Namakforoosh, M. N. (2000). Metodología de la investigación. Editorial Limusa.

Sampieri, R. H. (2018). Metodología de la investigación: las rutas cuantitativa, cualitativa y mixta. McGraw Hill México.

Stacks, Don W, Bowen, Shannon (2013). Dictionary of public relations measurement and research. Publicado por The Institute for Public Relations in www.instituteforpr.com. 

Swiatek, L., & Galloway, C. (2023). Artificial intelligence and public relations: Growing opportunities, questions, and concerns. In D. Pompper, K. R. Place, & N. Weaver (Eds.), The Routledge Companion to Public Relations (pp. 352-362). Routledge.

Xifra-Triadú, J. (2005). El issues management como estrategia de Relaciones Públicas. Organicom, 2(2), 28-43. https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2238-2593.organicom.2005.138880

Yanaze Higuchi, M. (2010). Retorno de investimentos em comunicação. Avaliação e Mensuração. San Pablo, Brasil: Difusão 

Yanaze, M., & Crepaldi, U. (2005). A Comunicação e a tangibilidade de sua avaliação. Organicom, 2(2), 134-145. https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2238-2593.organicom.2005.138885