Research in Organizational Communication

Our research and teaching are based on an understanding of organizational communication as a multifaceted managerial and social activity that needs to be studied from a multi- or interdisciplinary perspective. Communication is used in organizations not only to convey ideas and represent objects of knowledge. It is also used strategically and performatively to construct realities and to make things happen. A better understanding of the dynamics and complexities of organizational communication thus bears relevance not only for communications and management professionals, but also policy makers and other practitioners in the broader field of organizational communication, strategic management, and business-society –relations.

Research areas

Research activity in the unit of Organizational Communication focuses on diverse questions of organizational discourse and sensemaking in contemporary business and societal contexts. Theoretically, the aim is to advance knowledge particularly in the fields of business-society -relations, (discursive) institutional work, organizational legitimacy, organizational power, and strategy-as-practice. 

Our central research areas include:

• Arts management, creativity, creative leadership

• Business-society relations, CSR, communicative institutionalism

• Gender and feminist studies, Equality, diversity & inclusion

• Organizational routines and practices

• Strategy communication, strategy-as-discourse, discourse studies

Our research has been published in the leading journals of our multidisciplinary field, such as Academy of Management Learning & Education, Gender, Work & Organization, Human Relations, Journal of Business Ethics, Journal of Management Studies, Long Range Planning, Organization, Organization Science, Organization Studies, Strategic Organization, and Work, Employment and Society.

Our faculty members serve in the editorial boards of Human Relations, Journal of Business Ethics, Organization Science, and Work, Employment and Society. 

The unit hosts a Research Council of Finland funded project The Influence of Business Advocacy in Finnish Employment Relations and Governmental Policies (ADVOCACY, 2024-2028).

Doctoral training

The unit also offers comprehensive research training in organizational communication, as a major and area of specialization in the Aalto Doctoral Program in Business, Economics and Finance. The interdisciplinary research profile of the unit gives doctoral researchers the academic freedom to pursue interesting projects that defy disciplinary boundaries, within the broad field of organizational communication and management studies. More information: Doctoral studies in Organizational Communication.