Current projects
Corporate Communication and Corporate Advocacy (2024-2025)
The study explores the relevance of corporate communication on issues and events that are the subject of critical public debate, the underlying motives and motivations for such communication, and the extent to which it is strategically planned and implemented. The study is being conducted in collaboration with Prof. Dr. U. Röttger, University of Münster, and is funded by the Günter Thiele Foundation for Communication & Management.
The Impact and Benefits of Internal Communication (2024-2025)
The study analyses the current perceptions and experiences of employees and executives on key aspects of formal and informal internal communication in companies. A quantitative survey will be conducted among employees and executives in Germany. The study is conducted in cooperation with Prof. Dr. U. Röttger and Prof. Dr. V. Gehrau, University of Münster, and is funded by the Günter Thiele Foundation for Communication & Management.
Energy Projects in the Münster Region: Strategies of Legitimizing Communication and their Effect (2023-2025)
The study asks how organizations from politics, business and society communicate about infrastructure projects in the “Energiewende” context in the Münster region in order to legitimize these projects, and how this communication is perceived on the part of the population and with what consequences. The study is carried out in cooperation with Lennart Rettler, M. A., University of Münster, and is funded by Universitätsgesellschaft Münster e. V.
Former projects (selection)
Journalists and their Audience in the Digital Age: Mutual Expectations and their Consequences for Journalism-Audience Relations and Public Opinion Formation (2021-2024)
The joint project investigates what expectations exist in the communication and relationship between journalism and its audience(s) in digital contexts and what consequences the (non-)fulfillment of expectations has for this relationship as well as for society and the public. The joint project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) (grant number 01UL2005A). Partners are Dr. Hanne Detel, University of Tübingen, and PD Dr. Nicole Podschuweit, University of Erfurt, and Ass.-Prof. Dr. Claudia Wilhelm, University of Vienna, as an external consultant.
Internal Communication in Critical and Digital Contexts (2021-2023)
The study asks how employees and managers perceive internal communication in times of uncertainty, insecurity, and crisis, which factors influence this perception, and what effect results from it (e.g., in terms of empowerment or job satisfaction). For this purpose, a quantitative survey of employees and managers in Germany is conducted. The study is carried out in cooperation with Prof. Dr. U. Röttger and Prof. Dr. V. Gehrau, University of Münster.
The Habilitation in German-speaking Communication and Media Studies (2018-2023)
The working group, established and funded by the German Communication Association (DGPuK), analyses the Habilitation regulations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland by means of a qualitative and quantitative content analysis. Further members of the working group are Dr. F. Frey, University of Leipzig, Dr. S. Kohler, University of Düsseldorf, and Dr. P. Nitschke, University of Augsburg.
Hide & See(k)—(In)Visibility in the Digital Age (2018-2021)
International working group conducting research on communication in the context of digitalisation, funded by the Center for Advanced Internet Studies Studies (CAIS)
Personal Communication in Organisations (2014-2019)
Habilitation project on the perception of internal organisational communication at the interface of strategic, organisational, and interpersonal communication
Infrastructure Projects in Public Discourse: Citizen’s Expectations and Interests (2013-2016)
Study on expectations and interests regarding energy infrastructure projects, funded by the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung
Economy Communication—Innovations and Trends in Media Coverage and Public Communication on the Economy (2012-2015)
Study funded by the ING-DiBa AG
Corporate Communication in Business Relationships: Business-to-Business Communication as Part of Functionalist Public Relations Research (2008-2014)
Doctoral thesis project on corporate communication in interorganisational relationships based on a structuration theory perspective in public relations and marketing research
Communication on Electricity, Gas, and Water—Controversial Issues in Public Debate (2009-2010)
Study on expectations and interests of multipliers and citizens regarding strategic communication on electricity, gas, and water, funded by the Verband für Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft e. V. (VfEW)
