Research Unit Strategic Communication

Research Interests:
Corporate and organizational communication • Science and university communication • Evaluation

Information

The team at the Professorship of Communication with a Focus on Strategic Communication examines how organizations communicate purposefully with internal and external audiences. In an increasingly digital, AI-driven and abundant media environment, organizations across all sectors engage more directly with stakeholders than ever before — creating new opportunities as well as risks for individuals, and society. Our research explores the actors, structures, processes, content and effects of strategic communication across diverse organizations, from corporations to higher education institutions, NGOs or influencers.

Currently, our research focuses on three aspects: 1) use and impact of AI on corporate communication, science communication and climate change communication, 2) industry communication about science, technology and innovation and sciencewashing, 3) evaluation of corporate communication, science communication, and health communication and analysis of undesirable consequences, such as information overload or news avoidance.

We use qualitative, quantitative, comparative and digital methods for analyzing strategic communication, e.g. surveys, interviews, focus groups, content analyses, systematic reviews, human‐AI interaction approaches or data donations. With our research, we strive to make conceptual, empirical and methodological contributions to the communication discipline, but also contribute to society and practice through knowledge transfer and engaging with communication practitioners.

Research Projects

The SNSF-funded project investigates the impact of AI on science communication.

To the website of the project.

Duration: 2025 to 2028

Leadership: Prof. Dr. Volk

Financial Support: Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)

The project explores how adolescents in Germany perceive and use algorithms and artificial intelligence and what they know about them. To this end, group discussions, a diary study and a representative online survey were conducted.

To the website of the project. Colleague AI:

Duration: 12/2025 bis 12/2026

Leadership: Prof. Dr. Volk

External Partners: Prof. Dr. Swaran Sandhu, Hochschule der Medien

Financial Support: Günter-Thiele-Stiftung

The project investigates the communication about science and innovation by R&D companies.

Duration: 2026 to 2027

Leadership: Prof. Dr. Volk

Financial Support: Günter-Thiele-Stiftung

The SNSF-funded project is organizing several forums on phage therapy and evaluating health communication on the subject.

Further information about the project. (french)

Duration: 2025 to 2026