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Research Initiatives

Tackling critical ethical issues in public communication.

Representing colleges, universities, and organizations worldwide, Page Center scholars tackle critical ethical issues in public communication. Since 2004, the Page Center has supported more than 350 scholars and awarded more than $1 million in research funding.

Each year, the Center invites scholars to submit research proposals. Themes vary from year to year, but the Center consistently supports academic exploration into the understanding of principles practiced in public communication. The Center also funds special projects, research by graduate students and occasionally offers “open calls.” The categories below showcase the innovation and prolificness of Page Center scholars, as well as the extensiveness of their research.

Advocacy

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One of the most important ways organizations can use their voices is in support of others. Advocacy communication builds awareness of issues among publics, to influence policy-makers or to attract donors. In the spirit of community responsibility, charitable action and respect for human interest that exemplifies integrity in public communication, the Page Center's 2019 research call supported projects in all areas of advocacy communication.

Corporate Social Advocacy

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Consumers want companies to “walk the talk” through values-driven actions that advocate for change. With a continued increase in demand for companies to match their words with action, in 2021, the Page Center funded research proposals that built an understanding of how companies engage in various contexts of corporate social advocacy.

Corporate Social Responsibility

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Corporate social responsibility emerged as an important management concept. Publics expect companies to be engaged in responsible activities that make a significant contribution to communities, the environment, and society. The Page Center addressed these needs through a research call in 2013, open calls accepting CSR proposals and CSR-focused research that overlaps with other areas.

Digital Media

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Due to technology’s rapid advancement, professionals and researchers have much to learn about how it affects communications — and how it will impact the future of public relations. To equip organizations to strategically and responsibly use digital media, in 2012 and 2017, the Page Center accepted proposals on research to fill the gaps in literature about digital media.

Ethics

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Ethics and responsibility are key research initiatives that span all the projects the Page Center has funded through the years. Some studies focus on ethics specifically and others have an intrinsic connection to the topic and its role in successful public communication.

Ethics of Care

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In 2021, the Page Center funded research examining how ethics of care can fundamentally reshape current approaches to public relations and public communication, bridging theory and practice in a broad range of topics.

Fake News

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The Page Center's 2018 call funded grant proposals that contributed to the scholarly and public understanding of misinformation and disinformation, and their implications for public communication.

Narratives

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Narratives can be a powerful communication tool for corporations and organizations. Scholars in multiple disciplines have documented the power of stories. The Page Center's 2019 call funded proposals that examined the uses and implications of stories and storytelling in public communications.

Organizational Listening

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Echoing the Page Principle, "Listen to Stakeholders," the Page Center's 2020 research call supported scholars and professionals interested in developing an understanding of listening in public communication.

Social Media

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Social media has a role in nearly every aspect of business, public communication and life. The Page Center reflects that ubiquity with scholarly work that has a part in most, if not all, of its funded research topics.

Stakeholder Engagement

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Organizations must consider how best to communicate with a variety of stakeholders. Stakeholders have expectations that require ethical standards and with the growth of social media, ethical engagement with stakeholders has become more challenging. In 2013 — and appearing in a number of other research calls — the Page Center funded research that addressed these challenges.

Sustainability

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Page Center research in 2010, 2015 and 2022 analyzed sustainability topics in public communication with a goal of offering researched-based insights into best practices in across disciplines, including nonprofit, education, government and for-profit.