The Role of Internal Communication in Start-ups: State of Research and Practical Approaches. Issue 2 (15th March 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wolf, Cornelia; Godulla, Alexander; Beck, Leonie; Neubert, Leah Sophie
• Is Part Of: International journal of strategic communication. Volume 16:Issue 2(2022)
• Page Start: 255
• Page End: 272
• Publication Date: 2022-03-15
• Subjects: Communication -- Periodicals; Communication in organizations -- Periodicals; 302.2
• DOI: 10.1080/1553118X.2021.2023544
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1553-118X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Start-ups differ from established organizations in having limited routines and undergoing constant change that shapes their communicative structures. Although they are dependent on successful internal communication, its importance as a strategic discipline seems underestimated in practice. In addition, research on internal communication in start-ups has so far only focused on several sub-areas. In this article, internal communication is, in a first step, defined as a subdiscipline of strategic communication and elaborated on from the perspective of the Four Flows Model in order to allow a holistic view on internal communication. Secondly, we ask what role is attributed to strategic internal communication in start-ups across different stages of development in academic research and practice. Answers are provided through a multi-method design consisting of a systematic literature review in the fields of strategic communication, business management, and entrepreneurship, and 12 guided interviews with representatives of start-ups. Although both literature and interviewees identify internal communication as crucial to the success of start-ups, it mainly results from routine and is rarely strategically derived or evaluated. This study provides a more detailed insight into the role of strategic communication in start-ups, to which further studies can refer in order to fill the research gaps discussed.