Putting the Communication Value Circle to the test: A multistage exploratory study of the framework’s practical applicability

Abstract: This study explores the practical applicability of the Communication Value Circle (Zerfass & Viertmann, 2017), a recent theoretical framework that describes value creation through communication in 12 dimensions drawn from four generic corporate goals. The research objective is to evaluate whether key claims from the CVC hold up in practice. Hence, a multistage research design comprising two rounds of interviews and restructuring work by the researcher enabled to assert the meanings that three chief communication officers (CCO) ascribe to the framework. The outcome of this process confirms the CVC’s general applicability and highlights some of its most relevant functions. Moreover, the study shows that organisational factors can make the framework difficult to implement or unsuitable. In addition, the findings add an important dimension to the field of communication management: it is suggested that the degree to which practitioners are appealed by theoretical frameworks such as the CVC varies, mostly as a result of distinct types of reasoning. While CCOs who think in systems are likely attracted by the CVC, it may prove less helpful to those prioritising a judgment of communication based on human empathy. Consequently, the study pleads for a greater emphasis on types of managers. Furthermore, in its deliberate choice to evaluate an existing contribution, rather than to propose a novel one, the study hopes to pave the way towards similar efforts which will create a more consistent understanding of communication value.