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The rising flood of emails, messages and meetings in the internal communication of large German companies is growing steadily. The growing number of daily messages as well as their frequency are causing employees to feel stressed. As a result, their productivity and job satisfaction decrease. This paper analyzes the role strategic communication pauses play in the internal corporate communication of large German companies. Using a qualitative research framework, based on semi-structured guided interviews with communication managers (n = 9), insights are gained into the use of communication pauses and reasons for implementing them in companies. The results show that the main reasons are the growing number of communication channels and the increasing quantity of communicated information. Both developments have been further driven by the digital transformation in particular. Furthermore, it is shown that communication pauses are defined and implemented very differently in companies, which is due to various factors, such as digital transformation, corporate culture and internal communication tools. Within the framework of the study, the term 'communication pause' is successfully defined for the first time. In addition, practical recommendations for the implementation of communication pauses in the internal communication of companies are provided.

The change in media has shaped our society for decades and new forms and technologies for mediated communication have been created. This paper explores the use of immersive media in the context of strategic communication of non-governmental organizations in Germany. The research, based on semi-structured interviews with communication officers, reveals that immersive media is not yet widespread in the NGO landscape and remain in a trial phase. Most NGOs do not consider immersive technologies suitable for their target groups, preferring traditional communication measures. However, a general openness towards the development of immersive media has been identified when financially justifiable and appropriate for the target groups. The primary purpose of immersive media projects is to generate public attention, supporting NGOs in their organizational goals. Although immersive media are partly implemented in the communication mix, they do not serve a predefined strategic objective within the strategic communication management of NGOs. This research contributes to existing literature by analyzing the use of immersive media in the third sector from a strategic communication perspective.

Nowadays, sustainability is becoming increasingly important not only in society but also in companies. The objective of this study is to determine the potential of internal sustainability communication in shaping the Corporate Culture of sustainable companies. The research questions are dedicated to the goals, measures, and effects of internal sustainability communication with regard to Corporate Culture. To answer these questions, 15 qualitative expert interviews were conducted. A ranking of the 200 most sustainable companies in Germany was chosen as a sample to recruit the interview partners. The study was able to identify diverse potentials of internal sustainability communication with regard to shaping Corporate Culture. When considering the three dimensions of sustainability, it became clear that ecological and social sustainability are increasingly dealt with, while the economic dimension is neglected. This study shows that internal sustainability communication can positively influence the Corporate Culture as a whole and ultimately also individual employees in their attitudes and actions with regard to sustainability issues. However, the potential identified must be considered in the context of the individual Corporate Culture, such as the structural and personnel premises, to be able to discuss the extent to which the potential can be exploited in the best possible way. This study provides starting points for further research in this dynamic field as well as practical insights for application in employee communication.

In light of organizational advocacy and issue management, this study examines on which decision-making basis large German companies have developed their positioning in relation to the Russia-Ukraine war and sheds light on the resulting insights for future communicative measures. The process of positioning is considered from the meso-level of the organizations. Eleven qualitative guided interviews with communicators show that while in many cases the positioning of a company is based on catalogues of decisions and criteria, it is usually carried out in an ad hoc manner. Above all, external factors, such as time or active demands from stakeholders, as well as internal factors, such as perceived positioning pressure, have an impact on a company's public statement. Regarding potential future crisis cases, each communicative challenge is seen as an opportunity for learning and further development. In summary, the article shows that dealing with an issue or crisis - depending on the perspective - such as the Russia-Ukraine war, cannot be carried out according to generally valid criteria, but must always be configured individually to the respective case and the affectedness of the company. The study expands the current state of research by taking a deeper look at the underlying processes of companies' positioning in crisis situations. At the same time, it opens possibilities for further research.

Medium-sized companies make up a large part of the German corporate landscape and have often been the subject of empirical research. However, the corporate communication of medium-sized companies has hardly been studied to this day. This paper, therefore, deals with the corporate communication of medium-sized companies in Germany. The concept of Corporate Listening is at the center of the study. The research interest lies in creating an overview of the use of Corporate Listening in medium-sized companies, including organizational prerequisites, measures, reasons, and effects. For this purpose, communication managers from eleven medium-sized companies were interviewed. Macnamara's Architecture of Listening and the Communication Value Circle serve as the primary theoretical basis for this study. The results show that mid-sized companies possess a general awareness of the necessity of Corporate Listening and achieve listening to stakeholders and the public to at least some extent. Various reasons for this awareness could be identified. However, the existing prerequisites in the companies to carry out Corporate Listening measures still reveal potentials for optimization. The study shows that companies include insights gained through Corporate Listening in the planning of future actions; however, these insights are rarely considered for strategic measures.

The recently implemented Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) of the EU Commission fundamentally changes previous reporting practices. In this context, this study examines to what extent the CSRD influences the CSR communication of large German companies. To answer the research question, 14 qualitative interviews were conducted with communication experts from companies that are either already reporting or will be required to report in the future, as well as with consultancies. The research results provide indications of organizational changes due to the CSRD, which are reflected in the growing interest of management and the associated hierarchical repositioning of CSR communication within the company. Resource-specific and structural challenges arise particularly for companies that will be required to report in the future. In addition, the long-term handling of external service providers is generally unclear for companies. The study results suggest an increasing demand for communication experts in the future, which represents an opportunity for CSR communication. Ultimately, this study recommends the use of alternative communication channels, in addition to the sustainability report. Collected indicators should be prepared and disseminated in a channel-specific manner in order to reach a broader audience.