CONFERENCE | ECREA OSC

THE NORMATIVE IMPERATIVE: SOCIOPOLITICAL CHALLENGES OF STRATEGIC AND ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION

The interim ECREA OSC conference to take place from 5th to 8th of July 2023 in the Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, in a joint organisation with LabCom – Research Center.

About the conference

For far too long, the focus of applied communication has been in proving value and getting a place at the manager’s table. We followed blind the growth imperative and an economic model centred on the financial efficiency. In the years, some academics were looking for identifying added-value of communication to the management game from a hegemonic perspective. Nevertheless, it was also a position of never being able to be a game changer, but rather a follower. It even charged also public sector with efficiency from a management centered perspective.

We see then a change in the public sphere and in the social dynamics. Society intensified the game of legitimation of organisations with hashtags movements and global awareness. CSR, sustainability,  diversity, equity, inclusion are now well widespread buzzwords in the corporate realm. Organisations feel the normative imperative, taking care of societal issues and even play a role in political discussions,  as seen in corporate social advocacy and CEO activism.  On the other side, corporate hypocrisy and soft  propaganda are ongoing, and the media landscape and its watchdog role seems to be diminishing.

For sure companies and even more public sector have always had a contract with society. A contract  that comprises not just direct stakeholders (as employees, consumers, citizens or shareholders) but also  broader publics (as the media, the nonprofit sector or the communities where the organisation  operate). Of course, there are laws and regulations, the formal part of this social contract; but there are  also semi-formal aspects, which are much more fluid and difficult to ascertain: the stakeholders’ expectations regarding companies conduct, like following environmental or labour ideals, or the fulfillment of brand promises. Violations may result in swift actions by stakeholders, fueled by social media boycotts, for example, but they can also go unnoticed. With excuses of endless use of rhetorical figures and a permissive attitude towards communication endeavours and brand communication, we let organisations preach their stories and narratives without hardly any accountability on their communication.

We invite the community to reflect upon the scope of those thoughts and to submit critical, empirical or theoretical proposals for the interim ECREA OSC conference to take place from 5th to 7th of July 2023 in the Autonomous University of Lisbon, in a joint organisation with LabCom – Research centre. Evandro Oliveira and Gisela Gonçalves are the organisers.

Para inscrições contacte: ecreaosc@gmail.com

Conference topics

  • Normative governance for organizational communication
  • Normative frameworks for strategic communication
  • Impact of brand rhetoric and narratives on society
  • Regulatory implications for the public sector
  • Non-profit and hypocrisy
  • Impact of communication on consumer identity and well-being
  • B-corps as a new approach to relationship management
  • Accountability, integrated reporting and communication
  • 4th sector communication
  • Greenwashing and other “image” washing.
  • Strategic Communication and the UN Sustainable Development Goals
  • Corporate social advocacy and CEO activism
  • Internal relationship management and well-being

Scholars and postgraduate students of Organizational and Strategic Communication. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the formal and informal mentoring opportunities afforded by participating in the conference and other section activities. The conference provides members with valuable professional development opportunities, including networking and presentation, and learning about the latest trends in Organizational and Strategic Communication research.

Submissions are now closed. Full papers can be considered for two publications:

1- A special issue of the “Communication Studies” journal- Scopus, Latindex, open source (http://ojs.labcom-ifp.ubi.pt/index.php/ec/about/submissions)
2- An edited book by Evandro Oliveira & Gisela Gonçalves (Publisher tbc)

Pre Event | July, 5th
09:00-12:00 and 13:00-16:00

Workshop on Digital Methods

(max. 25 participants)

Picture of Dr. Ramón Rodriguez-Amat

Dr. Ramón Rodriguez-Amat

Past-chair of ECREA OSC and Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University, UK.

ORCID

Basic data analytics with Python (crash course workshop) – Morning

This is a taste for newcomers to the fascinating world of python for data analytics. After a brief presentation of what digital data and social media and streaming platforms are; we will use Microsoft Visual Studio Code and Anaconda Jupyter Notebooks to explore real datasets. After that you will learn how to visually represent them, and how to use the visual representations and the skills to draw some early conclusions. You will also get further useful resources if you wish to grow further that road.

Note you will need to bring your own laptops and you will be asked to install the software yourselves before the session. Help for the installation can also be provided.

Network data analytics with Gephi (crash course workshop) – Afternoon

This is a taste for newcomers to the fascinating world of network data analytics. After a brief game and a presentation of what networks mean and how they are relevant for social media analytics; we will use Gephi to explore real datasets. After that you will learn how to visually understand networks, and how to use the network representations to draw some early conclusions. You will also get further useful resources if you wish to grow further that road
Note you will need to bring your own laptops and you will be asked to install the software yourselves before the session. Help for the installation can also be provided.
 

Registrations

ECREA and SOPCOM members: 25 Euros for 1 Workshop; 40 Euros for both. PhD Students: 20 Euros for one and 30 for Both NON-ECREA members:  50 Euros 1 Workshop and 80 Both

Guest Keynote Speaker

SHANNON A. BOWEN, Ph.D.
University of South Carolina

Shannon A. Bowen, Ph.D., University of South Carolina is Professor (full) in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications (& Faculty Affiliate in Artificial Intelligence), University of South Carolina. She specializes in issues management and decision models for helping organizations face ethical challenges, futurism, and deontology. Dr. Bowen teaches and researches ethics across corporations, public affairs, and government. She is the Founder and Executive Director of the Global Strategic Communication Consortium and an annual Conclave for futures research. She is a former Trustee of the Arthur W. Page Society and past editor for the journal Ethical Space: The International Journal of Communication Ethics. She has published more than one hundred journals articles, books, book chapters, a research dictionary, and encyclopedia entries, as well as been Principal Investigator on an NSF grant. She’s won numerous academic awards, grants, Top Papers, the Heath Award, and the JJ&W Behavioral Science Research Prize. Her most cited works are on ethical decision-making models in corporations (and the pharmaceutical industry) and Kantian deontological ethics. 

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7675-5002

Scopus Author ID: 7005487014

(20) Shannon Bowen (researchgate.net)

 

Degrees:

Ph.D. University of Maryland (communication ethics, business management) 2000

Early Bird – until May 10th

ECREA/SOPCOM Members 100 euros (two lunches, coffee breaks and welcome drink)

Academics 130 euros (two lunches, coffee breaks and welcome drink)

Professionals 150 euros (two lunches, coffee breaks and welcome drink)

PhD Students with presentation 45 euros (coffee breaks and welcome drink)

Participation-only PhD students 25 euros (coffee breaks and welcome drink)

Gala dinner – 40 euros

After May 10th until June 14th

ECREA/SOPCOM Members 130 euros (two lunches, coffee breaks and welcome drink)

Academics 160 euros (two lunches, coffee breaks and welcome drink)

Professionals 180 euros (two lunches, coffee breaks and welcome drink)

PhD Students with presentation 75 euros (coffee breaks and welcome drink)

Participation-only PhD students 35 euros (coffee breaks and welcome drink)

Para inscrições contacte: ecreaosc@gmail.com

17:00 | Opening session (Sala dos Atos) with a port of honor

18h00 – 19h30 | Session 1 – Auditório 1

Informal get together/Diner

9:00 am – 10:30 am | Session 2

coffee break

11:00 am – 12:30 pm | Session 3

lunch

2 pm – 3 pm | keynote speaker

3:00 pm – 4:30 pm | Session 4

coffee break

17h00 – 18h00 | short presentations

20h30 – 21h00 | GalaDinner

10:00 am – 11:30 am | Session 5

coffee break

12h00 – 13h00 | Professionals’ Hour

Lunch

2:30 pm – 4:00 pm | Session 6

coffee break

4:30 pm – 6:00 pm | Session 7 and Closing Ceremony

Informal meeting and dinner tbd

Social Program (to be confirmed) – Saturday morning

Venue, accommodation and travels:

The conference will take place at Palácio dos Condes de Redondo – Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, in the centre of Lisboa.

Conference Hotel at special rate Dom Carlos Liberty 3*, please insert the promo code while booking:

Hotel Dom Carlos Park e Liberty *** https://www.domcarloshoteis.com/dom-carlos-liberty/

Double room with breakfast 92€ + 4€ taxes
Single with breakfast 77€ + 2€ taxes
 
If you wish to book this room, please send an email to eventos@grupoceu.pt with the details for doing the reservation.
 
HOTEL TURIM
 
10% Discount on the official website (https://www.turim-hotels.com/), please insert the code: turimclub
 

Other good accommodations nearby without special rate:

Inspira Liberdade Boutique Hotel 4* https://inspirahotels.com

EPIC Sana 5*
https://www.sanahotels.com/pt/hotel/epic-sana-lisboa/

Budget Options:

Easy Hotel https://www.easyhotel.com/de/hotels/portugal/lisbon/lisbon

Lisbon Top Hostel (Dormitory): https://www.booking.com/Share-2G2QMx

Scientific Committee

Chairs and local organizers

Dr. Evandro Oliveira (LabCom and Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa)
Dr. Gisela Gonçalves (LabCom and Universidade da Beira Interior)

Members

Dr. Alessandro Lovari (ECRES OSC Management Team and Università di Cagliari, Italy)
Dr. Ana Melo (CECS and Universidade do Minho, Portugal)
Dr. Andrea Oliveira (Universidad de Málaga, Spain)
Dr. Bruno Reis (LabCom and Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Portugal)
Dr. Ileana Zeler (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain)
Dr. Isabel Ruiz-Mora  (Universidad de Málaga, Spain)
Dr. Reginaldo de Almeida (Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Portugal)
Dr. Ramón Rodriguez-Amat (Sheffield Hallam University, UK)
Dr. Sónia de Sá (LabCom and Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Portugal)
Dr. Sónia Pedro Sebastião (CAAP, ICSP, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal)
Dr. Teresa Ruão (CECS and Universidade do Minho, Portugal)

UAL Media Coordinator

Carlos Pedro Dias (Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa)

ECREA OSC Management Team

Chair: Evandro Oliveira (LabCom and Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Portugal)
Vice-chair: Ileana Zeler (Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain) and Alessandro Lovari (University of Cagliari, Italy)

YECREA: Michael Johann (Augsburg University, Germany)

Contact

Please contact us via ecreaosc@gmail.com for any questions.