The present economic and financial crisis is associated with a decrease in trust in organizations and institutions. As research has shown, trusted organizations bring benefits to different areas of society: they maintain and enhance public participation, empower citizens, increase engagement and attract business.
This ICA/ACOP/AE-IC/UMA Regional Conference provides a forum to discuss critical issues that are at the forefront of the debate about how to interpret and restore trust between citizens and organizations, global communities and citizens. Related issues, such as the relation between communication and reputation, civic engagement, participation, transparency or accountability will also be discussed.
Plenary invited speakers and papers presenters will deal with several challenges that communication and trust put to the fore.
One of the challenges is the definition of trust itself. ‘Trust’ has to do with how organizations and institutions are seen as efficient, representative, fair and benevolent. But despite substantial research, a generally accepted working definition of trust seems to be lacking. What do we understand by trust and related concepts (such as ‘scepticism’, ‘social trust’, ‘social capital’, ‘civic engagement’ etc.)?
A second challenge for research is exploring the role the media (including new media) play in (de)constructing (dis)trust. In the context of what Silverstone has termed the ‘mediapolis’ (see 2007: 25), functions of organizations are subject to new management and marketing strategies. Also the intrinsic dynamics between the media and organizations in the construction of scandals will be discussed.
A third challenge for research is exploring what might be the best communication strategies to develop trust. How should organizations think and plan their communication to establish long-term relationships with their stakeholders? How should public policies be communicated? How does transparency and accountability of public institutions operate on citizens’ trust? Who is a reliable leader in the context of an economic crisis? What is the impact of new media technologies on researchers’ approaches in this area?
Fourth, how to measure the effects of communication on citizens’ (dis)trust in organizations is another challenge for research. What are the effects of organizations’ communication on how stakeholders engage with others? What are the effects of political online discussion on the stability of voting decisions? What are the democratic outcomes of online political discussion? How to measure reputation of leaders and organizations?
Fifth and finally, what is the impact of digital technology on levels of (dis)trust? How do they affect communicative practices and issues such as privacy and transparency? What risks and opportunities do they pose for increased citizen participation or state surveillance?
We invite researchers to submit empirical as well as theoretical papers that contribute to advancing research in the field of communication and trust looking at 8 areas related to:
1. Trust in public organizations and institutions
2. Trust in the business and financial sector
3. Trust in the non-for-profit sector
4. Definition of trust itself
5. Trust in the media
6. Trust and communication policy and law
7. Trust and global and intercultural communication
8. Trust and political communication
We are particularly interested in papers that address the following aspects of trust and communication:
– Causes of trust and distrust and the role of communication
– The role of expectations and the management of expectations in relationship to trust
– Communication strategies in times of crisis
– Crisis and new emerging communication values and policy frameworks
– The impact of crisis on trust in global communication
– Philosophical perspectives on the relationship between communication and trust
http://www.ica2013malaga.org/eng/home.asp