Trend Research in Communication Management: Introducing an Interdisciplinary Approach Based on Futures Research Methodology

Dynamic changes in organizations and their environments offer multiple opportunities for communication leaders if they are able to anticipate where their professional advice and services might be needed. Gaining such insights early on is by no means easy. Known trend studies tend to uncover what is already known in the field, while academic research is mainly concerned with deepening knowledge on current and past practices. This article shows how this gap can be closed by introducing a novel ap¬proach to identify trends in communication management. The proposed methodological approach combines a systematic analysis of developments in society, management, and technology with the assessments of researchers from different disciplines and communication leaders. The approach has been applied in four consecutive trend research projects to date. It contributes to the body of knowledge in communication management and corporate communications and allows scholars and practitioners to take a fresh look at potential concepts and topics for knowledge transfer and continuous education.