Academic outputs February was a very successful month for the project in terms of academic outputs. We had submitted two papers to major 4* global academic journals and were given a revise and resubmission (R&R) for both of these. For non-academic colleagues, this means that we have been asked to make revisions to the articles […]
Research Update (March 2025) Read More »
July has been a productive month for the History of Internal Communication project, with significant steps in both practitioner engagement and academic contributions. As the project progresses, its efforts are increasingly becoming central to both the academic community and practical applications within the field of internal communication. Engaging Practitioners One of the month’s highlights was
Research Update (August 2024) Read More »
As the Institute of Internal Communication marks its 75th anniversary, this blog post takes a step back in time to discover how internal communication has got to where it is today. Taking us from the first known dedicated company magazine in 1878 through to the launch of AI software, this story aims to be the
“Oh! please listen to what I say — For comfort and ease And your husband to please, Wash all your clothes in The Sunlight Way.” Mrs Howard, Keston, Kent. Progress magazine, November 1900, p. 592. The ‘Sunlight Way’ The above verse is more than advice on laundry. It reflects a new discourse made possible by
The Sunlight Way and the Dawn of Brand Communities – Source of the Month (December 2023) Read More »
The role of celebrities in advertising and external marketing campaigns is familiar to us all. Celebrities are often the faces of brands, representing a certain lifestyle or aspiration that companies hope to convey to their target audiences. Less prominent is the pivotal role celebrities have played in organizations’ internal communication. In this month’s Source of
The Project’s First Anniversary With October marking the first anniversary of the History of Internal Communication project, this is the perfect moment to reflect on the progress we’ve made in unearthing the fascinating evolution of internal communication practices. Over the past year, we’ve traced a story that begins with early company magazines and moves into
Research Update (November 2023) Read More »
A Tenth Project Partner August has had some exciting developments for our project. A particular highlight of the month has been the addition of simplycommunicate to our growing family of project partners, now numbering ten. simplycommunicate specialises in internal communications in the digital age. Their website provides resources and they host the world’s largest global
Research Update (September 2023) Read More »
In our previous blog post, we explored how large firms in the early twentieth century employed the rhetoric of ‘family’ to foster unity and a sense of community among their employees. This time, we turn our attention to Lever Brothers, which later became Unilever following a merger in 1930. Lever Brothers used the language of
European Group for Organizational Studies The History of Internal Communication project team has had an eventful July, filled with exciting activities and productive collaborations. Two members of our team, Michael Rowlinson and Joe Chick, had the opportunity to attend the European Group for Organizational Studies conference held in Cagliari in Sardinia. As an island located
Research Update (August 2023) Read More »
Exploring the History of Unilever: A Visit to Port Sunlight In April, our project team had the opportunity to visit the Unilever archives in Port Sunlight. The setting of the archives is, in itself, of great historical interest. The town of Port Sunlight was built in 1888 by Lever Brothers for its workers. Today, it
Research Update (May 2023) Read More »