Abstract
In this chapter, it is argued that corporate communication is not an arbitrary affair, but an activity with its own intrinsic normativity. Communication is part of a creation order, which means that one has to obey specific norms and rules in order to present oneself in a convincing way. First of all, organisations need to have a clear sense of self and have to be accountable for their actions. They must know “who” they are, and to which principles they adhere (directional dimension). Second, organisations must have a clear sense of the intrinsic good that is at stake in their professional field. They need to have a clear understanding of “what” they are doing (structural dimension). Third, organisations must have a clear understanding of what is required in their specific context. They must have a sense of “why” they exist in a particular time and place (contextual dimension). All three normative dimensions are important. If they lose sight of any one of these dimensions, organizations risk losing their credibility.
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Here I make use of a distinction made by Ricoeur (1992, 2–3; 115–125) between idem identity and ipse identity.
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van der Stoep, J. (2018). Normative Dimensions of Corporate Communication. In: Buijs, G., Mosher, A. (eds) The Future of Creation Order. New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion , vol 5. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92147-1_13
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