Gestão da comunicação organizacional em tempos de transição: desafios e novas competências profissionais em prol do engajamento e da propagação de valores e significados

Abstract

The virtual tools have changed the relationship between organizations and their stakeholders – a thought defended by authors such as Argenti, Bueno, Nepomuceno, among others – and narrowed the gap between public and private. Consequently, they challenged companies to keep a positive reputation; therefore, the aim of the current study is to assess whether there were changes both in the professional profile and in the status of communication sectors within the organizations. An analysis involving companies affiliated to the Brazilian Association of Corporate Communication (Aberje - Associação Brasileira de Comunicação Empresarial) enabled us to check whether the communication management is influenced by changes in social and technological contexts, and thus becomes more strategic. In addition, we assessed whether the work in such sectors turned its attention to corporate communication development. Finally, we investigated whether managers’ skills and competencies have changed in order to face the new the organizational contexts and to draw the desired new profile for professionals in this field. In-depth semi-structured or semi-open qualitative interviews were conducted with the managers of communication sectors and the results enabled analyzing the effects of certain aspects described in the interview contents. Concepts such as organization, organizational communication, image and corporate identity were discussed in theoretical dimensions, as well as contemporary management and skills. The results allow stating, among other things, that the relationships mediated by digital communication tools lead to new challenges faced by organizational communication professionals; however, these challenges do not change the importance given to this sector within corporations.