This study aims to examine the trends of internal communication research through a quantitative content analysis of published articles in public relations and other communication journals. Research topics, theoretical frameworks, methodology, and authorship information were analyzed using 223 articles. Results indicate that internal communication research in public relations scholarships has exponentially increased since 2011. Research topics on internal communication have diversified since 2000, from descriptive studies illustrating internal communication practices to a variety of relevant phenomena on employee and organizational outcomes. Public relations theories, such as organization–public relationship and symmetrical communication, have been frequently applied in internal communication research. In terms of methodology and sample, quantitative and qualitative methods have been equally utilized, and employees from multiple organizations were frequently used as a type of sample in a large portion of research works. The most productive researchers and institutions of internal communication research in public relations were also identified. Implications for ongoing internal communication research in public relations disciplines are discussed. To address the limitations of the current study, future studies should incorporate an interdisciplinary and a global perspective.

Introduction

Internal communication is the art and science of “managing interdependence and building mutually beneficial relationships between the organization and its employees” (Men & Bowen, 2017, p. 12). The rapid growth of internal communication as a discipline and profession is highlighted in the words and actions of academics and practitioners. In particular, internal communication is one of the “fastest growing specialization in public relations and communication management” (Verčič, Verčič, & Sriramesh, 2012, p. 223). According to the Seventh Communication and Public Relations Generally Accepted Practices (GAP) study conducted by four leading public relations associations, senior-level practitioners reported that internal communication becomes one of core responsibilities of public relations Annenberg School of Communications, University of Southern California, 2012. The advancement of internal communication as an independent domain is also a global trend, as evidenced by an increasing number of think tanks and professional bodies emerging across the globe. In 2010, internal communication practitioners in the UK launched the new Institute of Internal Communication as a professional organization separated from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations. In 2012, the Institute for Public Relations in the U.S. launched its Organizational Communication Research Center dedicated to serving as “knowledge aggregator, model innovator and thought leader in the area of employee communication and engagement” (OCRC, 2019). IC Kollectif, a Canada-based non-profit organization, has played a key role in publishing research reports on internal communication while fulfilling its mission in connecting internal communication professionals, educators, and researchers across the globe (IC Kollectif, 2017).