
Charlotte Simonsson
Leadership, internal communication & communication professionals

Senior lecturer with a research interest in the role of communication professionals and internal communication processes related to aspects such as leadership and coworkership, changes and crises. Has a background as head of department and has worked outside the university as a senior communication consultant.
Background
I have served as the head of the department for six years (2012-2017) and have also worked as a senior communication consultant for several years. My main focus as a consultant was training and development of leaders, but also evaluation and measurement of communication.
In 2002 I earned my Ph.D. at the Department of Sociology, Media and Communication Studies at Lund University. The focus of my dissertation was leaders’ communication roles and communication between managers and coworkers. The research questions concerned ideas, practices and organizational conditions in relation to leadership communication. Communication has always had a key role in leadership, but the shift towards loosely structured networks, visions and values, self-managed teams etc. means that leaders’ communication role has changed dramatically. The challenge for leaders is no longer to control employees’ physical actions, but to manage their imaginations and interpretations. In this view, leaders’ primary role is to act as managers of meaning, which calls for new and more difficult ways of communicating.
Area of Research
My research interests are primarily related to various aspects of internal communication processes such as leadership, coworkership and changes, but also what happens inside an organization in a crisis situation. Another research interest concerns roles and practices of communication professionals. At present I am engaged in the research project The communicative organization with the purpose to clarify how communication contributes to value creation and organizational goal accomplishment.
Selection of recent projects:
- Communicative organizations | 2014–2018
The aim of this project is to clarify how communication contributes to value creation and organizational goal accomplishment. The project is based on a survey and interviews in eleven different organizations. The project is funded by The Swedish Communication Association and the City of Helsingborg and the ten organizations which are part of the study. See more about the project. - Internal crisis communication | 2011–2013
The aim of the project was to contribute with new knowledge, strategies and methods for internal crisis communication. The project was based on a case study within Skane university hospital and was funded by The Swedish Agency for Contingency Management. - Communication in change processes | 2006 –2008
This project focused on communication in change processes, including communication between managers and employees, roles of communication professionals and organizational learning. The project, funded by The Knowledge Foundation (2006–2007), was based on the study of change process within three companies: Astra Zeneca, Eon and SCA.
Teaching
At present I am teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate courses, usually in courses covering organizational communication, change communication and crisis communication. I also act as a supervisor of master’s and bachelor’s thesis. In 2013 I was awarded the title Qualified Teaching Practitioner (QTP) from the Faculty of Social Sciences’ Teaching Academy, Lund university.
Publikationer
Visar av publikationer. Sorterade efter år och sen titel.
Rally-around-the-organizational-flag? Internal communication in a professional organization during the Covid-19 pandemic crisis
Jesper Falkheimer, Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson, Rickard Andersson
(2022) Corporate Communications, 27
Artikel i tidskriftDigitalisering, kommunikation och förtroende
Rickard Andersson, Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2022)
RapportExploring the vertical communication chain in the light of post-bureaucracy
Charlotte Simonsson
(2022) The Research Handbook of Strategic Communication
Del av eller Kapitel i bokWhat Was That All About? On Internal Crisis Communication and Communicative Coworkership during a Pandemic
Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2021) Journal of Communication Management, 25 p.256-275
Artikel i tidskriftDeveloping a Communicative Logic –The Key to Communication Professionalism
Charlotte Simonsson, Mats Heide
(2021) International Journal of Strategic Communication, 15 p.253-273
Artikel i tidskriftInternal Communication as a Means of Bridging Gaps Between Administrative Elites and Professional Communities During the Pandemic Crisis
Rickard Andersson, Jesper Falkheimer, Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2021)
Konferens - annatVoicing the Police on Social Media : Negotiating Organizational and Professional Identity through Presentification
Rickard Andersson, Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2021)
Konferensbidrag: abstractKonsten att bygga en institution
Jesper Falkheimer, Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson, Åsa Thelander
(2020) 1666. 1999. 2000. 2020. Campus Helsingborg 20 år. , p.229-240
Del av eller Kapitel i bokUnderstanding change from a sensemaking and coworker perspective
Charlotte Simonsson, Mats Heide
(2020) Handbook of Public Sector Communication
Del av eller Kapitel i bokInternal crisis communication: On current and future research
Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2020) Crisis communication : Handbooks of communication science, 23
Del av eller Kapitel i bokExpanding the Scope of Strategic Communication : Towards a Holistic Understanding of Organizational Complexity
Mats Heide, Sara von Platen, Charlotte Simonsson, Jesper Falkheimer
(2019) Future Directions of Strategic Communication , p.124-124
Del av eller Kapitel i bokDen kommunikativa organisationen – slutrapport
Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson, Howard Nothhaft, Rickard Andersson, Sara von Platen
(2019)
RapportInternal crisis communication: On crisis awareness, leadership and internal communication
Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2019)
BokThe communicative organization – final report
Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson, Howard Nothhaft, Rickard Andersson, Sara von Platen
(2019)
RapportExpanding the Scope of Strategic Communication : Towards a Holistic Understanding of Organizational Complexity
Mats Heide, Sara von Platen, Charlotte Simonsson, Jesper Falkheimer
(2018) International Journal of Strategic Communication, 12 p.452-468
Artikel i tidskriftCoworkership and engaged communicators: A critical reflection on employee engagement
Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2018) Handbook of communication engagement
Del av eller Kapitel i bokHow focusing positively on errors can help organizations become more communicative: An alternative approach to crisis communication
Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2018) Journal of Communication Management, 22 p.179-196
Artikel i tidskriftRöster om den kommunikativa organisationen
Mats Heide, Rickard Andersson, Howard Nothhaft, Sara von Platen, Charlotte Simonsson
(2018)
RapportLeader-follower perspectives
Charlotte Simonsson
(2018) The international encyclopedia of strategic communication
Del av eller Kapitel i bokIs Strategic Communication too important to be left to Communication Professionals?: Managers’ and coworkers’ attitudes towards strategic communication and communication professionals
Jesper Falkheimer, Mats Heide, Howard Nothhaft, Sara von Platen, Charlotte Simonsson, et al.
(2017) Public Relations Review, 43 p.91-101
Artikel i tidskriftDoing the Right Things or Doing Things Right? : Paradoxes and Swedish Communication Professionals’ Roles and Challenges
Jesper Falkheimer, Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson, Ansgar Zerfass, Piet Verhoeven
(2016) Corporate Communications, 21 p.142-159
Artikel i tidskriftKrisen inifrån: Om organisationers krismedvetenhet, ledarskap och kommunikation
Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2016)
BokPublic sector and communication in times of changes and crises
Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2016) Handbook of public sector communication
Del av eller Kapitel i bokIs Strategic Communication too important to be left to Communication Professionals? Managers’ and Coworkers’ Attitudes towards Strategic Communication and Communication Professionals
Jesper Falkheimer, Mats Heide, Howard Nothhaft, Sara von Platen, Charlotte Simonsson, et al.
(2016)
KonferensbidragStruggling with internal crisis communication: A balancing act between paradoxical tensions
Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2015) Public Relations Inquiry, 4 p.223-255
Artikel i tidskriftAkademiskt ledarskap i brytningstid
Charlotte Simonsson
(2015) Samhällsvetenskapliga fakulteten - en vital 50-åring : en jubileumsskrift , p.499-510
Del av eller Kapitel i bokFramväxten av strategisk kommunikation – att bygga en institution
Jesper Falkheimer, Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson, Åsa Thelander
(2015) Samhällsvetenskapliga fakulteten i Lund – en vital 50-åring , p.270-280
Del av eller Kapitel i bokDoing the Right Things or Doing Things Right? Paradoxes and Swedish Communication Professionals’ roles and mission
Jesper Falkheimer, Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson, Ansgar Zerfass, Piet Verhoeven
(2015)
Konferensbidrag: abstractDeveloping internal crisis communication: New practices for communication professionals
Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2014) Corporate Communications, 19 p.128-146
Artikel i tidskriftKvalitet och kunskap i fallstudier
Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2014) Kvalitativa metoder i strategisk kommunikation , p.211-228
Del av eller Kapitel i bokInternkommunikation - inte bara en fråga om effektiv informationsspridning
Charlotte Simonsson
(2013) Chefstidningen
TidningsartikelCross-fertilizing change and crisis research: Towards a better understanding of internal crisis communication
Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2013)
Konferensbidrag: abstractCross-fertilizing change and crisis research: Towards a better understanding of internal crisis communication
Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2013)
KonferensbidragErrors in organizations: Opportunities for crisis management
Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2013)
KonferensbidragStudying internal communication in a complex world: Towards an emergent co-worker perspective
Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2012) Public Relations Review
Artikel i tidskriftVisklekande chefers kommunikativa självsvält
Charlotte Simonsson
(2012) Retorikmagasinet, 11 p.19-24
Artikel i tidskriftOn studying internal crisis communication: Some initial results
Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2012)
Konferensbidrag: abstractCrisis management as a balancing act: paradoxes of crisis management in complex organizations
Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2012)
KonferensbidragDeveloping Internal Crisis Communication: New Practices for Communication Professionals
Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2012)
Konferensbidrag: abstractCrisis management as a balancing act: paradoxes of crisis management in complex organizations
Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2012)
Konferensbidrag: abstractDeveloping Internal Crisis Communication: New Practices for Communication Professionals
Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2012)
KonferensbidragPutting co-workers in the limelight: New challenges for communication professionals
Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2011) International Journal of Strategic Communication, 5 p.201-220
Artikel i tidskriftVem leder vem? Om kommunikationen mellan ledare och medarbetare
Charlotte Simonsson
(2011) Strategisk kommunikation : forskning och praktik , p.235-253
Del av eller Kapitel i bokWhen change and crisis communication go hand-in-hand: Towards a local processual co-worker perspective in internal communication
Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2011)
KonferensbidragThe Forgotten Perspective - Reviewing internal crisis communication and proposing future research
Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2011)
KonferensbidragPutting co-workers in the limelight: Towards an understanding of co-workers from a communicative perspective
Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2009)
KonferensbidragEn modell för lyckad förändringskommunikation
Charlotte Simonsson
(2008) Kommunikation i förändringsprocesser , p.181-202
Del av eller Kapitel i bokKommunikation & organisation
(2005)
BokDen kommunikativa utmaningen : En studie av kommunikationen mellan chef och medarbetare i en modern organisation
Charlotte Simonsson
(2002) Lund Studies in Media and Communcation
DoktorsavhandlingInformatörer som kommunikationsexperter?
Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2002) PR på svenska. Teori, strategi och kritisk analys , p.181-204
Del av eller Kapitel i bokOrganisationskommunikation: Ett forskningsfält på framväxt
Sara von Platen, Mats Heide, Charlotte Simonsson
(2001) Nordicom Information, 23 p.77-86
Artikel i tidskriftHur hittar man en bra väg? Att utforma ett kvalitativt forskningsprojekt
Charlotte Simonsson
(2000) Vilken metod är bäst - ingen eller alla? , p.33-53
Del av eller Kapitel i bokMöten på fältet. Kvalitativ metod i teori och praktik
Charlotte Simonsson, Malin Hjorth, Helena Sandberg, Åsa Thelander
(1998)
Working paperMöten på fältet. Kvalitativ metod i teori och praktik
Charlotte Simonsson, Malin Hjorth, Helena Sandberg, Åsa Thelander
(1998) Working Paper
RapportResearch on Individual Media Use: Different Traditions and Perspectives
Charlotte Simonsson
(1995) Lund Research Papers in Media and Communication Studies
Rapport