New research publication: “Shielding or engaging: the use of online shareholder platforms in investor relations”

The renowned publication Corporate Communications: An International Journal has published a paper on the use of online shareholder platforms in investor relations by the Center for Research in Financial Communication. The purpose of this paper is to analyze antecedents of listed corporations’ propensity to adopt online shareholder platforms. It differentiates two strategic investor relations frames, shielding and engaging, and explores their effect on ICT adoption. Findings are based on a survey of 82 corporations listed on the Swiss, German and Austrian stock exchanges. The authors apply multiple linear regression analysis to test a multi-faceted adoption model. The authors find that resource constraints, familiarity with online media and efficiency considerations drive listed corporations’ willingness to adopt online shareholder platforms. Beyond these operational antecedents, strategic considerations significantly affect adoption: IR functions geared toward shareholder engagement are more likely to apply interactive platforms, while IR departments geared toward shielding the corporation from shareholder interventions will be less attracted to the participatory affordances of online media. Citation: Hoffmann, C. P., & Aeschlimann, L. (2017). Shielding or engaging: the use of online shareholder platforms in investor relations. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 22(1), 133-148.