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The three worlds of strategic communication. The dimensions of performance, legitimacy, and emotional appeal—and their potential for strategic communication research

Olaf Hoffjann

Published 2026 in Frontiers in Communication

ABSTRACT

In strategic communication research, it is widely recognized that attitudes and ultimately decisions are influenced by a variety of content-related factors. Specialist disciplines such as public relations, cause-related marketing and emotional branding have emerged in communication practice to deal with individual aspects. However, as specialists are only interested in their own area, this paper argues for an integrating perspective. The diverse factors are condensed into three dimensions based on Habermas' three-world concept: perceived and decision-related performance, legitimacy and emotional appeal. The conceptual-programmatic paper aims to demonstrate the connectivity and potential of this triad for the central research paradigms. For the interpretative paradigm, the specific relevance and the constructive character of the three dimensions are elaborated. The functional-instrumental paradigm shows that the overlaps between the various stakeholder relationships are greatest in the dimension of legitimacy. Finally, dystopian societal scenarios are developed for the critical paradigm.

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