Public Sector Communication and Organizational Legitimacy

Abstract

This chapter examines the significance of organizational legitimacy for public sector organizations and the role of communication in shaping legitimacy. The chapter discusses how legitimacy matters for public organizations and how legitimacy may be reduced and enhanced through communication. A crucial challenge is to balance the need for a favorable reputation without jeopardizing legitimacy, and vice-versa. This chapter engages with this dilemma. It first outlines the concept of organizational legitimacy and explains how public organizations depend on legitimacy. It then discusses how communication relates to organizational legitimacy in a public sector context and how strategic communication could interfere with legitimacy requirements. It closes with some remarks for further research.

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