Tug of War or Pulling Together? Comparing Reciprocal Task Role Expectations of Professional Communicators and Scientists in Organizational Science Communication

In organizations that must adapt to rapidly changing environments, employee-driven communication is becoming more central for external communication strategies. This shift is reshaping task distributions and expectations between employees and designated communication professionals (CPs). Higher Education and Research Institutions (HERIs) represent a particularly relevant case, where strategic science communication is increasingly integral to organizational public relations. Here, employed scientists are more and more expected to participate in this planned external science communication – a task which is often done in close collaboration with full-time CPs. However, research shows that unclear task responsibilities can hinder effective collaboration. This study, based on a comprehensive survey of scientists (N = 1,477) and CPs (N = 262) at German HERIs, uses the analytical frame of task roles to examine task expectations across six dimensions of collaborative science communication processes. Findings indicate a relatively broad consensus on task division – CPs primarily handle planning, implementation and evaluation, while scientists focus on scientific content contribution and public engagement. However, strategic decision-making remains a contested area, with both groups asserting authority. These ambiguities underscore the need for clearer task definitions to enhance coordination in collaborative science communication.