Trickle Down and Out Effects of Leadership Communication

Although CEOs are primarily responsible for their organization’s financial and reputational success, they also possess considerable sociopolitical influence, particularly as public trust in traditional institutions to address sociopolitical issues diminishes. However, little research examines how the knowledge of CEO communication in the context of sociopolitical activism is constructed and diffused. This chapter aims to unpack the knowledge-construction process in CEO activism research within the fields of communication and public relations. The author collected and systematically reviewed peer-reviewed articles published in communication journals over the past ten years. The analysis demonstrates the growth of CEO activism communication scholarship, highlighting the increasing and expanding diversity of applied theories and concepts. In addition, the chapter synthesizes the ontological paradigms, theoretical frameworks, and conceptual contributions that have emerged from these foundational studies. The chapter also identifies challenges and voids in the existing literature and offers directions for future research.