“Impact of Strategic Communication on Firms' Legitimacy and Reputation: The Moderating Role of Influencers and Celebrities.” رسالة دكتوراة

Abstract

Background: In fragile and politically unstable environments such as Palestine, organizations face significant challenges in establishing and maintaining legitimacy and a positive reputation among stakeholders. Frequent political disruptions, economic constraints, and institutional fragility create an environment where public trust is volatile and difficult to maintain. Strategic communication, encompassing deliberate message planning and public engagement, plays a critical role in navigating these challenges. This dissertation investigates how strategic communication efforts influence the perceived legitimacy and reputation of medium- and large-sized Palestinian companies. Methodology: A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was conducted using structured questionnaires administered in medium- and large-sized companies across Palestine, capturing data on organizational communication practices and stakeholder perceptions of legitimacy and reputation. The collected data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the proposed model linking communication strategies to organizational legitimacy and reputation, and to examine the moderating influence of influencers and celebrities. Result: The results reveal that key organizational communication strategies, namely narrative framing, audience targeting, message consistency, credibility and trust, and responsiveness, significantly and positively affect organizational legitimacy and corporate reputation. Furthermore, the analysis confirms that the involvement of influencers and celebrities has a statistically significant positive moderating effect, V meaning that effective communication yields greater gains in legitimacy and reputation when supported by influencer engagement. Practical Implications: These findings underscore the practical importance of deliberate strategic communication planning and influencer engagement for companies operating in fragile political and institutional settings. By leveraging compelling narratives, consistent and credible messaging, and timely responsiveness, organizations in contexts like Palestine can strengthen stakeholder trust and build enduring legitimacy and reputational capital even amid instability