Josef Pallas

Josef Pallas, Phd, is professor at the Department of Business Studies, Uppsala University.

Organizations and organizing in the Medialized Society
The starting point for a major part my research is the societal process that is commonly referred to as mediatization and the consequences this process has for the way contemporary organizations operate and are governed. Broadly defined, mediatization captures a process whereby society and actors within it to an increasing degree become intertwined with the media and their working logic. Mediatization addresses not only changes in the way media and organization within different societal sectors (business, welfare sector, research & education, religion) relate to each other. Mediatization also creates new conditions influencing how the different sectors and organizations within these organize and conduct their different activities both individually as well as collectively.

Parallel to - and partially derived from- my work on mediatization of public sector organizations, I have in recent years got involved in studies on control and governance of organizations within the welfare sector and within the field of higher education and research. In these studies, we seek to explore how new governance models (e.g. reforms, regulations, management ideas) enter Swedish welfare providers and universities, and how these models affect the way in which these types of organizations are organized, structured and managed. Here I am particular interested in the way public sectors organizations increasingly come to be transformed into real organizations, i.e. being constructed and communicated as complete organizations with unique identities, clear formal structures, and capable of rational decisions.

Yet another area of my research focuses on creating and proliferation of different forms of public appraisals (such as prizes, rankings and awards) as en expression of medially embedded structuration of the institutional contexts in which activities of contemporary organizations are placed, constructed, organized and performed.

A more recent focus of my work is on stimulating interest for management knowledge generated locally within and between public sector organizations to question and denaturalize the superiority of popular management wisdom and practices in private, public and third sector organizations.

Expert areas
Josef Pallas as been teaching several graduate and executive courses in Organization & Management, Leadership & Management and Strategic & Planned Communications. Josef is involved in research and projects combining insights from Organizational theory and Communication and Media Science. EXPERTISE KEYWORDS: Corporate Communications, Status, Media, Public Relations, Institutional Theory, News Production, Prizes & Awards.

Ongoing projects and work in progress

Ongoing research projects

2021-2024
Virtues and challenges of collegiality – lessons from law & architecture firms. Jan Wallander’s & Tom Hedelius’ foundation.

2018-2020
Institutionalism that matters - ecologies of ideas (Book project). Jan Wallander’s & Tom Hedelius’ foundation

2017 – 2020
Mediatization of, in and between organizations - prevalence, dynamics and consequences in private, public and civic sectors. Jan Wallander’s & Tom Hedelius’ foundation

2016 – 2019Higher Education and Research Administration (HERA). Jan Wallander’s & Tom Hedelius’ foundation

Completed projects

2016 – 2018
In defense of lost causes: re-invigorating Scandinavian institutionalism. Jan Wallander’s & Tom Hedelius’ foundation

2015 – 2019
Management structures and mediatization of governmental agencies – translations and consequences. Swedish Research Council.

2015 – 2018
How news are made – a multi actor perspective on news production. Jan Wallander’s & Tom Hedelius’ foundation

2013 – 2017
Organized freedom: University governance and the higher education and research reforms in Sweden. Swedish Research Council.

2011 – 2014
Strategic University on the knowledge market? - Governance towards freedom in the Swedish higher education and research – co-applicant. Jan Wallander’s & Tom Hedelius’ foundation.

2008 – 2012
Media, Managers and Communication Consultants. Jan Wallanders & Tom Hedelius foundation

Articles in progress

Pallas, J. Under the press(ure)? The mediatized what, how and why in organizing elderly care in Swedish municipalities. Submitted to Scandinavian Political Studies.

Pallas, J., Grünberg, J., Raviola, E. & Thorén, C. Organizing rituals in mediatized contexts – the role of prizes and awards in the context of the Swedish Book Fair. Submitted to Organization Studies.

Pallas, J., Fredriksson, M. & Eriksson-Zetterquist, U. (under review) Translating institutional ambiguity into identities of public sectors organizations – logics vs ideas in a context of media-communication.

Lövgren, D., Grünberg, J., Grafström, M., Pallas, J., Raviola, E., Thorén, C, & Windell, K. Molding Clay: Doing Collaborative Research in Organizational Ethnography. Submitted to Journal of Organizational Ethnography.

Thorén, C. Grünberg, J., Pallas, J. & Raviola, E. (under review) A Cold War on Twitter: What was Pure and Dangerous when the Alt-right Dropped in on the Swedish Book Fair?

Raviola, E., Grünberg, J., Pallas, J. & Thorén, C. When the alt right enters our living room: Contesting and shifting fields at a field-configuring event.

Eriksson-Zetterquist, U. Fredriksson, M. & Pallas, J. New management practices? How the global media landscape influences public sector organizations.

Grünberg, J., Pallas, J., Raviola, E. & Thorén, C. Constructing secular icons: awards as public communions in mediatized contexts.

Grünberg, J., Lövgren, D., Grafström, M., Pallas, J., Raviola, E., Thorén, C, & Windell, K. Towards eventography – collaborative research in compressed social settings.

List of publications

Peer-review journal articles

(A14) Ustad Figenschou, T., Fredriksson, M., Pallas, J. Houlberg Salomonsen, H. (2020) Mediatization and the peculiarities of the Nordic politico-administrative systems. Nordic Journal of Media Studies.

(A13) Fredriksson, M. & Pallas, J. (2017) Translated Inconsistency: Management Communication under the Reign of Institutional Ambiguity”. Management Communication Quarterly, 32(3): 473-478.

(A12) Pallas J., Fredriksson, M. & Wedlin, L. (2016) “Translating institutional logic – when the media logic meets professions”. Organization Studies.37(11): 1661-1684.

(A11) Fredriksson, M. & Pallas, J. (2016) Much ado about media: Public relations in public agencies in the wake of managerialism. Journal of Public Relations Research, 42(4): 600-606.

(A10) Pallas, J. Wedlin, L. & Grünberg J. (2016) Organizations, Prizes and Media. Journal ofOrganizational Change Management, 29(7): 1066-1082.

(A9) Fredriksson, M. & Pallas, J. (2016) Characteristics of public sectors and their consequences for strategic communication. International Journal of Strategic Communication.10(3): 149-152

(A8) Fredriksson, M. & Pallas, J. (2016) Diverging principles for strategic communication in government agencies. International Journal of Strategic Communication. 10(3): 153-164.

(A7) Pallas, J. & Svensson, E. (2016) ”Typical tools for assessment of communicative performance”. Corporate Reputation Review. 19(1): 47-58.

(A6) Fredriksson, M., Schillemans, T., Pallas, J. (2015) “Determinants of Organizational Mediatization - An Analysis of the Adaptation of Swedish Government Agencies to News media” Public Administration,93(4): 1049-1076.

(A5) Fredriksson, M. & Ohlsson, E-K., Pallas, J. (2014) “Creativity Caged in Translation: A Neo Institutional Perspective on Crisis Communication”. Revista Internacional de Relaciones Públicas/International Journal of Public Relations,4(8): 43-64.

(A4) Fredriksson, M., Pallas, J. & Wehmeier, S. (2013) Public Relations and Neo-institutional theory. Public Relations Inquiry, 2(2): 183-203.

(A3) Grünberg, J. & Pallas, J. (2013) Beyond the newsdesk - the embeddedness of business news. Media Culture & Society, 35(2): 216-233.

(A2)*Pallas, J. & Fredriksson, M. (2013) Corporate Media Work and Micro-Dynamics of Mediatization. European Journal of Communication, 28(4): 420-435.

(A1)* Pallas, J. & Fredriksson, M. (2011) Providing, promoting and co-opting: Corporate media work in a mediatized society. Journal of Communication Management,15 (2): 165-178.

* Based on my dissertation

Books and reports

(B8) Fredriksson, M., Lövgren, D. & Pallas, J. (2018) Bortom uppdraget: en analys av svenska myndigheters kommunikationsaktiviteter under Almedalsveckan. Arbetsrapport. JMG, Göteborgs universitet. Göteborg.

(B7) Wedlin, L & Pallas, J. (eds) (2016) Det styrda universitet. Perspektiv på styrning, autonomi och reform av svenska lärosäten. Stockholm:Makadam.

(B6) Pallas, J., S. Jonsson & L. Strannegård (eds) (2014) Organizations and the Media – Organizing in a Mediatized World. New York:Routledge.

(B5) Pallas, J & Fredriksson, M. (2014) Den medialiserade myndigheten - en analys av medialiseringens konsekvenser för nationella förvaltningsmyndigheter i Sverige. Division of Journalism. Science Research Report. Gothenburg:Gothenburg University.

(B4) Pallas, J & Fredriksson, M. (2013) Med synlighet som ledstjärna: en analys av vilka principer som styr kommunikationsarbetet i nationella förvaltningsmyndigheter. Division of Media and Communication Science Research Report 2013:1. Uppsala, Uppsala University.

(B3)* Pallas, J. & Strannegård, L. (eds) (2010) Företag och Medier. Malmö:Liber.

(B2) Pallas (2007) Talking Organizations: Corporate Media Work and Negotiation of Local Practice. Department of Business Studies. Uppsala:Uppsala University. Doctoral Thesis.

(B1) Grafström M., J. Grünberg, J. Pallas, K. Windell (2006) Ekonominyhetens Väg: Från kvartalsrapporter till Ekonominyheter. Stockholm:SNS-förlag.

Book chapters

(C36) Raviola, E., Grünberg, J., Pallas, J. & Thorén, C. (2019) Between market and culture: The case of the Gothenburg Book Fair. In: Ekström, K. (ed) The Museum and Art: Cultural Institutions and Market Orientation. Routledge. New York.

(C35)Ustad Figenschou, T., Fredriksson, M., Kolltveit, K. & Pallas, J. (2020) Public Bureaucracies. In: Skogerbø, E., Nørgaard Christensen, N., Nord, L. & Ihlen, O. (ed) Power, communication and politics in the Nordic countries. Nordicom, Gothenburg.

(C34) Ivarsson, R., Fredriksson, M. & Pallas, J. (2019 ) Ideas of public relations in the light of Scandinavian institutionalism. In: Valentini, C (ed) Handbook of Public Relations.De Gruyter Mouton, Berlin.

(C33) Pallas, J. & Wedlin, L. (2020). Det (o)synliga universitetet. In: Alvesson, M. & Sveningsson, S. (eds). Planering och styrning i högre utbildning.Studentlitteratur. Lund.

(C32) Fredriksson, M., & Pallas, J. (2018). Svenska myndigheter i Almedalen 2005 – 2017. I: Lid Falkman, L (ed)Almedalen - Makt, magi och möten.SIR Handelshögskolan. Stockholm.

(C31) Endlund, P., Pallas, J. & Wedlin, L. (2019). Prizes and the Organization of Status. In: Ahrne, G. & Brunsson, N. (eds) Organizations Unbound. Cambridge University Press.

(C30) Fredriksson, M. & Pallas, J. (2018) Public sector communication and mediatization. In: Luoma-aho, V. & Canel, M-J. (eds) Handbook of Public Sector Communication. Boston: Wiley-Blackwell.

(C29) Pallas, J. (2018) Mediatization. In: by Merskin, D. (ed). The SAGE International Encyclopedia of Mass Media and Society. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

(C28) Buhr, H., Arora-Jonsson, S. & Pallas, J. (2017) Scrutinizers: Media. In: Engwall, L. (ed) Corporate Governance in Action. New York: Routledge.

(C27) Engwall, L., Grünberg, J., Pallas, J. Sahlin, K. & Wedlin, L. et al. (2017) Conclusions. In: Engwall, L. (ed) Corporate Governance in Action. New York: Routledge.

(C26) Engwall, L., Grünberg, J., Pallas, J. Sahlin, K. & Wedlin, L. et al. (2017) Governance Relations. In: Engwall, L. (ed) Corporate Governance in Action. New York: Routledge.

(C25) Engwall, L., Grünberg, J., Pallas, J. Sahlin, K. & Wedlin, L. et al. (2017) A Field Approach to Corporate Governance. In: Engwall, L. (ed) Corporate Governance in Action. New York: Routledge.

(C24) Engwall, L., Grünberg, J., Pallas, J. Sahlin, K. & Wedlin, L. et al. (2017) Resituating Corporate Governance. In: Engwall, L. (ed) Corporate Governance in Action. New York: Routledge.

(C23) Fredriksson, M. & Pallas, J. (2018) Mediatization. In: Heath, R. L. & Johansen, W. (eds) International Encyclopedia of Strategic Communication. Boston: Wiley-Blackwell.

(C22) Fredriksson, M. & Pallas, J. (2018) Media Relations. In: Heath, R. L. & Johansen, W. (eds) International Encyclopedia of Strategic Communication. Boston: Wiley-Blackwell.

(C21) Pallas, J. (2018) New Public Management. In: Heath, R. L. & Johansen, W. (eds) International Encyclopedia of Strategic Communication. Boston: Wiley-Blackwell.

(C20) Pallas, J. & Kvarnström, E. (2018) On Meyer - Public Relations in a Context of World Society, Soft Actors and Rationalized De-coupling. In: Ihlen, Ø., van Ruler, B., Fredriksson, M. (eds.) (2009). Public relations and social theory: Key figures and concepts. New York: Routledge.

(C19) Pallas, J & Fredriksson, M. (2017) “The localities of mediatization. How organizations translate the ideas of media in everyday practices”. In: Hjarvard, S., Bolin, G., Hepp, A. & Driessens, O. (eds) Dynamics of mediatization: Understanding cultural and social change’ enclosed. Boston: Wiley-Blackwell.

(C18) Pallas, J. (2017) ”Styrning och frihet – en ohelig allians?” In: Wedlin, L. (red) Det styrda universitet. Perspektiv på styrning, autonomi och reform av svenska lärosäten. Stockholm: Makadam.

(C17) Pallas, J. (2017) ”Det trötta universitet”. In: Wedlin, L. (red) Det styrda universitet. Perspektiv på styrning, autonomi och reform av svenska lärosäten. Stockholm: Makadam.

(C16) Pallas, J. (2017) ”Divided we stand - Akademiska ledares idéer om vad vi har universitet till”. In: Wedlin, L. (red) Det styrda universitet. Perspektiv på styrning, autonomi och reform av svenska lärosäten. Stockholm: Makadam.

(C15) Pallas, J & Bartlett, J. (2016) ”Accreditations & Certifications”. in Craig E. Carroll (ed.) The SAGE Encyclopedia of Corporate Reputation. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

(C14) Pallas, J. (2016) ”Mediatization”. in Craig E. Carroll (ed.) The SAGE Encyclopedia of Corporate Reputation. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

(C13) Pallas, J., Fredriksson, M. & Wehmeier, S. (2015) ”Public Relations and Neo-institutional Theory”. in R. L. Heath and A. Gregory (red.) Strategic Communication - SAGE Benchmarks in Communication. London: Sage Publications.

(C12) Ihlen, Ø. & Pallas, J. (2014) “Mediatization of Corporations” in Lundby, K. (ed) Mediatization of Communication. Berlin: De Gruyter.

(C11) Pallas, J & Fredriksson, M. (2014) “Strategic Communication as Translation and Institutional Work” in Holtzhausen, D. & A. Zerfass (red.) The Routledge Handbook of Strategic Communication. London: Routledge.

(C10) Pallas, J., Jonsson, S. & Strannegård, L. (2014) “Media and Organizations – Images, Practices and Organizing” in Pallas, J., S. Jonsson & L. Strannegård (red.) Organizations and the Media: Organizing in a mediatized world. New York: Routledge.

(C9) Pallas, J & Fredriksson, M. (2014) “Media enactments: where to look for inspiration in mediatization studies” in Pallas, J., S. Jonsson & L. Strannegård (red.) Organizations and the Media: Organizing in a mediatized world. Routledge. New York: Routledge.

(C8) Pallas, J. & Wedlin, L. (2013) “Governance of science in Mediatized Society” in: Drori, G., M. Höllerer & P. Walgenbach (red.) Organizations and International Management: Global themes and local variations. New York: Routledge.

(C7) Bartlett J, Frostenson, M. & Pallas, J. (2013) “Reputation Rankings, Certifications and Accreditations” in Carroll, C. (ed.) Handbook of Communication and Corporate Reputation. New York: Wiley-Blackwell.

(C6) Pallas, J. & Fredriksson, M. (2011) “Ett neoinstitutionellt perspektiv på strategisk kommunikation” in: Falkheimer, J. & M. Heide (red) Strategisk kommunikation: Perspektiv, praktik och praxis. Lund: Studentlitteratur.

(C5) Pallas, J. & Strannegård L. (2010) “Ett Medialiserat Näringsliv” in Pallas J. & L. Strannegård (red.) Företag och Medier. Malmö: Liber.

(C4) Grünberg J. & Pallas, J. (2010) “Utanför nyhetsdesken: om nyhetsproduktion som interaktivt kretslopp” in Pallas J. & L. Strannegård (red.) Företag och Medier. Liber. Malmö

(C3) Pallas J. (2010) “Informatörer och Medierna” in Pallas J. & L. Strannegård (red.) Företag och Medier - Om näringslivets medialisering. Malmö: Liber.

(C2) Grünberg J. & Pallas, J. (2009) “Barbarians at the Gates? Organizations Protecting and Promoting Their (Non)Technical Cores through Institutional Boundary-Spanning” in Wedlin, L., Sahlin, K. & Grafström, M. (red.) Exploring the Worlds of Mercury and Minerva: Essays for Lars Engwall. ACTA UNIVERSITATIS UPSALIENSIS, Studia Oeconomiae Negotiorum 51., Uppsala: Uppsala Univeristy Press.

(C1) Pallas, J. & Grafström, M. (2007) “Negotiation of Business News” in Kjaer, P. & Slaatta, T. (red.) Mediating Business: The Expansion of Business Journalism in the Nordic Countries. Copenhagen: Copenhagen Business School Press.

* Based on my dissertation

Peer reviewed conference papers (since 2011)

(D29) Pallas, J. (2019) Under the press(ure)? The mediatized what, how and why in organizing elderly care in Swedish municipalities. The 25th Nordic Academy of Management Conference, 22 –24 August, Vaasa.

(D28) Pallas, J. & Wedlin, L (2019) Slutet på den osynliga vetenskapen? The 25th Nordic Academy of Management Conference, 22 –24 August, Vaasa.

(D27) Raviola, E., Grünberg, J., Pallas, J. & Thorén, C. (2019) Contesting and shifting fields at the Gothenburg Book Fair. 79th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, 9-13 August, Boston.

(D26) Wedlin, L. & Pallas, J. (2019) Visibility as a mission? How a media logic transforms universities. 35th EGOS-Colloquium,4-6 July, Edinburgh.

(D25) Raviola, E., Grünberg, J., Pallas, J. & Thorén, C. (2019) Contesting and shifting fields at the Gothenburg Book Fair. 35thEGOS-Colloquium,4-6 July, Edinburgh.

(D24) Raviola, E., Grünberg, J., Pallas, J. & Thorén, C. (2019) Which field is been configured here? On shifting fields during the Gothenburg Book Fair crisis. 15thNew Institutionalism Workshop, 15-16 March, Uppsala.

(D23) Zetterquist-Eriksson, U., Pallas, J. & Fredriksson, M. (2019) New governance practices? How the global media landscape influences public sector organizations. 15thNew Institutionalism Workshop, 15-16 March, Uppsala.

(D22) Zetterquist-Eriksson, U., Pallas, J. & Siebert, S. (2018). Collegiality Lost and Found: Exploring collegiality as an alternative mode of governance.78thAnnual Meeting of the Academy of Management August 10-14, Chicago.

(D21) Pallas, J. & Fredriksson, M. & Ericsson-Zetterquist, U. (2018) Translating ambiguity in public sector organizations, 34rdEGOS-Colloquium,5-7 July, Tallinn.

(D20) Figenschou, T. U., Fredriksson, M., Salomonsen, H. H. & Pallas, J. (2017) ”Mediatization in translation – The Nordic experience”. Global Challenges - Nordic Experiences. 20-21 March, Oslo.

(D19) Pallas, J. & Lövgren, D. (2016) ”Visibility and market communication in a context of higher education”. ECREA 2016 Conference. 9-12 November, Prague.

(D18) Pallas, J. & Fredriksson, M. (2016) ”Mediatization and dynamics of organizing in public, private and civic sector - in a quest of cross sectional and multilevel analysis”. ECREA 2016 Conference. 9-12 November, Prague.

(D17) Pallas, J. & Fredriksson, M (2016) ”Translating (media) autonomy into public sector organizations”. International Communication Association conference. 9-13 June, Fukuoka.

(D16) Fredriksson, M. & Pallas, J. (2016) “Public sector public relations: in the intersection of institutional conditions”. International Communication Association conference. 9-13 June, Fukuoka.

(D15) Fredriksson, M. & Pallas, J. (2015) ”Media at the center: Public relations in public administrations in the wake of managerialism.Mediatization of bureaucracy – 4thworkshop on the Comparative Analysis of Bureaucracy in Society. 3 – 4 December. University of Oslo, Oslo.

(D14) Pallas, J. (2015) ”Translating media(tization) into organizational contexts”. International Research Seminar - New Directions in Mediatization Research: Culture, Conflict and Organizations. 1-2 October, Copenhagen.

(D13) Fredriksson, M. & Pallas, J. (2015) ”Governmental communication in the wake of mediatization”. International Journal of Press/Politics Conference. 17 - 18 September, Oxford.

(D12) Pallas, J. & Fredriksson, M. (2015) ”Public Relations in the wake of managerialism - Why career managers of public administrations are more eager to control their own and their organization’s media activities compared to field professionals”. 22nd International Public Relations Symposium BLEDCOM 2015. 3-4 July, Bled.

(D11) Pallas, J. & Fredriksson, M. (2015) ”Mediability and Public Sector Organizations", 2015 Academy of Management Meeting. 7-11 August. Vancouver.

(D10) Pallas, J. (2014) ”The coherent multiversity”. ECREA's 5th European Communication Conference. 12 - 15 November. Lisbon.

(D9) Pallas, J. (2014) ”Responses to mediatization – a case of Swedish governmental agency”. 30thEGOS Colloquium, Reimagining, Rethinking, Reshaping: Organizational Scholarship in Unsettled Times. July 3–5, Rotterdam.

(D8) Fredriksson, M. & Pallas, J. (2014) ”Factors Contributing to the Mediatization of Public Administrations - An Analysis of how Swedish Governmental Agencies Relates to News Media”. ECREA TWG Mediatization Workshop, ‘Rethinking the Mediatization of Politics’. London School of Economics. 25 - 26 April, London.

(D7) Fredriksson, M., Pallas, J. & Ohlsson, E-K. (2013) “Creativity Caged in Translation: A Neo-Institutional Perspective on Crisis Communication”. EUPRERA 2013 - Strategic Public Relations. Public Values and Cultural Identity. 3-5 October, Barcelona.

(D6) Pallas, J. & Lövgren, D. (2013) “Blogging for Reputation: An analysis of how Swedish universities address different governing system via social media”. The 22nd Nordic Academy of Management Conference - Governance of Modern Universities. 21-23 August, Reykjavik.

(D5) Pallas, J. & Svensson, E. (2013) “Typical tools for assessment of communicative performance.” The 2013 IRSPM conference - Public Sector Responses to Global Crisis: New challenges for politics and public management? 10-12 April, Prague.

(D4) Pallas, J. & Fredriksson, M. (2012) “Justifications of communication in an inconsistent world. An analysis of corporate communication in Swedish governmental agencies”. European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA). 24-27 October, Istanbul.

(D3) Pallas, J. & Fredriksson, M. (2011) “Strategic Communication as an Institutionalized Myth”. 2011 International Communication Association. 23 – 26 May, Boston.

(D2) Pallas, J., Bartlett, J. & Kjaer, P. (2011) “Dynamics of Legitimacy and Reputation in Practice”. 27thEGOS Colloquium. 6-9 July, Gothenburg.

(D1) Pallas, J. & Fredriksson, M. (2011) ”Corporate Media Work and the Dynamics of Medialization”.Mediatized Worlds: Culture and Society in a Media Age. 14-15 April, Bremen.

Articles in popular press

(E8) Lövgren, D. & Pallas, J. (2019) ”Omotiverat att alltid hylla näringslivets ideal”. Svenska Dagbladet. 2019-01-06

(E7) Pallas, J. (2016) ”Crazy is the new black”, Organisation och Samhälle. Föreningen Företagsekonomi i Sverige. Gothenburg: GRI.

(E6) Pallas, J. & Fredriksson, M. (2014) ”Släpp fram intern kritik”, Uppsala Nya Tidning. 2014-12-11

(E5) Pallas, J. (2014) ”The course of media literacy – or when is time to fire the PR-consultant”. Mercury (6) Department of Business Studies. Uppsala: Uppsala University.

(E4) Pallas, J. (2013) “Deceptions of consistency - challenges for public sector communication.” Mercury (5) Department of Business Studies. Uppsala: Uppsala University.

(E3) Pallas, J. (2013) Media and Mercury (5) Department of Business Studies. Uppsala: Uppsala University.

(E2) Pallas. J. & Fredriksson, M. (2014) “Rop på samverkan kan leda till korruption”. Svenska Dagbladet. 2014-01-06

(E1) Pallas, J. & Fredriksson, M. (2013) “Myndigheter polerar fasaden”. Svenska Dagbladet. 2013-05-16

The starting point for a major part my research is the societal process that is commonly referred to as mediatization and the consequences this process has for the way contemporary organizations operate and are governed. Broadly defined, mediatization captures a process whereby society and actors within it to an increasing degree become intertwined with the media and their working logic. Mediatization addresses not only changes in the way media and organization within different societal sectors (business, welfare sector, research & education, religion) relate to each other. Mediatization also creates new conditions influencing how the different sectors and organizations within these organize and conduct their different activities both individually as well as collectively.

In collaboration with Swedish and international colleagues, I have in recent years begun to approach mediatization from a comparative and multi-level perspective to capture the complexity of dynamics in which mediatization comes in, influence and is acted upon in organizations of various types – mainly public sector organizations, universities and corporations. This work takes place along two analytical approaches: 1) mediatization as a result of an increased number of organizational activities and preferences that change the way organizations and their members understand themselves, define relevant objectives and priorities, allocate resources and structure their operations and 2) mediatization as an institutional process that fundamentally changes the conditions for relations within and between organizations in various fields or societal sectors.

In more general terms, I seek to understand and explain how mediatization as a social process that aside, along with, or in opposition to other social processes evokes a special form and type of organizational change with subsequent consequences on the individual, organizational and field level. It is possible to describe my research on mediatization as divided into three types of empirical studies: a) how different types of organizations - mainly those in the public sector - design and organize their activities in relation to the media; b) the creation and dissemination of (business) news and the importance of news coverage for how organizations are perceived and interpreted by various stakeholders; and c) the dynamics and consequences of processes that are parallel or directly connected to mediatization, and that include organizational strive for attributes such as prestige, legitimacy, reputation, visibility, attention, image and status.

Parallel to - and partially derived from- my work on mediatization of public sector organizations, I have in recent years got involved in studies on control and governance of organizations within the field of higher education and research. In these studies, we seek to explore how new governance models (e.g. reforms, regulations, management ideas) enter Swedish universities, and how these models affect the way in which universities are organized, structured and managed. Here I am particular interested in the way universities increasingly come to be transformed into real organizations, i.e. how universities are both constructed and communicated as complete organizations with unique identities, clear formal structures, and capable of rational decisions. Another issue that we study in this context is the expansion of university administration. In this context, my focus is on the processes of replacing decision-making based on academic values with routines and practices streaming from administrative needs and preferences.

Scientific progression and international contributions

Theoretically I get my inspiration and knowledge mainly from organizational research literature on public governance, as well as media and communication studies. The main theoretical points concern areas such as institutional change, governance, organization, and audit and evaluation. Here I combine insights from various research fields, thus contributing to a more coherent understanding of mediatization as an important social phenomenon.

By way of continuously contributing to conferences in two fields – i.e. organizational theory (e.g. EGOS and Academy of Management) and media and communication studies (e.g. ICA and ECREA) - and by participating in research projects involving scientists from various disciplines, I work consciously to integrate and develop a deeper and more informed understanding of the above presented empirical phenomena. The results of this integration work can be seen in several of the anthologies that I have edited or contributed to. I usually seek to work with prominent international researchers representing different disciplines where mediatization and various aspects of organizing are studied. The overall aim is to address studies of organizing and mediatization as a part of a multi-disciplinary and multi-level research agenda. Other examples of the international relevance and reach of my research includes publication of our results in recognized international journals such as Organization Studies, Journal of Organizational Change Management, Corporate Reputation Review, Media, Culture & Society, Journal of Public Relations Research, and in prestigious handbooks, encyclopedias and anthologies. I also regularly organize seminars and conference tracks together with international scholars – an activity that often paves the way for joint publications and collaborations. A few examples include here special issues in journals such as Public Relations Inquiry and International Journal of Strategic Communication where I serve as a guest editor. On regular basis I’m also involved in organizing of workshops, panels and tracks at conferences such European Group of Organizational Studies (EGOS) and the International Communication Association (ICA). I’m also a member of a group of international researchers that organize an upcoming forum in Management Communication Quarterly on the topic ‘Communicative Inconsistency as Organizational Practice’.

Articles in popular press

(E9) Pallas, J. (2021) Vi behöver mer tilltro till professionell yrkeskunskap. Dagens Arena. Arena Gruppen. 2021-5-28

(E8) Lövgren, D. & Pallas, J. (2019) ”Omotiverat att alltid hylla näringslivets ideal”. Svenska Dagbladet. 2019-01-06

(E7) Pallas, J. (2016) ”Crazy is the new black”, Organisation och Samhälle. Föreningen Företagsekonomi i Sverige. Gothenburg: GRI.

(E6) Pallas, J. & Fredriksson, M. (2014) ”Släpp fram intern kritik”, Uppsala Nya Tidning. 2014-12-11

(E5) Pallas, J. (2014) ”The course of media literacy – or when is time to fire the PR-consultant”. Mercury (6) Department of Business Studies. Uppsala: Uppsala University.

(E4) Pallas, J. (2013) “Deceptions of consistency - challenges for public sector communication.” Mercury (5) Department of Business Studies. Uppsala: Uppsala University.

(E3) Pallas, J. (2013) Media and Mercury (5) Department of Business Studies. Uppsala: Uppsala University.