Ralph Tench is Professor of Communication at the Faculty of Business and Law, Leeds Beckett University, UK. He is President of the European Public Relations Research and Education Association, Brussels (2018-19).

Dejan Vercic is Professor and Head of Centre for Marketing and Public Relations at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Ansgar Zerfass is Professor and Chair in Strategic Communication at the University of Leipzig, Germany, and Professor in Communication and Leadership at BI Norwegian Business School, Oslo. He is Editor of the International Journal of Strategic Communication, USA.

Ángeles Moreno is Titular Professor at the University Rey Juan Carlos, Spain, and Board Director for the European Public Relations Research and Education Association, Brussels.

Piet Verhoeven is Associate Professor of Corporate Communication at theAmsterdam School of Communication Research (ASCoR), University of Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Identifies characteristics of a high performing communications department

Employs a new method to identify 'excellent' communications functions

Analysis based on 21000 surveys with senior communications professionals and multiple case studies

Presents research partnered with the European Association of Communication Directors

Introduction.- Part I: Connected Organisations.- Commandment 1: Globalised.- Commandment 2: Mediatised.- Commandment 3: Reflective.- Part II: Influential Departments.- Commandment 4: Embedded.- Commandment 5: Datafied.- Commandment 6: Strategised.- Part III: Ambitious Professionals.- Commandment 7: Sagacious.- Commandment 8: Linked.- Commandment 9: Solid.- The Future Of Excellent Communication: From A Soft To A Hard Discipline.- About the European Communication Monitor And Its Methodology.- References.