Rita Linjuan Men, Ph.D., APR
Associate Professor - Department of Public Relations
Bio
Rita Men, Ph.D., APR, is an associate professor in the Department of Public Relations at the University of Florida. Men’s background is based primarily in corporate communication research and consulting. Her research interests include internal communication, leadership communication, measurement and evaluation, emerging technologies, and entrepreneurial communications. Men has published over 80 articles in leading refereed journals and as book chapters. She is the lead author/editor of three books, Excellence in Internal Communication Management(Business Expert Press, 2017), Strategic Communications for Startups and Entrepreneurs in China (Routledge, 2020), and Current Trends and Issues in Internal Communication: Theory and Practice (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021). She serves as an associate editor for Journal of Communication Management and sits on the editorial board of six journals including the Journal of Public Relations Research, Public Relations Review, Public Relations Journal, International Journal of Strategic Communication, Journal of Interactive Advertising, and Communication Research Report.
Men received 28 top paper and research awards and recognitions from national and international communication associations and conferences. She is the 2010 recipient of the Ketchum Excellence in Public Relations Research Award from the Institute for Public Relations, a three-time Arthur W. Page Legacy Scholar, a 2017-2022 Plank Scholar of the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations, and the 2016 recipient of the PRIDE Outstanding Journal Article Award for Outstanding Innovation, Development, and Educational Achievement in Public Relations from the National Communication Association. She also received twice the Faculty Research Award from the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida and was recently awarded the 2021 University of Florida Term Professorship. In addition, Men was identified as the most published scholar in internal communication (1970-2019) and in social media and public relations (2006-2020)(2010-2020) respectively, according to three systematic review articles published in Public Relations Review. Her work has been cited over 5,600 times with Google Scholar Citations h-index 36 and i10-index 49 as of February, 2022.
Accredited in public relations, Men has worked internationally with Alibaba Group, Inc., Ketchum, Inc., and provided management communication consulting for various multinational corporations and non-profit organizations. She is a member of the Arthur W. Page Society and an advisory board member of the International Public Relations Research Conference (IPRRC) and the International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC). She also served as Chief Research Editor for the Institute for Public Relations’ Organizational Communication Research Center (2016-2020) and on the operating committee of the Arthur W. Page Society’s Page Up (2020-2021). Men was invited to speak in multiple countries in Asia, Europe, and the Americas including recently serving as the instructor of the Employee Communication Master Class for the Executive Master in Corporate Communication program at the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University in the Netherlands.
Men earned her Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Miami, and holds an M.Phil in Communication from Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, and a B.A. in International Communication with an honors minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Chu Kochen College, Zhejiang University, China.
News
- CJC Public Relations Faculty and Staff Will Present and Receive Awards at IPRRC 2022 (March 2, 2022)
- Exploring Negative Comments About Brands on Social Media and Its Impact on Organization-Public Relationships (September 23, 2021)
- AI-Enabled Chatbots Can be Effective for Stakeholder Engagement (April 22, 2021)
- Rita Men Explores the Use of AI-Driven Chatbots for Public Relations (April 21, 2021)
- 3 Ways Employers Could Help Fight Vaccine Skepticism (March 22, 2021)
- All News About Rita Men
Publications
Refereed Journal Articles
Qin, Y., & Men, R. (). Exploring the Impact of Internal Communication on Employee Psychological Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Mediating Role of Employee Organizational Trust. International Journal of Business Communication.
Qin, Y., Men, R., Fitzsimmons, A., Heffron, E., & DiStaso, M. (Accepted). How purpose-driven organizations influenced corporate actions and employee trust during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Strategic Communication.
Qin, Y., & Men, R. (2022). Why does listening matter inside the organization? The impact of internal listening on employee-organization relationships. Journal of Public Relations Research, 33(5).
Ji, Y., Chen, Z., & Men, L. R. (2022). Effects of symmetrical communication on startup corporate character, customer-startup identification, and customer advocacy. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 16(2), 239-254. DOI: 10.1080/1553118X.2021.2014502
Godulla, A., & Men, L. R. (2022). Start-up and Entrepreneurial Communication. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 16(2), 127-133. DOI: 10.1080/1553118X.2022.2040165
Men, L. R., Neill, M., Yue, C. A., & Verghese , A. K. (Accepted). The Role of Channel Selection and Communication Transparency in Enhancing Employee Commitment to Change. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly.
Men, L. R. (2022). How should organizations engage and build relationships with mobile publics on social messengers. Journal of Brand Management. DOI: 10.1057/s41262-021-00270-6
Huang, Q., Lynn, B., Dong, C., Ni, S., & Men, L. R. (2022). Relationship cultivation via social media during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from China and the U.S. International Journal of Business Communication, 1-31. DOI: 10.1177/23294884211067805
Yue, C., Qin, Y., Vielledent, M., Men, L. R., & Zhou, A. (2021). Leadership going social: How U.S. nonprofit executives engage publics on Twitter. Telematics and Informatics, 65, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2021.101710 .
Men, R., Qin, Y., & Jin, J. (Accepted). Fostering employee trust via effective supervisory communication during the COVID-19 pandemic: Through the lens of motivating language theory. International Journal of Business Communication.
Men, L. R. (2021). The impact of startup CEO communication on employee relational and behavioral outcomes: Responsiveness, assertiveness, and authenticity. Public Relations Review, 47(4), 102078. DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2021.102078
Huang, Q., Lynn, B., Jin, J., & Men, L. R. (2021). Relationship cultivation and public engagement via social media during the covid-19 pandemic in China. Public Relations Review, 47(4), 102064. DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2021.102064
Chen, Z., Ji, Y., & Men, L. R. (2021). Effective social media communication for startups in China: Antecedents and outcomes of organization-public dialogic communication. New Media & Society, https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448211051984 . DOI: 10.1177/14614448211051984
Ruck, K., & Men, L. R. (2021). Internal communication during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Communication Management, 25(3), 185-195. DOI: 10.1108/JCOM-08-2021-163
Men, L. R., Qin, Y., & Mitson, R. (2021). Engaging Startup Employees via Charismatic Leadership Communication: The Importance of Communicating “Vision, Passion, and Care”. International Journal of Business Communication. DOI: 10.1177/23294884211020488
Men, L. R., Qin, Y. S., & Jin, J. (2021). Fostering employee trust via effective supervisory communication during the covid-19 pandemic: through the lens of motivating language theory. International Journal of Business Communication. DOI: 10.1177/23294884211020491
Men, L. R., Chen, Z., & Ji, Y. (2021). Cultivating Relationships with Startup Employees: The Role of Entrepreneurs’ Leadership Communication. Management Communication Quarterly. DOI: 10.1177/08933189211017918
Men, R., Qin, Y., & Mitson, R. (Accepted). Engaging Startup Employees via Charismatic Leadership Communication: The Importance of Communicating “Vision, Passion, and Care". International Journal of Business Communication..
Thelen, P., & Men, L. R. (2020). The Role of Internal Communication in Fostering Employee Advocacy: An Exploratory Study. International Journal of Strategic Communication. DOI: 10.1177/2329488420975832
Men, L. R., Neill, M., & Yue, C. A. (2020). Examining the Effects of Symmetrical Internal Communication and Employee Engagement on Organizational Change Outcomes. Public Relations Journal(https://prjournal.instituteforpr.org/wp-content/uploads/Men_Neill_Yue_PRJ_Oct-2020.pdf). Retrieved from https://prjournal.instituteforpr.org/wp-content/uploads/Men_Neill_Yue_PRJ_Oct-2020.pdf
Thelen, P., Robinson, K., Yue, C. A., & Men, L. R. (2020). Dialogic Communication and Thought Leadership: Twitter Use by Public Relations Agencies in the United States. Journal of Promotion Management, 27(1). DOI: 10.1080/10496491.2020.1809595
Men, L. R., O'Neil, J., & Ewing, M. (2020). From the Employee Perspective: Organizations’ Administration of Internal Social Media and the Relationship between Social Media Engagement and Relationship Cultivation. International Journal of Business Communication. DOI: 10.1177/2329488420949968
Men, L. R., Yue, C. A., & Liu, Y. (2020). "Vision, passion, and care:” The impact of charismatic executive leadership communication on employee trust and support for organizational change. Public Relations Review, 46(3). DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2020.101927
Yue, C., Men, R., & Ferguson, M. (2020). Examining the effects of internal communication and emotional culture on employees’ organizational identification. International Journal of Business Communication, https://doi.org/10.1177/2329488420914066.
Men, L. R., O'Neil, J., & Ewing, M. (2020). Examining the effects of internal social media usage on employee engagement. Public Relations Review, 46(2). DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2020.101880
Qin, Y., & Men, R. (2019). Exploring negative peer communication of companies on social media and its impact on organization-public relationships. Public Relations Review. DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2019.05.016
Neill, M. S., Men, R., & Yue, C. A. (2019). How communication climate and organizational identification impact change. Corporate Communications: An International Journal. DOI: 10.1108/CCIJ-06-2019-0063
Cen, Y. A., Men, L. R., & Ferguson, M. (2019). Bridging transformational leadership, transparent communication, and employee openness to change: The mediating role of trus. Public Relations Review, 45(3), 101779. DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2019.04.012
Kelleher, T., Men, R., & Thelen, P. (2019). CEO ghost posting and voice: Effects on perceived authentic leadership, organizational transparency, and employee-organization relationships. Public Relations Journal, 12(4), 1-23. Retrieved from https://prjournal.instituteforpr.org/wp-content/uploads/Ghost-Posting-Updated-090519.pdf
Men, R., Li, P., & Yue, C. A. (2019). An exploratory study of stewardship for Chinese nonprofit organizations. International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing.(https://doi.org/10.1002/nvsm.1655).
Yue, C. A., Thelen, P., Robinson, K., & Men, R. (2019). How do CEOs communicate on Twitter? A comparative study between Fortune 200 companies and top startup companies. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 24(3), 532-552.
Men, R., Sung, Y., & Yue, C. (2019). Relational antecedents of employee engagement: A test of the investment model predictions. Public Relations Journal. Retrieved from https://prjournal.instituteforpr.org/wp-content/uploads/Relational-Antecedents-of-Employee-Engagement-Manuscript-Final.pdf
Yu, C., Men, R., & Ferguson, M. (Accepted). Bridging Transformational Leadership, Transparent Communication and Employee Openness to Change. Public Relations Review.
Yang, A., & Men, R. (2019). Political information use on WeChat and political discussion in China: toward a networked political discussion model. Chinese Journal of Communication. DOI: 10.1080/17544750.2019.1618354
Men, L. R., & Yue, C. (2019). Creating a positive emotional culture: Effect of internal communication and impact on employee supportive behaviors. Public Relations Review. DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2019.03.001
Ewing, M., Men, L. R., & O’Neil, J. (2019). Using Social Media to Engage Employees: Insights from Internal Communication Managers. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 13(2), 110-132. DOI: 10.1080/1553118x.2019.1575830
Men, L. R., & Sung, Y. (2019). Shaping Corporate Character Through Symmetrical Communication: The Effects on Employee-Organization Relationships. International Journal of Business Communication. DOI: 10.1177/2329488418824989
Thelen, P., & Men, R. (2018). Strategic Use of Facebook for Public Engagement in Higher Education Institutions. Public Relations Journal, 12(2). Retrieved from https://prjournal.instituteforpr.org/wp-content/uploads/Thelen_Men_StrategicUseofFacebook.pdf
Men, L. R., & Robinson, K. L. (2018). It’s about how employees feel! examining the impact of emotional culture on employee–organization relationships. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 23(4), 470-491. DOI: 10.1108/ccij-05-2018-0065
Tsai, W. S., & Men, R. (2018). Social messengers as the new frontier of organization-public engagement: A WeChat study. Public Relations Review, 44(3), 419-429. DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2018.04.004
Men, R., Yang, A., Song, B., & Kiousis, S. (2018). Government-public relationship cultivation in the digital era: The impact of public engagement and political leadership communication on social media. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 12, 252-268.
Men, L. R., Tsai, . S., Chen, Z. F., & Ji, Y. G. (2018). Social presence and digital dialogic communication: engagement lessons from top social CEOs. Journal of Public Relations Research, 30(3), 83-99.
Men, R., Chen, Z., & Ji, G. (2018). Walking the talk: An exploratory examination of executive leadership communication at start-up companies in China. Journal of Public Relations Research, 30(1-2), 35-56.
Tsai, W. S., & Men, R. (2017). Consumer engagement with brands on social network sites: A cross-cultural comparison of China and the USA. Journal of Marketing Communications, 23(1), 2-21.
Jiang, H., & Men, R. (2017). Creating an engaged workforce: The impact of authentic leadership, transparent organizational communication, and work-life enrichment. Communication research, 44(2), 225-243.
Men, R., Ji, Y., & Chen, Z. (2017). Dialogues with entrepreneurs in China: How startup companies cultivate relationships with strategic publics. Journal of Public Relations Research, 29(2-3), 90-113.
Tsai, W. S., & Men, R. (2017). Social CEOs: The effects of CEOs’ communication styles and parasocial interaction on social networking sites. New media & society, 19(11), 1848-1867.
Chen, F., Ji, G., & Men, R. (2017). Strategic use of social media for stakeholder engagement in startup companies in China: A triangulated analysis. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 11(3), 244-267.
Men, R., & Tsai, S. (2016). Public engagement with CEOs on social media: Motivations and relational outcomes. Public Relations Review, 42(5), 932-942.
Men, R., & Jiang, H. (2016). Toward an integrated model of internal relationship management: Understanding the interplay between authentic leadership, organizational culture, and symmetrical communication. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 10(5), 462-479.
Men, R., & Muralidharan, S. (2016). Understanding Social Media Peer Communication and Organization–Public Relationships Evidence From China and the United States. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly. DOI: 10.1177/1077699016674187
Tsai, S., & Men, R. (2016). Social CEOs: The effects of CEOs’ communication styles and para social interaction on social networking sites. New Media & Society. DOI: 10.1177/1461444816643922
Men, R. (2015). Employee engagement in relation to employee--organization relationships and internal reputation: Effects of leadership communication. Public Relations Journal, 7(2).
Men, R., & Hung-Baesecke, C. F. (2015). Engaging employees in China: The impact of communication channels, organizational transparency, and authenticity. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 20(4), 448-467.
Muralidharan, S., & Men, R. (2015). How peer communication and engagement motivations influence social media shopping behavior: Evidence from China and the United States. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 18(10), 595-601.
Men, R., & Tsai, W. S. (2015). Infusing social media with humanity: Corporate character, public engagement, and relational outcomes. Public Relations Review, 41(3), 395-403.
Men, R. (2015). The internal communication role of the chief executive officer: Communication channels, style, and effectiveness. Public Relations Review, 41(4), 461-471.
Men, R. (2015). The Role of Ethical Leadership in Internal Communication: Influences on Communication Symmetry, Leader Credibility, and Employee Engagement. Public Relations Journal, 7(1).
Smith, B. G., Men, R., & Al-Sinanc, R. (2015). Tweeting Taksim communication power and social media advocacy in the Taksim square protests. Computers in Human Behavior, 50, 499-507.
Men, R. (2014). Internal reputation management: The impact of authentic leadership and transparent communication. Corporate Reputation Review, 17(4), 254-272.
Men, R., & Tsai, W. S. (2014). Perceptual, attitudinal, and behavioral outcomes of organization--public engagement on corporate social networking sites. Journal of Public Relations Research, 26(5), 417-435.
Men, R. (2014). Strategic internal communication: Transformational leadership, communication channels, and employee satisfaction. Management Communication Quarterly, 28(2), 264-284.
Men, R., & Stacks, D. (2014). The effects of authentic leadership on strategic internal communication and employee-organization relationships. Journal of Public Relations Research, 26(4), 301-324.
Men, R. (2014). Why leadership matters to internal communication: Linking transformational leadership, symmetrical communication, and employee outcomes. Journal of Public Relations Research, 26(3), 256-279.
Men, R., & Tsai, W. S. (2013). Beyond liking or following: Understanding public engagement on social networking sites in China. Public Relations Review, 39(1), 13-22.
Tsai, W. S., & Men, R. (2013). Motivations and antecedents of consumer engagement with brand pages on social networking sites. Journal of Interactive Advertising, 13(2), 76-87.
Men, R., & Stacks, D. W. (2013). The impact of leadership style and employee empowerment on perceived organizational reputation. Journal of Communication Management, 17(2), 171-192.
Men, R., & Tsai, W. S. (2013). Toward an integrated model of public engagement on corporate social networking sites: Antecedents, the process, and relational outcomes. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 7(4), 257-273.
Men, R. (2012). CEO credibility, perceived organizational reputation, and employee engagement. Public Relations Review, 38(1), 171-173.
Tsai, W., & Men, R. (2012). Cultural values reflected in corporate pages on popular social network sites in China and the United States. Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, 6(1), 42-58.
Men, R., & Hung, C. F. (2012). Exploring the roles of organization-public relationships in the strategic management process: Towards an integrated framework. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 6(2), 151-173.
Men, R., & Tsai, W. S. (2012). How companies cultivate relationships with publics on social network sites: Evidence from China and the United States. Public Relations Review, 38(5), 723-730.
Men, R. (2012). Revisiting the continuum of types of organization-public relationships: From a resource-based view. Public Relations Journal, 6(1), 1-19.
Men, R. (2011). How employee empowerment influences organization--employee relationship in China. Public Relations Review, 37(4), 435-437.
Books
Men, L. R., & Taklac Vercic, A. (2021). Current Trends and Issues in Internal Communication: Theory and Practice. Routledge.
Men, R., Ji, Y. G., & Chen, Z. F. (2019). Strategic Communication for Startups and Entrepreneurs in China. London, UK: Routledge.
Men, R., & Bowen, S. (2017). Excellence in Internal Communication Management. New York, United States: Business Expert Press.
Book Chapters
Men, L. R. (2021). Evolving Research and Practices in Internal Communication. In In Men, L. R. & Tkalac Vercic, A. (Eds.). Current Trends and Issues in Internal Communication: Theory and Practice.. Palgrave Macmillan.
Yue, C., Men, L. R., & Berger, B. (2021). Leaders as communication agents. In In Men, L. R. & Tkalac Vercic, A. (Eds.). Current Trends and Issues in Internal Communication: Theory and Practice.. Palgrave Macmillan.
Men, R., Robinson, K., & Thelen, P. (2019). Measurement and evaluation in public relations. In Carolyn Kim (ed.). Public Relations: Competencies and Practice. London, UK: Routledge.
Men, L. R., & Tsai, W. S. (2018). Authenticity. In The International Encyclopedia of Strategic Communication (pp. 1-6). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. DOI: 10.1002/9781119010722.iesc0009
Men, R. (2017). Corporate internal relations: Theoretical foundations and current issues. In The Imagination of Public Relations. Beijing, China: Peking University Press.
Men, R., & Tsai, S. W. (2016). Gearing toward excellence in corporate social media communications: Understanding the why and how of public engagement. In Public Relations and Participatory Culture: Fandom, Social Media, and Community Engagement (pp. 89-102). New York: Routledge.
Stacks, D. W., Dodd, M. D., & Men, R. (2013). Corporate reputation measurement and evaluation. (pp. 559-573). Craig, EC John Wiley \& Sons.
Stacks, D. W., Dodd, M., & Men, R. (2011). Public relations research and planning. .
Research
Research Keywords
public engagement, corporate communication, organization-public relationship management, reputation management, internal communication, employee relations,leadership, measurement and evaluation, social media public relations, international public relations
Courses
Syllabi from the current and three previous semesters: