Hooper, Alissa, authorWilliams, Elizabeth, advisorKhrebtan-Hörhager, Julia, committee memberChristen, Cindy, committee member2018-01-172018-01-172017https://hdl.handle.net/10217/185665This exploratory study investigates the ways in which corporate communication professionals struggle to attain legitimacy within their respective organizations and what tools and strategies are used to navigate an illegitimate, intra-organizational state. This thesis works to connect the gap between the literature written about the field of corporate communication at its inception and the reality now lived by the thousands of individuals who declare corporate communication as their profession nationally. Using the constant comparative method to analyze interviews of corporate communication professionals, the researcher will share a broad interpretation about which areas the sample stated corporate communication professionals are currently struggling for legitimacy and what tools and strategies can be used to effectively navigate this tension.born digitalmasters thesesengCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.legitimizationorganizational legitimacycorporate communicationpublic relationsorganizational communicationText