This study advances and empirically tests an extended theory of planned behavior (TPB) model to explain communication practitioners' intention to conduct measurement and evaluation (M&E) at the level of communication outcomes.
The research both replicates and extends on an earlier study (Buhmann and Brønn, 2018). It is based on a quantitative survey of communication practitioners (n = 350). Covariance-based structural equation modeling and regression-based moderation analysis were used to test the model and interaction effects between self-efficacy and the TPB constructs.
Results show that intentions to perform outcome-level M&E have increased over the past decade and that perceived behavioral control (PBC) is the single most important predictor of intentions to perform M&E, followed by attitude, while perceived norms show little influence. Self-efficacy is positively related to practitioners' confidence in conducting outcome M&E but only weakly and negatively moderates the link between PBC and intention.
This research presents one of the very few replication studies in corporate and strategic communication research, offering a longitudinal comparison of data on M&E behavior and testing an extension of the earlier model. Results both confirm and refine our present understanding of the drivers and barriers of M&E behavior.
