Investor Relations: A Study of Perceived Fundamental Skills and Practices in Corporations and Agencies

Today, the importance of investor relations as a strategic management function in publicly held companies is growing. In the interdisciplinary field of investor relations, professionals need both finance and communication expertise to achieve effective investor relations results. This paper investigates investor relations professionals\u27 perceptions of the fundamental skills and practices needed in corporations and agencies through an online self-administered survey. It finds that the professionals perceived relationship-building skills with media and the investment community to be the most important. A knowledge of information disclosure process, senior management assistance and crisis communication management were also seen as important. The professionals indicated that improving skills and knowledge of communications and finance was as important as the skills themselves. This study also finds that professionals with different affiliations and levels of experience have different perceptions of the fundamental skills and practices in the field of investor relations