Articulating a Center: An Analysis of the Strategic Management Paradigm in Public Relations

This article establishes the case for public relations as a critical component of an organization?s strategic management processes and of the subsequent strategic management of public relations in an effective organization. The article begins with an elaboration of a theory of the value of strategic management in public relations. Qualitative and quantitative results of the IABC Research Foundation?s Excellence project, presented next, confirmed the importance of strategic public relations in helping make organizations effective. The involvement of public relations in strategic management consistently was the best predictor of excellent public relations in the 323 organizations studied. Both CEOs and communication managers in organizations with excellent public relations departments believed the function contributes more to organizational effectiveness than did those with less-excellent departments. However, the research also showed that ?strategic management? means different things to different practitioners of the field and that most public relations departments do not practice public relations strategically. Interviewees in effective public relations operations explained the value of their work primarily in building relationships with strategic publics.

ABSTRACTApplying four generic principles that are most relevant to strategic public relations management, this study examines the extent to which public relations is strategically managed in China. Public relations practitioners from four types of organizations participated an online survey (N = 92) and an interview (N = 20). It was found that public relations mainly contributes to routine operations rather than strategic policy-making. While typically given a direct reporting line with top management, public relations departments are not trusted to handle government relations and are considered inferior to the marketing department. Practitioners in the survey indicated the use of all four models to various degree in their organizations, despite that interviews revealed the difficulty to implement symmetrical communication model as compared to the other three models. In addition, practitioners were more proficient in fulfilling technician roles than managerial roles.

This study used 4 generic principles of public relations based on the Excellence Theory to analyze the extent to which strategic public relations management was practiced in Singapore and whether public relations is part of senior management in 4 types of organizations: public relations consulting firms, corporations, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Data were collected from 127 public relations professionals using a survey questionnaire based on the Excellence study. In addition, 22 in-depth interviews were conducted and organizational publications analyzed. The data revealed that the 4 generic principles studied are applicable in another culture. In Singapore, public relations has a lower status compared with advertising or marketing. Public relations is also not used as a strategic business tool and professionals do not practice strategic public relations in the city–state because of lack of proper training, among other things. Thus, although Singapore has emerged as an "Asian Tiger" the public relations profession has not developed as much as one would have expected.

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ABSTRACTThis study aimed to examine the applicability of the Excellence principles in Kuwait, generating insights into factors that affect the practice of strategic public relations management across corporate, governmental and nonprofit organizations. The findings, based on 21 semi-structured in-depth interviews with Kuwaiti public relations practitioners, revealed that the public relations profession demonstrates low levels of adherence to the generic principles of excellence. Public relations practitioners are less involved in strategic management and less empowered in the dominant coalition. Practitioners have provided various barriers including higher management’s lack of understanding of public relations, and lack of qualified practitioners, which have created disparities in understanding symmetrical communication. The sector of the organizations and the employment system in the country have also contributed to the situation.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to help enrich the body of knowledge of public relations by exploring the status of the practice in Kuwait. Using the generic principles of public relations, a well-known theoretical framework in the field, we study the three major types of organizations: government agencies, nonprofits and corporations.Design/methodology/approachThe authors gathered data using a self-administered survey and qualitative interviews. In total, 250 questionnaires were distributed (both printed and electronic) to employees working in public relations departments in all sectors and received 66 completed responses for a response rate of 26%. In addition, the first author conducted nine elite interviews with a chief executive officer (CEO) of a non-profit organization, a CEO of public relations (PR) agency, four directors of PR department in the private sector and three directors of the PR department in governmental organizations.FindingsThe results indicate that the press-agentry and technical functions dominate PR practice in the country. However, there appears to be a slow momentum for more specialized PR practitioners, who can assist their organizations in coming up with strategies and thus help organizational effectiveness. PR in Kuwait continues to suffer reputationally including the assumption that someone with no relevant knowledge or experience can be employed and succeed.Originality/valueTo the authors knowledge, this is the to study the present some of the generic principles of PR in Kuwait. Therefore, this paper contributes to the PR in Kuwait body of knowledge and provides the generic principles of PR in a new cultural context to test its applicability.

This study aims to reveal the strategic management of public relations to build an image and increase public interest in An-Nur II Islamic Boarding School of Bululawang, Malang, with sub-focus covering: (1) concept of analysis and planning, (2) implementation process, and (3) evaluation process by PR management of An-Nur II Islamic Boarding School Bululawang, Malang. This study used a qualitative approach with a case study design. Data collection was done through in-depth interview techniques, participatory observation, and documentation. Data analysis techniques included data reduction, data presentation, and concluding. The validity of the findings carried out by extension of participation, source of triangulation techniques, theories, and methods, and perseverance of the observer. The research informants were boarding school caregivers, the person in charge of public relations, public relations of formal and non-formal educational institutions, work units / executive committee of public relations program, santri (students), parents, surrounding communities, and all relevant stakeholders. The results showed the facts obtained as evidence that An-Nur II Islamic Boarding School Bululawang Malang succeeded in building image and increasing public interest through strategic management of public relations, namely: 1) Award of The Best Islamic Boarding School, 2) Increasing new students interest every year, 3) Social empowerment and improvement of the community economy programs.

Strategic Management of Public Relations in Slope Development: Case Study in Malaysia

Economic perspectives on public relations

This research describes the effort of PT Pelni (Persero)’s Public Relations (PR) to provide Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) through Program Kemitraan Dan Bina Lingkungan (PKBL). CSR is a part of community relations activity, which happens to be part of PR function to build positive images of the company. The concepts that used to understand the phenomenon under the study are organization communications, Public Relations, strategic management of Public Relations, interactionist symbolic, partnership and CSR through qualitative case study considered as the right method to provide a holistic preview about strategic management of PR for CSR implementation. The findings of the research show that organization communications if implemented well, precisely and interactivy will accelerate Public Relations strategy for CSR implementation through PKBL although PKBL is structured under controlling by Finance Department PT Pelni (Persero) cq Treasury division not restrained by Corporate Secretary PT Pelni (Persero) in which PR and CSR fields are managed. CSR known as a PR activity that contributes to build and maintain good relationship between company and stakeholders and also to enhance positive images of the company.

In this paper, the co-authors have addressed the relationship between strategic management and public relations, and their implications for financial operations. In addition to growth and development, financial results of an organization are the focus of a business plan implemented by the director general (strategic manager), and as a rule, they represent the hierarchical link between the public relations service and other services affecting financial operations. The lack of appropriate internal communication and coordination of this "triangle," which is a common occurrence in practice, adversely affects financial results. In this paper, explanations of their mutual relations in the above "triangle" with certain recommendations shed some light on multidimensional frameworks of modern business, in which heterogeneous, renaissance knowledge and experiences are required, on the application of which the outcomes of overall, and especially financial business depend. For the aforementioned reasons, in addition to aligning the organization with the environment, strategic managers also have in their portfolio of activities the internal alignment of individual teams, whose synergy contributes to the achievement of the vision, mission, and strategic goals.

Contents: Preface. J.E. Grunig, Communication, Public Relations, and Effective Organizations: An Overview of the Book. Part I: The Basic Theory. J.E. Grunig, J. White, The Effect of Worldviews on Public Relations Theory and Practice. L.A. Grunig, J.E. Grunig, W.P. Ehling, What Is an Effective Organization? J. White, D.M. Dozier, Public Relations and Management Decision Making. F.C. Repper, How Communication Managers Can Apply the Theories of Excellence and Effectiveness. Part II: The Program Level: Effective Planning of Communication Programs. J.E. Grunig, F.C. Repper, Strategic Management, Publics, and Issues. D.M. Dozier, W.P. Ehling, Evaluation of Public Relations Programs: What the Literature Tells Us About Their Effects. D.M. Dozier, F.C. Repper, Research Firms and Public Relations Practices. Part III: The Departmental Level: Characteristics of Excellent Public Relations Departments. J.E. Grunig, What Is Excellence in Management? W.P. Ehling, D.M. Dozier, Public Relations Management and Operations Research. J.E. Grunig, L.A. Grunig, Models of Public Relations and Communication. D.M. Dozier, The Organizational Roles of Communications and Public Relations Practitioners. W.P. Ehling, J. White, J.E. Grunig, Public Relations and Marketing Practices. D.M. Dozier, L.A. Grunig, The Organization of the Public Relations Function. L.C. Hon, L.A. Grunig, D.M. Dozier, Women in Public Relations: Problems and Opportunities. W.P. Ehling, Public Relations Education and Professionalism. Part IV: The Organizational Level: The Conditions That Make Excellence in Public Relations Possible. L.A. Grunig, How Public Relations/Communication Departments Should Adapt to the Structure and Environment of an Organization...And What They Actually Do. L.A. Grunig, Power in the Public Relations Department. L.A. Grunig, Activism: How It Limits the Effectiveness of Organizations and How Excellent Public Relations Departments Respond. J.E. Grunig, Symmetrical Systems of Internal Communication. K. Sriramesh, J.E. Grunig, J. Buffington, Corporate Culture and Public Relations. K. Sriramesh, J. White, Societal Culture and Public Relations. Part V: The Economic Level: What Public Relations and Communication Contribute to the Bottom Line. W.P. Ehling, Estimating the Value of Public Relations and Communication to an Organization.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand the role of public relations, conceptualized as a strategic management function, in foreign policy making, and implementation. This research study emphasizes the relational perspective and seeks to examine its applicability to the practice of public relations in foreign policy settings. Design/methodology/approach – This qualitative research study was based on in-depth interviews with nine individuals who were in charge of public relations aspects of a particular foreign policy issue in Latvian government institutions. The examined foreign policy issue was development cooperation. Findings – The research findings revealed that public relations contributed to the strategic management of the foreign policy process to a certain extent. Public relations built and cultivated relationships, researched and scanned environments, built communities around a foreign policy issue, facilitated dialogic encounters and socialized foreign policies. However, the public relations function was not involved in the entire strategic management process: analysis, planning, implementation, and evaluation. Although the relational perspective may be applicable to foreign policy settings and relationships that are cultivated by public relations practitioners in these settings bring outcomes on three different levels – national, organizational, and personal – this study found that public relations is not the only function that deals with relationships between an organization and its key publics. Originality/value – This research study investigated two areas that are little explored in the public relations research literature: the strategic management role of public relations in government institutions and public relations contributions to policy, especially foreign, making.

Public relations and zones of engagement: Employees’ lived experiences and the fundamental nature of employee engagement

This study develops and tests an intercultural competence model of strategic public relations management in the Peruvian mining industry. The model proposes that public relations practitioners' trait-level intercultural competence (empathy, open-mindedness, and flexibility) affect their perceptual-level competence (anxiety and uncertainty management), which in turn influence their behavioral-level competence (public relations practices) and the consequent relational quality with the publics. Structural equal modeling was used to analyze the data from 90 practitioners with rich intercultural public relations experiences. Results indicated that trait competence components worked differently in reducing practitioners' uncertainty and anxiety. Such distress reduction enhanced the use of symmetrical and two-way public relations. Finally, symmetrical public relations and lowered anxiety increased practitioners' perceptions of trust and control mutuality in the relationships their organizations had with the publics. The model's theoretical and practical implications are discussed.