On Evolving Nature of Relationship by Perspective Mutuality: Reconceptualizing Relationship Typology Between Organization and Its Publics

Abstract

To address conceptual and methodological issues regarding the exchange–communal relationship typology in public relations scholarship, this study reconceptualizes and validates three relationship types—egoistic, provident, and communal relationships. Two distinct relationship perspectives, organization-oriented and public-oriented, are also explored. The results of the two studies, focusing on an organization’s respective relationships with internal (i.e., employees) and external (i.e., consumers) publics, demonstrate the construct reliability and validity of newly conceptualized relationship types. The association between relationship types and relationship quality—trust, control mutuality, commitment, and satisfaction—is examined with structural equation modeling (SEM) and each path of two studies was compared through multigroup analysis. Theoretical and practical implications for public relations disciplines are discussed.