Quantitative analysis of the convergence between public relations and sustainability: Application in Ecuadorian, Colombian, and Chilean businesses

Abstract

The present study examines the relationship between public relations management and sustainability in large companies in Ecuador, Colombia, and Chile through an analysis of the results of an online survey of 96 in-house executives who were asked about five key management variables at their companies. The authors propose indicators that enable the measurement of the convergence between these two areas of management based on the premise that the desired sustainability among the organizations is not possible if there is no public relations management that encourages communication with publics, and paves the way for this to occur. The results reflect that, on average, organizations in the three countries show an orientation towards the common good, which is the most evolved scenario in the model. Key aspects subject to improvement are also identified so that public relations efforts can support sustainability processes based on the individual reality of each company.