Public Relations Practitioners Research Articles

The Antecedents of Facebook Brand Page Engagement in Public Relations

Social media has increased the integration of marketing and PR. Consequently, due to this transition, businesses increasingly value customer relations above transactional marketing through social media brand pages communication. However, according to recent research, a practical problem has been identified: despite the significance of social media in marketing and communication, there is a lack of understanding among PR practitioners about how to successfully and strategically communicate via social media. PR practitioners still use social media asymmetrically and as promotional or advertising tools rather than for forming relationships with the public, which creates a lack of engagement. Secondly, a recent empirical study showed that humanise interaction can create customer and brand engagement through social media brand pages. Hence, recent public relations and social media-related research did not focus on humanised interaction influencing people to engage on brands’ social media Facebook pages. Thirdly, consumer brand engagement on social media was researched for several years. Furthermore, recent research conceptualised consumer engagement and brand engagement and called it social media brand engagement. Hence, social media brand engagement does not conceptualise or analyse humanised interaction and two-way symmetrical communication in computer-mediated communication in public relations related literature. Moreover, it is unclear how humanise interaction to create customer engagement through social media brand pages. This study aims to fill the research gap by providing a clear picture of how humanising interaction (as an antecedent) creates brand engagement and how to maintain a two-way communication strategy (as an antecedent) to maintain effective communication and build relationships. To answer these questions, this study conceptualises and develops a research framework where conversational human voice from relational maintenance theory and two-way symmetrical communication from excellence theory are taken as the antecedents of social media brand engagement.

Professional practice of public relations and its relationship to academic qualification, “A study on a sample of organizations in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi"

Abstract This study dealt with the effectiveness of academic qualification and its implications for the reality of the professional practice of public relations in public sector organizations in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and to identify whether that practice actually stems from the scientific foundations that constitute the centre of attention for academic qualification of public relations students, as well as identifying the professional practice of public relations. And the extent to which it is based on scientific foundations by linking it to academic qualification, and the extent to which it keeps pace with the requirements of the labour market with its overlapping and constantly renewed variables, through its application to a sample of public relations practitioners in public sector organizations in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The study aimed to identify the prevailing understanding of the concept and profession of public relations, its functions, and its importance for organizations. And get acquainted with the tasks and functions undertaken by public relations in public sector organizations in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, which is clearly evident in the job description of the departments and sections of public relations and their employees. The objectives are the following: Keywords: Public relations, professional practice, academic qualification, public relations profession, professional organizations.

REDEFINING “PUBLIC RELATIONS” IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Understanding that “Public Relations” represent a dynamic and evolving practice, a number of influential professional associations (PRSA, CIPR, CPRS) embarked, in the last 10 years, upon the mission to redefine the notion. This debate has consequences both on the communities of practice in PR, and on the education of future professionals. While the debate includes an increasing number of ideas, the social media evolution puts pressure on the communication sciences area, to acknowledge and formalize addition al tasks for the PR practitioners. The paper looks into the results of the debate and reflects upon the teaching and research that should follow the attempt to revolutionize the PR profession and practice.

An exploration of the institutionalisation of public relations at executive level in the top 100 companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE)

This article discusses the institutionalisation of public relations at executive level in large organisations, based on research applied to a purposive sample of the top 100 companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) in South Africa. Based on an examination of recent literature on public relations as a strategic management function, the study aimed to determine the extent to which senior public relations practitioners in the selected companies are involved in strategy formulation and decision-making at executive level. Current and recent literature provided a conceptual framework based on the premise that organisations have much to gain by involving senior practitioners in top-level decision-making and strategy formulation. The following theories informed the primary research, which took the form of qualitative semi-structured interviews with the participating practitioners: excellence theory, the dominant coalition, the relational approach, the reflective paradigm and roles theory, with the main focus on the strategic role of public relations. Apart from indicating the extent to which public relations is practiced as a top-level management function in the selected companies, the study also sought to identify barriers that prevent the participating practitioners from providing strategic input at an executive level, and to offer recommendations to overcome these barriers.

Does public relations scholarship need better PR? practitioners’ perspectives on academic research

Articles in academic public relations journals often provide recommendations for public relations practitioners. The purpose of this study is to gain a practitioner perspective on that work and to determine if a potential disconnect between public relations practitioners and scholars exists. Through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 22 public relations practitioners, this study examines knowledge, readership, and applicability of public relations scholarship in industry. Participants indicated they have a general awareness of and assigned value to academic scholarship; however, they do not actively consider it or use it in their professional lives due to issues of access, time, and relevance. Many appeals have been made within the academy to make scholars’ work more “public,” and these results reflect this need. Based on these findings, recommendations are made to increase the accessibility and relevance of scholarly work for professionals.

RHETORICAL SITUATION AS BEDROCK OF CRISIS COMMUNICATION STRATEGY

Kairos and stasis, two vital concepts employed to account for the rhetorical situation, are still valued and valuable in today communication contexts. As starting points of (corporate) discourse, the two terms prove to be particularly relevant. Both kairos and stasis point to the situatedness of the corporate discourse, since crisis always happens in a specific situation. Stasis and kairos do not perform separately, they function inter-dependently. Stasis focuses on logos, while kairos concentrates on ethos and pathos. They set rigor and let PR practitioners know at any moment where they are in solving a crisis, what questions to ask and how to act further in managing crisis communication.

PUBLIC RELATIONS IN DIPONEGORO NATIONAL HOSPITAL FROM THE EXCELLENCE THEORY PERSPECTIVE

Public relations plays a vital role in health organizations (hospitals). This study aimed to find out to what extent is the excellent public relations practiced within Diponegoro National Hospital (RSND), by analyzing the reality of public relations at Diponegoro National Hospital according to the principles of excellence theory. This study belongs to qualitative research, by relying on an in-depth interview with the public relations practitioner at Diponegoro National Hospital. Data were analyzed through some steps namely data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The results of this study showed that the excellent PR is not practiced at Diponegoro National Hospital (RSND). In addition, the public relations practitioner does not participate in strategic decision-making, there is no independent PR department, and tiered communication dominates the communication process within Diponegoro National Hospital instead of a two-way symmetrical model of communication.

Managing intractability: Wrestling with wicked problems and seeing beyond consensus in public relations

Managing perceived intractable problems—seemingly irrevocable, difficult-to-solve, often values-driven conflicts—is a regular occurrence for public relations practitioners. Yet, understanding and managing such problems is often outside of the bounds of public relations theories aimed primarily at building consensus. This paper builds on existing conflict-centered literature by carving out a place for dissensus-oriented or agonistic public relations theories and practices. Through interviews with 41 public relations practitioners facing perceived intractable scenarios and the integration of dissensual and agonistic perspectives of Lyotard (1984), Rancière (2010), and others, the paper provides evidence of these approaches in everyday practice. Finally, it offers a framework for social issue engagement that orients agonistic and dissensus-minded professional practices alongside consensus approaches.

Reputation management through social networking platforms for PR purposes: A SEM-based study in the Jordan

Virtual social media platforms of greater importance for general and corporate purposes. Especially retailers today resort to these platforms to bridge a communication gap between their PR practitioners and consumers for reputation management purposes. This research also examines the virtual social media usage for Public Relations (PR), leading to Reputation Management in the Jordanian retail sector. The researchers developed the conceptual model at Theory of Reasoned Action, applied the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), and selected a sample of n= 250 PR professionals. Results indicated by the Public Relations practitioners have a significant impact on controlling the customers' behavior. This Perceived Behavioral Control is an important factor in social network adoption for communication purposes. Accompanied by instant communication ability, these social networks and communication feasibility have a significant impact on Reputation Management. However, it is notable that, Attitude also mediated the Public Relations Practices concerning Perceived Behavioral Control, indicating that the Theory of Reasoned Action significantly determined the factors determining the Virtual social media usage and adoption for the reputation armament purposes. Thus, it is concluded that using social networks for Public Relations practices is the need of the day. Especially when using them for reputation management, companies consider different factors that further assist their digital networks adoption process, leading to fruitful outcomes. Further, the researchers have discussed the study contributions and made recommendations for future researchers.

Bonding Emotional Appeal as Strategic Digital Communication of State-Owned Enterprises

This study aims to describe how to build emotions through digital content as a corporate communication strategy by State-Owned Enterprises. The pandemic covid-19 has engendered unprecedented situation that pose enormous challenges to corporate communication in their messages to stakeholders. State-Owned Enterprises can no longer do their stakeholders' engagements with “business as usual” approaches without being perceived as uncaring and unempathetic in a situation of crisis. The consumer insight data mentions that more than two-third of respondents admitted that they will lose trust in a certain product brand or company that are more concern on the profit during the covid-19 period. Through the in-depth interview to a number of PR practitioners of state-owned companies and content analysis of top five active social media State-Owned Enterprises contributes, this research found that Public Relations activities are indeed somewhat altered in the time of pandemic crisis. Their engagement in social media content are having more emphasize on emotional supports and convey empathic feelings to the people who suffer because of the virus, and providing more messages of support on effort to reduction the risk caused by coronavirus. The narrative of digital content is told in a coherent and fidelity. Narrative of digital content such as family-oriented, togetherness, being romantic, thrill-seeking, struggle, optimism, salvation, commitment, and carefulness is a way to have positive relationships with stakeholders. Hence, the pandemic crisis has also brought changes in the ways in which PR practitioners engage with their public, and alter the content of their messages from profit-interest communication to emphatic communication.

Sosiale verantwoordelikheid as integrerende deel van openbare skakelwerk in die nywerheidsektor aan die oor-rand

Social responsibility has developed Into an Important Issue for companies and Industries A redefinition of the public relations practitioner's role with regard to the Interpretation of social change as well as to a broadening of the public relations practitioner's functions. A new organisational relationship between top management and the public relations practitioner needs to be established. The nature and scope of the public relations practitioner's involvement in the implementation of social responsibility programmes or actions. This study was to determine what the nature and frequency of social responsibility programmes amongst a group of East Rand industrialists is, as well as to determine to which extent the publicrelations practitioner plays an Integrating role in the design and implementation of social responsibility programmes and actions. However, most of these companies do not possess the necessary Infrastructure of a small or medium sized public relations department. The implementation of social responsibility programmes was therefore found not to be dependent upon the existence of the public rellations function. The authors conclude that social responsibility should be viewed as an integrated part of public relations practice at a strategic level and that it should be considered as a specialist function In which the public relations practitioner should specialise on a tertiary level.

OPLEIDING VAN DIE SKAKELPRAKTISYN IN BEROEPSGERIGTE SPESIALISERINGSRIGTINGS

Basic training of the public relations practitioner seems not to be enough. There is an urgent need to train public relations practitioners as specialists within specific: organizations. A basic qualification enables public relations practitioners to enhance their career at any of the numerous organizations available. It is often only then that the public relations practitioner realizes that s/he is not competent to deal with the unique PR requirements for that specific organization and is also unfamiliar with the broad structure and activities oflhat organization. At present there is a lack in specialised occupattonal training opportunities for public relations practitioners at our technikons and universities which need to be addressed ac-cording to research conducted amongst public relations students and medical public relations practitioners. Since heatth in South Africa is a prominent political issue, it is necessary to establish the present and future role of the medical public felations practitioner, and to what extent a need exists in further training of these practitioners. Further training can also add certain competencies to already acquired basic skills necessary for the medical public relations practitioner. Research conducted amongst second and third year public relations students at the Technikon SA, medical public. relations practitioners in the Gauteng Province, and heads of tersiary health institutions revealed that 97,5% of the respondents are in favour of specialised occupational training. It was also found that the present competencies of the medical public relations practitioner are not sufficient. It is concluded that these imbalances should be ad-dressed through further training made available to public relations pracitioners which will enhance the professional status of public relations in organizations.

Revisiting the SMCC model: How Chinese public relations practitioners handle social-mediated crises

As social media are used widely by Chinese organizations, this study comprehensively examines how Chinese public relations practitioners cope with social mediated crisis and how culture interacts with social mediated crisis response. An in-depth interview was conducted to collect data from 23 Chinese public relations practitioners who had experience in dealing with crises and issues via social media. The results showed that Chinese public relations practitioners use diverse social media platforms to satisfy the publics’ needs and social media usage preferences. In addition, the results also showed the importance of matching information platform and information sources in response to social-mediated crises. Furthermore, we revealed how the uniqueness of Chinese culture moderated information platforms and information sources, such as face-saving strategies, collaborating with opinion leaders and influencers to shape the publics’ opinions, using no response, apologizing, and self-mockery, and emphasizing the importance of media relations.

Public relations roles empirically verified among public relations practitioners in Africa

There is a lack of knowledge and understanding of the practice of public relations (PR)in Africa, which prohibits the continent to fulfil its responsibility towards the global PRsociety as well as other developing countries. Based on the findings of a master’sdissertation on the practice of PR in Africa, this article focuses on one of the conceptsthat were measured, namely PR roles.The article discusses current literature in the field of roles research and describes theempirical verification of two PR roles in Africa. Although the three roles of the PRstrategist, manager and technician were measured, only two roles emerged during thefactor analysis: the role of the strategist (Factor 1), and the combined roles of thetechnician/manager (Factor 2).The data was collected by means of a self-administered electronic questionnaire. Dataanalysis consisted of both Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Common Factor Analysis(CFA) where the underlying dimensions were extracted, indicating the items used to definethe PR roles.

Use of technology in relationship management

Technological innovations have changed many aspects of public relations practice, andpublic relations is believed to have entered the “fourth wave” of technological changein the field. To achieve its ultimate objective, namely to build and maintain beneficialrelationships, thus contributing to achieving organisational goals, it is pivotal to explorethe impact of technology on the profession and practice of public relations. Knowledgeof the impact of these innovations will equip public relations with the required knowhow to contribute to the overall objectives of an integrated communication approach.While technology in itself cannot build or destroy relationships as maintained by Kent& Taylor (1998:324), the way in which technology is used can influence organisationpublic relationships, hence emphasising the need for public relations professionals tocome to terms with new technology and the opportunities and challenges it holds.An exploratory study was undertaken to provide new insights into the impact of newcommunication technology on the profession and practice of public relations in SouthAfrica. The primary purpose of the study was to determine the availability and use ofnew communication technology by South African public relations professionals forinternal and external relationship management. It comprised a theoretical and conceptualanalysis of public relations practice and models, dominant business approaches andother concepts related to the objectives of this study. The literature study wassupplemented by a pilot study concerning the availability and use of technology byPRISA-accredited public relations practitioners. This article reports on the findings ofthe empirical section of the study

Interactivity and public relations on the web

Interactivity is one of the most prominent features of the Internet, distinguishing it fromtraditional mass media such as newspapers or television. However, when discussing theconcept of interactivity, most people tend to think only about the bells and whistles onparticular web sites without considering interactivity as a theoretical concept. As thisaspect has such important implications for communication theory, in general, and forthe use of the Internet as a communication medium, it is essential for communicationscholars and all communication practitioners (including public relations practitioners)to understand the theoretical roots of interactivity. This would enable academics toapply interactivity as a theoretical concept to new media research and practitioners tomake better use of the Internet as a communication medium. This article explores theconcept of interactivity and makes a connection between interactivity and the applicationof the two-way symmetrical model of public relations to public relations on the web.

Purpose and practice

Business thinking, engagement with stakeholders, and the practice of public relations haveall been confronted with major paradigmatic shifts – especially as these are contextualized byenvironments that are increasingly pluralistic. This has contributed to an important question intowhat the education of future public relations practitioners (PRPs) should be so that they canpurposefully and successfully navigate and negotiate the challenges of decision-making – thatare ethical and moral in nature – in the context of complex, and diverse practice. In light ofthis, public relations curriculum developers and educators are challenged to address issues ofpurpose, values-based practice and education in order to prepare future PRPs for the ethical andmoral challenges that they will encounter. In the South African context this is further complicatedby the recent calls for decolonisation of South African public relations curricula. This conceptualand exploratory paper addresses the issue of practice in an age of purpose, the changing roles ofpublic relations practitioners, and the contribution values-based education can make in addressingdemands for revised, and decolonised PR curricula.

How Public Relations Perceived (SWOT Model Analysis)

ABSTRACT
 
 Purpose: This paper aims to understand the challenge of Public Relations, to face the society perception/reputation towards Public Relations. By understanding what is the SWOT of Public Relations when they play their role among society.
 Design/Methodology Approach: This paper will be a literature review of some source of scientific writing which the writer will elaborate 8 published journals related to the issue this paper talks about.
 Finding: Visible aspects such as appearance of PR practitioner, Educational background and communication skill is more considered on developing countries’ public. On the other hand invisible aspects such as strategic-thinking skills, analyzing and listening skills are merely needed on developed countries’ public perceptions.
 Research Limitations: Due to literature review process, the writer cannot directly provides a premier data about the related phenomena, yet the writer only serve data and findings that the previous published journals have found. Therefore, the writer will generated information from those journals to encompass the reader towards better understanding on PR’s reputation on both PR Practitioners and Public’s opinion.
 Practical Implications: This writing will help PR in the future to forecast their SWOT and optimize their Strength, minimize their Weakness, Seeking for the best Opportunity and encounter Threats as PR Practitioners.
 Value/Originality: Will enriched the insights of how PR perceives and how PR should do to deal with the challenges. 
 Keywords: Public Relations, Communication, Reputation, SWOT Model, Gender
 Paper Type: Literature Review

“A symbol of service and sacrifice, mourning and memory”: Public relations and public memory the 100th year commemoration of the tomb of the unknown soldier

Public memory is the conceptual process through which understandings about a historic event are defined, informed, and reshaped. This concept is important for public relations practitioners as public memory provides substance for the communicative process providing the space to establish shared meanings for members of a given public. One example of the role of public relations practitioners in crafting public memory was the 100th anniversary celebration of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (TUS), termed #TUS100 in November 2021. In order to understand what and how memory was communicated through the #TUS100 event, we completed an interpretive thematic analysis of the materials created and distributed by the Arlington National Cemetery Office of Public Affairs related to the 100th year Tomb Commemoration and video clips from three popular national news outlets (ABC, CBS, NBC). In doing so we found that public memory is an evolving narrative that has the potential to create/reaffirm relationships—both of which have implications for public relations scholarship and practice.

Qualitative study on the impact of globalisation on public relations practice in Ghana

The article analyses the perceived impact of globalisation on public relations practice in Ghana byexamining how Ghanaian PR practitioners are utilising the opportunities that globalisation offerswhile dealing with the challenges it brings. The qualitative interview technique was used to interviewa total of five (5) PR practitioners from the non-banking financial services sector. Results show PRpractitioners are very much aware of the demand placed on them by globalisation. Communicationinfrastructural challenges as well as a lack of technological skills is proving a huge challenge inthe management of communication activities. As multinational organisations continue to floodinto the country, the competition will be keen. Practitioners need to upgrade their skills, especiallyin the area of digital communication, and knowledge regarding the current standards of practicein the era of globalisation. It is essential for PR educators in Ghana to respond to the challengeof globalisation by redefining their teaching curriculums to reflect the dynamics of internationalpractice. Moreover, it is time for African PR scholars to make a significant contribution to thisdiscussion from an African perspective. The limited number of interviewees and the selection ofpractitioners from a particular sector of the economy, however, means the research cannot begeneralised.