Public Relations Review Research Articles

Buenas prácticas de sostenibilidad financiera: El caso del desarrollo acelerado de las organizaciones no lucrativas coreanas

El éxito de las Beyoungri Danche depende de las estrategias financieras que sus líderes utilizan para hacerlas sostenibles en el tiempo. La recopilación de buenas prácticas de las Beyoungri Danche coreanas en la literatura y una investigación exploratoria de contenidos web de tres organizaciones exitosas, permite aprender tácticas de otra cultura que ha demostrado un alto nivel organizacional y fortalecer el diálogo alrededor de un tema de interés común.

The history of academic research in public relations: Tracking research trends over nearly four decades

This study analyzed the history of public relations scholarship over 39 years of research published in two journals: the Journal of Public Relations Research and the Public Relations Review. By examining the topical, theoretical, and methodological themes, this study found new research topics, theoretical and methodological trends. These revealing themes provided a comprehensive picture of research trends and patterns of public relations scholarship, thus providing insights for future research agendas aimed at improving the breadth and depth in public relations.

Images of PR special issue and the 2013 Barcelona International PR conference

Now entering its fourth year, the Barcelona International Public Relations conference has, since it began in 2011, gathered a reputation for inclusiveness, openness, and reflection. In this latest set of articles, the conference's openness is visible in the very variety of the papers. This special issue confirms inclusiveness in augmenting contributions from the 2013 participants with articles from non-attendees. The Public Relations Review call for images of public relations drew some surprising submissions so, in the open spirit of the conference, we welcomed them into the refereeing process and they have helped to widen our range. Significantly, this year, although the potentially abstract topic of images of PR did not target applied contributions, most of the articles address practitioner issues – albeit of different kinds and with different levels of engagement. Finally, as the conference has matured, iconoclasm and innovation continue to be the other characteristic ingredients of a Barcelona mix that gives voice to those embracing rather than excluding controversy.

Tracking public relations scholarship trends: Using semantic network analysis on PR Journals from 1975 to 2011

A semantic network analysis of keywords in titles of studies published in Public Relations Review and the Journal of Public Relations Research was conducted to determine the salient keywords in public relations scholarship from 1975 to 2011. “Communication,” “PR,” “public,” “practitioner,” and “corporation” have been the most prominent keywords, and the association of “PR-practitioner” was the most salient keyword association in public relations scholarship consistently.

Call for papers: Special Issue Public Relations Review

Call for papers: Special Issue Public Relations Review

BIG BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION LOBBYING IN CHINA: THE PARADOX OF CONTRASTING STYLES

In spite of China's continued authoritarian political system, there is growing recognition that business lobbying is an integral part of the country's policy process at both the local and national levels. As thousands of economic regulations and laws have become key determinants of the fate of industry, all types of companies - state-owned and private, Chinese and foreign - have become active in every stage of the policy process, from setting the agenda to identifying policy options and shaping regulatory implementation. Whereas interacting with officialdom used to be the responsibility of an enterprise's senior leader, it is increasingly common for companies to have a defined position or team in charge of government affairs. ' The number of trade associations representing domestic and foreign companies has grown rapidly, with the greatest expansion recently seen in the proliferation of branches of municipal chambers of commerce outside their home localities (yidi shanghui (ProQuest: ... denotes non-USASCII text omitted.)). 2 Chinese Mainland scholars and journalists previously only used the term "lobbying" (youshui (ProQuest: ... denotes non-USASCII text omitted.)) to refer to the behavior of companies in capitalist countries or multinational companies (MNC) in China, but it is now associated with domestic companies' behavior at home.3 The discussion of "interest groups" (liyi jituan (ProQuest: ... denotes non-USASCII text omitted.)) is even more common.4 Not only has engagement of officialdom risen but, equally importantly, there is growing sentiment that lobbying pays off. Policies for different sectors and the broader economy have been shaped by corporate influence.5 In some sectors, such as energy, it appears that the basic trajectory has been determined less by a coherent government plan than by companies who have manipulated the government to adopt policies consistent with their interests.6 Lobbying affects both domestic and foreign economic policies, and companies lobby successfully for greater protection from imports and for increased liberalization.7 Nevertheless, although we know that industry is active and shapes policy, there is much less information about how industry engages policymakers. Companies lobby, both directly and through associations, but we have only a rudimentary knowledge of the actual strategies and tactics which they employ and of their rate of success. Some observers have emphasized the importance of personal connections (guanxi (ProQuest: ... denotes non-USASCII text omitted.)); but guanxi can be manifested in multiple ways.8 Recent private-sector analyses report that guanxfs currency is less valuable than in the past.9 Yet if so, what other tools are being utilized? Do different kinds of companies or associations engage government differently, and with different results? This article takes a step forward in developing a more comprehensive and systematic way to analyze business lobbying in China to increase our understanding of the tactics and strategies which companies and associations employ as they seek to influence national Chinese public policy. In so doing, we adapt the theoretical framework and methods used to study corporate political activity in advanced economies to the Chinese context. In particular, we report the results of recently conducted surveys of very large companies and national industry associations in China about their lobbying strategies vis-a-vis national government economic policies. The findings indicate surprising commonalities in lobbying behavior across a wide variety of companies, yet identify equally unexpected differences between companies and business associations. In the next section, we review the extant research on government-business relations in China to identify progress to date and the reason for continuing gaps in our knowledge. We then outline our research strategy, with a description of the overarching framework, the design of the surveys and the composition of the sampled companies and associations. …

The syntax of ‘tactic(s)’ in public relations research

Strategies and tactics are foundational to the teaching of public relations, yet little scholarly reflection on the term ‘tactic(s)’ itself exists in our research. We content analyzed 30 years of research in Public Relations Review for references to the term ‘tactic(s).’ Our research reveals that of the 174 studies reviewed, 13% elaborated on the term, but none defined it. Moreover, the term ‘tactic(s)’ appeared more frequently with ‘strategies’ (31.5%) than in conjunction with ‘ethics’ (2%). We conclude our research note with a call for greater reflection on core concepts related to our public relations teaching and research.

All glamour, no substance? How public relations majors and potential majors in an exemplar program view the industry and function

Studies in public relations often conclude that the field is misunderstood [Kopenhaver, L. L. (1985). Aligning values of practitioners and journalists. Public Relations Review, 11(1), 34–42; Stacks, D. W., Botan, C., & Turk, J. V. (1999). Perceptions of pubic relations education. Public Relations Review, 25, 9–29] and misrepresented in media [Spicer, C. (2000). Public relations in a democratic society: Value and values. Journal of Public Relations Research, 12(1), 115–130]. Public relations professionals themselves often do not know what is involved in or support public relations education [Wright, D. K., & Turk, J. V. (2007). Public relations knowledge and professionalism: Challenges to educators and practitioners. In E.L. Toth (Ed.), The future of excellence in public relations and communication management: Challenges for the next generation (pp. 571–588). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum]. Both the special issue ( Public Relations Review, 1999) on public relations education and a following study published in this journal [Bowen, S. A. (2003). I thought it would be more glamorous: Preconceptions and misconceptions of public relations among students in the principles course. Public Relations Review, 29, 199–214] argued that public relations majors often do not realize what is involved in the academic discipline or the professional field. This research builds on the findings of those studies to ask: are public relations educators doing any better in communicating the core competencies, responsibilities, knowledge requirements, skills, and abilities of the discipline and the public relations major? Through the use of 10 focus groups across majors at a top research university, we can see that little is known about public relations among non-majors, but public relations majors can articulate the requirements and functions of the field. Several primary areas of confusion emerged about public relations related to: marketing or promotion, spinning the truth, image, and public relations as a career choice. These ideas show a critical lack of transparency in public relations. Credibility of the public relations function is hampered by this failure to communicate about the functions and core competencies of the field. Implications for both the public relations practice and for public relations education are discussed.

Managing a nation's image during crisis: A study of the Chinese government's image repair efforts in the “Made in China” controversy

The image of a nation is crucial in the conduct of international relations (Wang, J. (2006). Managing national reputation and international relations in the global era: Public diplomacy revisited. Public Relations Review, 32, 91–96). A favorable image plays a critical role in asserting one's influence (Benoit, W. L., & Brinson, S. L. (1994). AT&T: “Apologies are not enough”. Communication Quarterly, 42, 75–88; Wang, J. (2006). Managing national reputation and international relations in the global era: Public diplomacy revisited. Public Relations Review, 32, 91–96). Often, strategic communication tools like public relations and media diplomacy are used to enhance a nation's image ( Giffard, A., & Rivenburgh, N. K. (2000). News agencies, national images, and global media events. Journalism Quarterly, 77, 8–21). In 2007, China's reputation as “the workshop of the world” ( Gaulier, G., Lemoine, F., & Unal-Kesenci, D. (2005). China: A workshop of the Cd and a market for Europe. At: http://ideas.repec.org/a/cii/cepill/2005-245.html. Accessed on 14 May 2009) came under severe threat with a series of product recalls. This was arguably the first time that allegations of product deficiencies were targeted at a country. Using the image repair theory, this paper examined the strategies used and the image these strategies generated for China. Findings showed that the initial defensive strategies generated an image of a hurried and harried country. After it was willing to confront the crises through corrective action, a surer and more determined image emerged.

Fulfilling the dialogic promise: A ten-year reflective survey on dialogic Internet principles

A decade ago, using the dialogic theory of public relations as the theoretical framework, Kent and Taylor [Kent, M. L., & Taylor, M. (1998). Building a dialogic relationship through the World Wide Web. Public Relations Review, 24, 321–340; Kent, M. L., & Taylor, M. (2002). Toward a dialogic theory of public relations. Public Relations Review, 28, 21–37] provided a strategic framework to facilitate relationships with publics though the World Wide Web. Based on a review of research exploring Web-based public relations practices drawing on Kent and Taylor's theoretical framework, this essay offers a ten-year reflective survey on past, current, and future directions of Kent and Taylor's Internet principles, as they relate to the dialogic theory of public relations.

How public relations works: Theoretical roots and public relations perspectives

Public relations is often studied from a managerial, instrumental perspective or a psychological, behavioral perspective. To understand the role of public relations in building trust or mistrust and to develop – or destroy – a license to operate, it needs also to be studied as a social phenomenon. This special issue of Public Relations Review will attempt to broaden the theoretical scope of public relations studies by applying the works of a string of prominent social theorists – Jürgen Habermas, Niklas Luhmann, Michel Foucault, Pierre Bourdieu, Erving Goffman, Max Weber, and Anthony Giddens. What can be culled from using the perspectives of these scholars? None of them studied public relations as such, and hence it must be asked: can public relations fit into their theoretical frameworks, and if so, how? The papers in this special issue discuss these questions, after giving short overviews of the theorists’ key concepts and contributions. This introduction locates the purpose of the special issue within a broader research agenda in public relations. It is argued for a pluralistic approach to the field.

The Media in the 2006 Israeli Elections: Who's Manufacturing Consent? Framing the Spin-Doctors

The 2006 elections were different from earlier elections in more ways than one. It was an intriguing campaign, full of events and shifts, with a genuine agenda and new heroes. Throughout the campaign—which started with Amir Peretz’s victory over Shimon Peres in the Labour party leadership elections—voters watched the media covering the implosion of the Likud and its ensuing electoral debacle, the shrinking of Labour, Sharon’s descent from stage, the creation of Kadima. Although parties were born, split, shrivelled and withered away, the public did not notice major differences between the main parties’ platforms. In light of their ideological weakness the parties sought to brand themselves by concentrating on their prime ministerial candidate’s image and building a differentiated political agenda. Those tasks were outsourced, handed over to PR specialists. As a result, leadership grooming and platform composing were replaced by the use of vague catchphrases, well-designed sound bites, misleading examples, and the use and abuse of statistics under the spin-doctors’ guidance. The latter had to decide, among other things, whether to emphasize the issue of security, regarded traditionally as the primary focus of Israeli politics, and to discuss the Intifada, the disengagement plan and Hamas’ victory in the Palestinian elections—or to emphasize socioeconomic issues, reflecting the unprecedented number of citizens living below the poverty threshold, massive education, health and welfare budget cuts, state workers fired and salary payment delays, and pensioners condemned to hunger. Socioeconomic issues, denied centre-stage for years on the pretext of a national emergency, received greater attention and had more impact

Public relations and sport in promotional culture

This paper argues that by examining a central feature of contemporary culture, new insights about public relations practice can be gained. Concepts of spectacle, ‘mega-events’, media events, celebrity, politics and lifestyle are highlighted. The paper blends various disciplinary sources and themes and links to the work of Curtin and Gaither, Hodges and Pieczka [Curtin, P.A. & Gaither, T.K. (2005) ’Privileging identity, difference and power: the circuit of culture as a basis for public relations theory’, Public relations review 17 (2), 91-115; Hodges, C. (2006). Relaciones humanas: The potential for public relations practitioners as cultural intermediaries in Mexico City. Unpublished doctoral thesis. University of Bournemouth; Pieczka, M. (2006). Promotional work: The case of PR consultancy in the UK 1995–2000. Unpublished doctoral thesis. University of Stirling] all of whom have explored Bourdieu's concept of ‘cultural intermediary’ in relation to the role of public relations.

Commentary: Challenges for Arab and American public relations and public diplomacy in a global age

This commentary is based on the keynote address given to the international conference on “Public Relations in the Arab World in the Age of Globalization” at the University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, May 4, 2004. It points out how proper public relations practices can help bring about improvements in the relationships between America and the Arab world. Hiebert is Professor and Dean Emeritus, University of Maryland, and Editor, Public Relations Review.

Civil Society and Public Relations:Not So Civil After All

Recent articles appearing in communication outlets such as Human Communication Research and Public Relations Review celebrate the emancipatory power of civil society projects as the solution to the primitive forms of totalitarian governance in Third World nations, suggesting the central role of public relations scholars and practitioners in development communication. Having embraced the mantra of civil society, these public relations scholars suggest that the concept of civil society offers a paradigm shift in the field of development communication by facilitating "true" participatory communication. This article takes a critical approach to the rhetoric of civil society and points out that the civil society trope is not a novel innovation in the field of development communication. Using the narratives of the Philippines, Chile, and Nicaragua, it is demonstrated that civil society serves the goals of the transnational elite and actively participates in the marginalization of the Third World participant; the subaltern subject in the Third World exists outside the realm of civil society in its cracks and fissures. The author takes a political economic approach to problematize civil society efforts and draw out the linkages among civil society, colonialism, and transnational market hegemony. Finally, subaltern studies are offered as an alternative point for communication scholars interested in understanding the communicative practices in the marginalized spaces of the world.

Methodical failure: the use of case study method by public relations researchers

Case studies comprise up to a third of published articles in the public relations literature. There has, however, been little discussion in the literature of their methodological advantages or shortcomings as a research tool, or reflection on the quality of published case studies. This paper reviews the literature on case-study research, and surveys 5 years of case studies published in Public Relations Review to determine the quality of their methodology. The results indicate that few researchers understand or apply good case method.The paper concludes that case studies, if thoughtfully conceived and well executed are a research tool well suited to the study of public relations. It is suggested that poor methodology has undermined the role of case research in the development of theory. If properly applied case research could usefully balance the influence of quantitative research which tends to isolate research problems from the processes of public relations practice that are embedded in social or organizational contexts.

Erratum to “St. Paul as a public relations practitioner: a metatheoretical speculation on messianic communication and symmetry” [Public Relations Review 29 (2003)1–12

Erratum to “St. Paul as a public relations practitioner: a metatheoretical speculation on messianic communication and symmetry” [Public Relations Review 29 (2003)1–12

From Aardvark to Zebra: A New Millennium Analysis of Theory Development in Public Relations Academic Journals

In a replication and extension of a 1984 study by Ferguson to investigate the status of theory building by public relations scholars, 748 abstracts or articles published in Public Relations Review, Journal of Public Relations Research and its predecessor, Public Relations Research Annual, since their inceptions through the year 2000, were subjected to content analysis. Nearly 20% of articles analyzed were found to have contributed to theory development in public relations, compared to only 4% in Ferguson's study. Theory was most prevalent in articles about excellence/symmetry, public relationships, ethics and social responsibility, crisis response, critical-cultural, feminism/diversity, and international topics. These and interdisciplinary influences are expected to continue to contribute to ever more theory building in public relations. Proportionally, Public Relations Research Annual made the greatest contributions to theory development, followed by Journal of Public Relations Research, although Public Relations Review published the greatest number of articles contributing to theory development. Public Relations Review and Journal of Public Relations Research published comparable numbers of articles regarding excellence theory, public relationships, and crisis response theory. However, Public Relations Review published far more articles on theories about academic versus applied research, ethics/social responsibility, international and role theory than Journal of Public Relations Research. Conversely, Journal of Public Relations Research published more content about situational theory and gender/diversity theories than Public Relations Review. The most prolific authors contributing to theory development were James E. Grunig, Robert L. Heath, Larissa Schneider Grunig, W. Timothy Coombs, and John A. Ledingham.

The Theoretical Ground for Public Relations Practice and Ethics: A Koehnian Analysis

Public relations literature laments the lack of a theoretical base for the practice and ethics of public relations. Drawing primarily upon Koehn (The Ground of Professional Ethics, 1994) and Hutton (Public Relations Review, 1999), this paper proposes such a theoretical ground.The paper adopts Hutton's assertion that "the central organizing theme of public relations theory and practice" is relationships(Hutton, 1999, p. 209). It also relies upon Koehn (1994) to provide a theoretical discussion of the nature of professions, and the ground upon which professional ethics and public trust in the professions are based. It concludes, from a Koehnian perspective, that for public relations to move from the expertise and contractual models of practice into a covenantal model as a profession worthy of public trust, the field must devote itself to a defined human good (relationships), and must be grounded in a public pledge to serve this good.

Corporate communications: Conception and structure in some European, American and Asian countries

This paper deals with the rationales which prevail in the organisation of the communication function of international companies, ie the reasons which govern this organisation and the principal patterns and underlying conceptions of corporate communication. Beyond the logic or absence of logic in this organisation, one should be able to contribute to knowledge of communication in the following areas: what conceptions (definition) of corporate communication does this organisation manifest? What are the main patterns in the organisation of communication according to business field and to country? Are some better than others? To what extent does this organisation depend on managerial cultures (national culture, culture of the business sector, management style, culture of the company, etc…)? This paper was written from a survey conducted in the chair ‘Communication et Management’ of ESSEC, Graduate School of Management, in 1995. Its results appeared in International Public Relations Review, IPRA, Volume 16, 1995.