Showing papers in "Journal of Public Relations Research in 2014"
TL;DR: The authors posit a conceptualization of engagement as: engagement is part of dialogue and through engagement, organizations and publics can make decisions that create social capital; engagement is both an orientation that influences interactions and the approach that guides the process of interactions among groups.
Abstract: The principle of engagement underlies much of the relational and organization–public communication research. Unfortunately, the principle of engagement suffers from a lack of clarity in the public relations literature. Use of the term engagement varies widely. This article clarifies the principle of engagement by positioning it within dialogue theory. We posit a conceptualization of engagement as: Engagement is part of dialogue and through engagement, organizations and publics can make decisions that create social capital. Engagement is both an orientation that influences interactions and the approach that guides the process of interactions among groups.
462 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a content analysis of 1,000 updates from organizations on the Nonprofit Times 100 list indicates that individuals prefer dialogic, as well as certain forms of mobilizational, messages; however, they are more likely to share one-way informational messages with their own networks.
Abstract: Although public relations scholarship has often discussed the possibilities of dialogue and engagement using social media, research has not truly explored this dynamic. Instead, research on social media platforms has focused on measuring the content and structure of organizational profiles. This study seeks to enhance the field's discussion about social media engagement by determining what organizational content individual stakeholders prefer on Facebook in terms of liking, commenting, and sharing. A content analysis of 1,000 updates from organizations on the Nonprofit Times 100 list indicates that, based on what they comment on and like, individuals prefer dialogic, as well as certain forms of mobilizational, messages; however, they are more likely to share one-way informational messages with their own networks. These findings are interpreted using practical and theoretical implications for the practice of public relations.
290 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined how strategic leadership influences excellent internal public relations by establishing the linkage between authentic leadership, symmetrical and transparent communication, and employee-organization relationships.
Abstract: This study examines how strategic leadership influences excellent internal public relations by establishing the linkage between authentic leadership, symmetrical and transparent communication, and employee–organization relationships. The results showed that authentic leadership as an antecedent factor plays a critical role in nurturing an organization's symmetrical and transparent communication system, which in turn, cultivates quality employee–organization relationships. An organization's symmetrical communication worldview greatly fosters its day-to-day transparent communication practice. Transparent communication, characterized by information substantiality, accountability, and employee participation, largely contributes to employee trust, control mutuality, commitment, and satisfaction. The impact of symmetrical communication on employees' relational outcomes is fully mediated via transparent communication. Significant theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.
218 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined how organizational leadership influences excellent internal communication by building the linkage between transformational leadership, symmetrical communication, and employee attitudinal and behavioral outcomes, and found that transformational leaders positively influenced the organization's symmetric communication system and employee-organization relationships.
Abstract: This study examines how organizational leadership influences excellent internal communication by building the linkage between transformational leadership, symmetrical communication, and employee attitudinal and behavioral outcomes. The results showed that transformational leadership positively influences the organization's symmetrical communication system and employee–organization relationships. The effects of transformational leadership on employee relational outcomes are partially mediated by symmetrical internal communication. Symmetrical communication demonstrates large positive effect on the quality of employee–organization relationships, which in turn leads to employee advocacy. Effects of symmetrical internal communication on employee advocacy are fully mediated by employee–organization relationships. Significant theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
187 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors conceptualized and operationalized public engagement at the individual level and tested the micro-model of public engagement in relation to key public relations concepts and supportive behavioral intentions.
Abstract: The concept of public engagement has suffered from a lack of a clear theoretical definition and sound operationalization. This study conceptualized and operationalized public engagement at the individual level and tested the micro-model of public engagement in relation to key public relations concepts and supportive behavioral intentions. Further, the study tried to bring the affective component into public relations scholarship by introducing engagement as a behavioral motivator that elicits individual publics' supportive behaviors toward an organization. The results showed the proposed 13-item scale of public engagement was sound in reliability and validity and found support for the proposed model as well as the mediation of public engagement.
160 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a conceptual model that measures public engagement with corporate pages on social networking sites, and evaluates the influence of such engagement on important perceptual, relational, and behavioral outcomes is proposed and tested.
Abstract: This study proposes and tests a conceptual model that not only measures public engagement with corporate pages on social networking sites, but also evaluates the influence of such engagement on important perceptual, relational, and behavioral outcomes. Study results provide empirical evidence of the positive effects of public engagement on perceived corporate authenticity, organizational transparency, organization–public relationships, and public advocacy. Findings underscore the importance of public engagement via social media on enhancing perceived corporate transparency and authenticity, and thereby cultivating strong relationships. Additionally, organization–public relationships emerged as a deciding factor driving the effects of public engagement on advocacy behaviors.
146 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a process model of antecedents, implementation, and consequences is used to study the connection between engagement and corporate social responsibility (CSR) credentials, and to understand what engagement is and how and why it is carried out in CSR provides a framework for understanding engagement in public relations.
Abstract: Organizations are increasingly seeking stakeholder support through engagement to demonstrate their corporate social responsibility (CSR) credentials. These credentials are, in turn, used to support claims of legitimacy for organizational operations. This article uses a process model of antecedents, implementation, and consequences to study the connection between engagement and CSR. CSR reports show organizations perceive engagement in CSR as both communication and activities between organizations and their stakeholders; and as a second, meta-level of communication about that engagement with stakeholders beyond those directly involved, thereby broadening the scope of organizational claims to legitimacy. Understanding what engagement is and how and why it is carried out in CSR provides a framework for understanding engagement in public relations.
97 citations
TL;DR: This paper applied a social network conceptual framework to identify and characterize social mediators that connect the US State Department with its international public and found that both formal and informal mediators vary in terms of their formality and interdependence.
Abstract: This study proposes theoretical and practical frameworks to systematically examine mediated public relations in social media spaces. We applied a social network conceptual framework to identify and characterize social mediators that connect the US State Department with its international public. The results showed that social mediators vary in terms of their formality and interdependence. Formal social mediators were primarily US government agencies while informal social mediators were nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and individuals. Notably, relationships with populations in the Middle East and North Africa were mediated primarily by informal actors, and formal mediators played a key role in connecting the public with everywhere else in the world. Government-related formal mediators and informal social mediators showed similar levels of bilateral relationships. In contrast, news media, the most traditional public relations mediators, were rarely found as social mediators and demonstrated the most uni...
93 citations
TL;DR: Engagement has emerged as important concept in public relations, as stakeholders challenge the discourse of organizational primacy and organizations prioritize the need for authentic stakeholder involvement as mentioned in this paper, and engagement offers a foundation for building organizational relationships, and provides a means to facilitate community-organization interaction.
Abstract: Engagement has emerged as important concept in public relations, as stakeholders challenge the discourse of organizational primacy and organizations prioritize the need for authentic stakeholder involvement. As a multidimensional concept, engagement offers a foundation for building organizational relationships, and provides a means to facilitate community–organization interaction. This special issue on engagement and public relations presents a body of work that both explicates and expands the theoretical foundations of engagement, and contributes to scholarly understanding of its contexts, processes, and outcomes.
93 citations
TL;DR: This article found that two-sided messages (i.e.g., sharing both positive and negative information) were more effective than one-sided message in crisis communication in a victim crisis.
Abstract: This experimental study found that employing reputation management crisis-response strategies was no better than adopting only the base crisis-response strategy (i.e., instructing and adjusting information) in terms of generating positive responses from the public. Two-sided messages (i.e., sharing both positive and negative information) in crisis communication were found to be more effective than one-sided messages in a victim crisis. In addition, even in a preventable crisis, one-sided messages (i.e., sharing only positive information) were not more effective than two-sided messages. Finally, the study found little support for Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT)'s recommendations for the best crisis response strategy selections.
83 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the relationship between the two types of transparency on trust and behavioral intentions of stakeholders in a crisis situation and found that organizations demonstrating both kinds of transparency achieved more than twice the levels of trust and positive behavioral intentions than organizations that demonstrated neither type of transparency.
Abstract: Seen as a solution to lapses of organizational ethics and misdeeds, transparency helps to restore trust and diminish reputational risk or damage. Research has identified 2 types of transparency: (a) an organization's reputation for transparency and (b) its efforts to communicate transparently. Using experimental design, this study examined the relationship between the 2 types of transparency on trust and behavioral intentions of stakeholders in a crisis situation. Results determined that organizations demonstrating both types of transparency achieved more than twice the levels of trust and positive behavioral intentions than organizations that demonstrated neither type of transparency.
TL;DR: The authors examined two crisis events using the corporate ability (CA) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) crisis categorization frameworks and found that a CSR crisis, versus a CA crisis, is interpreted more seriously and, consequently, causes heavier damage to the evaluation of the firm.
Abstract: To better understand the nature of reputational crisis, this study examined two crisis events using the corporate ability (CA) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) crisis categorization frameworks. This scenario-based experimental study validates the usefulness of the CA–CSR crisis categorization by demonstrating that not only do people actually discern differences between these two types of crises, but their awareness of a crisis type also influences their interpretation of the crisis, as well as their perceptions of and attitudes toward the target firm. In particular, this study shows that a CSR crisis, versus a CA crisis, is interpreted more seriously and, consequently, causes heavier damage to the evaluation of the firm. In addition, the halo effect of a favorable prior reputation was found in the CA crisis condition, but not in the CSR condition. Based on these findings, this study suggests that the recognition of CA and CSR crises provides a boundary condition, which determines divergent effect...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a sense-making and discourse analysis perspective of transparency in the context of the British bank Northern Rock crisis, and demonstrate how different zones of meaning emerged among the players involved.
Abstract: Organizational transparency is associated with mutual understanding and consensus between the organization and its constituents, but is typically defined as information disclosure. Such definitions pose the risk of simplification and provide incomplete understandings of the transparency phenomenon. Additionally, research rarely focuses on how transparency is translated within crisis situations. This article presents a sense-making and discourse analysis perspective of transparency. We use the case of the British bank Northern Rock to show how this bank and its stakeholders enacted transparency in a critical moment, and to demonstrate how different zones of meaning emerged among the players involved.
TL;DR: In this article, the effects of different levels of Web site interactivity on individuals' perceptions of an organization's reputation were explored by statistically investigating the mediating role of three variables (perceived customization, involvement, and liking) using bootstrapping analysis.
Abstract: This study investigates the effects of different levels of Web site interactivity on individuals' perceptions of an organization's reputation. The underlying theoretical mechanism for this relationship was explored by statistically investigating the mediating role of 3 variables—perceived customization, involvement, and liking—using bootstrapping analysis. Results indicate that the level of Web site interactivity positively influenced participants' perceptions of the organization's reputation, with liking and involvement fully mediating this relationship. These findings demonstrate the theoretical complexity of interactivity—it can at once attract users peripherally with likeable aesthetics and engage them centrally with features that involve them. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the effect of organizations' interpersonal approaches to communication (e.g., non-promotional messages, high interactivity) in social networking sites using real and fictitious companies.
Abstract: Publics tend to use social networking sites mainly for interpersonal communication purposes. Corporate communication focusing on promotional activities, thus, might create negative sentiments toward the organization within those platforms. This experimental study examined the effect of organizations’ interpersonal approaches to communication (e.g., nonpromotional messages, high interactivity) in social networking sites using real and fictitious companies. Our results suggest that publics consider corporate activities in social networking sites more negatively when they perceive those platforms as a personal space. However, publics evaluate an organization more positively when it is highly interactive with its publics on these platforms. Finally, publics who perceive the platform as a personal space have a more positive attitude toward the organization when the organization is both highly interactive and employs nonpromotional messages.
TL;DR: The authors explored the extent to which publics differ in their willingness to express their opinions in hostile social situations and found that there is no interaction effect between fear of isolation and types of publics.
Abstract: Combining spiral of silence theory with the situational theory of problem solving, this study explores the extent to which publics differ in their willingness to express their opinions in hostile social situations. Based on analysis of a survey among 369 college students about their willingness to express opinions on 2 controversial topics (gun possession and climate change), 3 key findings emerge: (a) Fear of isolation suppresses people's willingness to express their opinions in public; (b) active publics are more likely than other types of publics to express their opinions; and (c) there is no interaction effect between fear of isolation and types of publics. In addition to several theoretical contributions, the findings provide public relations practitioners with a model for predicting which types of publics would be more or less likely to express their opinion.
TL;DR: This article found that more intense sympathetic feelings lead to higher likelihood of conative coping preference; more sympathy at low intensity contributes to more preference of active cognitive coping and acceptance of accommodative organizational responses; and more intense anger is related to acceptance of more defensive crisis response.
Abstract: Integrating the discrete emotions and emotional dimensionality theories in crisis communication research, a 2 (emotional type: anger vs. sympathy) × 2 (emotional intensity: high vs. low) between-subjects experiment using a random general public sample was designed to examine the variance in publics' crisis coping strategies and their acceptance of different organizational crisis responses, as a function of crisis-induced anger and sympathy of different intensity. Differential influences of emotional type and intensity on coping and crisis response preferences were found. Interaction effects revealed: (a) more intense sympathetic feelings lead to higher likelihood of conative coping preference; (b) more sympathy at low intensity contributes to more preference of active cognitive coping and acceptance of accommodative organizational responses; and (c) more intense anger is related to acceptance of more defensive crisis response such as scapegoating.
TL;DR: This article explored the role of public relations leadership during organizational change in three multinationals in mainland China and found that the leadership role of PR managers was enacted through consulting CEOs' communication styles, exerting upward influence in change management, and acting as the different voice when decision making for change was questionable.
Abstract: This study explored the role of public relations leadership during organizational change in 3 multinationals in mainland China. Based on 40 in-depth interviews, the findings suggested that the leadership of public relations unit or function during organizational change was shown through coaching middle management to manage employee emotions, providing communication training to middle management, communicating and reinforcing shared visions for change, and managing the conflicts between middle management and top management regarding change rationales, planning, and procedures. The leadership role of public relations managers was enacted through consulting CEOs' communication styles, exerting upward influence in change management, and acting as the different voice when decision making for change was questionable. Results of the study extended existing public relations leadership scholarship and shed light on some tentative dimensions of public relations leadership during organizational change: (a) coaching ...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the role of inclusion in predicting relationship quality and future volunteerism for participants of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, including African Americans, Asians, Caucasians, and Hispanic/Latinos.
Abstract: Maintaining relationships with racially diverse audiences can challenge nonprofit organizations. Through a survey of 634 volunteers, this study examined the role of inclusion in predicting relationship quality and future volunteerism for participants of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, including African Americans, Asians, Caucasians, and Hispanic/Latinos. Results suggest a positive relationship between level of inclusion, relationship quality, and future volunteer intention. However, inclusion was varied among groups indicating that communication and inclusive behaviors are experienced differently for diverse audiences.
TL;DR: The authors conducted a random probability sampling of investor relations professionals to investigate their educational backgrounds, organizational structures, reporting relationships, and other variables, concluding that investor relations is still primarily a financial function.
Abstract: There are no majors, or even minors, in investor relations for undergraduate students in the United States Yet, the association of investor relations professionals, the National Investor Relations Institute, has 4,300 members The questions, then, become who works in the investor relations departments and investor relations agencies, where do they come from, and, more important, what does it mean for the status of investor relations as a profession? This study addresses these questions by conducting a random probability sampling of investor relations professionals to investigate their educational backgrounds, organizational structures, reporting relationships, and other variables The study concludes that investor relations is still primarily a financial function: Investor relations professionals have financial or business backgrounds and report to the financial executives rather than to the communication executives or to the Chief Executive Officer
TL;DR: In this article, a survey of 440 practitioners revealed 2 excellence clusters and 4 clusters of organizations with differing degrees of centralization in the global public relations practice of nongovernmental organizations.
Abstract: In the last few decades, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have become influential actors in creating awareness of international social, political, environmental and economic causes in global society. However, NGOs have not received much attention in research on international public relations. This study contributes to filling that gap by analyzing how NGOs manage public relations according to the generic principles of excellence in global public relations and how they coordinate strategic communication between headquarters and local units. An online survey of 440 practitioners revealed 2 excellence clusters and 4 clusters of organizations with differing degrees of centralization. Excellent NGOs were found to assign more resources to public relations and more frequently considered cultural context in their communication programs. Thus, the study gives significant insights into international public relations practice in the global civil society sector and reveals further need for modifying and extending...
TL;DR: In the aftermath of the Great Depression, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) faced growing antibusiness sentiment, and as part of a widespread propaganda campaign to assuage public concerns about industry and rehabilitate big business's reputation, NAM created and distributed the community relations short film, Your Town.
Abstract: In the aftermath of the Great Depression, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) faced growing antibusiness sentiment. In 1940, as part of a widespread propaganda campaign to assuage public concerns about industry and rehabilitate big business's reputation, NAM created and distributed the community relations short film, Your Town. The movie, pursuing an integration propaganda strategy, appealed to Americans' individualistic values by portraying industry as a beneficent fellow traveler who was a big individual—a heroic, larger-than-life figure who could make the land profitable and guard the citizenry against evil, antibusiness influences. Applying Vogler's (1997) synthesis of Campbell's (1949) heroic narrative form, this article shows that NAM's portrayal of industry as a hero has continued to resonate with strains of contemporary American thought that (a) sees business as the foundation for societal progress and stability and (b) conceptualizes the corporate entity as a person. Finally, this stu...
TL;DR: The authors applies research on paradox, semantics, and theories of groups and logical types to public relations, particularly the concept of relationship management, and suggests that public relations reframe relationship management with relating management, a practices more consistent with Kant's humanity.
Abstract: This article applies research on paradox, semantics, and theories of groups and logical types to public relations, particularly the concept of relationship management. Paradoxes create tension and are often produced by semantic disturbances resulting from errors in logical typing. Communication is inherently paradoxical. The article contends that progress in public relations practice and scholarship has been inhibited by a failure to recognize or reconcile paradoxes associated with popular concepts, such as relationship management, mutually beneficial relationships, and symmetrical communication. Such concepts breach levels of communication to create logical fallacies and place practitioners into a double bind of promising more than they can deliver without resorting to coercion and manipulation. The article introduces Group Theory and the Theory of Logical Types, and suggests that public relations reframe relationship management with relating management, a practices more consistent with Kant's humanity i...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated how shareholders are constructed and engaged with through public relations in the Australian financial sector and found that a hierarchical distinction exists within the discrete but amorphous stakeholder group known as shareholders.
Abstract: The study investigates how shareholders are constructed and engaged with through public relations in the Australian financial sector. The web sites and annual and sustainability reports of major Australian companies and investment funds were examined through qualitative content analysis. Findings indicate that a hierarchical distinction exists within the discrete but amorphous stakeholder group known as shareholders, where privilege and disadvantage exist alongside disparate levels of power and agency. This is perpetuated by and through irresponsible public relations, which constructs a discourse of ownership that excludes citizens as legitimate stakeholders limiting their capacity to influence more ethical corporate decisions and practices. Recommendations are offered for how public relations might engage shareholders more responsibly.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors developed and tested an intercultural competence model of strategic public relations management in the Peruvian mining industry and found that trait competence components worked differently in reducing practitioners' uncertainty and anxiety.
Abstract: 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 publ...