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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Public relations theory'
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1
Mackey, Stephen, and mackey@deakin edu au. "Public relations and contemporary theory." Swinburne University of Technology. School of Social and Behavioual Science, 2001. http://adt.lib.swin.edu.au./public/adt-VSWT20050217.103618.
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In the postmodern era, as authoritative discourses are being undermined, there is an increased vulnerability of thoughts to the influence of the deliberate promotion of viewpoints. In this environment, public relations is becoming increasingly important. In this thesis I use the term �public relations� both in the sense of an extensive, specific industry, as well as in the sense of the general processes increasingly being used by all sorts of groups and organisations to get their voices heard, their effects felt, their interests defended and their aims achieved. Concomitant with this growth in public relations activity, public relations has emerged as a rapidly growing field of study within universities. This thesis critically assesses the state of this emerging university �discipline�.
A claim of this thesis is that the mainstream public relations industry is dominated by a corporatist ideology stemming from a particular US business tradition. This ideology produces a problem for university teachers, researchers and ethicists of public relations because it pervades and dominates the textbooks, teaching, research and academic-industry liaison committees. I suggest that this permeation has helped to shape the conceptual tools which public relations people use to examine their own activities. The thesis warns that this interference in academic freedom results in a situation where a genuine �professional� status for graduates with degrees in public relations is rarely achieved. I suggest than many of these graduates may not have the intellectual equipage necessary for the level of detached understanding of their field which would be necessary for them to be true �professionals�.
This thesis attempts to explain these inadequacies. It points to the presumption of political pluralism and an unproblematic consensual society which is implicit in the approaches of the orthodox exponents of public relations since the second world war. A contrast with the candidness of public relations theory in the more elitist and authoritarian period of the 1920s and 30s helps to make this point. In order to improve public relations theory, the more recent work of �New Rhetoric� theorists is employed. These theorists point to the inevitability and in fact the necessity of the persuasive activities which construct reality in all human cultural spheres. I opposed the negative critiques of some critical theorists for whom public relations is an abomination. Instead I argue that everyone now needs to be provided with an understanding of, and access to, their own means of generating public relations-like activity. I suggest that we all need to have some sort of control over the public relations which affects us because this activity is becoming the currency used in the maintenance of all of our postmodern identities. But in grasping the nettle of participating in public relations activity, I suggest that it is also necessary to foreground the oppositional aspects of society and draw on neo-Marxist critical and cultural theories. I employ Habermas and Beck in particular in order to expose the mainstream public relations industry�s historically rooted cultural mission to maintain the pretense that we live in a consensual capitalist culture based on conservatism and corporate American values. A reformulation of public relation theory along critical theory lines is necessary in order to provide the reflexive knowledge required by teachers and students of public relations if public relations is to justify itself as a university discipline.
2
Strand, Karen. "Applying Public Relations Theory to Assess Service-Learning Relationships." Thesis, University of South Florida, 2014. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=1554008.
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In Service-Learning (S-L) partnerships, universities and community organizations exchange resources and influence. Community engagement scholars Cruz and Giles proposed that relationships within S-L partnerships serve as units of analysis for the study of community outcomes of engagement. Yet, the scholarship of engagement lacks a suitable instrument to assess such relationships. This study brings together two lines of scholarship-relationship studies within community engagement and cocreational studies within public relations-to address the problem of assessing the community outcomes of S-L relationships, and it applies Cruz and Giles' ideas about using relationship analysis to assess community outcomes when it considers the perspectives of representatives of nonprofit organizations relative to their relationships with S-L students. Specifically, this qualitative study applies public relations theory to the problem of assessing project-based S-L relationships.
3
Swanger, William Rodgers Shelly. "Revisiting fund-raising encroachment of public relations in light of the theory of donor relations." Diss., Columbia, Mo. : University of Missouri--Columbia, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10355/5795.
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The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file. Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on October 5, 2009). Thesis advisor: Dr. Shelly Rodgers, Includes bibliographical references.
4
Smith, Joshua Lee. "When It Hits the Fan: A Public Relations' Practitioners' Guide to Crisis Communication." Digital Archive @ GSU, 2007. http://digitalarchive.gsu.edu/communication_theses/19.
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This project is designed as an aid to those interested in practicing, researching or teaching crisis communication. For public relations’ practitioners, it offers a comprehensive approach for structuring a crisis communication plan. For researchers, several theoretical frameworks for the study of crisis communication are provided, with the goal of allowing them a more complete foundation for executing future research. Those involved in teaching crisis communication are offered additional resources such as a sample crisis communication plan, media guidelines and a concluding case study for educating future practitioners.
5
Charlton, Andrea, and n/a. "Towards outcome evaluation : a study of public relations evaluation in the Australian Federal Government, 1995." University of Canberra. Communication, Media & Tourism, 1996. http://erl.canberra.edu.au./public/adt-AUC20060627.133808.
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The Australian Federal government has well-defined guidelines for undertaking
program evaluations. Advertising and Public Relations campaigns support
program aims, and are subject to the same guidelines. However, an examination
of actual practice in the Australian Federal government, as observed by the Office
of Government Information and Advertising in Canberra, suggests that there are
significant differences in the extent to which Public Relations campaigns, as
opposed to advertising campaigns, are systematically evaluated.
Evaluation theory, Public Relations theory, strategic planning theory, and public
administration theory provide insights into methods of managing and reporting
on communication campaigns designed to forward government objectives. A
literature review and an assessment of existing models of Public Relations
evaluation were undertaken, and a synthesis of several theoretical and practical
approaches led to the construction of a model of Public Relations evaluation
which could be applied to Australian government communication campaigns.
6
Chandler, Constance. "Exploring the Relevance of Relationship Management Theory to Investor Relations." Thesis, University of Oregon, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/1794/17932.
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This study examines the relevance of an established public relations theory, relationship management, to investor relations. Having emerged during the 1950s, investor relations is a relatively new field that integrates the disciplines of communication, marketing, finance, and securities laws compliance. Through qualitative interviews focused on six publicly traded companies on the West Coast, the study provides insight into the relationship management function of investor relations from the perspectives of those whom investors ultimately hold accountable for a public company's performance - CEOs. The dominant theme emerging from the study is the constant challenge CEOs of public companies face as they engage in relationships with investors, primarily due to the constraining effects of regulatory requirements. While the study confirmed that the interviewees value L. C. Hon and J. E. Grunig's qualities of trust, satisfaction, control mutuality and commitment in relationships with investors, CEOs' most frequently discussed relationship quality that they work to achieve is trust.
7
Pepperday, Michael Edward, and mike pepperday@gmail com. "Way of life theory: the underlying structure of worldviews, social relations and lifestyles." The Australian National University. Research School of Social Sciences, 2009. http://thesis.anu.edu.au./public/adt-ANU20090906.142757.
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What is the structure of society? Many thinkers have pondered the regularities. Way of life theory (WOLT) shows the relationship of every rational, social issue to every other rational, social issue.
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From two dichotomised, theoretical dimensions called grid and group, Mary Douglas deduced four ways of life usually called individualism, hierarchy, egalitarianism, and fatalism. WOLT shows the same four ideal types may be deduced from any significant pair of social issues, including competition, cooperation, coercion, freedom, justice, self-identity, nature, human nature, and more. Since four types may be divided pair-wise in three ways, there are three, not two, dimensions or axes.
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WOLT also deduces Douglass fifth type (the hermit) and resolves the long-standing logical anomalies of grid-group theory.
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In all, seven social theorists have independently deduced four types from various dimension pairs. Mistakes aside, they find the same four theoretical types. Evidently, the four types are natural kinds. Between them these theorists use three axes.
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Numerous intuitive theorists from across social science have developed types without dimensions, and dimensions without types. Though incomplete, they show no significant disagreement.
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It appears that every issue that must be taken into account to live socially fits the three axes. There is no flexibility: each issue fits the axes one way. Geometrically, three dichot¬omised dimensions yield eight types, however four of them are not viable and do not arise. Given just four valid points, the number of dimensions is necessarily limited to three. The axes generate thousands of predictions.
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Since deduction yields the same four types whatever issues are placed on the dimensions, the four types are, like objects of natural science, independent of any theorist. In turn, these four types control which issues fit and how they fit, delimiting the scope and refining the meaning of the issueswhich places the issues, too, beyond any theorists determination.
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As in natural science, the sphere of application is set by the deductive theory, not by a theorists pronouncement: what fits, fits. The domain appears to cover matters which people must take a position on to live socially. Emotional and internal personal issues will not fit.
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WOLT sharpens meaning, formalises structure and extends connections in areas as diverse as equality, liberalism, game theory, corporate culture, national culture, political right and left, religion, and working-class health.
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Like a natural science theory, WOLT is relational, not only taxonomic. As in natural science, no person, organisation, or social situation will conform exactly to its ideal types. It is falsifiable by deducing, or finding empirically, rival social types or a social phenomenon that will not fit. Empirical testing of the theory as a whole is awkward owing to its structure and to parochial effects. Three data sets failed to refute it.
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WOLT reveals how every social issue relates to every other social issue, providing a tool for analysing worldview, social structure, and social behaviour.
8
Skinner, John Christopher. "Public relations and communication theory, with special reference to corporate social investment." Thesis, University of Zululand, 1994. http://hdl.handle.net/10530/508.
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A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Communication Science, University of Zululand, 1994.Public relations unique 'gate-keeping role' in a new communication order offers practitioners a definite break with the past and dynamic new challenges for the future. This new-found status rests on the premise that communication theory should provide the basic underlying philosophy for public relations. Furthermore, in the First World/Third World duality of South Africa, it is argued that the whole approach to public relations must change in order to more accurately reflect the needs of various communities. In communication terms, this:means placing greater importance and reliance on recipients* needs throughout the communication process. Regular feedback must be encouraged. This emphasis supports the view that public relations is essentially a communication phenomenon rooted in the understanding of social issues. Thus its background and experience will serve it well in the evolution of a new, democratic, non-racial society in South Africa.
9
Danner, Benton A. "The state of theory building in public relations ethics a critical examination /." [Gainesville, Fla.] : University of Florida, 2006. http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/UFE0013920.
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Sansbury, George Ernest. "The employment relationship and integrated theory /." Access full text, 2004. http://www.lib.latrobe.edu.au/thesis/public/adt-LTU20060427.125729/index.html.
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Thesis (Ph.D.) -- La Trobe University, 2004.Research. "A thesis submitted in total fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, School of Business, Faculty of Law and Management, La Trobe University". Includes bibliographical references (leaves 223-244). Also available via the World Wide Web.
11
Voss, Jessica. "An empirical analysis of public perception of reclaimed water applying the situational theory of publics." [Tampa, Fla] : University of South Florida, 2009. http://purl.fcla.edu/usf/dc/et/SFE0003091.
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Pan, Chengxin, and chengxin pan@deakin edu au. "Discourses of 'China' in International Relations: A Study in Western Theory as (IR) Practice." The Australian National University. Faculty of Arts, 2004. http://thesis.anu.edu.au./public/adt-ANU20050528.132232.
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This thesis is concerned with both the dangers and opportunities of Chinas relations with the contemporary world and with the U.S.-led West in particular. It takes an unconventional approach to these issues in critically examining mainstream Western studies of Chinese foreign policy as a particular kind of discourse. The thesis focuses, more specifically, on the two dominant Western perspectives on China, (neo)realism and (neo)-liberalism. In doing so, it engages the questions of how Western discursive practice has come to shape and dominate the ways we think of and deal with China in international relations, and how, as a result, China has often come to formulate its foreign policy in line with the prescribed meaning given to it by Western-based China scholars. In this context, the thesis argues that to deconstruct the processes by which China is given particular meanings by Western discoursesand by which those meanings are transformed into both Western and Chinese foreign policyis the key to a more profound understanding of Sino-Western relations and, perhaps, a first step towards ameliorating its problems and realising its potential for long-term peace and mutual prosperity.
13
Pan, Chengxin. "Discourses of 'China' in International Relations : a study in Western Theory as (IR) practice /." View thesis entry in Australian Digital Theses Program, 2004. http://thesis.anu.edu.au/public/adt-ANU20050528.132232/index.html.
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Sansbury, George Ernest, and G. Sansbury@latrobe edu au. "The employment relationship and integrated theory." La Trobe University. School of Business, 2004. http://www.lib.latrobe.edu.au./thesis/public/adt-LTU20060427.125729.
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This research falls within the field of normative business ethics.
Its aim is to examine the moral nature of the employment relationship in western democracies by examining the liberal, democratic justifications that are normally advanced for its probity. Its concern is to challenge the notion that the employment relationship is in conformity with these liberal democratic values. Thus, the research is an exercise in the examination of the application of the liberal, democratic tradition to the social institution of employment.
Thus research examines areas of dissonance between the political relationship of employee � employer and the dominant values of the liberal tradition found elsewhere in western democracies.
The research firstly identifies the key moral characteristics of the employment relationship in private, capitalist organisations. This is derived from a consideration of the development historically, of the employment relationship, with acknowledgement of the combined influences of statute, common law, contract law and custom in forming the current employee relationship.
Secondly, the research identifies the justificatory arguments from the liberal tradition that are normally advanced in support of the employment relationship�s moral probity. These include notions of rights deriving from private property, the separation of social life into public and private spheres and the application of contract law to employment.
Thirdly, the research examines these arguments for their moral probity. Specifically, this involves an examination of the arguments regarding the private property status of employing organisations, the application of contract law to employment, the moral characteristics of the master and servant relationship as a basis for employment and the relevance of democratic values within employment.
As an additional perspective, the literature on human needs is reviewed as a source, outside of the liberal tradition, for a basis upon which to outline the moral requirements of human relationships to work.
15
Yun, Seong-Hun. "Toward theory building for comparative public diplomacy from the perspectives of public relations and international relations a macro-comparative study of embassies in Washington, D.C. /." College Park, Md. : University of Maryland, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/1903/2852.
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Thesis (Ph. D.) -- University of Maryland, College Park, 2005.Thesis research directed by: Communication. Title from t.p. of PDF. Includes bibliographical references. Published by UMI Dissertation Services, Ann Arbor, Mich. Also available in paper.
16
Murdock, Jennifer Melody. "An External Communication Audit of the National Tropical Botanical Garden." BYU ScholarsArchive, 2003. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/63.
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This study presents the results of an external communication audit of the National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG), a congressionally chartered nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of tropical plant diversity. Information was gathered during the communication audit through interviews with NTBG's key decision makers, content analyses of NTBG's primary publications, and a questionnaire measuring the public-organization relationship. The audit assesses NTBG's external communication policies, practices, capabilities, and needs in the context of systems theory and external relations strategic planning theories. The findings of the audit identify who NTBG considers its target publics and how well they are reaching certain audiences. The results also indicate in which areas NTBG's current communication system is meeting or not meeting the objectives of the organization. The study concludes with a series of recommendations for how NTBG can improve its external communication system.
17
Reber, Bryan H. "Cooperation, communication and contingencies : the relationships of corporate public relations practitioners, lawyers and their external public /." free to MU campus, to others for purchase, 2001. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/mo/fullcit?p3025646.
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Litvack, Samara Rose. "Talking Heads: How Broadcast Media Frame the Public Relations Industry." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2011. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1396.
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Researchers conducted a content analysis to measure framing of the public relations industry in 354 English language broadcast transcripts from the United States, Canada, and Australia from Sept. 1, 2009 to Aug. 31, 2010.
The overall tone toward public relations was strongly negative. Mentions reflected one-way forms of communication and mentions of the pejorative term "PR" appeared more frequently than mentions of "public relations". The profession was almost always mentioned within the body of the broadcast, as opposed to the headline or the lead paragraph.
Exploratory research showed 15 shows that included negative mentions 100% of the time. Additionally, 27 shows included zero positive mentions of either term. Of 251 speakers recorded during data analysis, 126 spoke of the industry negatively 100% of the time. American shows were most often negative. Stories about the public relations industry were most likely to reflect public relations as a two-way form of communication.
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Watanabe, Tomoyo. "A study of the intersections between Theory X and Y and Grunig's public relations models." Virtual Press, 2006. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1337640.
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As one of the salient public relations practitioners' functions, internal and external communication is a vital tool to create success for an organization. This study examined an internal and external theory: Theory X and Y and Grunig's public relations models to ascertain the intersections of these two areas of communication.The researcher utilized a Likert-type questionnaire which was oriented to Theory X and Y, and a Q sort which was oriented to Grunig's public relations models to 35 individuals that assumed a public relations managers' role.Upon analysis of results, the research showed that there was no relationship between organizational internal management style and organizational external communication style. Specifically, Theory X and Y was not related to Grunig's public relations models. Also, there were less intersections and effects regarding the demographics with this study. However, the researcher found that five out of six respondents with 10 or more years of experience supported the proposed research questions.Department of Journalism
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Burger, Michelle. "Corporate communication strategy : aligning theory and practice amongst selected public relations practitioners in South Africa." Thesis, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11838/2552.
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Thesis (MTech (Public Relations Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016.This research reports on the findings from a study that explores how the principles of corporate communication strategies outlined in public relations theory align to public relations practice. Using the theoretical framework of strategic public relations within corporate communication strategies, this qualitative research seeks to understand what theoretical principles inform corporate communication strategies and how public relations practitioners develop and implement these strategies. The findings suggest that public relations practitioners have a more practical approach than a theoretical approach to public relations practice. This study identifies the importance of increasing the credibility of the discipline as public relations practitioners are able to constantly improve and adjust their strategies according to what works and what does not. Measurement and evaluation in application of corporate communication strategies increases research in public relations practice which will in due course influence public relations theory. Further study is recommended in increasing the knowledge of public relations practitioners regarding the theory of communication strategies which will assist in improving the status of public relations and the perceived value of the profession.
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Somfai, Rita. "Revisiting the Personal Influence Model as an Ethical Standard in Public Relations Theory and Practice." BYU ScholarsArchive, 2009. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/2437.
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This thesis attempts to better understand the importance and application of the personal influence model in relationship building between organizations and public decision makers. The personal influence model was added by Sriramesh and Grunig (1992) as a potential fifth model to Grunig and Hunt's (1984) four models of public relations practice (as cited by Grunig in Heath, 2007); however, this essential relationship building approach has not been examined in the public relations literature as it could have been. Scholarly research since the addition of the personal influence model has mostly occurred in Asia and India. Studies on the topic have been published in just a few instances in the United States. Furthermore, the studies have largely focused on internal communication or on exclusively domestic contexts, with no attempts to extend the examination to organizations that necessarily practice relationship building across national boundaries. This study seeks to contribute to the public relations literature based on the personal influence model by examining the practice of this model outside of Asia, in a global, non-profit religious organization that is headquartered in the United States, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (hereafter referred to as LDS Church). For three decades this global organization has implemented and emphasized the building and nourishing of one-on-one relationships with civic leaders and key decision makers across nations. This research will also examine the impact of such practices. The method chosen for this study is a qualitative exploration through personal interviews with ten public affairs practitioners of the organization, from both domestic and international arenas. The practitioners of this entity have accumulated decades of combined experiences in cultivating the personal influence model.
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Boone, Kristy L. "A content analysis of the game and excellence theory elements in public relations articles in Entrepreneur's online magazine." Virtual Press, 2008. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1390650.
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This study is an in-depth investigation of game and excellence theory's linkage within the discipline of public relations during the period of market entry.The literature review defines and analyzes both game and excellence theory and the value of each within public relations. The literature also examines the impact of new businesses within U.S. economy and the importance of strategic decision making during the period of market entry. Decisions made during this time period, of which public relations professionals are often involved, can forecast the success or failure of a new business. The researcher argued that excellence theory's domination over the mindshare of public relations professionals has overshadowed other theories (such as game theory) which can be of value during the time of market entry.In order to quantify any educated opinions held by the researcher, a content analysis was conducted. The researcher identified specific game and excellence theory keywords to be examined and coded. The keywords were derived from a random sample of 384 public relations-based articles from 1997 to 2007 in Entrepreneur's online magazine, the leading magazine for entrepreneurs for over thirty years. The years of 1997 through 2007 were chosen due to a growth in new business births that have occurred over this time frame.The results of the content analysis showed that there were significantly more game theory keywords than excellence theory keywords referenced in Entrepreneur's online magazine in the aforementioned articles and timeframe. From this evidence, the researcher deducted that while excellence theory is still the paradigm for public relations professionals, game theory is being fused within public relations in some areas of the industry, specifically within new market entry strategy.Department of Journalism
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Fonseca, Rivera Cherisse. "Public Perceptions of Organizational Culture and Organization-Public Relationships." Scholar Commons, 2011. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/3105.
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Almost 30 years ago, public relations scholars began to process the idea that the concept of culture was important to public relations practices. In particular, scholars questioned what influence culture might have on the communication process and relationship building between organizations and their stakeholders. Yet, today culture is still an understudied concept in the public relations literature. The purpose of this study is to analyze how of organizational culture, as defined by Sriramesh, J. E. Grunig, and Dozier (1996), is significant to the relationship outcomes in public relations. The theoretical framework for this study consists of organizational culture theory and organization-public relationship theory. A quantitative survey was used to measure an external public's perceptions of organizational culture and organizational-public relationships within an academic department. The research measures of authoritarian/participative culture to determine how it is related to the dimensions of organizational-public relationships, including control mutuality, trust, satisfaction, commitment, communal relationships, and exchange relationships. The results suggest how an organization can utilize perceptions of organizational culture and relationship management from external publics to develop and implement effective communication strategies.
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Guild, Justin M. "Extending situational theory to internal publics : Q methodology within a strategic management process." Virtual Press, 2008. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1397374.
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This Q study revealed how dominant coalition members of an Indianapolis, Ind. —based non-profit organization approached and interpreted problems within a strategic management process — a necessary area to study in pubic relations considering the dearth of research of internal publics within the field.The same forty-eight statement Q sort was used in two time periods to track movement of communication behavior among members: a pre-sort before the process and a post-sort at the end.Using a public relations theory, the situational theory of publics, as a framework, the Q sort was aligned with the theory's dependent variables of active and passive communication behavior. The data from the completed Q sorts was then entered into the PQMethod software. Four factors were identified in the pre-sort, and two factors were identified in the post-sort.Findings indicate that the four pre-sort groups lacked consensus in their behavior on how to approach problems. However, the two post-sort groups exhibited a change in behavior, showing consistency in their interpretation of problems. In the context of this research, dominant coalition members can be segmented by their communication behavior, not just by their positions inside an organization.Department of Journalism
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Gallant, Ashleigh. "Communication Behavior Study of Support in the Arts Using the Situational Theory of Publics and the Theory of Reasoned Action." Scholar Commons, 2014. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/5023.
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The Arts in the United States has been a thoroughly studied topic, largely trying to substantiate its value to society, resulting in a plethora of research that positively correlates the arts and a more healthy and successful society. Findings from various studies over the years have shown declines in arts support in the form of funding, advocacy, education, and participation (National Endowment for the Arts, 2009). Additional studies have suggested that millennials are redefining what participation means in the arts, and even the definition of the arts. The primary research question of this study is why are support for the arts declining? This study reviews the industry, the current definition of the arts and how two theories could help examine the question. The mass communications theory, the Situational Theory of Publics and the psychology theory, the Theory of Reasoned Action, were chosen to learn more about communication behavior toward arts support. The variables were examined within a proposed model. The data suggested that low problem recognition toward the arts in this sample was an integral factor. A key finding of the study was that respondents who value arts support may be more likely to behave. An experiment to test the model would be the next best step for research.
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FitzRoy, Lee, and leef@oxfam org au. "'Violent women'?: An explorative study of women's use of violence." RMIT University. Design and Social Context, 2006. http://adt.lib.rmit.edu.au/adt/public/adt-VIT20070112.093740.
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The study examines women's use of violence, focusing on the experiences of seven women who disclosed that they had perpetrated serious indictable crimes. The crimes included murder, accessory to murder after the fact, manslaughter, child sexual and physical assaults, grievous bodily harm, stalking and threats to kill. The narratives of the seven women form the central focus of the study and these stories contribute to our understanding of the lives of individual women who perpetrate violence. I also include the narratives of one hundred and twenty workers, analyse relevant sentencing comments, and draw on key insights from other research. I began the study believing that I would discover a single truth as to why women hurt other people. My original hypothesis was that women perpetrate violence because of their previous experiences of violence perpetrated by men and/or disadvantage due to structural oppression. In part this assumption has been borne out, with all of the women who participated in the study disclosing that they have been victims of serious violence as both children and adults. However, during the course of the study, I discovered that women's lives and their choices to perpetrate or participate in violent crimes are more complex and contradictory than my simple original hypothesis suggested. I found that the women whom I interviewed and the women whom the workers worked with, were active agents in their own lives, they made choices and engaged in activities that met some of their own needs. Sometimes these choices meant another person suffered extreme pain, injury or death. I came to the conclusion that all of us have the potential to seriously assault others. Drawing on a feminist analysis of male violence, I believe that women's, like men's, violence is also 'individually willed' and 'socially constructed' (Dankwort and Rausch, 2000: 937). I locate women's behaviour in an analytical framework that views violence as a deeply embedded part of our shared ideology, beliefs and social activities. This social fabric contributes to, and fundamentally influences, the choices of individual women who perpetrate violence. The familial, social, cultural and individual factors that contribute to women choosing to perpetrate violence against others are complex and challenging. The study critically examines these factors and describes how different factors intersect with each other.
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Wilson, Birdella Lorraine. "Examining Alignment Between Canadian Municipal Police Performance Evaluation Policies and Officer Perceptions." Thesis, Walden University, 2016. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10172362.
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A lack of alignment between police performance evaluation policy purposes and officer performance evaluation perceptions has implications for the organizations’ resource management, officer morale, and public safety. A literature review points towards a gap existing between policy purpose statements and employee perceptions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the policy purposes of police performance evaluations and the officers’ perceptions of those evaluation experiences in 4 Ontario municipal police services. DiMaggio and Powell’s (1983) Institutional theory was the foundation for this study. Data for this study were collected from 4 police services in Ontario, Canada. The data consisted of police performance evaluation policies and in-person interviews with 12 officers. Data were inductively coded, and then the coded data were subjected to content analysis. Three policy purpose themes and 13 officer perception themes emerged that indicate that: 1) there seems to be a lack of alignment between the policy purpose theme of assessing work performance and eight of the perception themes; 2) officers perceived performance evaluations as negatively impacting their morale: and, 3) healthy relationships with supervisors were more useful to officers than performance evaluations in terms of performance and career outcomes and progression. Consistent with Institutional theory, officers perceived performance evaluations to be necessary even with limited utility. The positive social change implications stemming from this study include recommendations to police executives to consider alternative processes in tandem with performance evaluations to improve morale, in turn creating better opportunities for improved public and officer safety.
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Guilfoil, Emily N. "Nautical Knowledge: An Experimental Analysis of the Influence of Public Relations Strategies in Safe Boating Communication." Scholar Commons, 2010. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/3670.
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This study explored the effect of public relations message strategies on beliefs,
attitudes, and behavioral intentions of individuals regarding boater safety. An experiment
was conducted using seven safety messages. Specifically, Fishbein and Ajzen’s (1975)
theory of reasoned action and J.E. Grunig’s (1997) situational theory of publics were
used to examine the communication effects of message strategies proposed by Hazleton
and Long’s (1988) public relations process model.
The findings of this study support the predictions of the theory of reasoned
action—that salient beliefs predict attitude toward behavior and attitude toward behavior
and subjective norm predict behavioral intent. Of the three attitude items measured—
attitude toward message, attitude toward issue, and attitude toward organization—salient
beliefs had the greatest effect on the attitude toward issue measure. Subjective norm was
shown to be the stronger predictor of the three attitude items.
In addition, support was found for the predictions of the situational theory of
publics. The independent variables—problem recognition, constraint recognition, and
level of involvement—were found to predict information seeking behaviors. However,
the use of public relations message strategies in boater safety communication produced
minimal effects on the same variables. It was determined that the power strategies, threat
and punishment and promise and reward, would be most effective when communicating
to a passive public such as the sample tested in this study.
This study is significant to public relations literature because it examined how
active boaters and non-boaters perceive safety messages. There appeared to be no
research on the use of safe boating messages. Thus, there was no research on how public
relations messages about boater safety affect boaters’ attitudes, awareness, and behavioral
intentions prior to the implementation of this study. Determining effective boater safety
messages will help to reduce boater accidents, injuries, and fatalities in years to come
(U.S. Coast Guard, 2009), making this study both necessary and original.
29
Shin, Jae-Hwa. "Strategic conflict management of the source-reporter relationship between public relations practitioners and journalists /." free to MU campus, to others for purchase, 2003. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/mo/fullcit?p3099635.
Full text
30
Ruhland, Neil J. "Gaining public support through interpersonal means : the application of the uncertainty reduction theory to political communication." CardinalScholar 1.0, 2009. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1540707.
Full textAbstract:
Political public relations is far from a science and candidates employ teams of public relations practitioners in an effort to gain as much support as possible from their constituency. This is most evident during an election, where a candidate attempts to garner enough support to either remain in office or be elected for the first time to the position. A way must be determined to attract individuals to vote on Election Day.
The average American voter is not the individual that are being interviewed on television about the candidate they support, they are the people that spend less time thinking about the upcoming election and more time concerned with the aspects of their lives that deserve immediate attention. The individuals a person sees on television supporting a candidate at a rally or giving an interview about whom they support. The majority of voters are the ones with drastically less developed notions about the candidates seeking office and are labeled by many political analysts as swing voters.
The purpose of this study is to discover if the uncertainty reduction theory can be applied to the political communication process. With voter turnout being as incredibly low and entire voting demographics feeling disenfranchised with their political representative something needs to be done. This study is poised to address both of them and propose potential remedies. It is important for a candidate to reduce a voter’s uncertainty about them and by appealing to their true beliefs, values, and attitudes a vital connection can be made. This study is important because its results will provide political candidates with a framework of how to campaign can effectively appeal to different demographics of the population, which in the end will prove more successful at building a positive public opinion than any political advertisement can.Department of Journalism
31
Lane, Anne B. "Pragmatic two-way communication : a practitioner perspective on dialogue in public relations." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2014. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/72558/1/Anne_Lane_Thesis.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
Public relations has traditionally claimed a close association with dialogue, but this research demonstrates that formal notions of dialogue have little relevance to the real world of public relations practice. Instead, practitioners undertake pragmatic forms of two-way communication, because the constraints within which they work mean dialogue is difficult if not impossible to carry out. This qualitative research project shows that although the label of 'dialogue' has been co-opted in both the theory and practice of public relations, this claimed connection is not supported by empirical evidence.
32
Irizarry, Amber H. "Understanding Diversity: Top Executives' Perceptions of Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Public Relations." Digital Archive @ GSU, 2012. http://digitalarchive.gsu.edu/communication_theses/92.
Full textAbstract:
In public relations, minority public relations practitioners are feeling left behind by the profession (Ford & Appelbaum, 2005). Where do top executives stand on employment diversity within their organizations? An online survey of 20 top executives of small-sized public relations agencies explored how top executives’ perceptions of and normative beliefs about diversity practices were related to their future engagement in diversity practices at work. Based on the theory of reasoned action, this explanatory study found that executives’ perceptions of peer endorsement of diversity were associated with greater intention of organizational engagement in diversity practices. Neither perceived benefits of nor perceived concerns about diversity were related to future engagement. Recommendations for contacting this hard-to-reach audience, as well as suggestions for promoting diversity practices among top executives, were discussed.
33
Greenwood, Cary A. "Killing the Messenger: A Survey of Public Relations Practitioners and Organizational Response to Whistleblowing after Sarbanes-Oxley." Thesis, University of Oregon, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/1794/11976.
Full textAbstract:
xviii, 197 p.Whistleblowing has been a topic of media interest since the Vietnam War, and it continues to resonate strongly with the public. Several well-publicized whistleblowers have done much more than catch the attention of the world media. They arguably have changed the world. Whistleblowing refers to the reporting of illegal, wasteful, or unethical activities (i.e., wrongdoing) by current and former employees of an organization. Triggered by several highly publicized corporate financial failures, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires publicly traded companies to provide an anonymous channel for employees to report financial wrongdoing and provides protection for those who do. Using resource dependence perspective and relationship management theory, this study uses e-mail to distribute an online survey to top-ranking public relations executives in the Fortune 1000 corporations to identify what role public relations executives have played in developing and publicizing anonymous whistleblowing channels, their knowledge of wrongdoing in their own organizations and elsewhere, their attitudes and actions related to the wrongdoing, the consequences of their actions, and their relationships with their organizations. The study finds that only one-fifth of respondents helped develop the required anonymous communication channel, but two-thirds helped publicize it; almost one-half of respondents are aware of wrongdoing in their corporations or in other organizations, and two-thirds of those report such activities; those who report wrongdoing do so through internal channels within the corporation, with one exception; few who report wrongdoing suffer retaliation; and the vast majority enjoy positive relationships with their organizations. However, a small number of respondents experienced retaliation, and the research points to a broader exploration of this topic among public relations personnel within Fortune 1000 corporations to determine to what extent status, relationships, and benefits such as the "golden handcuffs" influence whistleblowing. Future research on whistleblowing and ethics in public relations is warranted.
Committee in charge: Dr. Patricia A. Curtin, Co-Chairperson; Dr. H. Leslie Steeves, Co-Chairperson; Dr. James K. Van Leuven, Member; Dr. Michael Russo, Member; Dr. Anne Parmigiani, Outside Member
34
Li, Ying. "Too Many Theories Or Too Many Skills? The Perceived Impact Of Theoretical Knowledge Of Mass Communication Among Journalists And Public Relations Practitioners." Available to subscribers only, 2009. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1878966091&sid=13&Fmt=2&clientId=1509&RQT=309&VName=PQD.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (Ph. D.)--Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 2009."College of Mass Communication and Media Arts." Keywords: Journalism, Journalism education, Journalist, Mass communication theory, Public relations, Public relations practitioner. Includes bibliographical references (p. 161-188). Also available online.
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Abdelhay, Nawaf. "Public relations practice in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates : western theory, local culture." Thesis, University of West London, 2014. https://repository.uwl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1273/.
Full textAbstract:
In the last two decades public relations has developed and expanded in some parts of the Arab Middle East much more than in others. The most likely reason for this is the differences in the political and socio-economic environment (Sunil, 2004). The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are very different countries: KSA is a conservative monarchy while UAE is a federal and more liberal state. The aim of this research is to investigate how public relations is practised in each of the two countries, and how the public relations profession is affected by the prevailing cultural, political and socioeconomic environment in each country. For the purposes of this research, a combined methods approach is chosen as it can be seen as advantageous to this study. Quantitatively, the study investigates the public relations models that are most applicable in KSA and UAE. The first questionnaire is based on James Grunig’s (1984) four public relations models plus the personal influence model (Sriramesh, 1992) and the cultural interpreter model (Lyra, 1991). The second questionnaire is based on Broom's (1982) practitioner’s role measure. Qualitatively, the study investigates journalists’ opinions on the performance of public relations practitioners in both KSA and UAE. In addition, substantial theoretical background is provided in order to contextualise the emerging field of public relations in the Middle East. The results of this study have identified two characteristics of public relations models practices in KSA and UAE. Firstly, instead of Grunig’s (1984, 1992) four original public relations models, the two international public relations models, the cultural interpreter model and the personal influence model, are the most frequently practiced models in both KSA and UAE. The present study found that the cultural interpreter model is the most frequently practiced public relations model reported in UAE, and the second most frequently practiced model is the personal influence model. In contrast, practitioners in KSA are practicing the personal influence model the most and the cultural interpreter model comes next. The twoway symmetrical model is fairly practiced although the use of research as a tool to gauge the needs of the public is something that both KSA and UAE relations practitioners are evidently struggling to embrace. The finding of the present study also shows that practitioners in both KSA and UAE are functioning mainly as “cultural mediators” and “technicians”, rather than “managers”, as they show a limited management involvement in public relations itself. In summary, the findings of the present study contribute to theories of public relations and support the position that public relations practitioners with two-way asymmetrical communication and a management perspective are more likely to be found in organisations working within political and socio-economic environments that are moving towards democracy.
36
Domino, Tracie M. "Toward An Integrated Communication Theory For Celebrity Endorsement In Fund Raising." [Tampa, Fla.] : University of South Florida, 2003. http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/SFE0000149.
Full text
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Burch, Michael Eddie. "Climate Change, Situational Theory of Problem Solving, and Issue Framing Effects." Scholar Commons, 2014. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/5449.
Full textAbstract:
This is an exploratory study of the Situational Theory of Problem Solving applied to the context of climate change communication. Selective exposure to politically slanted media is explored as a referent criterion and framing effects are also tested. Relationships between consumption of media characterized as conservative or liberal with referent criterion, Situational Motivation in Problem Solving, problem recognition, involvement recognition, and constraint recognition are tested.
38
Nossal, Brigid Suzanne, and com au brigid@now. "Systems Psychodynamics and Consulting to Organisations in Australia." RMIT University. School of Health Sciences, 2007. http://adt.lib.rmit.edu.au/adt/public/adt-VIT20080513.144938.
Full textAbstract:
Systems Psychodynamics is unique as an approach to consulting to organisations in the way it integrates three theory streams: psychoanalysis; group relations and open systems theory. Consultants who work in this way focus on the many layers of interactions and exchanges taking place both within organisations and at the interface between an organisation and its external environment. The territory for collaborative exploration with clients extends from interpersonal and group dynamics to service and product- related systems and processes. It is a holistic approach that creates opportunities for transformational learning at every level of the organisation. As a practice, consulting with a systems psychodynamics approach is complex and difficult to master. Arguably, the most challenging dimension of this work for consultants is developing a capacity to think within a psychoanalytic conceptual framework: to discern and hypothesise about unconscious processes in organisations. But what precisely does this mean and what is this experience like for the consultants? This research project was designed to explore and describe the experience of working with a systems psychodynamic approach from the consultants' perspectives within the Australian context. To this end, 20 consultants who self-selected as working with a systems psychodynamic approach were involved in this research. From the data created in this process, what is documented in this thesis is the first detailed description of the experience of 'working in this way' taken from the combined perspectives of these 20 consultants. Further, a systems psychodynamic approach to research is defined and applied in this thesis. In this way, the systems psychodynamics within the temporary 'system' created by the research was part of the territory under investigation. This process led to an important discovery. 18 of 20 consultants strongly asserted the importance of working with colleagues in pairs or teams when adopting a systems psychodynamic approach. However, at the time of interviewing, all 20 consultants were working alone and only 3 had immediate plans to work with others. An exploration of the reasons for this gap between beliefs about best practice and actual practice became the focus for the analysis of the data. What is discovered through this analysis is that the reasons why consultants are predominantly choosing to work alone are likely to be complex and irreducible. An exploration of the issues that working together can surface for consultants who apply a systems psychodynamic approach is presented under four sub-topics: system domain issues; theory-related issues; interpersonal issues and intrapsychic issues. In this detailed analysis, what is revealed is an absence of 'good enough' containment for the anxieties that are likely to be aroused when consultants work together. To this end, four 'containers' are proposed: organisation/brand-as-container; management-as-container; supervision-as-container and theory/praxis-as container. This research has uncovered some important challenges facing the community of practitioners in Australia. It is the contention in this thesis that they need to be addressed if the practice of consulting with a systems psychodynamic approach is to flourish and continue to grow.
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Bartlett, Jennifer Lea. "Web of institutionalised legitimacy : building a model of legitimacy as a raison d'etre for public relations practice." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2007. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/16568/1/Jennifer_Lea_Bartlett_Thesis.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
This research responds to calls for the establishment of an overriding rationale, or
raison d'être, for public relations practice. Several scholars are suggesting that the
construct of legitimacy provides an overarching rationale that would link public
relations practice across organisations, industries and countries (Boyd, 2000;
Massey, 2001; Metzler, 1995, 2001; van Ruler & Vercic, 2005; Vercic, van Ruler,
Butschi, & Flodin, 2001). However, existing public relations studies using legitimacy
have focused on the communicative aspects, with little emphasis on long term and
societal level effects for organisations. In seeking to accommodate these challenges,
the central research question of this thesis is:
Does legitimacy provide a rationale for public relations practice, and if so, in
what ways?
This study draws on institutional theory, with its central imperative of
legitimacy, to address this question. Institutional theory considers the relationship
between organisations and environments from a social constructionist perspective.
Institutions created through the social construction of reality are based on shared,
rational myths of legitimacy which drive organisational and social action, and with
which organisations need to demonstrate compliance through their organisational
ceremonies or practices. These two central contributors to legitimacy -- rational
myths and ceremonies -- provide the framework guiding the study. The study was
conducted around issues about the corporate social responsibility (CSR) of the four
major Australian banks.
In order to consider relationships between public relations practice and
legitimacy as an institutional concept, Giddens' theory of structuration is used as a
theoretical apparatus to straddle the rational myths of legitimacy at the level of
institution, with public relations practice related to ceremonies at the level of action.
'Structuring moments' identified in media coverage provide sites of microanalysis
of the intense social construction of rational myths of legitimacy that include
organisations and publics. Through these theoretical devices, a number of guiding
research questions shape the study:
RQ i): What is learned about the social construction of rational myths about
legitimacy by studying media coverage about CSR in Australian banking?
RQ ii): What is learned about legitimacy by studying public relations
practices in relation to media coverage about CSR in Australia banking?
A longitudinal, qualitative, case study approach was taken to explore the
research questions in this study. As legitimacy was viewed as a process of ongoing
social construction, a temporal bracketing strategy (Langley, 1999) was used to
examine the relationships between the level of institution and of action over the six
year period of the study. Media coverage, annual and social impact reports, and
interviews were used as sources of data to examine the institutionalisation of
corporate social responsibility in the Australian banking industry.
The findings of the study show that there is a dynamic relationship between
public relations and legitimacy at both theoretical and practical levels. Through the
duality of structure lens, theoretically public relations can be conceived as agency
and legitimacy as structure. The influence of these two dynamically interrelated
levels of agency and structure is both constituted by human agency and is the
medium of the institutions (Sewell, 1992). Public relations practices, therefore, can
be seen as human agency that both shapes and is shaped by legitimacy. If legitimacy
represents a dominant concept of organisational success, it is also a rationale for
public relations practice as an act of human agency that seeks to create alignment
between organisations and publics in their environment.
As such, public relations practices are not just activities. Rather, public
relations practices constitute a central resource that organisations can access to exert
power to create and manage their legitimacy within the broader environment. Public
relations practices, therefore, are resources because they are embedded within the
deep structures of society that influence organisational practice, but also are actions
that allow the organisation to shape those structural arrangements. This process takes place within webs of communication and relationships between organisations and
publics that form institutionalised legitimacy.
This study also found that public relations practice is a balance between the
demands of time and space. The traditional focus of public relations studies has been
on incidents of compressed time and space, such as crises and campaigns. This study
suggests that expanded periods of time and space are also integral to how and why
public relations make a contribution as, over time, there were shifts to the
institutional arrangements that guide public relations practices. This suggests that
there is a compression of time and space as organisations and publics communicate
in their relationship and an expansion of time and space to shift frames of social
structures and legitimacy. It is through this juxtaposition of time and space, and
across dual levels of structure, that legitimacy provides a rationale for public
relations practices.
The conclusions of this research make a major contribution to public relations
theory by building a model for considering how legitimacy provides a raison d'être
for public relations practices. As such, the model developed in this research provides
a theoretical framework of how public relations practices contribute to organisational
legitimacy at a societal level. The study also provides deeper insights to the role of
public relations practices in managing organisational legitimacy at the level of
action. In doing so, it addresses theoretical and methodological issues of the
conflation of publics and environment.
A number of opportunities for further research are presented by this study in
understanding drivers of public relations practices and the role of inspection forums
in processes of legitimacy. For practice, there are implications of taking a longer
term perspective to considering the role of public relations practices, its impact on
organisational success and, therefore, how it is evaluated.
40
Bartlett, Jennifer Lea. "Web of institutionalised legitimacy : building a model of legitimacy as a raison d'etre for public relations practice." Queensland University of Technology, 2007. http://eprints.qut.edu.au/16568/.
Full textAbstract:
This research responds to calls for the establishment of an overriding rationale, or raison d'être, for public relations practice. Several scholars are suggesting that the construct of legitimacy provides an overarching rationale that would link public relations practice across organisations, industries and countries (Boyd, 2000; Massey, 2001; Metzler, 1995, 2001; van Ruler & Vercic, 2005; Vercic, van Ruler, Butschi, & Flodin, 2001). However, existing public relations studies using legitimacy have focused on the communicative aspects, with little emphasis on long term and societal level effects for organisations. In seeking to accommodate these challenges, the central research question of this thesis is: Does legitimacy provide a rationale for public relations practice, and if so, in what ways? This study draws on institutional theory, with its central imperative of legitimacy, to address this question. Institutional theory considers the relationship between organisations and environments from a social constructionist perspective. Institutions created through the social construction of reality are based on shared, rational myths of legitimacy which drive organisational and social action, and with which organisations need to demonstrate compliance through their organisational ceremonies or practices. These two central contributors to legitimacy -- rational myths and ceremonies -- provide the framework guiding the study. The study was conducted around issues about the corporate social responsibility (CSR) of the four major Australian banks. In order to consider relationships between public relations practice and legitimacy as an institutional concept, Giddens' theory of structuration is used as a theoretical apparatus to straddle the rational myths of legitimacy at the level of institution, with public relations practice related to ceremonies at the level of action. 'Structuring moments' identified in media coverage provide sites of microanalysis of the intense social construction of rational myths of legitimacy that include organisations and publics. Through these theoretical devices, a number of guiding research questions shape the study: RQ i): What is learned about the social construction of rational myths about legitimacy by studying media coverage about CSR in Australian banking? RQ ii): What is learned about legitimacy by studying public relations practices in relation to media coverage about CSR in Australia banking? A longitudinal, qualitative, case study approach was taken to explore the research questions in this study. As legitimacy was viewed as a process of ongoing social construction, a temporal bracketing strategy (Langley, 1999) was used to examine the relationships between the level of institution and of action over the six year period of the study. Media coverage, annual and social impact reports, and interviews were used as sources of data to examine the institutionalisation of corporate social responsibility in the Australian banking industry. The findings of the study show that there is a dynamic relationship between public relations and legitimacy at both theoretical and practical levels. Through the duality of structure lens, theoretically public relations can be conceived as agency and legitimacy as structure. The influence of these two dynamically interrelated levels of agency and structure is both constituted by human agency and is the medium of the institutions (Sewell, 1992). Public relations practices, therefore, can be seen as human agency that both shapes and is shaped by legitimacy. If legitimacy represents a dominant concept of organisational success, it is also a rationale for public relations practice as an act of human agency that seeks to create alignment between organisations and publics in their environment. As such, public relations practices are not just activities. Rather, public relations practices constitute a central resource that organisations can access to exert power to create and manage their legitimacy within the broader environment. Public relations practices, therefore, are resources because they are embedded within the deep structures of society that influence organisational practice, but also are actions that allow the organisation to shape those structural arrangements. This process takes place within webs of communication and relationships between organisations and publics that form institutionalised legitimacy. This study also found that public relations practice is a balance between the demands of time and space. The traditional focus of public relations studies has been on incidents of compressed time and space, such as crises and campaigns. This study suggests that expanded periods of time and space are also integral to how and why public relations make a contribution as, over time, there were shifts to the institutional arrangements that guide public relations practices. This suggests that there is a compression of time and space as organisations and publics communicate in their relationship and an expansion of time and space to shift frames of social structures and legitimacy. It is through this juxtaposition of time and space, and across dual levels of structure, that legitimacy provides a rationale for public relations practices. The conclusions of this research make a major contribution to public relations theory by building a model for considering how legitimacy provides a raison d'être for public relations practices. As such, the model developed in this research provides a theoretical framework of how public relations practices contribute to organisational legitimacy at a societal level. The study also provides deeper insights to the role of public relations practices in managing organisational legitimacy at the level of action. In doing so, it addresses theoretical and methodological issues of the conflation of publics and environment. A number of opportunities for further research are presented by this study in understanding drivers of public relations practices and the role of inspection forums in processes of legitimacy. For practice, there are implications of taking a longer term perspective to considering the role of public relations practices, its impact on organisational success and, therefore, how it is evaluated.
41
Knight, Andrew Marshall. "The Implications of The Sharing Economy for Public Relations Theory and Practice: A Thematic Analysis of Airbnb, Uber and TaskRabbit." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/103883.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis presents a public relations perspective of the sharing economy by exploring how three prominent sharing economy companies, Airbnb, Uber and TaskRabbit, communicate to form a relationship with key stakeholders, including customers and service providers. Employing a qualitative, thematic analysis, this study analyzed each company's website communication and found the relationship qualities of social trust, safety and support to be prominent elements of relationships communicated by each company. Serving as one of the only public relations studies to address the sharing economy, this thesis extends relationship management theory's application to a new socioeconomic movement and situates current sharing economy research in a new context of public relations. This study provides important communication insights for organizations in the sharing economy that rely on strong organization-public relationships in order to be successful, and it unites public relations and sharing economy research.Master of Arts
This thesis provides the academic discipline of public relations with a new context for understanding the way organizations communicate relationships with the general public and their customers or independent workers (gig workers) in a new environment called the sharing economy. The sharing economy has dramatically altered the way people consume products and services, as it allows people to temporarily share goods and services with strangers through an online platform. The study analyzes three prominent sharing economy companies, Airbnb, Uber and TaskRabbit, using a qualitative method to explore this new, peer-to-peer business model. Through analyzing each company's website communication, the study revealed that companies in the sharing economy communicate the relationship qualities of social trust, safety and support with the public.
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McAllister, Kristy. "Framing, Public Relations, and Scientology: An Analysis of News Coverage and a Controversial Organization." Master's thesis, University of Central Florida, 2013. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETD/id/5814.
Full textAbstract:
This study investigated the most common frames used in news coverage of the Church of Scientology from 2009 to 2013. Using textual analysis, with framing and public relations theories as lenses, this study examined recent news coverage – both print and television – to identify frames used, and the potential public relations crises the Church is currently facing due to this media exposure. Analysis showed three major frames used during coverage, along with their corresponding sub-frames, which highlight certain aspects of the frame: Culture of Abuse (Imprisonment, Controlling, Family Disconnection, Exploitation of Children, Violence, and Financial Abuse), The Information Paradox (Conflicting Information, Simple Misunderstanding, and Non-Traditional Approach), and Leadership Issues (The Problem Lies with Leadership, Celebrity Obsession). Also uncovered were three potential public relations crises: The Mistreatment of Church Members, The Misuse of Funds, and Bad Communication Strategy. The research showed a strong strategic preference of the Church to use legal tactics or denial strategies when dealing with crises. A review of public relations theory suggests that the Church use a more open approach and also incorporate mortification strategies to accept blame and repair their damaged image.M.A.
Masters
Communication
Sciences
Communication; Mass Communication
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Van, Dyke Mark A. "Toward a theory of just communication : a case study of NATO, multinational public relations, and ethical management of international conflict /." College Park, Md. : University of Maryland, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/1903/2895.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (Ph. D.) -- University of Maryland, College Park, 2005.Thesis research directed by: Communication. Title from t.p. of PDF. Includes bibliographical references. Published by UMI Dissertation Services, Ann Arbor, Mich. Also available in paper.
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Thomson, Lisa, and FRANCISandLISA@bigpond com. "Clerical Workers, Enterprise Bargaining and Preference Theory: Choice & Constraint." La Trobe University. School of Social Sciences, 2004. http://www.lib.latrobe.edu.au./thesis/public/adt-LTU20050801.172053.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis is a case study about the choices and constraints faced by women clerical workers in a labour market where they have very little autonomy in negotiating their pay and conditions of employment. On the one hand, clerical work has developed as a feminised occupation with a history of being low in status and low paid. On the other hand, it is an ideal occupation for women wanting to combine work and family across their life cycle. How these two phenomena impact upon women clerical workers ability to negotiate enterprise agreements is the subject of this thesis.
From a theoretical perspective this thesis builds upon Catherine Hakim�s preference theory which explores the choices women clerical workers� make in relation to their work and family lives. Where Hakim�s preference theory focuses on the way in which women use their agency to determine their work and life style choices, this thesis gives equal weighting to the impact of agency and the constraints imposed by external structures such as the availability of part-time work and childcare, as well as the impact of organisational culture.
The research data presented was based on face-to-face interviews with forty female clerical workers. The clerical workers ranged in age from 21 to 59 years of age. The respondents were made up of single or partnered women without family responsibilities, women juggling work and family, and women who no longer had dependent children and were approaching retirement. This thesis contends that these clerical workers are ill placed to optimise their conditions of employment under the new industrial regime of enterprise bargaining and individual contracts. Very few of the women were union members and generally they were uninformed about their rights and entitlements.
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Rivas, Cruz Erica Alejandra. "Deflategate and Image Repair Theory: A Case Study." BYU ScholarsArchive, 2019. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/7571.
Full textAbstract:
This study employs qualitative research methods to identify crisis communication strategies utilized by Tom Brady and the New England Patriots during the cheating scandal, Deflategate. Informed by Benoit’s image repair theory, this case study analyzes 14 statements made or released in response to developments throughout the scandal. The findings support the theory of image repair in that transparency in communication and public relations are important aspects in the world of professional sports as offenders work to deter or repair any damage to their reputation in the midst of a scandal. In addition to providing a unique perspective on image repair strategies, this study also offers a foundation for additional research.
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Pambou, Renestine Itoumba. "A comparison of public relations principles applied by political parties in campaign communication during a democratic election." Thesis, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11838/3093.
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Thesis (MTech (Public Relations Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017In popular opinion political public relations practitioners have long been regarded as spin doctors. Their lane of actions is mostly viewed as propaganda and they are perceived as spin doctors who manipulate power-relations. The pervasive role of public relations in political campaigns cannot be denied as political actors rely on communication to reach their key stakeholders. While it can be used as an important tool that can mediate in these power relations, the facts remain in the case of this study that the political party campaign communication was rather reactive than strategic. The answer lays in the accurate application of the strategic nature and role of public relations. I believe that there is a strategic public relations role that is evident and has to be played in political party campaign communication. As a matter of fact, public relations strives to ensure an effective and efficient communication on behalf of its organisation. The purpose of this study was to explore the application of public relations principles in political parties’ campaign communication of the Democratic Alliance, in the context of three other political parties in a regional newspaper during the build-up to the 2014 South African general elections. Four distinct political parties were at the centre of this research, namely African National Congress, Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters and Agang. Particular attention was given to the elite parties, African National Congress, and Democratic Alliance; the main environment of the study. It is true that political parties ‘communication with stakeholders reflects in essence public relations. Managing communication to promote the organisational agenda is to talk about issues important to both the public and the political party. This suggests that an effective political organisation will act on a two-way operation to build a common political position that influences public attitudes. Hence, a comparative case study was used as the strategy of inquiry. I conducted a content analysis of the political party campaign communication of the Democratic Alliance, covered in the Cape Times newspaper; as well as their election manifesto, to identify the public relations principles and strategies that were used. The daily newspapers were surveyed from January 8 to May 7, 2014. An overall of one hundred and forty-four related newspapers articles were analysed and formed the data for analysis. A close reading and counting of frequencies of varieties of themes in the newspaper revealed that the Democratic Alliance, as well as the African National congress, took a tactical and responsive approach, rather than a strategic and proactive approach, to their political party campaign communication. News coverage indicated that there was extensive counterpunching to other political parties ‘statuses, but very little promotion or management of the issues included in their election manifesto. Nkandla was the most controversial issue covered in the pre-election media coverage; while the proposed merger with AGANG; and the subsequent fall out was damaging to both political parties ‘reputation and relationship with voters. Therefore, more research on this topic needs to be undertaken, as public relations is crucial in translating public opinions to the organisation. In the political scope, this can serve as an attempt to adjust the socio-political environment to suit the political principles, as well as to help the political principles adjust to the environment by creating the right balance to mutual benefit an organisation and its publics that further ensures a real participatory democracy. Further studies should be done to investigate whether, the advocacy of the two-way symmetrical, as a way to central route to persuasion, along with the dialogical approach can impact on more effective decisions making, and ultimately create a more dynamic public sphere that seeks the resolution of socio-political conflicts. This new knowledge will lead to guidelines for public relations practitioners and can provide useful insights for political communication specialists.
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Hermann, Claire Boynton Lois A. "Communicating about the Rural Advancement Foundation International - USA an application of organizational identity, organizational image, and the situational theory of publics to a public relations plan /." Chapel Hill, N.C. : University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2007. http://dc.lib.unc.edu/u?/etd,864.
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Thesis (M.A.)--University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2007.Title from electronic title page (viewed Dec. 18, 2007). "... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Public Relations)." Discipline: Journalism and Mass Communication; Department/School: Journalism and Mass Communication, School of.
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Ashcroft, Casey Wayne. "Utah Public School and LDS Released-Time Program Relations: Perspectives and Practices of Principals from Both Institutions." DigitalCommons@USU, 2011. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/1016.
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This qualitative study examined the relationship between Utah public high schools and Latter-day Saint (LDS) released-time seminaries through the perspectives and practices of principals from both institutions. The study followed methods consistent with phenomenological research. Data were analyzed through a theory of social exchange. Sites and participants were purposefully selected using a criterion phenomenal variation strategy. Sites included six Utah public high schools with LDS seminaries adjacent. Participants included the public school and seminary principals at those sites. The overarching question that guided the study was: How is the professional relationship between the public schools and LDS seminaries in Utah perceived and practiced by principals of both institutions? The three subquestions used to support the central question were: (1) What are principals’ perceptions of the relationship? (2) How is the relationship maintained? (3) Why is the relationship maintained?
Findings from the study suggested that public school and seminary principals, for the most part, perceived the public school-LDS seminary relationship to be: (a) working well; (b) valuable and mutually beneficial; and (c) equitable. Findings further suggested that the relationships were maintained: (a) through reciprocal efforts to accommodate, support, and show appreciation for each other; (b) by following historically established norms; and (c) by being sensitive to legal parameters established for the relationship. Findings also suggested that the relationships were maintained because: (a) each institution has become dependent upon the other; (b) the relationship benefits both parties; (c) the benefits received outweigh any challenges that result from the relationship; (d) the relationship has become an expectation and ingrained part of the culture of the state; (e) positive emotions result from the relationship; and (f) the relationship is beneficial to the students.
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Kirchoff, Ingrid Synnøve. "Everything is NOT awesome : A study on the campaign that ended LEGO’s partnership with Shell." Thesis, Karlstads universitet, Institutionen för geografi, medier och kommunikation, 2015. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-38231.
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There is an on-going discussion in public relation scholarship surrounding the implication of critical theory on the study of activists’ utilization of public relations tools. One side believes that the mainstream theoretical models are sufficient for explaining the situation in which conflicts and negotiations between activists and corporations are happening, the other believes that critical theory needs to be applied. The purpose of this thesis is to provide an example that sheds light on this type of situation. It will study the 2014 conflict between Greenpeace and LEGO to see if orthodox theories are applicable, or if not, how and why critical theory should get more attention from public relations scholars. The aim of the thesis is to solve the conflict through studying a case. To solve the dispute two research questions are aiming to scrutinize the negotiation situation between LEGO and Greenpeace. The questions are asking what images of the Greenpeace campaign was most frequently used by the media, and how these frame LEGO. A method triangulation was applied to answer these questions. First, a quantitative study identified what images that were most frequently used by the media to cover the story. Later a qualitative text analysis in the form of semiotics was used to analyse how these images framed LEGO. The result shows that almost 90% of the images used by mass media was directly illustrating Greenpeace’s campaign. The messages in these images framed LEGO on one hand, as a passive player that would stand by and watch as their business partner polluted both the earth and kids’ imaginations. On the other hand the company was portrayed as an almighty institution that would not take stakeholders wishes and opinions into consideration. The study serves as an example on the negotiation situation between activists and corporations. The conclusion relates the thesis back to the problem definition. The public relation communication utilized by Greenpeace, and studied in this thesis, is evidence that the scholarship needs broaden the intellectual domain by incorporating activism and critical theory into the academic field.
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Andrews, Laura A. "SHOULD YOU JOIN PRSSA?: PUBLIC RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THE BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATING IN PROFESSIONAL STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH THE ORGANIZATIONAL ASSIMILATION THEORY IN PREPARATION OF ENTERING THE PROFESSIONAL WORKFORCE." [Kent, Ohio] : Kent State University, 2007. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=kent1185575909.
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