RESUME
What should public relations theory
do, practically speaking?
Cheney, George & Christensen, Lars Thøger
Journal of Communication Management. 2006. Vol. 10 No. 1 : pp.
100-102.
University of Utah, Salt
Lake City, Utah, USA and The University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand, and University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
The authors in this debate paper outlined the relationship
between Public Relation theory and practice as of the purpose of this paper, which
cover the subjects among others : identity/image, organizational culture, modes
of representation, advocacy, audiences dialogue in idealism and practice, and
social engagement.
Methodology used in this paper is question based center
comprises of crucial aspect of theory and practise of Public relation and
therefore turn the debate into a practical subject for the readers.
In the introduction, it is stressed out that the lines of
conversation between Public Relation theory and other bodies of knowledge have
not always been open. The terms of Public Relation was biased thoughout
historical effect only for a specific private interests and has struggled to
gain both academic legitimacy and ethical credibility. And as such had to
define and redefine itself as a set of practices as corporate communication
management and integrated marketing communications.
Based on the seven questions, the standpoint of PR is seen. In
terms of public image or identity of PR, its concluded that the persistent,
negative reputation of PR is due to the increased concern for ethics and there
has been a kind of denial of the very history and practical realities. This
fact is also affect the actual organizational cultures to consider PR in their communications
functions and internal affairs. This caused a limit of the horizons of
communication between the organization and its various publics. By utilize the multiple
senses of “representation” to enrich PR practice by means of epistemological,
political, and linguistic senses, can help to inform PR theory to be considered
by an organization or a cause or an industry. Theories of emergent organizational
networks, virtual organizations, and the postmodern communication environment
can be especially valuable, alongside considerations of material and ideological interests are also essential to
help PR practise.
In order to do this, advocation of PR practice with the
pluralistic model must come face to face with Public relations theory both
market realities and postmodern dynamics, including apathy, indifference and cynicism,
within a crowded message environment. And as these aspects come to face, the
development of organizational
“auto-communicative” should be esthablished to gain the influence of publics which
could gradually shapes the organization’s tendency to communicate in a
self-contained and circular manner. This public influence is not only viewed as
public in a broadest sense but could also be the stakeholders of the
organization where the organization is required to engage in talk and
negotiation. This will be a bridge for PR scholars and practitioners to come to
terms with the more subtle forms of power at play, build a dialog with its
dialogical qualities when organizations engage in talks and negotiations with
their stakeholders.
Result.
Theorist and practitioners of Public Relation should advocate a perspective
that takes into account the full “pragmatic” possibilities of persuasive
campaigns in terms of their broader and cumulative effects and need to come to
terms with the more subtle forms of power at play when organizations engage
with their stakeholders.
Conclusion.
PR is not considered as a scientific measurement nor a standard
to be developed but rather assumed to be a set of practice which is merely
close to a training of skill. PR is not popular and has been ignored to be
taken as a key to improve organizational management and communications. Such
advocacy and campaign should be taken to gain a public perception about the
benefit of the utilization of PR in communication and management affairs. However,
engage the practices of PR across management and communication could eventually
build a better way of connecting people.
Recommendation.
1.
There should be a bridge-building
or interlink pair between PR and other relevant knowledges such as post
dynamic, persuasive language, neuro dynamic linguistic and sales marketing to
get PR in its position to be used and accepted.
2.
Organization are urged to
sensitize the need of PR in their Standard Procedure and essential roles to
make PR workable.
3.
Autocommunicative function
in PR could be shaped by public influence that shapes organizational tendency
to create a better systematic way of communication and hence, PR is in its
doorway to be used.
4.
The full “pragmatic”
possibilities of persuasive campaigns suggested by the authors should be
described more in a contextual and systematical way to create a better way or a
better method toward a better development.
RESUME
What is the role of public relation theory?
Reginald Watts
Journal of Communication Management. 2006. Vol. 10 No. 1 : pp.
100-102.
Corporate Communications Consultant, London, UK
The authors outlined importance of public relations theory based
on the psychological argument to see public relations as a discipline.
Methodology used in this paper is conceptual started with a
narrative descriptions to relate Public Relation with discipline of
communication and psychology that can link to other evidence and to public
relation. And since then his specular interest in the data and
disciplines within which public relations operates has grown.
Public
relations is currently approaching its own Rubicon. It may be nice to achieve
chartered status but the fact remains that we
are living in an intense and increasingly knowledge-based society where
standards are soaring on all sides. Already the territory once dominated by the
discipline of public relations is being invaded at every skill level especially
strategy. Unrestricted, the end result for our profession could be a return to
tactical media relations with message content defined by the invading
disciplines.
The
fact remains too little attention is devoted to the difficult and often prolix
disciplines of neuroscience, which attempt to explain how Homo Sapiens
communicates. Many obvious and almost common-sense elements of communication
have been given a patina of scientific validity by devising diagrammatic models
(McQuail and Windahl, 1995), constructs and other forms of analytical
methodology borrowed from nearby disciplines. The area, however, where
practitioners could more easily repel invaders is the process of communicating
itself. The elements of communication itself is supported to the reference
study by Osgood and Schramm type models (McQuail and Windahl, 1995), to the
procedure by which the human brain encodes and decodes meaning. It is here that
a lacuna exists waiting to be filled.
Area
of communication is also stressed in the psychology of perception where signal
perception theory for example, is concerned with the combination of sensory
processes and mental decision processes (Butler and McManus, 2000). Other such
fields like the growing body of knowledge on schemas, social semiotic theory
and critical discourse analysis (Watts, 2004a, b) are still outside the ken of
most practitioners.
Jacque
Derrida, was one of the most interesting thinkers of the twentieth century and author
of more than 80 books (120 if translations are included) which was
controversial. However, his challenges to stock assumptions about philosophy
and language make him relevant to the core function of public relations. There
is a case for his anointment as patron saint of communications, despite the
fact that Derrida’s writing is prolix and difficult to understand. Little of
his output fails to illuminate the processes by which we take meaning from our
environment. Unless we come to terms with our dearth of knowledge concerning
how people take meaning from the channels by which we communicate our work will
not be advanced.
The
future rests within a theoretical diaspora. If public relations can enter a new
era of effectiveness the invaders waiting to trespass on our territory can be
repelled. We will then see a true modernisation of our business.
Result.
Public relations spans many academic disciplines. Its role is to
dissect and critically examine their relevant elements and apply them
coherently to professional practice.
Public relations needs to mobilise elements from the great body
of academic work that already exists and translate that work into methodologies
suitable for practitioner use. Unless public relations comes to terms with the dearth
of knowledge concerning how people take meaning from the channels by which we communicate
our work will not be advanced.
Conclusion.
Public relation is also related to psychology particularly in
the aspects of encodes and decodes symbol or code of language into a form of
communication with people, therefore, can be considered as an essential discipline
to manage the interchange of codes or symbols of language among human.
Psychology of communicatican be defined as a diagnostic tool to
understand Human’s behaviour, and PR can be defined as a tool to develop its management,
approach and its strategy. That is the role of PR.
Intense and
increasingly knowledge-based society might be considered as a supporting factor
to apply the public relation into the context of society. This intense and
increasingly knowledge produce standards that are soaring on all sides. And
when this standard needs to operate in terms of communicative manners, its
assumed that PR and its applied discipline could be highly demanded and takes
its role.
Recommendation.
PR
Scholars and Practitioners can enhanced their PR skills by develop a more
understanding in human psychology especially psycholinguistic, psychology of
communication or related disciplined. The better knowledge absorbed, the better
strategy of PR could be invented.
References
Butler,
G. and McManus, F. (2000), Psychology,
Oxford University Press, Oxford.
McQuail,
D. and Windahl, S. (1995), Communicating
Models, Longman, New York, NY.
Watts, R.
(1970), Reaching the Consumer,
Chapters 1 and 2, Business Books, London.
Watts, R.
(2004a), Journal of Communications
Management, Vol. 8 No. 4.
Watts, R. (2004b) in Oliver, S. (Ed.), Handbook of Corporate Communications and Public Relations, Chapter
22, Routledge, New York, NY
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