Journal Review Excellence Theory in Public Relations: Past, Present, and Future By Debora Dian K. - 135120207121028 Department of Communication Science, Faculty of Social and Political Science University of Brawijaya

Journal Review

Excellence Theory in Public Relations: Past, Present, and Future

By Debora Dian K. - 135120207121028

Department of Communication Science, Faculty of Social and Political Science

University of Brawijaya

My thought is based on review about the Journal titled “Excellence Theory in Public Relations: Past, Present, and Future” written by James E. Grunig & Larissa A. Grunig. The aims of this review is to explores the excellence theory, specific findings of the excellence study, and research conducted after the excellence study.

James E. Grunig & Larissa A. Grunig mentioned that the excellence theory is a general theory of public relations that resulted from a 15-year study of best practices in communication management funded by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Research Foundation. The excellence theory hoped to serve as a foundational theory for the public relations profession to illustrate the value of public relations to an organization and society based on social responsibility of managerial decisions and quality of relationships with stakeholders (Grunig 2008).

Based on this journal, there are two approaches to Public Relation. The approaches is divide into two ways: the symbolic interpretive paradigm and the strategic management, or behavioural, paradigm. Also identified three perspectives on organizations ― the modernist, symbolic-interpretive, and postmodernist perspectives. 

The characteristics of an excellent public relations function can be placed into four categories:

1.      Empowerment of the Public Relations Function

Public Relations should not be relegated to simply a support function of other departments, but should be empowered with a unique voice in strategic organizational decisions. As such, Grunig argues that the "chief communication officer" should be part of the dominant coalition. These are the senior managers who make organizational decisions in the company (Grunig, 2008)

2.      Communicator Roles

The characteristics of excellence in public relations that related to the managerial role is divide into three ways: a strategic manager rather than a technician or an administrative manager heads the public relations unit, the senior public relations executive or others in the public relations unit must have the knowledge needed for the manager role or the communication function will not have the potential to become a managerial function, Both men and women must have equal opportunity to occupy the managerial role.

3.      Organization of the Communication Function and its Relationship to other Management Functions

Two characteristics are related to the organization of the function: public relations should be an integrated communication function, public relations should be a management function separate from other functions.

4.      Models of Public Relations

This type of communication comes from one of Grunig's four models of public relation and is the touchstone of this theory. The two-way approach is the foundation of strategic relationship building. A key component to the two-way symmetrical approach is for the public relations professional to have a keen awareness of the organization's stakeholders. Grunig argues this is a very practical approach as good relationships reduce costs of litigation, regulation, legislation and negative publicity (Grunig, 2008). This all works to make the public relations function more of a bridge activity between organizations and publics, rather than a buffer to protect an organization from publics.

The writters also has provided concepts to teach to future public relations practitioners, tools that professionals can use in practice, principles and rules that will make public relations more acceptable to society and understood by both organizations and publics, and a conceptual framework that continues to generate research. They believe future research should be developed to help public relations evolve as a strategic management function and continually reinstitutionalize itself to adjust to changes in organizations, communication technologies, and societal expectations. They believe the future of the excellence theory should be evolutionary change.

I think Grunig & Grunig’s already provide a complete explanation of excellence theory, and i reccomend this journal to be read by people.

References

Grunig, J. E., & Grunig, L. A. (2008). Exellence theory in public relations: past, present, and future. In A. Zerfass., B. Van Ruler., K. Sriramesh (Eds.), Public Relations Research: European and International Perspectives and Innovations (pp. 327-347). GWV Fachverlage GmbH, Wiesbaden:VS Verlag für Sozialwissensc.