Journal of Public Relations Research

McComas, Katherine A.

2003 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1207/S1532754XJPRR1502_1

This study examines participants' views about government-sponsored public meetings held about local waste sites in 2 neighboring communities. Participants' responses to mailed questionnaires are supplemented by direct observation of meetings, interviews with people attending the meetings, and a review of newspaper coverage after the meetings. The results highlight patterns in participants' experiences, including generally low expectations of the meetings and their organizers, as well as an overwhelming belief that participants' comments would not make a difference in the decisions under consideration. Given that public meetings seem to lack credibility with participants, the conclusions examine why people still participate.

Kuperman, Jerome C.

2003 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1207/S1532754XJPRR1502_2

Consistent with a cognitive sensegiving-sensemaking perspective (Gioia & Chittipeddi, 1991), this study views firms as sensegivers attempting to influence the meaning construction of sensemakers. Following from this interpretivist perspective, this article proposes that cognitive schema theory can be a valuable tool in helping firms to develop more effective public relations strategies for the firm's different stakeholders. As an illustration, this article looks at firm to financial analyst communications following acquisition announcements and shows how schema theory can be used in this context to help develop a more effective public relations strategy.

O'Neil, Julie

2003 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1207/S1532754XJPRR1502_3

Feminist public relations scholars have suggested that the organizational context may be to blame for the powerlessness of some female public relations practitioners. This study assessed this claim by using feminist theory and a structural framework. This study tested whether the perceived organizational influence of men and women in corporate public relations was related to formal structural power, relationship power, or gender. Women had less formal structural power than men, but there were no gender differences in relationship power or influence. Consistent with feminist hypothesizing as well as the structural framework, practitioners' influence was related to both their formal structural power and relationship power-but not gender.

Ledingham, John A.

2003 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1207/S1532754XJPRR1502_4

Although the relationship management perspective of public relations is the focus of a substantial body of scholarship, a theory of that perspective has yet to be articulated and explicated. Herein, I review the emergence of the relational perspective, summarize the relevant literature, and construct a theoretical statement of that perspective. I then argue for relationship management as a general theory of public relations and offer suggestions for future research within a relational paradigm.