Journal of Public Relations Research

Hall, Margarete R.

2006 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1207/s1532754xjprr1801_1

This study explores the impact of corporate philanthropy and corporate community relations programs on the relationship between a company and its customers. Using communal and exchange relationship characteristics as well as the relationship factors of trust, mutual control, commitment, and satisfaction, the study measures the strength of the relationship between a municipally owned utility company and its customers. It compares the strength of the company–customer relationship for those customers who are aware of the corporate philanthropy and community relations programs with the strength of the relationship for those customers who are unaware of these programs. Results demonstrate that these programs and customers' awareness of them corresponds with a stronger relationship, and with the type of relationship being more communal than exchange.

Reber, Bryan H.; Gower, Karla K.; Robinson, Jennifer A.

2006 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1207/s1532754xjprr1801_2

The Internet is an emerging new tool in litigation public relations. This article explores this new phenomenon of personal litigation Web sites by content analyzing the Web sites of 3 celebrities who were involved in high-profile litigation at the time: Martha Stewart, Richard Scrushy, and Michael Jackson. The analysis revealed that traditional litigation public relations standards transfer well to the Internet and suggests that such Web sites are a promising means for disseminating and controlling a client's message. Implications for public relations theory, particularly the role of asymmetrical communication in public relations, are discussed. Suggestions for litigation public relations Web sites are proposed.

Sha, Bey-Ling

2006 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1207/s1532754xjprr1801_3

Framed by literature in strategic management and cultural identity, this article asserts that, in situations where avowed cultural identity is salient, differences in identification with a cultural group will predict differences in the variables of the situational theory of publics. Survey data showed that routinely avowed cultural identity significantly affected problem recognition, level of involvement, information processing, and information seeking. Canonical correlation showed respondents avowing a non-White racioethnic identity to be significantly more likely to become active on racioethnic issues, suggesting cultural identity as an antecedent variable in the situational theory.

Curtin, Patricia A.; Gaither, T. Kenn

2006 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1207/s1532754xjprr1801_4

The Open University's circuit of culture model, which comprises a melding of critical or cultural and postmodern perspectives, encompasses 5 central discursive moments: regulation, production, consumption, representation, and identity. Using the World Health Organization's smallpox eradication campaign as a case study, we gathered data from a wide variety and in-depth collection of materials to examine how the moment of identity informs our understanding of international public relations practice and theory by recasting identity as a central, discursive concept within public relations.