Journal of Public Relations Research

Lariscy, Ruthann Weaver; Avery, Elizabeth Johnson; Sohn, Youngju (YJ)

2010 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/10627260802640708

This is a 2-phase study of the sources of information health journalists use and rely upon for writing health news stories. The 1st phase of the study includes both depth interviews and an online survey with 188 health journalists. Phase 2 of the study extends the findings from Phase 1, with particular attention paid to the roles of public health information officers at 3 government levels: local, state, and federal. Results from this study suggest that a monolithic, “1-size-fits-all” media relations model for public information officers is not adequate in the current health news environment. Findings explore differences in perceptions of the value of public information sources at 3 levels and suggest that some bureaucratic inefficiencies may interfere with more effective source/subsidy–provider relationships.

Pasadeos, Yorgo; Berger, Bruce; Renfro, R. Bruce

2010 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/10627261003601390

Pasadeos, Renfro and Hanily (1999) investigated the public relations literature's most-cited works in the 1990s and identified research networks. In the present study we expand that work by examining public relations scholarship ten years later. We identify current authors and their publication outlets, taxonomize most-cited works, and draw a co-citation network. Further, we compare current findings with those of ten years earlier and speculate on the state of public relations as a scholarly discipline.

Jin, Yan

2010 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/10627261003601622

Based on the emotional leadership theory, this study used a national survey of public relations leaders to examine the core emotional traits and skills for effective public relations leadership. Transformational leadership was preferred by public relations leaders, in which empathy played an essential role. Transformational leadership and empathy were found to be significant predictors of public relations leaders' competency in gaining employees' trust, managing employees' frustration and optimism, as well as taking stances toward employees and top management in decision-making conflicts. By identifying emotional leadership as an essential dimension of public relations leadership, the findings advance the understanding of how emotional skills can enhance public relations managers' employee and top management communications in decision-making conflicts.

Kelly, Kathleen S.; Laskin, Alexander V.; Rosenstein, Gregory A.

2010 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/10627261003601630

Although public relations claims investor relations as one of its specializations, scholars have paid little attention to it and practitioners historically have been divided between finance and public relations. A national survey of 145 members of the National Investor Relations Institute and the Public Relations Society of America's Financial Communications Section tested models and dimensions of practice to build theory. Results show that such investor relations officers predominantly practice the two-way symmetrical model and their work is characterized by the dimensions of symmetrical effects and—to some degree—two-way communication. Practitioners do not differ by their orientation to either finance or corporate communication/public relations. This study is the first to find the predominant practice of the normative model across its sample, thereby refuting long-standing criticism that the symmetrical model is a utopian ideal. The two-way symmetrical model does exist in the real world, and it can be found in the bastion of capitalism—publicly owned corporations in the United States.

Murphy, Priscilla

2010 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/10627261003601648

This study examines media reputation—the representation of a person or organization in the media—from the standpoint of complex systems. It analyzes news releases and print media coverage about Martha Stewart from 1982 through 2007 using computer-assisted semantic network analysis. The study concludes that Stewart's media reputation showed characteristics of a complex system, including the gradual emergence of patterns of representation, the buildup of internal dissonance, a crisis point followed by the emergence of new patterns, and resistance to outside influences. These characteristics constrain efforts to shape reputation but can also provide warnings about a changing reputation long before it becomes obvious in media coverage.