Journal of Public Relations Research

Kelleher, Tom; Sweetser, Kaye

2012 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/1062726X.2012.626130

Long interviews were conducted with university communicators at 2 distant universities with distinct social systems. Participants were drawn to adopt social media mainly by relative advantage, compatibility, and trialability attributes of the innovation. Inductive themes that emerged from the interviews included an emphasis on publics, information sharing, cost, and convenience. A believer–nonbeliever distinction among adopters is introduced. Believers are driven by the same characteristics of social media that public relations researchers have found to be essential to the practice of public relations itself: 2-way communication, interactivity, dialogue, and engagement.

DiStaso, Marcia W.

2012 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/1062726X.2012.626131

This study analyzed annual earnings press releases and local and national newspaper coverage of those earnings for 207 of Fortune's America's Most Admired companies to explore intermedia agenda setting and relationships with reputation. The annual earnings press releases were found to have the greatest relationship with the positive content in local media coverage and negative content in national media coverage. The reputation, as determined by sophisticated investors, was related to the neutrality of the annual earnings press release in combination with the length of local and national newspaper coverage.

Kim, Jeong-Nam; Ni, Lan; Kim, Sei-Hill; Kim, Jangyul Robert

2012 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/1062726X.2012.626133

Using a controversial issue that has drawn massive media coverage in South Korea, the government decision to resume imports of US beef, this study tested the applicability of the Situational Theory of Problem Solving (STOPS) to the rise of a hot-issue public. A survey of 300 respondents explored the perceptual, cognitive, and motivational antecedents of active information behaviors. Results suggest that the STOPS applies well to this unique sociopolitical situation, and that the theory works cross-culturally not only in the United States, but also in South Korea. In addition, we examined the role of cross-situational characteristics in detail, looking at whether political interest, prior experience in protest, and other sociodemographics could affect situational perceptions and cognitive frames. Theoretical and practical implications for future research and practices are discussed.

L'Etang, Jacquie

2012 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/1062726X.2012.626134

This article presents an argument for anthropologically and ethnographically grounded work in public relations. It suggests that more can be done to understand the public relations occupation both as a culture (or cultures) as well as in its roles in promotional culture and in enacting ethnic cultures. It is argued that research of this nature, which has already taken place in adjacent disciplines (media, marketing, management, organization studies) can deliver deeper understanding of the public relations occupation and generate new concepts and theories. Furthermore, it is suggested that ethnographic research could also aid public relations practitioners. The article adds to existing scholarship through its critique of existing literature that has explored culture in public relations and its proposal that research based on ethnographic field-work and employing anthropological participant observation could reconceptualize the field and change its theoretical scope.

Kim, Yeon Soo; Choi, Youjin

2012 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/1062726X.2012.626138

This study examined the effects of 2 Philip Morris corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs—a tobacco-related smoking prevention versus a tobacco-unrelated program—on college students' perceived CSR motive, attitudes toward Philip Morris, and behavioral intentions to support the company. Using 2 college student samples in the United States and South Korea, this study found that the tobacco-unrelated program and a positively perceived CSR motive elicited more positive responses about CSR values, attitudes toward CSR activities and the company, and behavioral intentions to support Philip Morris. Korean college students were more likely to perceive Philip Morris's CSR activities as mutually beneficial and to support Philip Morris than were American college students.