Journal of Public Relations Research

Sisco, Hilary Fussell; Pressgrove, Geah; Collins, Erik L.

2013 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/1062726X.2013.806869

Although analysis of public relations scholarly literature has become an ongoing topic of investigation, there has been little examination of how different areas of public relations have been studied, and no studies specifically on the nonprofit sector. Therefore, this study investigated scholarly articles about nonprofit public relations in the top public relations and international communications journals (n = 206). Employing a quantitative content analysis, we examined the selected articles in terms of theoretical perspectives, research topics, methodologies, data collection and types of nonprofit organizations. We conclude that, despite an overall paucity of published research, the last 6 years has evidenced a notable increase in the number and proportion of scholarly articles about this topic. If scholarly articles published in 2012 are any indication, then the future of scholarly study of nonprofit public relations looks to be more promising than ever.

McKeever, Brooke Weberling

2013 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/1062726X.2013.806868

This article explores public support for nonprofit organizations by studying a specific fundraising event, Relay For Life, benefiting the American Cancer Society. Using an online survey of undergraduates (N = 514), this research employs the situational theory of publics and the theory of reasoned action to explore communication and participation behaviors related to the health issue and organization. Multiple analyses show how the variables combine to represent a new variable or a continuum that may help explain nonprofit support.

Waters, Richard D.

2013 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/1062726X.2013.806870

Fundraising practitioners have often expressed the desire to gain media coverage of their nonprofit organization because it will result in increased donations. Although this folklore is commonly believed by many fundraisers, there is little evidence to support this claim. This study uses the agenda-setting theory as the framework to test whether television news coverage of 3 natural disasters and the nonprofit organizations working to provide charitable relief in wake of the events results in increased donations to the nonprofit organizations. Using the 2004 Asian tsunami, 2005's Hurricane Katrina, and the 2010 Haitian earthquake to test the public's response to relief efforts, the study found little support for increased donations to the 5 leading organizations providing relief in relation to generic news coverage of the disasters. However, when the organizations were specifically mentioned by reporters in the newscasts, noticeable same-day spikes were seen in donations to the organizations’ fundraising efforts. Similarly, when organizations were able to place spokespeople in the newscast to talk about their efforts, increased donations resulted from these proactive media relations efforts.

Sommerfeldt, Erich J.

2013 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/1062726X.2013.806871

The power resource management (Heath, 2008; Heath & Palenchar, 2009) and resource mobilization (McCarthy & Zald, 1977) literatures suggest that resource mobilization is a precondition of issues management and interdependent with strategic behavior. This study examined how activist organizations are using their Web sites to marshal the resources necessary to influence the outcome of issues. Activist group Web sites (N = 300) were coded to determine if online resource mobilization features were related to types of activist issues management strategies. Results of multivariate probit regression analyses revealed that particular types of resource mobilization efforts predict certain activist strategies. The study offers implications on how resource mobilization is used to enact issues management strategy and on how activist strategies, issue objectives, and organizational structure are interrelated.

Gallicano, Tiffany Derville

2013 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/1062726X.2013.806867

This study explores decision making and strategies for managing conflict with and among titled volunteers of affiliates in a nonprofit organization. This investigation describes priming, conflict climbing, problem parking, and insulation and addresses experiences with mediation. Through a systems theory approach, it describes the importance of detoxification and proposes capacity building as a revised goal inside of systems theory. This study also provides an example of how one organization's history and culture shapes the power politics at play and subsequent conflict management dynamics.