Journal of Public Relations Research

Bardhan, Nilanjana

2013 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/1062726X.2013.788447

Although the global expansion of the public relations industry is widely acknowledged, little research-based evidence exists about what globalization means to practitioners. This study examines how US-based practitioners are discursively framing the meaning of globalization within their own interpretive community. It analyzes all the articles on globalization that appeared in the first decade of this century in the US trade publication The PR Strategist. The main purpose of this discourse analysis was to unpack the ideological underpinnings of practitioner views to discuss the critical implications of the same for the profession. Findings indicate that although practitioners stress the need to be sensitive to issues of cultural diversity and avoid cultural imperialism in the profession, the overall interpretation of globalization is limited to a neoliberal economistic perspective, rather than geared toward genuine critique and creative alternatives.

Lee, Hyung Min; Jun, Jong Woo

2013 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/1062726X.2013.795863

Based on a theoretical proposition that public diplomacy can be explicated as management of organization–public relationship (OPR) between an organization concerned and foreign publics, practical and functional utility of OPR measures was empirically investigated in this preliminary study within a public diplomacy context involving the US embassy in Seoul and South Korean college students. Validating reliability and validity of Hon and J. E. Grunig's (1999) OPR measures in evaluating the quality of relationships between the US embassy and South Korean college students, the findings help further advance the theoretical and practical convergence of public relations and public diplomacy. In addition, with statistically significant links between South Korean college students' perceived relationships with the US embassy and their attitudes and behavioral intentions toward the United States and its citizens, the findings suggest that public diplomacy outcomes are related to OPR management, to some degree.

Marsh, Charles

2013 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/1062726X.2013.795861

This article proposes the mutual aid theory of Charles Darwin and Peter Kropotkin as an engendering metatheory for social harmony paradigms within public relations, including communitarianism, excellence theory, and fully functioning society theory. It extends current research in public relations beyond Darwin's Origin of Species to include that author's later Descent of Man as well as the neglected works of Russian evolutionary biologist Peter Kropotkin. Drawing upon the research of those authors, the article presents evidence that the evolutionary processes of natural selection created the social instinct that provides both positive and normative status for the social harmony paradigms within public relations.

Ivanov, Bobi; Sims, Jeanetta D.; Parker, Kimberly A.

2013 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/1062726X.2013.795862

This investigation further nuanced previous designs in comparing the effectiveness of 4 IMC message sequencing strategies (publicity–publicity, publicity–advertising, advertising–publicity, and advertising–advertising) by introducing them into a new context—new product introductions. In addition, this investigation introduced corporate image and credibility as moderators of the effectiveness of sequence strategies. A 2-phase experiment was conducted involving 423 participants. The results revealed the publicity–publicity sequence strategy is most effective in generating positive product attitude and purchase intent, followed by either sequence of publicity and advertising, with the advertising–advertising strategy being least effective. Positive corporate image and high credibility attenuated the effectiveness of the publicity strategy.