Excellence in Public Relations and Communication Management

James E. Grunig

Department of Communication

University of Maryland

About the Excellence Study

310 organizationsCommunication heads, CEOs,

3,400 employeesCanada, UK, and US1,700 questions from each organization24 qualitative cases

Research Question 1The Effectiveness Question

How, why, and to what extent does communication affect the achievement of organizational objectives?

Organizational Effectiveness

For many years, organizational scholars have debated the question of what makes an organization more effective. To show that public relations has value to the organization, we must be able to show that effective communication programs and functions contribute to organizational effectiveness.

Value of Public RelationsTo an Organization

Public relations contributes to organizational effectiveness when it helps reconcile the organization's goals with the expectations of its strategic publics. This contribution has monetary value to the organization. Public relations contributes to effectiveness by building quality, long-term relationships with strategic publics.

Effectiveness at the Societal Level

Organizations have an impact beyond their own bottom line. They also affect other individuals, publics, and organizations in society. As a result, organizations cannot be said to be effective unless they also are socially responsible; and public relations can be said to have value when it contributes to the social responsibility of organizations.

Value of the Public Relations Function

CEOs report 186% return on investment in communication function for all organizations

CEOs with excellent communication programs report 225% return on investment in public relations

Effects of Excellent Communication

Programs meet communication objectives.Good, long-term relationships are

established with publics. Reduces costs of regulation, pressure, and

litigation by managing conflict. Employees are satisfied with the

organization.

Research Question 2The Excellence Question

What characteristics of a public relations/communication department increase the likelihood that it will contribute to organizational effectiveness?

Public Relations Unit Headed by a Manager Rather Than a Technician

 Technicians are essential to carry out day-to-day communication activities. Yet, excellent public relations units have at least one senior manager who directs public relations programs or this direction is supplied by other members of the dominant coalition who have no knowledge of public relations.

Empowerment of Public Relations in the Dominant Coalition or a Direct Reporting Relationship to Senior Management

In effective organizations, the senior public relations person is part of or has access to the group of senior managers with greatest power in the organization.

Integrated Public Relations

Function

Excellent departments integrate all public relations functions into a single department or have a mechanism to coordinate the departments. Only in an integrated system of public relations is it possible for public relations to develop new communication programs for changing strategic publics.

Public Relations a Management Function Separate From Other Functions

Many organizations splinter the public relations function by making it a supporting tool for other departments such as marketing, human resources, law, or finance. When the public relations function is sublimated to other functions, it cannot be managed strategically because it cannot move communication resources from one strategic public to another--as an integrated public relations function can.

Involvement of Public Relations in Strategic Management

An organization that practices public relations strategically develops programs to communicate with the strategic publics, both external and internal, that provide the greatest threats to and opportunities for the organization.

Strategic Management

Issues management is the link between public relations and strategic management.

Involves scanning the environment.Results in identifying publics likely to

make issues out of managerial decisions.Leads to developing relationships with

those publics.

Two-way Symmetrical Model of Public Relations

Two-way symmetrical public relations is based on research and uses communication to manage conflict and improve understanding with strategic publics. Excellent public relations departments model more of their communication programs on this model than on the press agentry, public information, or two-way asymmetrical models.

Dimensions ofExcellent Communication

Symmetrical Two-way Ethical Interpersonal OR mediated

A Symmetrical System of Internal Communication

Excellent organizations have decentralized management structures that give autonomy to employees and allow them to participate in decision-making. They also have participative, symmetrical systems of internal communication. Symmetrical communication with employees increases satisfaction with the organization because employee goals are incorporated into the organizational mission.

Organizational Context for Excellence

Excellent public relations departments are nourished by participative rather than authoritarian cultures, activist pressure from the environment, and organic rather than mechanical management structures.

Knowledge for Managerial Role and Symmetrical Public Relations

Excellent programs are staffed by professionals--people who are educated in the body of knowledge, are active in professional associations, and read professional literature.

Diversity Embodied in All Roles

The principle of requisite variety states that effective organizations have as much diversity inside the organization as in the environment. Excellent public relations includes both men and women in all roles, as well as practitioners of different racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds.

Globalization of Public Relations

Generic principlesThe characteristicsOf excellent public relations

Specific applications needed forCulturePolitical systemEconomic systemExtent of activismLevel of developmentMedia systems

Research on PR Excellence in Slovenia

1992 survey of 30 Slovenian companies conducted by PR institute/PRISTOP.

1993 qualitative study of PRISTOP.

Slovenian Excellence Study

Generic principles cluster into the same excellence scale as in Anglo countries.

Excellent public relations is practiced less extensively in Slovenia.

Slovenian practitioners less involved in strategic management and less valued by top management.

Slovenian Excellence Study

Less knowledge to practice the managerial role and two-way symmetrical communication.

Activist pressure similar to Anglo countries, but CEOs and PR Heads less likely to engage activists and communicate with them.

Slovenian Excellence Study

Internally, Slovenian organizations have more authoritarian cultures, asymmetrical communication, and employee dissatisfaction.

Qualitative Study of PRISTOP

Generic principles apply in Slovenia.Especially important are:

– Power of the public relations function.– Professional knowledge.– Separation from other functions.– Symmetrical employee communication.

Few managers understand strategic management.

Ethics should be a generic principle.

Some Specific Applications

Heads of PR made more visible to top management and empowered.

Continuing education in PR required.Women empowered.Research included in program, at first for

no cost.Activists brought into organizations.

More Specific Applications

A world view—a definition—of PR developed with clients.

Adverse publicity used to call management’s attention to the underlying reasons for the publicity.

Symmetrical communication introduced incrementally.

Books: The Excellence Series

James E. Grunig (ed.). (1992). Excellence in Public Relations and Communication Management. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

David M. Dozier with Larissa A. Grunig & James E. Grunig (1995). Manager’s Guide to Excellence in Public Relations and Communication Management. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Books: The Excellence Series

Larissa A. Grunig, James E. Grunig, & David M. Dozier (2002). Excellent Public Relations and Effective Organizations: A Study of Communication Management in Three Countries. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Books: Women in Public Relations

Larissa A. Grunig, Elizabeth Lance Toth, & Linda Childers Hon (2001). Women in Public Relations: How Gender Influences Practice. Guilford Publications.