Pub Date : 2024-11-17DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102519
Pablo Miño
This article explores the Americanization of the public relations industry in Latin America, focused on Burson-Marsteller’s (B-M) venture into the region. Coupling archives of personal documents owned by Harold Burson, one of the founders of B-M, with 10 interviews with key managers of the agency in the region between the 1980s and late 2010s, this article explores (1) the conception in the 1980s by B-M managers that public relations was less “sophisticated” in Latin America when compared to U.S. standards, (2) the strategies and tactics that B-M put forward in the region since the 1990s, which differed from the Latin American approach to the profession, and (3) the organizational and business-oriented culture of the agency, which influenced the work of public relations practitioners between the 1990s and 2010s in the region. These findings outline the hybridization between a managerial, American-based approach to public relations, with the relationship-based approach that characterized the region for most of the twentieth century.
{"title":"“Being a Burson Person is something special”: Burson-Marsteller’s influence in the Americanization of the public relations industry in Latin America (1980s – 2010s)","authors":"Pablo Miño","doi":"10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102519","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102519","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This article explores the <em>Americanization</em> of the public relations industry in Latin America, focused on Burson-Marsteller’s (B-M) venture into the region. Coupling archives of personal documents owned by Harold Burson, one of the founders of B-M, with 10 interviews with key managers of the agency in the region between the 1980s and late 2010s, this article explores (1) the conception in the 1980s by B-M managers that public relations was less “sophisticated” in Latin America when compared to U.S. standards, (2) the strategies and tactics that B-M put forward in the region since the 1990s, which differed from the Latin American approach to the profession, and (3) the organizational and business-oriented culture of the agency, which influenced the work of public relations practitioners between the 1990s and 2010s in the region. These findings outline the hybridization between a managerial, American-based approach to public relations, with the relationship-based approach that characterized the region for most of the twentieth century.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48263,"journal":{"name":"Public Relations Review","volume":"51 1","pages":"Article 102519"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2024-11-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142658018","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-11-07DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102517
James Ndone , Victoria Kyriakopoulos
This study investigates how crisis type (moral-harm vs. product-harm) and the alignment between an organization's goals and its corporate social responsibility (CSR) values (CSR fit) influence crisis outcomes like organizational reputation, the spread of negative word-of-mouth, and purchase intentions. Additionally, the research examines whether authentic leadership (AL) moderates the relationship between crisis type, CSR fit, and crisis outcomes. Using a 2 (crisis type: moral-harm vs. product-harm) x 2 (CSR fit: high fit vs. low fit) between-subjects design (N = 427) recruited through CloudResearch, the results suggest that product-harm crises have more damaging effects on organizations than moral-harm crises. Also, organizations that align their CSR activities with their business goals receive favorable ratings during a crisis than those with low CSR fit. Lastly, AL moderates the relationship between crisis type and negative word-of-mouth as well as organizational reputation. Theoretical and practical implications of the current study are discussed.
{"title":"The effects of crisis type and CSR fit on organizational outcomes: The moderating role of authentic leadership in shaping organizational reputation, word-of-mouth, and purchase intentions","authors":"James Ndone , Victoria Kyriakopoulos","doi":"10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102517","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102517","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates how crisis type (moral-harm vs. product-harm) and the alignment between an organization's goals and its corporate social responsibility (CSR) values (CSR fit) influence crisis outcomes like organizational reputation, the spread of negative word-of-mouth, and purchase intentions. Additionally, the research examines whether authentic leadership (AL) moderates the relationship between crisis type, CSR fit, and crisis outcomes. Using a 2 (crisis type: moral-harm vs. product-harm) x 2 (CSR fit: high fit vs. low fit) between-subjects design (<em>N</em> = 427) recruited through CloudResearch, the results suggest that product-harm crises have more damaging effects on organizations than moral-harm crises. Also, organizations that align their CSR activities with their business goals receive favorable ratings during a crisis than those with low CSR fit. Lastly, AL moderates the relationship between crisis type and negative word-of-mouth as well as organizational reputation. Theoretical and practical implications of the current study are discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48263,"journal":{"name":"Public Relations Review","volume":"50 5","pages":"Article 102517"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2024-11-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142652157","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-11-05DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102515
Cen April Yue , Linjuan Rita Men , Renee Mitson , Donna Z. Davis , Alvin Zhou
This qualitative study explores the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and internal communication, investigating AI applications, challenges, and best practices. In-depth interviews with 20 senior communication professionals examined perceptions of AI’s impact on internal communication processes and outcomes. Key findings indicate AI improves internal communication efficiency, information flow, listening capability, and employee experience. However, challenges include lack of AI knowledge among employees, fears about job security andbias, and concerns about authenticity loss. To enable effective AI adoption for internal communication, organizations need education and training, a “co-piloting” approach between humans and machines, transparent communication, ethical governance, and an open culture of experimentation. This research makes important theoretical contributions by illuminating AI’s transformative potential for internal communication. It also offers practical insights to guide organizations in strategically leveraging AI to elevate internal communication.
{"title":"Artificial intelligence for internal communication: Strategies, challenges, and implications","authors":"Cen April Yue , Linjuan Rita Men , Renee Mitson , Donna Z. Davis , Alvin Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102515","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102515","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This qualitative study explores the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and internal communication, investigating AI applications, challenges, and best practices. In-depth interviews with 20 senior communication professionals examined perceptions of AI’s impact on internal communication processes and outcomes. Key findings indicate AI improves internal communication efficiency, information flow, listening capability, and employee experience. However, challenges include lack of AI knowledge among employees, fears about job security andbias, and concerns about authenticity loss. To enable effective AI adoption for internal communication, organizations need education and training, a “co-piloting” approach between humans and machines, transparent communication, ethical governance, and an open culture of experimentation. This research makes important theoretical contributions by illuminating AI’s transformative potential for internal communication. It also offers practical insights to guide organizations in strategically leveraging AI to elevate internal communication.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48263,"journal":{"name":"Public Relations Review","volume":"50 5","pages":"Article 102515"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2024-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142587202","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-11-01DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102516
Young Kim , Katharine E. Miller
The purpose of this research is to explore how CEOs effectively communicate their activism so as to encourage employee prosocial behaviors around social issues. An online experimental study with a 2 (narrative vs. non-narrative) x 2 (promotion- vs. prevention-focused messages) between-subjects design was conducted with 913 full-time employees (N=913) in the United States. This study uncovered the underlying role of employee prosocial sensemaking, which mediates the effect of narrative messaging in CEO activism communication on employee prosocial behaviors (e.g., employee activism supporting the issue and advocacy for the CEO’s activism). This study theoretically extends the scholarship on strategic communication to CEO activism communication in relation to employee prosocial behaviors. The findings also provide practical insight into how corporate leaders can strategically communicate their activism to employees in order to foster positive engagement, thereby contributing to organizational effectiveness as well as the expansion of responsible business practices.
{"title":"Communicating strategic CEO activism to promote employee prosocial behaviors: Understanding the mediating role of employee prosocial sensemaking","authors":"Young Kim , Katharine E. Miller","doi":"10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102516","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102516","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The purpose of this research is to explore how CEOs effectively communicate their activism so as to encourage employee prosocial behaviors around social issues. An online experimental study with a 2 (<em>narrative vs. non-narrative</em>) x 2 (<em>promotion- vs. prevention-focused messages</em>) between-subjects design was conducted with 913 full-time employees (<em>N</em>=913) in the United States. This study uncovered the underlying role of employee prosocial sensemaking, which mediates the effect of narrative messaging in CEO activism communication on employee prosocial behaviors (e.g., employee activism supporting the issue and advocacy for the CEO’s activism). This study theoretically extends the scholarship on strategic communication to CEO activism communication in relation to employee prosocial behaviors. The findings also provide practical insight into how corporate leaders can strategically communicate their activism to employees in order to foster positive engagement, thereby contributing to organizational effectiveness as well as the expansion of responsible business practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48263,"journal":{"name":"Public Relations Review","volume":"50 5","pages":"Article 102516"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142573363","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-10-26DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102514
Xuerong Lu , Yan Jin
How an organization effectively responds to crisis misinformation has become increasingly critical for public relations research and practice. To examine the roles played by three key factors in organizational crisis misinformation management (i.e., the timing of placing organizational correction message, the level of detail a refutational message should provide, and narrative type in countering misinformation embedded in narratives), two online experimental studies were conducted among U.S. adults to examine the main and interaction effects of these factors on optimizing organizational corrective communication when it comes to combatting narrative-based crisis misinformation. Our findings implied that prebunking strategy, especially when combined with factual elaboration, is more effective in correcting misperceptions of organizational crisis responsibility and lowering organizational reputation damage. The potential for using narrative-based prebunking strategy to correct misinformation narratives is further highlighted, as evidenced in how its effect was sequentially mediated by narrative identification and perceived corrective information quality. Implications for public relations theory and practice in the area of combatting misinformation are further discussed.
{"title":"Optimizing organizational corrective communication: The effects of correction placement timing, refutation detail level, and corrective narrative type on combating crisis misinformation narratives","authors":"Xuerong Lu , Yan Jin","doi":"10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102514","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102514","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>How an organization effectively responds to crisis misinformation has become increasingly critical for public relations research and practice. To examine the roles played by three key factors in organizational crisis misinformation management (i.e., the timing of placing organizational correction message, the level of detail a refutational message should provide, and narrative type in countering misinformation embedded in narratives), two online experimental studies were conducted among U.S. adults to examine the main and interaction effects of these factors on optimizing organizational corrective communication when it comes to combatting narrative-based crisis misinformation. Our findings implied that prebunking strategy, especially when combined with factual elaboration, is more effective in correcting misperceptions of organizational crisis responsibility and lowering organizational reputation damage. The potential for using narrative-based prebunking strategy to correct misinformation narratives is further highlighted, as evidenced in how its effect was sequentially mediated by narrative identification and perceived corrective information quality. Implications for public relations theory and practice in the area of combatting misinformation are further discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48263,"journal":{"name":"Public Relations Review","volume":"50 5","pages":"Article 102514"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142533328","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-10-22DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102513
Shannon A. Bowen
This research reports a five-year study with different types of participants to examine questions related to ethics in artificial intelligence (AI) and the use of AI in public relations and professional communication. AI specialists from computer engineering and closely related fields, as well as CCOs, communication directors/managers, public affairs officers, and CEOs participated in this research, explaining and assessing the role of ethics in AI. Through numerous points of data collection, the topic of AI ethics in public relations was examined through a mixed method approach. This study offers insight into the ethics and design of AI systems that communication professionals must not only use in practice but also understand, advise upon, ethically oversee, and occasionally defend in the public sphere when used (or commissioned) by our organizations. After a review of broad literature and longitudinal data from hundreds of sources, recommendations for a more robust framework for AI ethics in public relations are proposed. Ethical considerations and quantum and neuromorphic computing are posed as means to avoid technocracy, and base use of these advanced systems on moral values.
{"title":"“If it can be done, it will be done:” AI Ethical Standards and a dual role for public relations","authors":"Shannon A. Bowen","doi":"10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102513","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102513","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This research reports a five-year study with different types of participants to examine questions related to ethics in artificial intelligence (AI) and the use of AI in public relations and professional communication. AI specialists from computer engineering and closely related fields, as well as CCOs, communication directors/managers, public affairs officers, and CEOs participated in this research, explaining and assessing the role of ethics in AI. Through numerous points of data collection, the topic of AI ethics in public relations was examined through a mixed method approach. This study offers insight into the ethics and design of AI systems that communication professionals must not only use in practice but also understand, advise upon, ethically oversee, and occasionally defend in the public sphere when used (or commissioned) by our organizations. After a review of broad literature and longitudinal data from hundreds of sources, recommendations for a more robust framework for AI ethics in public relations are proposed. Ethical considerations and quantum and neuromorphic computing are posed as means to avoid technocracy, and base use of these advanced systems on moral values.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48263,"journal":{"name":"Public Relations Review","volume":"50 5","pages":"Article 102513"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142533327","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Short video-sharing platforms, such as TikTok, play a significant role in allowing the public to experience natural disasters vicariously, share information, and coordinate peer-led disaster relief efforts. With emerging platforms like TikTok providing experientially immersive content, the role of digital storytelling in stimulating public engagement and emotions remains underexplored. Drawing from narrative persuasion theory and visual storytelling literature, the current study proposes an integrated framework to examine the storyteller, visual frame, and digital presentation characteristics of TikTok videos in predicting social-mediated public engagement and emotional reactions surrounding a recent natural disaster, the 2023 Maui Wildfire. Using visual content analysis and computational methods, the study analyzed 526 TikTok videos and 59,950 associated comments. Results showed that audiovisual vividness consistently predicted all three types of disaster engagement. In contrast, storyteller type, storytelling frame, and other presentation characteristics inconsistently predicted information consumption intention, information sharing intention, and emotional reactions on TikTok.
{"title":"Streaming disasters on TikTok: Examining social mediated crisis communication, public engagement, and emotional responses during the 2023 Maui wildfire","authors":"Wenlin Liu , Xinyan Zhao , Mengqi (Monica) Zhan , Stephanie Hernandez","doi":"10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102512","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102512","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Short video-sharing platforms, such as TikTok, play a significant role in allowing the public to experience natural disasters vicariously, share information, and coordinate peer-led disaster relief efforts. With emerging platforms like TikTok providing experientially immersive content, the role of digital storytelling in stimulating public engagement and emotions remains underexplored. Drawing from narrative persuasion theory and visual storytelling literature, the current study proposes an integrated framework to examine the storyteller, visual frame, and digital presentation characteristics of TikTok videos in predicting social-mediated public engagement and emotional reactions surrounding a recent natural disaster, the 2023 Maui Wildfire. Using visual content analysis and computational methods, the study analyzed 526 TikTok videos and 59,950 associated comments. Results showed that audiovisual vividness consistently predicted all three types of disaster engagement. In contrast, storyteller type, storytelling frame, and other presentation characteristics inconsistently predicted information consumption intention, information sharing intention, and emotional reactions on TikTok.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48263,"journal":{"name":"Public Relations Review","volume":"50 5","pages":"Article 102512"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142533326","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-10-18DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102508
Yeunjae Lee , Jo-Yun Li , Weiting Tao , Xiao “Shawn” Ma
While an increasing amount of research on corporate social advocacy (CSA) has expanded our knowledge in the field, its effects on internal public relations have been rarely studied. This study examines how employees’ experiences at work determine their perceived authenticity of CSA on race. Results suggested that employees’ perceived organizational justice toward racial minority employees positively influences their perceived value-driven motive of CSA as well as the authenticity of CSA. CSA authenticity, in turn, increased employees’ supportive behaviors toward CSA and organizational citizenship behaviors in the workplace. Theoretical and practical implications for public relations and internal communication are discussed.
{"title":"Toward an authentic corporate social advocacy (CSA): An internal perspective of BLM advocacy","authors":"Yeunjae Lee , Jo-Yun Li , Weiting Tao , Xiao “Shawn” Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102508","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102508","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>While an increasing amount of research on corporate social advocacy (CSA) has expanded our knowledge in the field, its effects on internal public relations have been rarely studied. This study examines how employees’ experiences at work determine their perceived authenticity of CSA on race. Results suggested that employees’ perceived organizational justice toward racial minority employees positively influences their perceived value-driven motive of CSA as well as the authenticity of CSA. CSA authenticity, in turn, increased employees’ supportive behaviors toward CSA and organizational citizenship behaviors in the workplace. Theoretical and practical implications for public relations and internal communication are discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48263,"journal":{"name":"Public Relations Review","volume":"50 5","pages":"Article 102508"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142533268","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-10-17DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102511
Jun Zhang , Dongqing Xu , Li Chen
Partnering with social media influencers (SMIs) in corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives has become increasingly popular, but their role in conveying CSR initiatives remains unclear. Grounded in legitimacy theory and Max Weber’s concept of charismatic legitimation, this research investigates how SMIs’ leadership in opinion and taste impacts the normative and pragmatic legitimacy of CSR initiatives. An online survey of 491 U.S. influencer followers shows that perceived SMI opinion leadership enhances CSR normative legitimacy, which in turn increases stakeholders’ willingness to support. Our findings contribute to public relations and CSR research by highlighting the importance of CSR legitimacy, introducing charismatic legitimation to explain SMIs’ roles, and distinguishing between opinion and taste leadership. These insights help companies choose SMIs who enhance CSR legitimacy and support.
{"title":"Enhancing supportive intention through perceived legitimacy: Social media influencer leadership and charismatic legitimization in CSR communication","authors":"Jun Zhang , Dongqing Xu , Li Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102511","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102511","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Partnering with social media influencers (SMIs) in corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives has become increasingly popular, but their role in conveying CSR initiatives remains unclear. Grounded in legitimacy theory and Max Weber’s concept of charismatic legitimation, this research investigates how SMIs’ leadership in opinion and taste impacts the normative and pragmatic legitimacy of CSR initiatives. An online survey of 491 U.S. influencer followers shows that perceived SMI opinion leadership enhances CSR normative legitimacy, which in turn increases stakeholders’ willingness to support. Our findings contribute to public relations and CSR research by highlighting the importance of CSR legitimacy, introducing charismatic legitimation to explain SMIs’ roles, and distinguishing between opinion and taste leadership. These insights help companies choose SMIs who enhance CSR legitimacy and support.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48263,"journal":{"name":"Public Relations Review","volume":"50 5","pages":"Article 102511"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142444706","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-10-05DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102510
Hogne Lerøy Sataøen , Daniel Lövgren
In recent decades, the role of communication and PR within higher education institutions (HEIs) has grown in significance, marked by the expansion of communication departments, diversified work assignments for communication professionals, and an increasing focus on reputation and visibility. This study examines 203 job advertisements targeting communication professionals in Swedish HEIs from 1999 to 2022. Our analysis identifies a substantial shift in the expectations and roles of communication professionals. It reveals a pronounced trend of increasing expectations, necessitating candidates to possess a broader and deeper skill set to manage a wider spectrum of responsibilities in HEIs. Furthermore, while our findings signal a noteworthy transformation in the communication profession, it also shows the evolvement from a supportive function to a strategically integral role in aiding and forming institutional management and leadership. Moreover, this study highlights communication departments as particularly flexible sites for receiving and incorporating external trends and ideas in university organizations.
{"title":"Support and core? The changing roles of communication professionals in higher education institutions","authors":"Hogne Lerøy Sataøen , Daniel Lövgren","doi":"10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102510","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102510","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In recent decades, the role of communication and PR within higher education institutions (HEIs) has grown in significance, marked by the expansion of communication departments, diversified work assignments for communication professionals, and an increasing focus on reputation and visibility. This study examines 203 job advertisements targeting communication professionals in Swedish HEIs from 1999 to 2022. Our analysis identifies a substantial shift in the expectations and roles of communication professionals. It reveals a pronounced trend of increasing expectations, necessitating candidates to possess a broader and deeper skill set to manage a wider spectrum of responsibilities in HEIs. Furthermore, while our findings signal a noteworthy transformation in the communication profession, it also shows the evolvement from a supportive function to a strategically integral role in aiding and forming institutional management and leadership. Moreover, this study highlights communication departments as particularly flexible sites for receiving and incorporating external trends and ideas in university organizations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48263,"journal":{"name":"Public Relations Review","volume":"50 5","pages":"Article 102510"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142419813","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}