Posted on PR Nexus

Generic principles and specific applications in public relations

In this post, Toni Muzi Falconi presents his development of a paradigm of public relations that seeks to establish common understanding of its strategic role in the contemporary, increasingly globalised environment. Toni subsequently discussed the concept in an email conversation with Rob Wakefield from Brigham Young University (the first scholar to theorize the paradigm a couple of decades ago), which was followed by a review of their elucubrations by Jim Grunig. That conversational development is...

Posted on PR Nexus

Developing a worldview of public relations

All conversations about public relations reflect specific worldviews – and this is something we should examine when developing theory, considering practice or undertaking research in the field. Our opinions, prejudices and arguments are the outcome of personal and professional experience, our educational background, our values and perspectives on how things are – or should be – and how we assimilate the views of others into our existing mental frameworks. Likewise when reading the work of...

Posted on PR Sphere

Paull Young at heart: Having a positive impact on the world, one charity: water at a time

Here’s a short intro to Paull Young: He’s the guy who, while working in a quiet office with you, on some tedious but essential deliverable, late at night, will start humming out loud the majestic Jurassic Park theme song because, he says, it “makes everything more meaningful” (it does—try it). He’s that person who is so naturally great at dealing with people—clients and peers—that you can’t understand how does it seems so effortless. And he’s...

Posted on PR Motion

Public relations – career agency or apathy?

In 2011, I asked Do you know where you’re going to? in relation to careers in public relations. Beyond the individual career context, this question continues to have relevance for organizations and the wider occupation. Within the wider occupation, debate is often over whether PR is a profession or a craft.  However, each has specific career implications, which are rarely considered.  Ironically both concepts date to the Middle Ages – a profession being an occupation...

Posted on PRoust Questionnaire

PRoust Questionnaire: Stuart Bruce

The PRoust Questionnaire provides a quick insight into a public relations practitioner’s interests and point of view, as well as his or her professional beliefs and values. If you are not familiar with the original 19th-century Proust Questionnaire, please see details at the end of this post. PRoust Questionnaire answers from Stuart Bruce: 1. What is your most striking characteristic as a PR practitioner? Flexibility and breadth, which doesn’t mean I’m a fat gymnast. A...

Posted on PR Axis

Selecting stakeholder groups for effective communication in the 21st-Century

As an employee relations (or internal communication) professional, how do you specifically identify your stakeholders? What approach and methods do you adopt and how do you implement them appropriately in order to communicate clearly? A guest interview and conversation between Toni Muzi Falconi and Rachel Miller Recently Toni Muzi Falconi approached PR Conversations about some of his current examinations regarding alternative approaches to communicating with stakeholders. It was determined the most effective method to understand...

Posted on PR Mediums

500 PR Conversations

This is post #501 – which seems a useful milestone to reflect on the previous 500 posts at PR Conversations, and invite you to contribute your views on the blog overall. For me, PR Conversations has provided a global platform for debating and considering a wide range of classic and contemporary developments in public relations. I have had the opportunity to present some new thoughts and argue my viewpoint in relation to some traditional concepts....

Posted on PR Vision

PRSA's #PRin2013 initiative invites 13 PR people to provide trends to watch this year

Shortly before the holiday break began in December, I received an email from Stephanie Cegielski, associate director, public relations, of the Public Relations Society of America, inviting me to submit a 2013 trends post for the PRSay blog. Besides nailing down whether I could comply with the submission deadline, I was curious to find out more about the #PRin2013 initiative. I remembered reading trends from various PRSA members in 2012, but I was interested in learning more about the PRSay blog’s...

Posted on PR Axis

Gen Y graduate still kangarooish about PR theory in practice

Perhaps atypical of my cohort, but continuing to find a place for PR theory in my agency’s practice Guest post by Katie Sheppet PR practitioners of Generation Y, including myself, often are pigeonholed as the “I want it right now” generation (The PR Practitioner). We’re criticised for thinking we know everything or for wanting “it all” too fast. Whilst this can ring true for some, it’s unfair to say we’re all the same. That was...

Posted on PR Sense

Dissent PR – from suffragettes to slut walks

Responding to the use of PR to challenge inequalities in society, Bournemouth University, has run a series of seminars looking at ‘dissent PR’ and ‘protest PR’. My own contribution was to take a look at the role of women as activists and agitators over the past century. Here I share some musings from that work for your comments. In studying the history of public relations, female experiences have largely been missing, with the accounts of...