Kathleen S. Kelly

Investor Relations: Two-Way Symmetrical Practice

Although public relations claims investor relations as one of its specializations, scholars have paid little attention to it and practitioners historically have been divided between finance and public relations. A national survey of 145 members of the National Investor Relations Institute and the Public Relations Society of Americas Financial Communications Section tested models and dimensions of practice to build theory. Results show that such investor relations officers predominantly practice the two-way symmetrical model and their work is characterized by the dimensions of symmetrical effects and—to some degree—two-way communication. Practitioners do not differ by their orientation to either finance or corporate communication/public relations. This study is the first to find the predominant practice of the normative model across its sample, thereby refuting long-standing criticism that the symmetrical model is a utopian ideal. The two-way symmetrical model does exist in the real world, and it can be found in the bastion of capitalism—publicly owned corporations in the United States.

Utilizing Public Relations Theory to Conceptualize and Test Models of Fund Raising

Four models of fund raising, conceptualized from public relations theory, were tested in a national survey of 296 fund-raising practitioners. Results show that the models do describe the typical ways fund raising is practiced, and supportive evidence is provided as to their reliability, validity, and accuracy. Press agentry, the oldest and least ethical model, is predominantly practiced today, although fund raisers tend to move toward the two-way symmetrical model when conducting major gifts programs as compared to annual giving programs. Little difference was found in the models as practiced by the six major types of U.S. charitable organizations.

Improving the Way We Die: A Coorientation Study Assessing Agreement/Disagreement in the Organization–Public Relationship of Hospices and Physicians

The movement to reform dying in America promotes hospice as a model for change. Yet terminally ill patients increasingly are closer to death when they enter some 3,300 hospices. Hospice leaders blame physicians for delaying referrals and charge that delays cause hardships for their organizations and patients. Based on symmetrical theory and the coorientation model, a survey of one Southern hospice and its referring physicians was conducted to measure agreement, perceived agreement, and accuracy between the two sides on the issue of timely referral. Results showed that hospice leaders inaccurately perceive a high degree of disagreement when they and physicians generally agree on the issue.

Corporate Donor–Charitable Organization Partners: A Coorientation Study of Relationship Types

Using the coorientation model, this study examines the views of leading U.S. corporations and charitable organizations about types of relationships between corporate donors and charities that receive corporate contributions. Results of the national expert survey show that both corporate giving officers and senior fundraisers of charitable organizations perceive the relationship as more communal than either one-way patronizing or two-way exchange. Findings from the coorientation analysis illustrate that the two groups are in a state of consensus on the patronizing and communal relationship types while a state of false consensus exists on the exchange relationship type; that is, charities wrongly assume that corporate donors desire a relationship based on the dominant characteristic of solid exchange or quid pro quo.

Organizational roles enacted by healthcare fundraisers

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine Kellys proposed fundraising roles scales to describe the daily activities of male and female fundraisers.Design/methodology/approach – The data collection procedure involved a national survey to a random sample of 286 fundraisers from the American Health Association. The pen‐and‐paper survey had a 48 percent response rate, and the scale indices were found to be reliable with Cronbach alpha tests.Findings – The study found that there were no statistical differences in how male and female fundraisers enacted the technician role; however, gender differences emerged for all three managerial roles with males enacting the roles at statistically significant greater rates.Originality/value – This study represents an important initial step in advancing theoretical knowledge on fundraising, and it is the first quantitative test of Kellys proposed fundraising role scales.