Tom Watson

Reputation and ethical behaviour in a crisis: predicting survival

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the interrelation of reputation with corporate performance in a crisis and consider the factors that make up the balance between strong recovery, bare survival and failure. The emphasis is on corporate communication and corporate governance.Design/methodology/approach – The current debate on reputation and the validity of the term reputation management is reviewed and cases studies from Australia and the UK are examined.Findings – The paper finds that, in the case studies, poor management, unethical practices, a lack of engagement with customers and other stakeholders, indifferent or aggressive performances by CEOs and lack of preparedness for crisis communication severely or terminally affected the organisations. It identifies a new reputational factor of predictability and considers why some organisations survive a crisis that has strong negative ethical dimensions while others fail.Originality/value – This paper scrutinises existing concepts of reputati...

Issues Negotiation™ – investing in stakeholders

Consumers are increasingly demanding and less tolerant of organisations that fail to live up to their expectations. Organisations are expected to change their approach to business, giving the same priority to all stakeholders, with integrity and commitment. This means that the traditional approach to issues management where organisations “decide” on their plans, “dictate” them to stakeholders, and prepare their “defence”, will no longer be adequate. Issues Negotiaion™ offers business leaders a powerful alternative that builds trusting relationships, turning potentially negative issues into competitive advantage. It is a process that supports the organisation in its long‐term growth.

Public relations research priorities: a Delphi study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify and rank the most important topics for research in the field of public relations. An associated outcome was to propose the research questions most closely linked to the prioritised topics.Design/methodology/approach – An international Delphi study on the priorities for public relations research, conducted in 2007 amongst academics, practitioners and senior executives of professional and industry bodies was used to investigate expert opinion on research priorities for public relations. This choice of qualitative methodology replicated earlier studies by McElreath, White and Blamphin, Synnott and McKie, and Van Ruler et al.Findings – The role of public relations in the strategic operation of organisations, and the creation of value by public relations through social capital and relationships were ranked most highly. Some outcomes were comparable with earlier studies; for instance, evaluation of public relations programmes ranked third in this study and was ...

Defining the gap between research and practice in public relations programme evaluation – towards a new research agenda

The current situation in public relations programme evaluation is neatly summarized by McCoy who commented that ‘probably the most common buzzwords in public relations in the last ten years have been evaluation and accountability’ (McCoy 2005, 3). This paper examines the academic and practitioner‐based literature and research on programme evaluation and it detects different priorities and approaches that may partly explain why the debate on acceptable and agreed evaluation methods continues. It analyses those differences and proposes a research agenda to bridge the gap and move the debate forward.

What in the World is Public Relations

This chapter analyzes the antecedents, springboards and restraints that have shaped the development of public relations (PR) in more than 70 countries. Based on data from chapters in the preceding five books in the series, it proposes three common antecedents of PR activity — early corporate communication, governmental information and propaganda methods and cultural/religious influences. The springboards for PR’s growth have been professionalization and education, along with the opening of economies and political plurality. The restraints have been political and economic, such as one-party states, dictatorships and closed economies. PR’s historiography is also explored, and the chapter identifies periodization as the primary method. Future research should move on from the current discovery stage into more analytical and critical processes.

Colleague supervision – ‘ignored and undervalued’? The views of students and supervisors in a new university

Colleague supervision is increasingly used in UK modern (post-92) universities to support the progress of academic staff to doctoral qualifications. Denicolo (2004) argues that it is a ‘role relationship that has been largely ignored or undervalued by administration’ (p. 693) and colleague students and supervisors ‘felt more vulnerable’ than other students/supervisors (p. 706). This small-scale research amongst students and staff in a colleague supervision relationship at a single UK modern university tests Denicolo’s (2004) propositions and those of Deuchar (2008) on supervision styles. It found that students did not feel ‘vulnerable’ but considered there were significant benefits from colleague supervision. They, and some supervisors, were also very supportive of group supervision methods that, alongside conventional individual supervision, gave strong support to the progress of colleague students to timely completion of their doctoral studies. As many UK modern universities are attempting to build research capacity through doctoral research training, the use of group supervision alongside colleague supervisors may offer benefits in a time when supervisory capacity has been stretched.

Time Marches On, and So Does the History of Public Relations

This is the first, and hopefully not the last, special issue on the history of public relations in the Journal of Public Relations Research. It has been very oversubscribed in terms of submissions and a challenge to select six papers from so many entries. This problem is actually a sign of scholarly health with symptoms of a wide range of topics from numerous parts of the world. For those who are new to this field of research and scholarship, it may be a surprise that the expansion of historical research into public relations has taken off in the past 8 years. Although there had been sporadic publication of articles in journals and some important texts, notably by Hiebert (1966), Cutlip (1994, 1995), Ewen (1996), Marchand (1998), Tye (1998), Miller (1999) and Griese (2001), it was not a field that was thriving. As indicated by the nation of these authors, it appeared to be wholly based in the United States and lacked an international dimension. That was an erroneous view as scholars such as Michael Kunczik, Günter Bentele and Peter Szyszka in Germany, Karl Nessmann in Austria and Jacquie L’Etang in the United Kingdom had published articles and books from the late 1990s to the mid-2000s but with recognition limited by language and exposure in the main public relations academic journals. The expansion took place after a ‘History of public relations’ special issue in the Journal of Communication Management (2008, Vol 12, No. 4) prompted the organization of the annual International History of Public Relations Conference (IHPRC) at Bournemouth University in England from 2010 onward. This specialist conference has been the platform on which historians of public relations and academic researchers reflecting on the historical influences upon theory and practice have presented their research. Around 170 papers have been presented by authors from more than 40 countries during the first five conferences. Some of the papers submitted to

Sceptical Employees as CSR Ambassadors in Times of Financial Uncertainty

Abstract Purpose This chapter offers new insights into the understanding of internal (employee) perceptions of organizational corporate social responsibility (CSR) policies and strategies. Methodology/approach This study explores the significance of employees’ involvement and scepticism upon CSR initiatives and focuses on the effects it may have upon word of mouth (WOM) and the development of employee–organisation relationships. Desk research introduces the research questions. Data for the research questions were gathered through a self-completion questionnaire distributed in a hardcopy form to the sample. Findings An individual’s level of scepticism and involvement appears to affect the development of a positive effect on employees’ WOM. Involvement with the domain of the investment may be a central factor affecting relationship building within the organization, and upon generation of positive WOM. Practical implications The chapter offers a conceptual framework to public relations (PR) and corporate communications practitioners, which may enrich their views and understanding of the use and value of CSR for communication strategies and practices. Social implications For-profit organisations are major institutions in today’s society. CSR is proffered as presenting advantages for (at macro level) society and (micro level) the organization and its employees. Originality/value of chapter Concepts, such as involvement and scepticism, which have not been rigorously examined in PR and corporate communication literature, are addressed. By examining employee perceptions, managers and academic researchers gain insights into the acceptance, appreciation and effectiveness of CSR policies and activities upon the employee stakeholder group. This will affect current and future CSR communication strategies. The knowledge acquired from this chapter may be transferable outside the for-profit sector.