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Journal Article 9.1: Ihlen, O., & Levenshus, A. (2017). Panacea, placebo or prudence: Perspectives and constraints for corporate dialogue. Public Relations Inquiry, 6(3), 219-232.

Abstract: Public relations has long been preoccupied with the notion of dialogue, and the advent of social media ushered in new enthusiasm. Still, despite the technology on offer and the fact that dialogue has become a value that “everyone” embraces, most research concludes that little actual dialogue takes place between corporations and their stakeholders. Scholars have pointed to a host of different factors to explain this, ranging from practitioners’ lack of time to their lack of understanding of what dialogue is. This article discusses perspectives on corporate dialogue with a focus on the constraints identified in the literature, before presenting the main argument that not enough attention has been paid to the macro limits at the systemic level. The article issues a call to locate dialogue attempts within a system where a limited economic rationality reigns, which, in turn, constrains what individual practitioners can achieve.

Journal Article 9.2: Ginesta, X., Ordeix, E., & Rom, J. (2017). Managing content in cross-cultural public relations campaigns: A case study of the Paris terrorist attacks. American Behavioral Scientist, 61(6), 624-632.

Abstract: This article studies how traditional media functions have changed due the new media growth in terms of consumption and influence and how this has affected the public relations (PR) campaigns in terms of storytelling and managing content. The starting point of this article is the media coverage of the Paris attacks on the 13th November, as well as the institutional ceremonies that the French government organized as a tribute to 120 victims. The methodology of this article is based in a sample of the mainstream media in French and English language published in Europe. The analysis indicators are the following: (a) the “message,” as the story based on organizational essentials, values and identity; (b) the publics in a media relations campaign: opinion leaders and opinion makers; (c) the social dimension and the agenda setting; (d) effectiveness versus excellence and vice versa; (e) role of the media: traditional media (or mainstream media) and new media; (f) trends and challenges for professionals. As we will see, new trends of communication are redirecting the media strategy in PR campaigns in terms of influencing other key publics that generates major engagement in institutional reputation. Hence, traditional media functions (setting agenda, transmitting values, and creating opinion) operate in a new digital context of mashup journalism where cross-cultural PR seeks to better align media agenda’s with public and political agenda’s in order to set frames of sociability and community engagement.

Journal Article 9.3: Sissons, H. (2015). Lifting the veil on the PRP–client relationship. Public Relations Inquiry, 4(3), 263-286.

Abstract: The research used videotaped ethnographic observation and analysis of verbal and non-verbal actions to examine how a public relations practitioner (PRP) handled a client during a time of financial crisis in the client’s organization. Three interactions in which the PRP discussed media messaging with his client were analyzed to discover what techniques the PRP employed and how much influence he had in constructing and disseminating the organization’s media strategy. The research provides rare empirical evidence of the day-to-day practices of PRPs in consultancy–client relationships, which is an area under-examined by researchers. The analysis found the relationship was characterized by competing interests and information asymmetry, which often hampered collaboration and reduced PRP influence.