Wanted: A Community of Practice for Senior Public Relations Practitioners

The gap between PR theory and practice is not always easily bridged. How self-aware are senior practitioners and how much do they interrogate their thinking when making decisions? Beyond Competence: Concepts, criticality and expertise In a previous Thought Leadership article (Gorpe, S, February 2013), Dr Serra Gorpe, Professor of Communications at Istanbul University wrote 'I still have a hard time explaining to students and people from the general public what exactly we do'. She is not the first academic or practitioner to articulate this challenge. The interesting question is 'Why?' And this is where our recent work at Queen Margaret University in Scotland has focused.div_MCaPApub3358pu

Accessing PR expertise: methodological considerations

The nature of public relations expertise and knowledge has been rather under-researched. In particular, practitioners' perspectives and, more to the point, their voices, have been given little attention. Consequently, we have begun to redress this lack through a twelve month funded project . The study was originally designed from the perspective that academic research could identify conceptual or knowledge gaps in practice that could be filled through the transmission of useful knowledge/cognitive skills, an assumption that has dominated much of the literature. During the progress of this research we came to appreciate that a deeper and more complex challenge existed in understanding how practitioners learn. Consequently, our study evolved from a deficit model of professional development into a series of iterative interventions. These took place during a longer term research relationship aiming to elicit practitioners' ideas about their daily work and the underpinning expertise and knowledges accumulated through learning and over time. We were particularly interested in the work of experienced practitioners who were recognised as such by their professional peer group and identified as 'senior'. In this article we provide a brief synopsis of relevant literature and outline the rationale and approach taken to our empirical work, foregrounding the methodological challenges entailed in accessing the ideas of practitioners about the nature of their expertise, knowledge and learning. We begin with a discussion of insights from the public relations literature and then proceed to draw on sociological, cultural studies and educational theory to indicate useful lines of analysis and future inquirydiv_MCaPAAhva, L. (2013). 'Public journalism and professional reflexivity'. Journalism 14(6): 790-806. Baskin, O., Hahn, J., Seaman, S., & Reines, D. (2010) 'Perceived effectiveness and implementation of public relations measurement and evaluation tools among European providers and consumers of PR services'. Public Relations Review 36(2): 105-111. Benecke, D. R. & Bezuidenhout, R-M. 'Experiential learning in public relations education in South Africa'. Journal of Communication Management 15(1): 55-69. Bissland, J. H. & Rentner, T. L. (1989) 'Public relations' quest for professionalism: an empirical study. Public Relations Review 15(3): 53. Bourdieu, P (1986) 'The forms of capital'. In Richardson, J (Ed.) Handbook of Theory and Research for the Sociology of Education. New York: Greenwood: 241-258. Bourdieu, P (1998) In Television and Journalism. London: Pluto Press. Bowen, S. (2008). 'A state of neglect: public relations as corporate conscience- or ethics counsel'. Journal of Public Relations Research 20(3): 271-296. Brincker, B. & Gundelach, P. (2005). 'Sociologists in action: a critical exploration of the intervention method'. Acta Sociologica 48(4): 365-375. Bucher, R & Strauss, A (1976) 'Professions in process'. In Hammersley, M & Woods, P (Eds.). The process of schooling: a sociological reader. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul. Cameron, G., Sallot, L., Lariscy, R. A. (1996). 'Developing standards of professional performance in public relations'. Public Relations Review 22(1): 43-61. Carbaugh, D., Nuciforo, E., Molina-Markham, E. & B. van Over (2011) 'Discursive reflexivity in the ethnography of communication: cultural discourse analysis'. Cultural Studies -Critical Methodologies 11(2): 1523-164. Castells, M. (2009) The rise of the network society. Wiley-Blackwell. Coombs, W. T., Holladay, S. Hasenauer, G. & B. Signitzer (1994). 'A comparative analysis of international public relations: identification and interpretation of similarities and differences between professionalisation in Austria, Norway and the United States'. Journal of Public Relations Research 6(1): 23-39. Cunliffe, A. (2004). 'On becoming a critically reflexive practitioner.' Journal of Management Education 28(4): 407-426. Cunliffe, A. & Jun, J. S. (2005). 'The need for reflexivity in public administration'. Administration & Society 37(2): 225-242. Deleuze, G & Guattari, F. (2013) A thousand plateaus: capitalism and schizophrenia (Bloomsbury Revelations). London: Bloomsbury Academic. Doyle, S. (2013). 'Reflexivity and the capacity to think'. Qualitative Health Research 23(2): 248-255. Dreyfus, D & Dreyfus, S (1986) Mind over machine: the power of human intuition and expertise in the era of the computer. New York: NY Free Press. Edwards, A. (2010). Being an expert professional practitioner: the relational turn in expertise. London: Springer. Engestrom, Y. (2007) 'From communities of practice to mycorrhizae'. In Hughes, J, Jewson, N & Unwin, L (Eds.) Communities of Practice: critical perspectives. London: Routledge. Engestrom, Y (2009) 'The future of activity theory: a rough draft.' In Sannino, A, Daniels, H & Gutierrez, K (Eds.) Learning and Expanding with Activity Theory. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Fawkes, J. (2012) 'Saints and sinners: competing identities in public relations ethics'. Public Relations Review 38(5): 865-872. Fishcer, R. (1998). 'Public relations problem solving: heuristics and expertise'. Journal of Public Relations Research 10(2): 127-153. Gilsdorf, J. W. & Vawter, L. K. (1983). 'Public relations professionals rate their associations'. Public Relations Review 9(4): 26-40. Gonalves, G., de Carvalho Spinola, S. & C. Padamo (2013) 'Analysing public relations education through international standards: the Portugese case' Public Relations Review 39: 612-614. Goodson, I. (1981) 'Becoming an academic subject: patterns of explanation and evolution'. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 2:2, 163-180. Goodson, I. (2000) 'The principled professional'. Prospects, xxx:2, June. Goodson, I (2001) 'Social histories of educational change'. Journal of Educational Change, 2, 45-63. Grunig, J. (2000) 'Collectivism, collaboration, and societal corporatism as core professional values in public relations'. Journal of Public Relations Research 12(1): 23-48. Hazleton, V. & Sha, B-L (2012) 'Generalizing from PRSA to public relations: how to accommodate sampling bias in public relations scholarship'. Public Relations Review 38(3): 438-445. Holland, R. (1999). 'Reflexivity'. Human Relations 52(4):463-484. Hutchison, D. & Bosacki, S. (2000). 'Over the edge: can holistic education cotnrnibute to experiential education?' Journal of Experiential Education 23(3):177-181. Jeong, J-Y (2011) 'Practitioners' perceptions of their ethics in Korean global firms'. Public Relations Review 37(1): 99-102. Kang, J-A (2010) 'Ethical conflict and job satisfaction of public relations practitioners'. Public Relations Review 36(2): 152-156. Lalonde, C. & Roux-Dufort, C. (2012) 'Challenges in teaching crisis management: connecting theories, skills and reflexivity'. Journal of Management Education 37(1): 21-50. Lave, J (2008) 'Everyday life and learning'. In Murphy, P & McCormick, R (Eds.) Knowledge and Practice: Representations and identities, 3-14. Lave, J. & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. L'Etang, J. (1999) 'Public relations education in Britain: an historical review in the context of professionalisation'. Public Relations Review 25(3): 261-289. Maclean, M., Harvey, C. & Chia, R. (2012). 'Reflexive practice and the making of elite business careers'. Management Learning 43(4): 385-404. Mahon, N. & Ranchhod, A. (2008). 'Searching for the Holy Grail: the Creative Skills that various Stakeholders Value'. Journal of Creative Communications 3(3): 255-277. Martin, L. & Shalley, C. (2011) Small Group Research 42(5): 536-561. Molleda, J-C & Athaydes, A. (2003). 'Public relations licensing in Brazil: evolution and the views of professionals'. Public Relations Review 29(3): 271-279. Pang, A. & Yeo, S. L. (2012) 'Examining the expertise, experience, and expedience of crisis consultants in Singapore'. Public Relations Review 38(5): 853-864. Pieczka, M. (2008) 'The disappearing act: PR consultancy in research and theory', Top Paper, PR Division, paper presented at the International Communication Association conference, 22-26 May. Pieczka, M. (2007) 'Case studies as narrative accounts of PR practice'. Journal of Public Relations Research, 19(4), 333-356. Pieczka, M. (2006) 'PR expertise in practice'. In L'Etang, J. & Pieczka, M. (Eds.) Public relations: critical debates and contemporary practice. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: 279-302. Pieczka, M. (2006). '-Chemistry- and the public relations industry: an exploration of the concept of jurisdiction and issues arising'. In L'Etang, J. & Pieczka, M. (Eds.) Public relations: critical debates and contemporary practice. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: 303-330. Sallot, L., Cameron, G. & Lariscy, R. A. (1997) 'Professional standards in public relations: a survey of educators'. Public Relations Review 23(3): 197-216. Sallot, L., Cameron, G. & Lariscy, R. A. (1998) 'Pluralistic ignorance and professional standards: underestimating professionalism of our peers in public relations'. Public Relations Review 24(1): 1-19. Schon, D (1983) The Reflective Practitioner: How professionals think in action. London: Ashgate. Sha, B-L (2011). '2010 Practice analysis: professional competencies and work categories in public relations today. Public Relations Review 37(3): 187-196. Sha, B-L (2011). 'Does accreditation really matter in public relations practice? How age and experience compare to accreditation. Public Relations Review 37(1): 1-11. Simonton, D. K. (2012) 'Teaching creativity: current findings, trends, and controversies in the psychology of creativity'. Teaching Psychology 393: 217-222. Tanggard, L. (2013). 'The sociomateriality of creativity in everyday life'. Culture & Psychology 19(1): 20-32. Tripp, D. (1993). Critical incidents in teaching. London: Routledge. Van Ruler, B. (2005). 'Commentary: professionals are from Venus, scholars are from Mars'. Public Relations Review 31(2): 159-173. Vygotsky, L. (1978) Mind in Society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Wenger, E. (1998) Communities of practice: learning, meaning and identity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Webster-Wright, A. (2010). Authentic professional learning: making a difference through learning at work. London: Springer: xxx-221. Wright, D. (2011). 'History and development of public relations education in North America: a critical analysis'. Journal of Communication Management 15(3): 236-255. Xavier, R., Johnston, K. Patel, A., Watson, T. & Simmons, P. (2005). 'Using evaluation techniques and performance claims to demonstrate public relations impact: an Australian perspective. Public Relations Review 31(3): 417-424.unpub3340unpu

Promoting social change in the Arab Gulf : two case studies of communication programmes in Kuwait and Bahrain

The thesis presents rich empirical analysis of the role of public relations in facilitating participation in social change in the Arab Gulf. The focus is on what public communication approaches are used and how they are regarded from the perspectives of the key social actors. It presents an historical and sociological background of public communication and media in the Arab Gulf. Moreover, it provides in-depth analysis of two empirical case studies in the Arab Gulf: Ghiras, the national drugs prevention programme in Kuwait, and Be Free, the voluntary anti-child abuse programme in Bahrain. This thesis relates the practice of public communication in the Arab Gulf society to Arabic culture and ethics. The thesis uses a qualitative constructivist paradigm to “re-construct” the multiple realities initially constructed by social actors in the cases to provide original insights on the role of public communication and public relations in social change in the Arab Gulf. It presents a new perspective of 'social change' in the two cases that is tied to Islamic ethics. Besides, it re-constructs original Arabic-oriented understanding of 'relational' and 'persuasion' approaches, which differs from the Western paradigm. One of the key contributions of the thesis is its adaptation of relevant Western communication models to the empirical Arab Gulf cases to identify some of the crucial factors of the practice and role of public communication in the Arab Gulf. The unique contribution of this thesis is that it develops a greater understanding of alternative cultural context that might contribute to the adaptations of existing theory and therefore a first step towards new models. It introduces a theoretical framework for other scholars to develop an Arabic public communication ethics theory and to build up a cultural model of the practice of public communication and public relations in the Arab Gulf. The thesis generates key theoretical implications that contribute to the theoretical discussion on the value and role of media, public relations, social marketing, and public communication in the Arab Gulf society at the age of globalisation.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Re-Forming vision. On the governmentality of Griersonian documentary film

© 2015 Taylor & Francis. This essay traces and discusses John Grierson\u27s programme for documentary film and its projected function and operation within liberal democracy. It is argued that documentary film as envisioned and propagated by Grierson neither set out to advance \u27open\u27 and/or controversial public discourse \u27from an Enlightenment standpoint\u27 (Rosen, Philip. 2001. Change Mummified: Cinema, Historicity, Theory. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 249) nor to educate its popular audiences through the dissemination of facts. As such Griersonian documentary film should be less located within the pedagogical tradition of the Enlightenment and was not to mainly function as a \u27discourse of sobriety\u27 (Nichols, Bill. 1991. Representing Reality: Issues and Concepts in Documentary. Bloomington: Indiana University Press). Rather, it was to insensibly shape subjectivities and agents by strategically arranging \u27visions of the real\u27. Documentary set out to model what Grierson termed \u27the subconscious\u27, the implicit framework that shaped citizen\u27s thoughts, desires, emotions and agency by which they governed their selves, others and by extension society at large into the future. Grierson\u27s documentary programme decisively governmentalised so-called non-fiction film as a specific technique of democratic government. It sought to render the formative and \u27creative\u27 aspects of its production transparent in favour of effect through affect by shaping appropriate visions for a reality yet to become. Thereby Grierson\u27s programme set out to strategically subjectify popular audiences/\u27ordinary citizens\u27 towards a desirable and \u27better\u27 national and global future

Writing PR history: issues, methods and politics

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Public relations and diplomacy in a globalised world

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Public relations, culture and anthropology _ towards an ethnographic research agenda

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The challenges of engaging public relations history. Foreword.

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