Career strategies in public relations: constructing an original tapestry paradigm.

The thesis constructs a new ‘tapestry paradigm’ to offer an original contribution towards understanding of career strategies in public relations. It addresses a lack of academic research into careers within the occupation and sits at the intersection of critical consideration of professionalisation of public relations and emerging theories in the field of career studies. Narrative inquiry from the viewpoint of a visible insider sheds new light on how public relations careers have developed to date, and may develop in future. Whilst not its primary focus, the thesis considers career implications of increased feminisation of the occupation and responds to calls for greater research into the intersection of work and family lives in that context. An historical perspective underpins the thesis by exploring the origins of public relations careers and researching the career experiences of female practitioners during the 1970s and 1980s. Investigation of contemporary career strategies involves a series of twenty-one in-depth, oral interviews with British-based mid-career practitioners using an innovative visual timeline technique. This is supported by bricolage archival research to situate the participants’ experiences in a wider historical and social context. Examination of career development processes and practices is undertaken using a conceptual framework that connects social cognitive and career construction theories. A constructivist philosophy with an interpretive approach is adopted using qualitative methods to understand research participants’ lived experiences. Analysis of the research findings reveals four original theoretical constructs: knotted patterns of mobility; fluidity in career middleness; multi-layered, polyphonic sense making; and a non-linear, kairotic element of time. Construction of a new tapestry paradigm supports the identification of career strategies within public relations as being opportunistic, agentic and rhizomatic. This paradigm confronts the dominant professionalisation perspective within public relations scholarship and practice of an implicit chronological, hierarchical career system predicated on individualistic characteristics and behaviours. It accommodates jurisdictional and definitional challenges to the occupation and enables understanding of individual and collective career experiences within public relations at the micro (individual), meso (organizational/occupational) and macro (societal) levels

Using a meta-modernist and ecological lens to underpin professionalism: Establishing communications as a reflective and sustainable practice

Introduction and Purpose: This abstract relates to a work in progress project that points to the lens of meta modernism as a way to re-orientate thinking around what constitutes the knowledge, skills and attributes (KSA) required in ‘becoming professional’ (Scanlon, 2011). We argue that communication practitioners are well placed to thrive as society shifts further towards instability and uncertainty in line with what Bauman (2000) calls liquid modernity. In this organic environment, which some call a ‘post communication world’ (Macnamara, 2018), contemporary communication practitioners need to become comfortable operating betwixt and between multiple social roles and fluid work identities. Consequently, this project asks a key question: how can professionalism ensure sustainability of communications practice? Literature Review: Digital disruption and globalisation are transforming the nature of work (Lo Presti, 2009) as organisations respond to environmental turbulence and change (Malhotra, 2002). ‘Collective agility’ helps to negotiate the resulting tensions and ‘improvisation paradoxes’ (Zheng et al., 2010) that include a need to ‘thrive within the plurality’ and learn to ‘explore the natural ebb and flow of tensions’ (Lewis, 2000). In addition, a requirement for ‘greater flexibility and adaptability’ supports the predicted trend that ‘future professional-type occupations will have their boundaries less clearly defined than in the past’ (Cheetham and Chivers, 2005). Already this is evident in the communications field, where the contours between organisations and stakeholders, functions and disciplines, and real and digital worlds blur and entwine. At the same time, organisations are struggling to tackle increased demands for social justice, transparency and trust, and ensure their actions live up to the ‘hard and demanding’ task of ethical principles (O’Neill, 2001). Against this backdrop professional fields are now more varied (Noordegraff, 2016), networked and interlocking (Barnett, 2011). Revell and Bryan (2018) talk of liquid professionalism with the need to constantly re-invigorate capabilities in fluid and changing times. Others talk of an ecological approach (Barnett, 2011) allowing for greater professional interdependencies grounded in responsibility and sustainability not only to practice but society. Additionally, those that write about knowledge point to the value of its ‘continuously modified’ nature and contribution to ‘Higher-Order Dynamic Capabilities which enable instantaneous responsiveness to altered conditions’ (Kaur, 2019). Trends in the literature, therefore, suggest a need for fresh ways to explore the role of professionalism in ensuring the sustainability of communications practice. Design/Methodology/Approach: The philosophical lens of meta modernism (Velmeulen and van den Akker, 2010) shapes this project as it manifests a digitalised, post-industrial, global age. Meta modernism tries to harmonise the conflicts between modernism and postmodernism to better understand the complexity evidenced in contemporary life and work (Bacui et al., 2016). The focus is not on critique and problematisation, but in finding solutions and promoting anticipatory, reflective and proactive thinking. Gardner (2016) suggests in this it helps individuals manage their position at the boundaries of diverse social systems that may be at odds with each other, whilst allowing individuals themselves to hold simultaneous positions in multiple worlds. We argue this has direct parallels to communication work which operates at the interface of organisational boundaries and by its nature is multidisciplinary. The detailed methodology is rhizomatic (Guerin, 2013) drawing on a range of disciplinary fields to ‘assemble’ new knowledge (Deleuze and Guattari, 1980/1988) in the spirit of the bricoleur (Denzin and Lincoln, 1999; Rogers, 2012). It is deliberately eclectic in embracing plurality and blurred boundaries to provide a rich, emergent research approach that draws in interdisciplinary scholarship, reflective practice and action learning.Both researchers are engaged in reviewing the concept of knowledge and continuous professional development (CPD) for the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) in the UK. We are involved in delivering professional qualifications to practitioners and have backgrounds in communication practice. As McNiff and colleagues (2002) argues action research is about conversation rather than specific techniques and it is conversations that have driven what Coghlan and Brannick (2005) term research in action. Findings: Early indications are the modernist presentation of communication professionals as individuals possessing stable identities, linear career histories, precise role jurisdiction and a list-like body of knowledge, skills and abilities, does not reflect reality. This presents a paradox as findings also suggest the postmodern perspective that contends all is chaos, knowledge and expertise are depreciated and professional institutions are de-valued, is equally flawed. Instead, communication professionals are challenged by a need to oscillate between the KSA that contribute to organisational goals (a modernist orientation grounded in evidence-informed thinking) and those that enable engagement with rapidly changing socio-cultural conditions and activist tendencies (a post-modern orientation grounded in critical thinking). To do this successfully requires developing a sustainable ability for deep reflection and agility. This recognises that professionals are never fully made but continue to ‘become’ throughout their careers, necessitating pro/cre-active and ironical thinking, heightened ‘ecological’ awareness and ethical decision making. It is this meta-modernist orientation we suggest that now defines what it means to be professional. Limitations: This is a work-in-progress project due for completion in the summer of 2021, so the findings are indicative of what has emerged so far. It is also inductive, qualitative and rhizomatic and findings will need to be further debated and explored with professional bodies and practitioners in the UK and beyond. Originality/Value: The study when complete intends to have practical and theoretical value. It extends thinking around meta modernist approaches to better understand the communication professions, what constitutes being a professional and opens up new lines of theoretical enquiry in the field of communications and for the professions more generally. Its practical value to date is supporting development of a knowledge taxonomy to underpin sustainable professional development in an increasingly kaleidoscopic and rhizomatic career landscape. References Baciu, C., Bocus, M., and Baciu-Urzica, C., (2015). Metamodernism – A conceptual foundation, Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 209, 33-38. Barnett, R. (2011). Towards an ecological professionalism. In: Sugrue, D. and Solbrekke, T. D. (eds) Professional Responsibility: New Horizons of Praxis. London and New York, Routledge, pp29-4 Bauman, Z. (2000). Liquid Modernity. Cambridge: Polity Cheetham, G. and Chivers, G. (2005). Professions, Competence and Informal Learning. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar. Deleuze, G., and Guattari, F. (1988). A thousand plateaus: Capitalism and schizophrenia. Trans. B. Massumi London: Athlone Press (original work published in 1980). Gardner, L. (2016). Metamodernism: A New Philosophical Approach to Counseling, Journal of Humanistic Counseling, 55: 86-98 Kaur, V. (2019). Knowledge-Based Dynamic Capabilities: The Road Ahead in Gaining Organizational Competitiveness. Cham: Switzerland: Springer Lewis, M.W. (2000). Exploring paradox: Toward a more comprehensive guide. Academy of Management Review, 25, 4:760-776. Lo Presti, A. (2009). Snakes and Ladders: Stressing the Role of Meta-Competencies for Post-Modern Careers. International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, 9:125-134 Macnamara, J. (2018). Public Relations and Post-Communication. Addressing a paradox in public communication. Public Relations Journal, 11, 3 (retrieved from https://prjournal.instituteforpr.org/wp-content/uploads/5.-public-relations-and-post-communication-addressing-a-paradox-in-public-communication-1.pdf) Malhotra, Y. (2002). Information Ecology and Knowledge Management: Toward Knowledge Ecology for Hyperturbulent Organizational Environments. Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS). UNESCO/EOLSS Publishers McNiff, J. with Whitehead, J. 2002. Action Research: Principles and Practice. 2nd Edition. London: Routledge. Noordegraff, M. (2016). Reconfigurating Professional Work: Changing Forms of Professionalism in Public Services. Administration and Services, 48, 7:783-810 O’Neill, O. (2001) Practical principles and practical judgment. The Hastings Center Report. 31, 4 15-23 Revell, L. and Bryan, H. (2018). Fundamental British Values in Education: Radicalisation, National Identity and Britishness. Bingley, UK: Emerald Publishing Ltd Scanlon, L. (2011). “Becoming” a Professional, Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer Science & Business Media. Vermeulen, T., and van den Akker, R. (2010). Notes on metamodernism, Journal of Aesthetics and Culture, 2:1, 5677 Zheng, Y., Venters, W., and Cornford, T. (2010). Collective agility, paradox and organizational improvisation: the development of a particle physics grid. Information Systems Journal. 21, 4:303-33

Adolescent Alcohol Exposure Reduces Behavioral Flexibility, Promotes Disinhibition and Increases Resistance to Extinction of Ethanol Self-Administration in Adulthood

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is a brain region that is critically involved in cognitive function and inhibitory control of behavior, and adolescence represents an important period of continued PFC development that parallels the maturation of these functions. Evidence suggests that this period of continued development of the PFC may render it especially vulnerable to environmental insults that impact PFC function in adulthood. Experimentation with alcohol typically begins during adolescence when binge-like consumption of large quantities is common. In the present study, we investigated the effects of repeated cycles of adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure (postnatal days 28–42) by vapor inhalation on different aspects of executive functioning in the adult rat. In an operant set-shifting task, AIE-exposed rats exhibited deficits in their ability to shift their response strategy when the rules of the task changed, indicating reduced behavioral flexibility. There were no differences in progressive ratio response for the reinforcer suggesting that AIE did not alter reinforcer motivation. Examination of performance on the elevated plus maze under conditions designed to minimize stress revealed that AIE exposure enhanced the number of entries into the open arms, which may reflect either reduced anxiety and/or disinhibition of exploratory-like behavior. In rats that trained to self-administer ethanol in an operant paradigm, AIE increased resistance to extinction of ethanol-seeking behavior. This resistance to extinction was reversed by positive allosteric modulation of mGluR5 during extinction training, an effect that is thought to reflect promotion of extinction learning mechanisms within the medial PFC. Consistent with this, CDPPB was also observed to reverse the deficits in behavioral flexibility. Finally, diffusion tensor imaging with multivariate analysis of 32 brain areas revealed that while there were no differences in the total brain volume, the volume of a subgroup of regions (hippocampus, thalamus, dorsal striatum, neocortex, and hypothalamus) were significantly different in AIE-exposed adults compared with litter-matched Control rats. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that binge-like exposure to alcohol during early to middle adolescence results in deficits in PFC-mediated behavioral control in adulthood

Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy vs laparoscopic and open retropubic radical prostatectomy: functional outcomes 18 months after diagnosis from a national cohort study in England.

BACKGROUND: Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) has been rapidly adopted without robust evidence comparing its functional outcomes against laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) or open retropubic radical prostatectomy (ORP) approaches. This study compared patient-reported functional outcomes following RARP, LRP or ORP. METHODS: All men diagnosed with prostate cancer in England during April - October 2014 who underwent radical prostatectomy were identified from the National Prostate Cancer Audit and mailed a questionnaire 18 months after diagnosis. Group differences in patient-reported sexual, urinary, bowel and hormonal function (EPIC-26 domain scores) and generic health-related quality of life (HRQoL; EQ-5D-5L scores), with adjustment for patient and tumour characteristics, were estimated using linear regression. RESULTS: In all, 2219 men (77.0%) responded; 1310 (59.0%) had RARP, 487 (21.9%) LRP and 422 (19.0%) ORP. RARP was associated with slightly higher adjusted mean EPIC-26 sexual function scores compared with LRP (3·5 point difference; 95% CI: 1.1-5.9, P=0.004) or ORP (4.0 point difference; 95% CI: 1.5-6.5, P=0.002), which did not meet the threshold for a minimal clinically important difference (10-12 points). There were no significant differences in other EPIC-26 domain scores or HRQoL. CONCLUSIONS: It is unlikely that the rapid adoption of RARP in the English NHS has produced substantial improvements in functional outcomes for patients

Women and leadership in public relations and communication management: Developing a rhizomatic typology of knowledge and professional development as an ecological radical feminine perspective

This chapter establishes the value of an ecological radical feminine perspective of women and leadership in public relations (PR) and communication management. It supports a rhizomatic typology of knowledge and professional development and embraces feminine sensibilities of growth, goodness, sustainability, well-being and humility as an ecosophy (wise society) of PR practice. Reluctance to move beyond 20th-century masculine notions of management, leadership, careers and success has frustrated the potential to create a thriving contemporary feminised PR profession. This penalises women’s investment in professional development and inhibits maturing of the practice by favouring androcentric career assumptions that “devalue the feminine.

Identification of seven new prostate cancer susceptibility loci through a genome-wide association study

Prostate cancer (PrCa) is the most frequently diagnosed male cancer in developed countries. To identify common PrCa susceptibility alleles, we have previously conducted a genome-wide association study in which 541, 129 SNPs were genotyped in 1,854 PrCa cases with clinically detected disease and 1,894 controls. We have now evaluated promising associations in a second stage, in which we genotyped 43,671 SNPs in 3,650 PrCa cases and 3,940 controls, and a third stage, involving an additional 16,229 cases and 14,821 controls from 21 studies. In addition to previously identified loci, we identified a further seven new prostate cancer susceptibility loci on chromosomes 2, 4, 8, 11, and 22 (P=1.6×10−8 to P=2.7×10−33)