International public relations and the circuit of culture: An analysis of Gawad Kalinga

This paper examines the intersection of meaning construction and culture through a case analysis of a non-profit organisation in the Philippines. By employing the circuit of culture as a framework, the paper illustrates how Gawad Kalinga's discourse has incorporated a culture-centred approach to communication. While the organisation's strategic use of the discourse of faith and care resulted in its popularity, it also presented issues of power. Moreover, its highly optimistic and positive claims resulted in gaps between its rhetoric and actual behavior. In acknowledging the importance of integrating cultural values in discourse production, we remind international public relations practitioners that meaningful community development programs require time and contextual sensitivity. This paper contributes to international public relations scholarship from the perspective of a non-profit organisation in a developing country

Corporate Social Responsibility, Public Relations and Community Engagement: Emerging Perspectives from South East Asia

Diverse in economic development, political and mass media systems, the countries in Southeast Asia cast a unique light on the parallels between development-cum-participative communication and corporate social responsibility. In our globalized environments, knowledge of power, culture and the colonial histories that influence and shape business and governance practices are increasingly important. Focusing on six countries-Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnamthe book discusses how public relations (PR) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) discourse are constructed, interpreted, communicated and enacted in this diverse emerging region. By connecting the disparate disciplines of participatory and development communication with PR and CSR discourse, this innovative text explores the tensions between concepts of modernity and traditional values and their role in engendering creativity, compliance or resistance. This book will be of interest to researchers, educators and advanced students in the fields of public relations, communication, corporate social responsibility, corporate communications and Southeast Asia studies

Contemporary public relations education in the Philippines: Its origins, influences and challenges

The history of the Philippines is one of colonial struggle. It's no wonder that the indelible marks of three and a half centuries of Spanish colonization followed by five decades of American occupation are still intensely palpable in every aspect of Philippine society. The aftermath of centuries of domination is no more pronounced than in the education of its citizens. This paper ventures to locate Philippine public relations education within this historical context. There are only a few published studies on Philippine public relations. Of the sparse scholarly literature, Philippine PR education is given but a brief, cursory attention (e.g. Jamias et al, 1996; Sarabia-Panol, 2000; Sison, et al, 2011; Sison & Panol, 2014). By focusing entirely on the topic, this study is an attempt to ameliorate the dearth of research on PR education in the country. As a modest initial endeavor, this paper will trace the evolution of Philippine PR education, examine its influences and critically evaluate the content and status of the PR curriculum using a post-colonial lens. Public relations is one of the Philippine imports from the United States after the Second World War. This study will interrogate how this Western transplant is addressing the dueling interests of multiple stakeholders and the competing priorities of a developing country steeped in the traditions of a colonial past

Colonial and other influences on the history of public relations in the Philippines

'Three centuries in a Catholic convent, fifty years in Hollywood.' This is how former journalist, Stanley Karnow summed up the history of the Philippines in his Pulitzer Prize winning book, In Our Image: America's Empire in the Philippines (1989). Because of this colonial history and the continued ties between the US and the Philippines forged long after the country's independence in 1898, public relations in the Philippines developed within a robust democracy and Western-educated, English-speaking population. Aside from the educational system, the Philippine government and media institutions are patterned after the American system

Real Madrid and public relations: applying the circuit of culture to organizational values

Real Madrid is one of the leading sport organizations in the world in terms of finances, fans and awards, a status gained in large part due to its values. Using a critical/historical method, this paper examines the role of public relations in how Real Madrid communicates its values with club members and international fans, focusing on the years 2000 to present. For that purpose, this article uses the circuit of culture and its five moments – regulation, production, consumption, representation, and identity – in the creation of shared meaning. The circuit provides an organizing and conceptual framework that places public relations practice in a dynamic negotiation of power between the organization (Real Madrid) and its stakeholders (mainly international fans) that is context specific and constantly changing. The study concludes that Real Madrid has been able to embrace a set of universalist values and thus find massive success to break away from its older, local and national identity, all without alienating its Spanish fans