The beginning of the 21st century: Public
Relations and Organisational
communication at the crossroads
Kaja Tampere, PhD
Future:
opportunities
and prospects
Practice:
today’s
reality
Public
Relations
in the
beginning
of 21st
century
Past:
historical
heritage
Theory:
interdiscipli
nary
approach
and
excellence
theory
 No classical PR theory. Grunig’s Excellence theory four
model approach is only one, which describes
professional practice. Lot of critics because of
idealistic nature.
 Deeply inter-disciplinary approach: Public relations is
an applied social science, a branch of organisational
sociology which derives substantial conceptual
contributions from system theory, organisational
theory, communication, psychology, social psychology,
game theory, and other areas of social inquiry’ (Dozier
1993).
Journalists
Economical
factors
Social
factors
Communication flow and result:
relations
Cultural
factors
Political
factors
Public relations officers
Main questions: If communication flow is always full, who fills
this flow? And who’s messages are dominant? And – who
designs relations?
 Roots: PR as profession, principle, code of ethics
 Relations with propaganda, conflict between different




ideologies
Internal communication as part of PR, blossoming of
capitalism
Opening period and collapse of Soviet Union, planned
economy in crisis
Postmodernist PR, blossoming of consumption,
Market economy in crisis
Network PR, computer-mediated communication and
relations
 Balance is lost, new balance is needed
 Consumer oriented PR based on buying-selling ideology is the
bad joke today in the economical crisis situation...
 PR is in the service of special interests ...theories are telling
something else
 PR profession in crisis, research results:
 Manager, Finn, in Estonia: “I need Public relations but I really do
not need a public relations officer!”
 Manager, Estonian, in Finland: “I can’t see the profitability of PR.
I really don’t need a secretary with a university degree...
 Old strategies and tactics are not effective anymore, new ones are not
ready yet
 PR in Facebook, Obama-team: to one of my Estonian friend:
"Urmas, I need your voice on health care. Join my call: Ask
Congress to pass real health care reform in 2009.”
Everything new has been forgotten a long time ago!
The best experiences come from history: The Keeper of
the Royal Conscience
The value of theories: theoretical practice and
practical theory...
Take a look at macro level and develop the mission!
What it MEANS to practice PR at macro level? Role of
PR from system-theoretical point of view: To keep a
system alive...
New professional quality: 4E concept - educated,
ethical, effective, economic...