Relational cultivation strategies and community building on Fortune 500 company corporate blogs

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tugce Ertem-Eray ◽  
Eyun-Jung Ki
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
Sense Of Community ◽  
Communication Channel ◽  
Community Building ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Fortune 500 ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Fortune 500 Companies ◽  
Corporate Blogs

PurposeAs the number of corporate blogs has continued to increase over the years, this study examines the use of relationship cultivation strategies of Fortune 500 companies on their corporate blogs. Moreover, it focuses on how companies use corporate blogs as interactive online communication channels to create a sense of community among their publics.Design/methodology/approachA content analysis of Fortune 500 company corporate blogs was conducted to examine the use of relational cultivation strategies and their methods of promoting a sense of community.FindingsFindings indicate that networking and sharing tasks are used most frequently among all relational cultivation strategies on corporate blogs, and that there are statistically significant differences among industries for using relationship cultivation strategies on corporate blogs. The most frequently used dimension of sense of community on corporate blogs is shared emotional connection.Originality/valueStudies analyzing social media as public relations tools have not yet focused on community building. In fact, few studies have examined the community building aspect of corporate blogs in the public relations field. To fill this gap, this study focuses on community building and analyzes how companies use corporate blogs as an interactive online communication channel to create a sense of community among their publics.

Does institutional theory explain integrated reporting adoption of Fortune 500 companies?

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Merve Kılıç ◽  
Ali Uyar ◽  
Cemil Kuzey ◽  
Abdullah S. Karaman
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
Institutional Theory ◽  
Institutional Environment ◽  
Fortune 500 ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Integrated Reporting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Fortune 500 Companies

PurposeThe objective of this study is to investigate whether the institutional environment is associated with the adoption of integrated reporting.Design/methodology/approachThe sample of the study is based on the firms included in the list of Fortune Global 500. The logistic regression analysis was run to test the proposed hypotheses.FindingsThe findings indicated that the code-law orientation and strength of the institutional quality are significantly associated (i.e. positively and negatively, respectively) with the integrated reporting of Fortune 500 companies. Firms are motivated for more transparency in stakeholder-oriented and weakly regulated contexts. Thus, stakeholder pressure is more influential than shareholder interest in motivating or forcing firms to issue integrated reports. Besides, there appears to be a trade-off between the public sector and the private sector in terms of ensuring an accountable and transparent business environment. If the public sector does not undertake its role in ensuring a transparent business environment, the private sector fills the gap. The results are robust to alternative sampling and methodologies.Research limitations/implicationsThis study implied that the stakeholder orientation of countries fosters the transparency and accountability of firms. Corporate behavior is impacted by the institutional strength or weakness of nations. The institutional theory provides an appropriate ground to understand drivers of corporate reporting practices of firms beyond firm-level characteristics.Practical implicationsThe adoption of integrated reporting framework by Fortune 500 companies can be leveraged to alleviate concerns about their social and environmental impacts. Policy-makers in the countries which have a weak institutional environment force or encourage their firms to increasingly meet the transparency and accountability demands of society.Social implicationsThe research findings might play an encouraging role in that various stakeholders (i.e. customers, public, civil organizations and press) should undertake active roles and responsibilities to encourage firms to behave in socially and environmentally responsible ways.Originality/valueThis study adds to the literature by examining the influence of the institutional environment on the adoption of integrated reporting, using recent international data, and focusing on the largest companies according to the Fortune's annual Global 500 list. This study is one of the first to examine the association between a set of governance characteristics (i.e. board size, board independence and board diversity) and integrated reporting adoption.

scholarly journals Information leaks before CEO change: financial gain and ethical cost

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-29
Author(s):  
Gregor Halff ◽  
Anne Gregory
Keyword(s):  
Stock Market ◽  
Financial Markets ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Fortune 500 ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Financial Gain ◽  
Fortune 500 Companies ◽  
Search Patterns ◽  
A Company

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate whether there are information leaks immediately before CEOs change and – if so – whether some investors take financial advantage of such prior knowledge. It thirdly investigates the ethical, practical and professional options for communication managers to deal with such situations.Design/methodology/approachWorking from sentiment theory of financial markets, the authors studied Internet search patterns for incoming CEO names and stock market movements immediately prior to the public mention or speculation of CEO change.FindingsThe authors find that in nearly a quarter of CEO changes at Fortune 500 companies, the name of the future CEO seems to have been leaked. Additionally, nearly half of those companies also experience extreme, otherwise unexplainable movements in the stock market.Originality/valueThis paper discovers the prevalence of extreme stock market movements for a company when the name of that company's next CEO has likely been leaked. Such leaks are an opportunity for unscrupulous investors, but they create ethical dilemmas for organizations. Communication managers typically respond by organizing tighter governance. However, to keep up with the speed of information and investments traveling through algorithms, organizing radical transparency could become an alternative instead.

Public relations in the age of data: corporate perspectives on social media analytics (SMA)

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathy R. Fitzpatrick ◽  
Paula L. Weissman
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Public Relations ◽  
Social Media Analytics ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Management Function ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Corporate Brands ◽  
Depth Interviews

PurposeThe aim of this study was to understand how public relations leaders view and use social media analytics (SMA) and the impact of SMA on the public relations function.Design/methodology/approachThe research involved in-depth interviews with chief communication officers (CCOs) from leading multinational corporate brands.FindingsThe findings revealed that although CCOs perceive social media analytics as strategically important to the advancement of public relations, the use of social media data is slowed by challenges associated with building SMA capacity.Theoretical and practical implications – The research extends public relations theory on public relations as a strategic management function and provides practical insights for building SMA capabilities.Originality/valueThe study is among the first to provide empirical evidence of how companies are using social media analytics to enhance public relations efforts.

Vigilant resilience: the possibilities for renewal through preparedness

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 212-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Carlson
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Renewal Theory ◽  
Theory Building ◽  
System Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Energy Company ◽  
Resilience Process

Purpose Post-crisis renewal discourse (Ulmer et al., 2007) is one form of communication that stakeholders may use as they attempt to organize for resilience. The purpose of this paper propose extending Discourse of Renewal Theory to explain how it could enact a different kind of resilience than scholars typically consider. Organizational resilience strategies often focus on the recovery or prevention stages of crisis management. Under conditions of persistent threat, it would be more productive for renewal discourse to emphasize greater preparedness. Design/methodology/approach To illustrate the need for this kind of theorizing, the author analyzes a case study that follows the public relations efforts of Canadian energy company Enbridge, Inc., in the aftermath of the 2010 Kalamazoo River oil spill. Findings By the criteria of Discourse of Renewal Theory, Enbridge attempted a renewal strategy, but it failed. By other criteria, however, it succeeded: it created the opportunity for richer dialogue among stakeholders about their interdependence and their competing interests. Originality/value By considering how elements of the resilience process may vary, this paper offers resources for more nuanced theory-building and theory-testing related to organizational and system-level resilience.

The conceptual heritage of public relations: using public memory to explore constraints and liberation

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 375-392
Author(s):  
W. Timothy Coombs ◽  
Sherry J. Holladay
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Public Memory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Past ◽  
Counter Narratives ◽  
Dominant Narratives ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Development And Evolution

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe three foundational concepts that contribute to conceptual heritage of the field of public relations (publics, organizations and relationships). Conceptual heritage is positioned as a type of shared public memory, a dominant narrative, that encourages adherence to the past whilst recognizing that counter-narratives can pose useful alternatives to foundational concepts. Design/methodology/approach The approach is a selective literature review that describes three dominant concept categories and presents more recently developed alternative concepts and approaches to illustrate how public memory is subjective and evolving. Findings The concepts of publics, organizations and relationships have grounded the dominant narrative and development of the field of public relations. Though these concepts continue to be influential as researchers rely upon and expand upon their legacies, counter-narratives can spur the innovation of ideas, measurement and practice. Research limitations/implications The paper focuses on only three major foundational concepts selected by the authors. The importance of these concepts as well as additional examples of the field’s conceptual heritage and evolution could be identified by different authors. Practical implications The analysis demonstrates how the public memory contributes to the development and evolution of the field of public relations. Counter-narratives can offer appealing, subjectively constructed challenges to dominant narratives. Originality/value This paper describes and critiques public relations’ conceptual heritage and argues that conceptually and methodologically-based counter-narratives have contributed to its evolution.

The evidence of compelling arguments in agenda building

2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyejoon Rim ◽  
Jin Hong Ha ◽  
Spiro Kiousis
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Public Opinion ◽  
Public Relations ◽  
Media Coverage ◽  
News Coverage ◽  
Agenda Building ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Information Subsidies

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the links among health authorities’ public relations efforts, news media coverage, and public perceptions of risk during the H1N1 pandemic outbreak. Design/methodology/approach – This study used a triangulation of research methods by comparing public relations materials, media coverage, and public opinion. The data were collected from a federal government web site, national newspapers, and national polls. Findings – The data revealed a positive relationship between information subsidy attention and media attention to the H1N1 disease as well as the severity attribute. The salience of the severity attribute in information subsidies was linked with increased H1N1 salience in media coverage, extending the testing of the compelling-arguments hypothesis to an agenda-building context. However, there was no association between salience of the severity attribute and public risk perceptions. Research limitations/implications – The study provides evidence for public relations effectiveness. However, the limited influence of the severity frame on the public's risk perception suggests a gap between news coverage and the public's view. Framing that effectively empowers the public to engage in desired behavior should be further studied for the success of a public health campaign. The study is limited to examining the severity attribute. A future study should pay more attention to different issue attributes or other frames. The media sample was limited to newspapers and thus lacks generalizability. Originality/value – The study contributes to public relations scholarship by demonstrating how information subsidies influence media agendas and public opinion in a health communication context. The public health authorities’ role in influencing media agenda should be stressed.

Moving social marketing beyond personal change to social change

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 240-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeanine P.D. Guidry ◽  
Richard D. Waters ◽  
Gregory D. Saxton
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Nonprofit Organizations ◽  
Social Marketing ◽  
Community Building ◽  
Social Changes ◽  
Media Communication ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Personal Changes ◽  
Social Media Communication

Purpose – This paper aims to examine what type of messaging on Twitter is most effective for helping move social marketing beyond focusing on personal changes to find out what messages help turn members of the public into vocal advocates for these organizations’ social changes. Social marketing scholarship has regularly focused on how organizations can effectively influence changes in awareness and behaviors among their targeted audience. Communication scholarship, however, has repeatedly shown that the most influential form of persuasion happens interpersonally. As such, it is imperative that organizations learn how to engage audiences and facilitate the discussion about organizational messages between individuals. Social media provide platforms for such conversations, as organizational messaging can be shared and discussed by individuals with others in their networks. Design/methodology/approach – Through a content analysis of 3,415 Twitter updates from 50 nonprofit organizations, this study identifies specific types of messages that are more likely to get stakeholders retweeting, archiving and discussing the organizations’ messaging through regression analysis. Findings – Messages focusing on calls-to-action and community building generated the most retweets and Twitter conversation; however, they were also the least used strategies by nonprofit organizations. Originality/value – Research has regularly examined the types of messages sent out by nonprofit organizations on Twitter, but they have not tested those messages against measures of engagement. This study pushes the understanding of social media communication to the next level by analyzing those message categories against metrics provided by Twitter for each tweet in the sample.

The ideal blend of public relations and business diplomacy

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (12) ◽  
pp. 27-29
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Reading Time ◽  
Stakeholder Management ◽  
Task Demands ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Pertinent Information ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
The Ideal

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings Business today are required to meet varying expectations of stakeholders growing in both number and diversity. The task demands a more comprehensive approach to stakeholder management that can be achieved by combining different aspects of the public relations and business diplomacy functions in order to increase the prospects of successfully meet the various challenges involved. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Nineteenth century public relations: Siam's campaign to defend national sovereignty

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 623-638
Author(s):  
Napawan Tantivejakul
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
19Th Century ◽  
The Body ◽  
Historical Study ◽  
Late 19Th Century ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Close Observation ◽  
International Diplomacy

PurposeThis research aims to identify the use of the public relations (PR) methods implemented by King Rama V and his administration to counter the threat to Siam of imperialism in the late 19th century. It also seeks to demonstrate the interplay of the communication strategies used in international diplomacy to enhance Siam's visibility among major European nations.Design/methodology/approachThis is a historical study using both primary and secondary sources. It is a development of the national PR history methodology using a descriptive, fact-based and event-oriented approach.FindingsThe main findings are that (1) a PR strategy drove international diplomacy under the administration of Siam's monarch incorporating strategies such as governmental press relations activities; (2) the strategy in building Siam's image as a civilized country was successfully communicated through the personality of King Rama V during his first trip to Europe; (3) with a close observation of the public and press sentiments, the outcome of the integrated PR and diplomatic campaigns was that Siam defended its sovereignty against British and French imperialists’ pressures and was therefore never colonized.Research limitations/implicationsThis research adds to the body of knowledge of global PR history by demonstrating that PR evolved before the 20th century in different countries and cultures with different historical paths and sociocultural, political and economic contexts.Originality/valueThis study from an Asian nation demonstrates that PR was being practiced in the late 19th century outside the Western context, prior to the advent of the term. It is a rare example of PR being developed as a part of an anti-colonization strategy.

CHANGES IN PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGEMENT IN THE ERA OF CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (specjalny) ◽  
pp. 39-55
Author(s):  
Anna Adamus-Matuszyńska ◽  
Renata Maćkowska
Keyword(s):  
New Media ◽  
Public Relations ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Hate Speech ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Global Epidemic ◽  
The Public ◽  
Practice Models ◽  
The Many ◽  
Delphi Research

The year 2020 is filledby new economic, social and environmental phenomena related to COVID-19 and its consequences. The global coronavirus pandemic affects every industry and all aspects of people’s lives. Therefore, one of the many questions researchers raise, are changes in the methods of communication between organizations and stakeholders resulting from this global epidemic. The first purpose of the presented research is to get knowledge about public relations activities practiced during the crises of the 21st century, with particular emphasis on the coronavirus pandemic. The second goal is to test the suitability of James Grunig’s models during the pandemic crisis. The authors accept the thesis that the global crises that characterize the first years of the 21st century and the role of social media make it necessary to use models of PR practice different than those experienced in the 20th century. Hence, the research attempts to answer the following research questions: 1. How has the public relations model been changed in Polish companies during the pandemic? 2. Has crisis management dominated the activities of PR specialists? 3. How does new media hinder or, on the contrary – facilitate the implementation of PR tasks during a pandemic? The Delphi research was used as the research method. The Delphi method aims to aggregate the opinions of a diverse group of experts. It allows to carry out researches without the need to meet respondents directly, which is essential during a pandemic. Experts were selected from the members of the Polish Public Relations Association. The overall conclusion of the analysis emphases that the pandemic has been changing PR practice models as it has forced the online communication that is especially exposed to fake news and hate speech content.

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