Public Relations Research at the Crossroads

TLDR

Public relations research is dominated by a 2‑way symmetrical communication paradigm, with relationship building also prominent, while contemporary practice remains fluid and complex and the field has not yet fully integrated postmodern management theories. The article argues that public relations scholarship should incorporate postmodern theories from other disciplines to deepen conceptual understanding and better inform practice. The authors propose integrating management literature into PR, updating both the content and the methods of the discipline.

Abstract

Abstract This article briefly sets out where we are in terms of research and then discusses where I think we should go in the future. The emphasis in this article is on what I see as the dominant theoretical paradigm in the field—2-way symmetrical communication. Although relationship building is also a prominent feature of the literature (L. A. Grunig, Toth, & Hon, 2000), it is 2-way symmetry that dominates. Today's public relations practice is fluid and complex. Thus, we need to bring into our literature new theories from other disciplines to enhance our conceptual understanding of the field and explore more fully the implications of postmodern theories for the practice of public relations. The management literature has embraced postmodernism, leading to an evolution in thinking about strategy with which we have failed to keep up (McKie, 2001; Moss, Warnaby, & Newman, 2000). If we are to be a management function, we need to bring that literature into ours and update what we do and how we do it.