Theories of Public Relations INDEX NO: 7111810018

Systems Theory
Introduction Hegel developed it in the 19th century a theory to explain historical development as a dynamic process. Marx Webber and Robert Darwin used this theory in their work. y A set of interacting units, which endures through time within an established boundary by responding and adjusting to change pressures from the environment to achieve and maintain goal states.( Cutlip, Center and Broom 1994)

Core assumptions
y System theory is the trans disciplinary study of the

abstract organization of phenomena, independent of their substance, type, or spatial or temporal scale of existence. It investigates both the principles common to all complex entities, and the (usually mathematical) models which can be used to describe them.
y A system, is a set of things that affect one another

within an environment and form a larger pattern that is different from any of the parts.

A system can be said to consist of four things. y 1- objects the parts, elements, or variables within the system. These may be physical or abstract or both, depending on the nature of the system. y 2- attributes the qualities or properties of the system and its objects. y 3- a system has internal relationships among its objects. y 4- systems exist in an environment There are 2 types of systems y closed system does not interact with its environment. It does not take in information and therefore is likely to vanish. y open system- receives information, which it uses to interact dynamically with its environment

Concept models

Simple system model.

Elaborated system perspective model.

Significance
y Every PR practitioner works in an an institution which

has systems. If PR practitioner carefully studies the systems, then it becomes easy to manage relations between its subsystems

Situational management
y The situational theory of publics, developed by

Professor James E. Grunig -defines that publics can be identified and classified in the context to which they are aware of the problem and the extent to which they do something about the problem. y This theory explains when people communicate and when communications aimed at people are most likely to be effective.

Key Concepts as Variables

y Problem recognition (Independent Variable)

Problem recognition is the extent to which individuals recognize a problem facing them. People do not stop to think about situations unless they perceive that something needs to be done to improve the situation (Grunig & Hunt, 1984, p. 149).
y Constraint Recognition (Independent Variable)

Constraint recognition is the extent to which individuals see their behaviours as limited by factors beyond their own control. Constraints can be psychological or physical.

y Level of Involvement (Independent Variable)

Level of involvement is a measure of how personally and emotionally relevant a problem can be for an individual Involvement increases the likelihood of individuals attending to and comprehending messages Messages will be attended to only if the benefits or dangers associated with them have taken on some kind of personal reality or usefulness for the individual

y Information Seeking (Dependent Variable) Information seeking can also be called active communication behaviour. Actively communicating members of publics look for information and try to understand it when they obtain the information. Thus, publics whose members seek information become aware publics more often than publics whose members do not communicate or who only process information. y Information Processing (Dependent Variable) Information processing can be called passive communication behaviour. Passively communicating members of a public will not look for information, but they will often process information that comes to them randomly, that is, without any effort on their part.

Relationship management
y Public relations is classified as a management function that establishes and maintains mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and the publics on whom its success or failure depends (Ehling 1992) y Relationship management ultimately combines symbolic and behavioural relationships into one function, therefore eliminating the two separate functions. In addition, image building is an important aspect of relationship management because symbolic relationships [complement] the building of behavioural relationships between an organization and its publics. (Grunig 1993)

y Broom et al. (2000) make it clear that the practice of public relations need to have a clearer understanding of what is meant by relationships in a management context. y In working towards such understanding they offer a summative statement defining organization-public relationships: y Organization-public relationships are represented by the patterns of interaction, transaction, exchange, and linkage between an organization and its publics. These relationships have properties that are distinct from the identities, attributes, and perceptions of the individuals and social collectivities in the relationships. Though dynamic in nature, organization-public relationships can be described at a single point in time and tracked over time.

Types of Relationship
y Interpersonal Relationship: it represents the personal interactions between the organisation. y Professional Relationship: explains how the organisation delivers professional services to its publics. y Community Relationship: is how well the organisation is perceived to support community concerns.

sources
y http://minds.wisconsin.edu/bitstream/handle/1793/36697/ 191.pdf.txt?sequence=2- Grunig's J.E The Role of Information in Economic Decision Making (1966 y University of Twente http://www.utwente.nl/cw/theorieenoverzicht/Theory%20cl usters/Organizational%20Communication/System_Theory.d oc/ y Cutlip S.M, Center A.H and Broom G.M, Effective Public Relations Englewood Cliffs, NJ Prentice hall 1994 y Littlejohn and Foss Theories of Human Communication, Belmont CA 2009 y Grunig, J. E., & Hunt, T. (1984). Managing Public Relations. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.