Summary
The development of theory is largely dependent upon the conceptual development of constructs that adequately reflect the richness and complexity of PR practice (Hazleton & Botan, 1989). The PR Process Model attempts to identify a comprehensive domain of constructs useful for studying PR from a systems theory perspective. Even though the constructs presented here may not be explicitly formulated in the daily life of the organization, they may retrospectively be reconstructed through the analysis of PR behavior and are therefore useful for research and theory building.
In addition, through the use of other systems theory constructs, this essay begins to articulate functional relationships among constructs which constitute a theoretic framework for the model. Specific relationships identified in this essay are presented below.
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PR practices are a function of subjective perceptions of environmental complexity and environmental turbulence.
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PR effectiveness is functionally related to the correlation between subjective perceptions and objective measures of environmental complexity and environmental turbulence.
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3
Interdependence between organization and the environment may be functionally related to organizational goals.
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4
Goals and perceived interdependence with environment are functionally related to the selection of input from the environment.
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Public relations strategy is functionally related to management philosophy and audience characteristics.
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Content themes are functionally related to problem solution and audience characteristics.
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Message effects are functionally related to the physical, psychological, and sociological properties of messages and audience characteristics.
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Hazleton, V. (1992). Toward a Systems Theory of Public Relations. In: Avenarius, H., Armbrecht, W. (eds) Ist Public Relations eine Wissenschaft?. VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-322-85772-9_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-322-85772-9_3
Publisher Name: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften
Print ISBN: 978-3-531-12387-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-322-85772-9
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