مقاله سال ۲۰۱۷

This paper presents a framework andmethodology whicharticulates the variables, assumptions, and relationships that we argue should be considered in measuring public relations excellence within an organizational context. Drawing on established scales of evaluation for public relations practice, we propose, test and implement a comprehensive measurement model situated within Grunig’s (1992) excellence theory. In this case study, the research team and an organizational partner, the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER), collaborated to develop and implement a model of evaluation which highlights the relationships between organizational culture and communication. The resulting Excellence in Organizational Context Model was tested within the AER using empirical data gathered through in-depth semi-structured interviews and a self-report questionnaire survey conducted with individuals from various identified organizational stakeholder groups. We took this mixed-method approach to explore and understand the multi-dimensional nature of public relations practice. Eight dimensions of organizational practice were identified as: Access to Dominant Coalition, Ethics and Integrity, Organizational Role and Function of Public Relations, Proactive Worldview, Relationship Satisfaction, Requisite Variety, Strategic Communication Planning, and Symmetry and Mutuality.

To understand the practices embodied within these dimensions, we used, when possible, previously validated scales of measurement. The resulting comprehensive measurement scale was tested for reliability, factor structure and content validity through assessment of inter-correlations between variables and a confirmatory factor analysis. The Organizational Public Relations Excellence scale (OPRES) was the resulting measurement instrument.

The data and analyses from both the in-depth interviews and the organizational survey were placed into context with existing organizational evaluation and satisfaction survey results. Finally, these findings were assessed against the backdrop ofthe national contextual data acquired from the GAP VIII Canadian 2014 study (Thurlow, Kushniryk, Blotnicky, & Yue, 2014). Thus, we report upon research which created a measurement protocol (the OPRES) which was embedded in organizational climate and culture and situated within a contextual organizational ecology.