Public relations scholarship frequently studies relations between organizations and publics but rarely considers how the nature of organizations influences this interaction. In this essay, we review conceptions of the organization in several areas of public relations scholarship and find complexity that is unexplained by theory, causing a disconnect between public relations scholarship and practice. Using insights from stakeholder theory, essential contract theory, and intersectionality, we provide a new definition of the organization and 14 propositions about the nature of organizations. This definition is explained with a metaphor of an organization as a tent. The tent is composed of many stakeholders, each with multiple identities, utilizing contracts as poles to push and pull the organization in their preferred direction. An illustrative example is given of how this metaphor operates in a university. We call for a reorientation of public relations theory's relationships to organizations and suggest an important role for public relations and communication in constituting the nature of organizations and ensuring representativeness in decision-making.

中文翻译：

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走向帐篷驱动的组织模型：公共关系理论中的利益相关者、渗透性和多重身份

公共关系学术经常研究组织与公众之间的关系，但很少考虑组织的性质如何影响这种互动。在本文中，我们回顾了公共关系学术的几个领域中的组织概念，发现理论无法解释的复杂性，导致公共关系学术与实践之间的脱节。利用利益相关者理论、基本契约理论和交叉性的见解，我们提供了组织的新定义以及关于组织性质的 14 条命题。这个定义是用组织作为帐篷的比喻来解释的。这个帐篷由许多利益相关者组成，每个利益相关者都有多重身份，利用合约作为杆子，推动和拉动组织朝自己喜欢的方向发展。给出了一个说明性的例子来说明这个比喻在大学中是如何运作的。我们呼吁重新定位公共关系理论与组织的关系，并提出公共关系和传播在构成组织性质和确保决策代表性方面的重要作用。