Full Length Article
Mind the gap: Understanding public relations competence in the eyes of practitioners and the dominant coalition

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2021.102037Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • A survey (N = 177) of a global organization’s practitioners and dominant coalition reveals gaps in PR competence.

  • Manager and technician strength as practitioners grew as they moved through the seasons of their careers.

  • A 25 % gap in manager and technician scores emerged between the dominant coalition and practitioners.

  • Dominant coalition understands the value of career public affairs over collateral duty untrained personnel.

Abstract

A survey (N = 177) of public relations professionals and C-Suite managers within a global organization provided an empirical test of the Theory of Public Relations Competence (Hazleton, 2006). Results demonstrate the impact of differing levels professional experience for a public relations practitioner. The C-Suite (non-communicator management) view of public relation competence revealed a gap, underestimating both technician and manager skill by approximately 25 %. When assessing competence in career practitioners compared to collateral duty party time personnel, the dominant coalition rated the practitioners significantly higher.

Keywords

Competence
Public relations
Public affairs
Dominant coalition
Military
Navy
Public affairs officer
Survey

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