Organizational Contingencies, Organizational Blogs and Public Relations Practitioner Stance Toward Publics Tom Kelleher University of Hawai`i at Manoa School of Communications

Background: A Conversational Approach to Online Public Relations

Distributed Public Relations

Prior Propositions Blogs more “conversational” than traditional PR online Conversational human voice associated with better relational outcomes

Blogs more “conversational” than traditional PR online

Conversational human voice associated with better relational outcomes

Do findings resonate beyond tech firms & publics?

Do findings resonate beyond tech firms & publics?

Contingency Theory Degree of accommodation toward publics depends on contingencies Technology a possible contingency “ Qualified-rhetoric-mixed accommodation” operationally similar to “conversational human voice.”

Degree of accommodation toward publics depends on contingencies

Technology a possible contingency

“ Qualified-rhetoric-mixed accommodation” operationally similar to “conversational human voice.”

Current Study Basic contingency hypothesis: More favorable contingencies for dialogue will lead to more accommodating stance. RQ Will technological contingencies lead to more accommodating stance?

Basic contingency hypothesis:

More favorable contingencies for dialogue will lead to more accommodating stance.

RQ

Will technological contingencies lead to more accommodating stance?

Method 2X2 Experiment technological orientation contingencies for dialogue Online survey with Hawaii PRSA membership ( note: practitioners not publics )

2X2 Experiment

technological orientation

contingencies for dialogue

Online survey with Hawaii PRSA membership

( note: practitioners not publics )

Results Manipulations seemed to have worked No signif. findings on contingency hypothesis Interesting RQ finding: practitioners in high-tech conditions reported significantly less accommodating stance

Manipulations seemed to have worked

No signif. findings on contingency hypothesis

Interesting RQ finding:

practitioners in high-tech conditions reported significantly less accommodating stance

Discussion Limitations Benefits in the eyes of publics v. eyes of practitioners? Questions of technology diffusion, adoption and acceptance…

Limitations

Benefits in the eyes of publics v. eyes of practitioners?

Questions of technology diffusion, adoption and acceptance…

Related Writing Kelleher, T. (in press). Conversational voice, communicated commitment, and public relations outcomes in interactive online communication. Accepted for publication in Journal of Communication. (v3 2008 or v1 2009) Kelleher, T. (2007). Public Relations Online: Lasting Concepts for Changing Media. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Kelleher, T., & Miller, B. M. (2006). Organizational blogs and the human voice: Relational strategies and relational outcomes . Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 11 , 395-414. http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol11/issue2/kelleher.html

Kelleher, T. (in press). Conversational voice, communicated commitment, and public relations outcomes in interactive online communication. Accepted for publication in Journal of Communication. (v3 2008 or v1 2009)

Kelleher, T. (2007). Public Relations Online: Lasting Concepts for Changing Media. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Kelleher, T., & Miller, B. M. (2006). Organizational blogs and the human voice: Relational strategies and relational outcomes . Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 11 , 395-414. http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol11/issue2/kelleher.html