NEGOCIADO PARA LA ADMINISTRACIÓN DEL SERVICIO DE JURADO

Gaining mutual understanding is the purpose, and communication is a two-way street with balanced effects. This model is based on a free exchange of information that is used to alter attitudes in both the organization and its publics. Formative research is used mainly to learn how the public perceives the organisation and to determine what consequences

organisational actions/policy might have on the public. The results may be counselling management to take certain actions or change policies. Evaluative research was used to determine whether a public relations effort has enhanced the public‘s understanding. This idea, also expressed as ‗relationship building‘ is to have policies and actions that are mutually beneficial to both parties. (Wilcox et al. 2006; 63)

40 Closer investigation proves that the two-way symmetric model relies on honest and open two-way communication and mutual give-and-take rather than one-way persuasion; focuses on mutual respect and efforts to achieve mutual understanding; emphasizes negotiation and a willingness to adapt and make compromises; requires organizations engaging in public relations to be willing to make significant adjustments in how they operate in order to accommodate their publics; and seems to be used more by non-profit organizations, government agencies, and heavily regulated businesses such as public utilities than by competitive, profit-driven companies. (Turney 1998)

The field of practice today includes organisations that engage in issue identification, crisis and risk management, and long-range strategic planning. Edward Bernays, later in his life, supported this model and is considered a leading advocate of this approach.

Communication is the key to developing strong relationships, also between businesses and their publics (employees, customers, shareholders, etc). What public relations is all about is

―people learning about each other and developing a mutual understanding‖ (Waddington 2008). This makes the two-way symmetrical model ideal.

Today the two-way symmetrical model enables two groups of people to share ideas and gain something from the experience. This is an ideal way to communicate and

technology has made it easier than ever before. Many companies are taking advantage of new web technologies to encourage two-way communication.

Dell is one company that has had good experience with the two-way symmetrical model. In February 2007 Dell launched a new website called IdeaStorm. The IdeaStorm website ―allows users to submit articles, comment on existing ones, or vote them up or down‖ (Waddington 2008). Dell received an overwhelming number of ―requests to offer an alternative, open-source operating system as an option on new Dell computers. This flurry of responses eventually convinced Dell to begin offering computers with the Ubuntu (Linux) operating system pre-installed (Waddington 2008).

What worked in this case was that not only did consumers get precisely what they required from Dell, but Dell also proved that they were listening to their customers and were prepared to give them what they sought.

2.6 Conclusion

In retrospect, public relations have fulfilled its role in society despite the many setbacks that seem to go hand in hand with the practice from time to time. What began as mainly a ―U.S.

enterprise in the early 1900‘s, with a few agencies and a few hundred practitioners, has grown, almost inexorably, to become a global enterprise, far surpassing what even the most visionary of its early proponents imagined‖ (Bates 2002).

41 Public relations practitioners have flourished. As a group these practitioners became more similar in their education, knowledge and skills. On the job, they became the

―promotional voice for thousands of public and private interests, performing a wide variety of communications functions aimed at persuading customers, employees, stockholders,

taxpayers, investors, donors, legislators and others to support those interests‖ (Bates 2002).

Each of the four models of public relations should serve as a normative theory of public relations. They should be used to guide a public relations practitioner how to be a press agent or public information specialist, for example. However, both the press agentry and the public information models represent one-way communication approaches to public relations, meaning the dissemination of information from organisations to publics, usually through the media.

I support Grunig and Hunt‘s theory that the two-way symmetrical model defines the most effective way of practising public relations. In the next chapter I shall investigate the organisations‘ actions in exploring the traditional channels of communications, as well as the new phenomenon of ‗social media‘ to determine if two-way communication is evident, and elaborate on these ‗old‘ and ‗new‘ mediums.

The aim of the next chapter will attempt to highlight social media as a means of effective two-way communication, as benefits of this include:

 Relies on honest and open two-way communication and mutual give-and-take rather than one-way persuasion;

 Focuses on mutual respect and efforts to achieve mutual understanding;

 Emphasises negotiation and a willingness to adapt and make compromises;

 Requires organisations engaging in public relations to be willing to make significant adjustments in how they operate in order to accommodate their publics

(Grunig & Hunt 1984) The application of Grunig and Hunt‘s (1984) two-way symmetrical to social media can also attempt to initiate conversations a public relations professional might never have started, develop existing relationships in an easy, informal way and also listen to what consumers are saying about the company and about any relevant issues. The public relations

professional can target people in their preferred media as well as finely target according to criterion. Networking becomes easier and the public can get to know personalities behind a brand or company.

42 CHAPTER 3: PUBLIC RELATIONS AND NEW MEDIA