I was away from the blog while trying to finish a draft chapter for an upcoming book on PR and sport. My take was on social media - as usual more was left out than out in due to editorial space restrictions. One idewa that didn't make the cut was the approach to PR taken by the European school of PR theorists van Ruler and Vercic. I adapted their approach to look at how socila media tools fit within the strategic focus of the organisation. i think this may have to be tweaked according to the type of sports organisation - professional, particpatory or NGO for example. But the idea looked as if it had some legs although I have left out a lot of the theoretical underpinnings.
By simplifying the von Ruler/Vercic thesis the following broad model can be created, (while admitting that within the management of any organisation setting communication goals will be a constant dialectical struggle between different forces). In the top right quadrant, where the concern is over legitimacy of the organisation within the social sphere, crises can subvert reputation unless there is swift response – hence this is seen as dominated by crisis management, although at a lower level there will a continuing stream of communications that discursively attempt to manage any debate about the organisation inside a context set and managed by the organisation’s own rhetoric. This might be termed a negotiating stance. Other quadrants may be interpreted in terms of the commercial focus versus the public reputation, and the need to target what might be crudely terms the ‘paying’ audience, and society at large. This leads to the labels and modes as shown.
One of the advantages of the explosion in new media, is that is allows the organisation to consider a more differentiated, and more direct approach to each area of activity, without having to rely on the intermediation of mass media (while remembering that in many cases it may be the mass media that itself creates the content for the communication as this operates within a tangled web of inter-related networks of communication and stakeholders).
The following diagram attempts to place the appropriate media in the appropriate quadrant while remembering that this is merely indicative as opposed to prescriptive analysis:-
Whereas the established model of excellence in PR has always focused on the Grunig (1992)-derived two-way symmetrical continuum, the developments of a more European-centric model by van Ruler and Vircic (2005) attempts to position the role of PR within the commercial and societal relationships of the organisation. In effect they are splitting the focus of the organisation between managerial concerns of commercial profit and the legitimacy or reputation/longevity aspects of the organisation in its wider environment, and on the other hand, placing the role of communications as mediating between the organisation and its immediate target audience – from customers where there is a string commercial relationship, through to wider societal constituents or weak stakeholders who are potential publics if an issue or crisis arises that has an impact beyond the immediate market or audience of the organisation.
By simplifying the von Ruler/Vercic thesis the following broad model can be created, (while admitting that within the management of any organisation setting communication goals will be a constant dialectical struggle between different forces). In the top right quadrant, where the concern is over legitimacy of the organisation within the social sphere, crises can subvert reputation unless there is swift response – hence this is seen as dominated by crisis management, although at a lower level there will a continuing stream of communications that discursively attempt to manage any debate about the organisation inside a context set and managed by the organisation’s own rhetoric. This might be termed a negotiating stance. Other quadrants may be interpreted in terms of the commercial focus versus the public reputation, and the need to target what might be crudely terms the ‘paying’ audience, and society at large. This leads to the labels and modes as shown.
One of the advantages of the explosion in new media, is that is allows the organisation to consider a more differentiated, and more direct approach to each area of activity, without having to rely on the intermediation of mass media (while remembering that in many cases it may be the mass media that itself creates the content for the communication as this operates within a tangled web of inter-related networks of communication and stakeholders).
The following diagram attempts to place the appropriate media in the appropriate quadrant while remembering that this is merely indicative as opposed to prescriptive analysis:-
The purpose here is to show where different aspects of the web 2.0 may play a role within an overall communications strategy. It also shows a move away from one size fits all for the web site – and the need to consider the different purposes of commercially oriented sites and the need for communities and public facing vehicles of communication. Whereas it does not purposely show the traditional media, there will remain a role for integration the activities on web 2.0 that reach out to target publics with the demands of the media, and ability of that media to meet the needs of the organisation.
SPRC managers have an opportunity now get involved in the world of their organisation as it is seen and reproduced in the social web, and to begin to work though the benefits of greater involvement in using the new media to create more tangible and vibrant relationships than has been possible before the rise of Web 2.0. That is not to say that everyone should rush into a simply launching blogs, communities or creating presences on all the social network sites just for the sake of it – an un-updated blog, or a member-less community is worse than not having one at all.. Like any other business strategy, the organisation should carefully think through its aims, goals and resources available for implementation.
I may work this up further, but it seems a fruitful avenue to follow. It also makes me think aboiut why sports sites are getting into social media - and are they doing this for reputaional/longevity biased motivations or for the commercial - and how would that differ by type of organisation?
