This study investigated the effects of crisis communication messaging strategies on the relationship between an organization and its key publics. This study found that none of the strategies tested had a significant impact on the relationship between an organization and its publics, however some strategies consistently influenced a relationship more than others.

ABSTRACT Organizations are working to establish and maintain relationships with their target publics using a wide variety of communication tools. How they work at developing this organization-public relationship (OPR) is open to the organization, but previous research suggests there are measurement scales that can indicate what factors an organization may be doing right and those they may need to improve on. This study examines relationship building efforts of the Tampa Bay Rays organization and the representation it has demonstrated through online content. Utilizing a content analysis, sample articles were collected and coded to examine if relationship components could be found through the organization's affiliated website and the target public's local newspaper. The structure and development of this study was created based on the relationship indicators that were established by Hon and Grunig (1999) and Huang (2001). Based on the analysis of the results, it was discovered that OPR indicators were being used by the Tampa Bay Rays. Examples of commitment, satisfaction, and control mutuality were the most frequent indicators throughout the online content. Trust and face and favor were the two remaining indicators that showed the lowest frequency of representation through the online content. From the study, the results revealed: (1) that differences in framing exist; (2) a representation of frequent OPR material and topics does occur; (3) there are thematic patterns on the part of the source; and finally, (4) the organization perspective of what may show up from online content may differ from the outside perspective.

This study focuses on relationships. Specifically, it measures the relationship between the administration of a large public university in the southeastern United States, USF, and its primary internal public the faculty. The purpose of this study is to measure the quality and type of relationship between an organization and it public, as perceived by the public. This study seeks to replicate and extend previous relational research by examining how the variables of trust, commitment, control mutuality, and satisfaction are related to the quality of relationships in organizations. In addition, the type of relationshipcommunal or exchangethat the faculty has with the university, is examined. This thesis also posits an additional indicator of relationship quality goal compatibility. Therefore the following hypotheses are proposed: H1: Trust, commitment, satisfaction and control mutuality are indicators of relationship quality between and organization and its publics. H2: Goal compatibility is an indicator of relationship quality between an organization and its publics. Explicitly, this study seeks to explore the following: RQ1: How do faculty employees at a large, Research I university perceive their relationship with the administration in terms of trust, commitment, satisfaction, control mutuality, and goal compatibility, with regards to the issue of salary, and what type of relationship—communal or exchange—does the organization and its public have? The significance of this study lies in its ability to contribute to public relations theory and practice. This research will enrich our understanding of the importance of building strong relationships between organizations and their publics. This study will also build on previous public relations studies of relationship measurement in order to further public relations theory development. From an applied perspective, this research may serve to inform the organization about the quality of its relationship with one of its most important strategic publics. According to the data analyses, in terms of trust, commitment, satisfaction, control mutuality, and goal compatibility, the faculty perceives their relationship to be low quality. In addition, the faculty perceives to have an exchange relationship with the administration.

La tesi “L’anàlisi de la qualitat de les relacions en l’àmbit de les Relacions Públiques. Aplicació d’un model global d’auditoria de Relacions Públiques a la societat municipal 22@ de l’Ajuntament de Barcelona” se centra, en primer lloc, a elaborar una síntesi de les diverses aportacions sobre el marc conceptual de l'auditoria de Relacions Públiques, és a dir, de quines teories es desprèn aquest instrument d'investigació, el seu origen i la seva evolució històrica, les variables que es mesuren en una auditoria de Relacions Públiques, les definicions i els tipus d'auditories en aquest àmbit, i els diversos models de mesura citats pels autors que han tractat aquest assumpte en les seves respectives obres, i en quines teories s'han inspirat. Tota aquesta tasca amb l'únic objectiu d'obtenir evidències que poguessin respondre a la pregunta que es formula a l'inici del treball, de quina manera es pot justificar l'actuació de les Relacions Públiques? i, al seu torn, contrastar amb la hipòtesi que es planteja conforme si és possible mesurar l'actuació de les Relacions Públiques es podran obtenir els arguments per justificar aquesta activitat. Una de les principals conclusions d'aquesta tesi ha estat que el que s'ha de mesurar exactament és la qualitat de la relació que estimula l'activitat de les Relacions Públiques entre una organització i els seus públics, donat que es confirma que aquesta és la comesa de la disciplina . I que els tres conceptes més estudiats en les diverses contribucions sobre el mesurament de l'activitat de Relacions Públiques centrats en la qualitat de la relació són: la mesura del grau de confiança que coexisteix, el nivell d'entesa entre actors, i la satisfacció recíproca de les parts implicades amb la relació que s'estableix. Amb aquesta i altres conclusions complementàries, en segon lloc, la tesi proposa un model hipotètic d'auditoria global de Relacions Públiques, que compila tota la documentació estudiada i que presenta la base de la investigació empírica d'aquesta tesi doctoral. Conseqüentment, si en primera instància aquesta tesi s’ha volgut constituir en una primera aproximació a l'estat de la qüestió de les auditories de Relacions Públiques, contrastar el model hipotètic ha volgut ser el motiu del treball empíric de la tesi. L'exercici exploratori ha consistit a aplicar el model proposat com a hipòtesi del treball i ha procurat detectar i exposar els punts febles del model, però també destacar el seu grau de validesa. Per dur a terme aquesta tasca, s'ha estudiat la qualitat de les relacions, mesurada a raó de les variables cognitives més estudiades en les diverses contribucions sobre la mesura de l'activitat de les Relacions Públiques - la confiança, l'acord o enteniment mutu i la satisfacció -, entre la societat municipal 22@ de l'Ajuntament de Barcelona i el col•lectiu d'empreses que formen el clúster TIC del barri del Poblenou de Barcelona. Les conclusions d'aquesta tesi doctoral il•lustren fins a quin punt el model pot ser una font de la que flueixin els arguments que validen una actuació de Relacions Públiques, i la informació estratègica que aporta per perfeccionar la medul•la d'un pla de Relacions Públiques específicament, i de comunicació en general. / La tesis “El análisis de la calidad de las relaciones en el ámbito de las Relaciones Públicas. Aplicación de un modelo global de auditoría de Relaciones Públicas a la sociedad municipal 22@ del Ayuntamiento de Barcelona” se centra, en primer lugar, en elaborar una síntesis de las diversas aportaciones sobre el marco conceptual de la auditoría de Relaciones Públicas, es decir, de qué teorías se desprende este instrumento de investigación; su origen y su evolución histórica; las variables que se miden en una auditoría de Relaciones Públicas; las definiciones y los tipos de auditorías en este ámbito; y los diversos modelos de medición citados por los autores que han tratado este asunto en sus respectivas obras, y en qué teorías se han inspirado. Toda esta labor con el único objetivo de obtener evidencias que pudieran responder a la pregunta que se formula al inicio del trabajo ¿de qué forma se puede justificar la actuación de las Relaciones Públicas? y, a su vez, contrastar con la hipótesis que se plantea conforme si es posible medir la actuación de Relaciones Públicas se podrán obtener los argumentos para justificar esta actividad. Una de las principales conclusiones de esta tesis ha sido que lo que se debe medir exactamente es la calidad de la relación que estimula la actividad de las Relaciones Públicas entre una organización y sus públicos, puesto que se confirma que éste es el cometido de la disciplina. Y que los tres conceptos más estudiados en las diversas contribuciones sobre la medición de la actividad de Relaciones Públicas centrados en la calidad de la relación son: la medición del grado de confianza que coexiste; el nivel de entendimiento entre actores; y la satisfacción recíproca de las partes implicadas con la relación que se establece. Con esta y otras conclusiones complementarias, en segundo lugar, la tesis propone un modelo hipotético de auditoría global de Relaciones Públicas, que compila toda la documentación estudiada y que presenta la base de la investigación empírica de esta tesis doctoral. Consecuentemente, si en primera instancia esta tesis ha querido constituirse en una primera aproximación al estado de la cuestión de las auditorías de Relaciones Públicas, contrastar el modelo hipotético ha querido ser el motivo del trabajo empírico de la tesis. El ejercicio exploratorio ha consistido en aplicar el modelo propuesto como hipótesis del trabajo y ha procurado detectar y exponer los puntos débiles del modelo, pero también destacar su grado de validez. Para llevar a cabo esta labor, se ha estudiado la calidad de las relaciones, medida por razón de las variables cognitivas más estudiadas en las diversas contribuciones sobre la medición de la actividad de Relaciones Públicas -la confianza, el acuerdo o entendimiento mutuo y la satisfacción-, entre la sociedad municipal 22@ del Ayuntamiento de Barcelona y el colectivo de empresas que forman el clúster TIC del barrio de Poblenou de Barcelona. Las conclusiones de esta tesis doctoral ilustran hasta qué punto el modelo puede ser una fuente de la que fluyan los argumentos que validan una actuación de Relaciones Públicas, y la información estratégica que aporta para perfeccionar la médula de un plan de Relaciones Públicas específicamente, y de comunicación en general. / The principal objective of this work is to explore and elaborate and synthesize the diverse contributions to Public Relations auditing as a theoretical framework. Which theories does this investigative instrument arise from? What is its origin and historical evolution? What are the variables that are measured in a Public Relations audit? What are the various definitions and the typology of audits in this particular domain? Which variations of different assessment models have been cited by scholars who have explored these issues in their studies, and which previous theoretical models have inspired them? This study has been conducted with the exclusive goal to gather data that may help respond to the questions posed at the outset of this work: In what way can one justify the pursuit of Public Relations activity, and –in accordance with our main hypothesis– is it possible to measure Public Relations’ effectiveness in order to obtain arguments that validate Public Relations as a professional occupation. One of the main conclusions of this thesis has been that the variable that should be precisely measured is the quality of the relationship that stimulates Public Relations activity between an organization and its various audiences since it has been ascertained that this is the main mission of the discipline. Furthermore it has become apparent that the three most intensely studied areas among the various theoretic contributions to measuring the quality of relationships in Public relations are: measuring the degree of mutual trust, measuring the degree of understanding between the stakeholders, and measuring the degree of reciprocated satisfaction on the part of the various agents involved with respect to the rapport established between them. Secondly, this study submits a hypothetical model of global auditing in Public Relations which compiles all the data and material perused in the course of this investigation, and which represents the foundation of the empirical analysis. Thus, one the one hand this study has striven to provide a state of the question regarding the various approaches to the practice of Public Relations auditing, and on the other hand it has endeavored to put to the test the hypothetical model in an empirical analysis. This exercise has turned out useful in detecting and bringing to light the model's flaws, but at the same time it has served to showcase the validity of the approach. In order to carry out this task, we have scrutinized the quality of the rapport between the various agents involved in this PR activity with special focus on the cognitive variables that have receive the most scholarly attention in the discipline: trust, mutual understanding, and satisfaction. In the case at hand, the stakeholders were the Municipal Society 22@, the Barcelona City Council, and the group of companies that form the TIC cluster in the Poblenou neighborhood in Barcelona. The conclusions that were reached clearly illustrate to which degree this model can provide a focal point from which various arguments may arise that lend validity to a particular Public Relations venture. A second outcome leads to the conclusion that the theoretical model here submitted helps to perfect the core elements of Public Relations activity in particular and communication in general.