ABSTRACT

The field of public relations has been growing in both breadth and depth during the past decade. While the contributions of Excellence theory (J. Grunig, 1992) cannot be ignored, the field of public relations is now benefiting from broader theories that help us to understand its role in communities across the world. Excellence theory, the first comprehensive normative theoretical framework in public relations, has now been joined by other theories including accommodation theory (Cancel, Mitrook, & Cameron, 1999), relation management theory (Ledingham & Bruning, 1998, 2000), and dialogue theory (Kent &Taylor, 2002). These theories provide alternative frameworks to think about organization-public relationships. Another theoretical framework that may hold value for understanding the broader societal contributions of public relations is civil society theory.