The Role of Public Relations With Internal Activists
- 1 January 2007
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis Ltd in Journal of Public Relations Research
- Vol. 19 (1), 47-68
- https://doi.org/10.1080/10627260709336595
Abstract
Within the context of benefits/outsourcing reviews at a small, Eastern U.S. college, this qualitiative case study examined potential internal activism, employee/organizational leadership communication strategies, and ensuing changes in internal public relations practices/structure. Findings revealed that employees implemented activist strategies in response to perceived communication gaps, prompting organizational leadership to increase solictiation of employee input and commit to ongoing, two-way symmetrical communication; structural changes in internal public relations practices and reporting relationships also resulted. Extending previous activism research findings to internal publics as activists, in this study I suggest that the prodrome of potential employee activism should inform future public relations practice.Keywords
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