Elsevier

Public Relations Review

Volume 26, Issue 4, Winter 2000, Pages 403-423
Public Relations Review

Communication management in The Netherlands

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Abstract

This article is a study of the daily practice of persons working in Dutch public relations, nowadays often called “communication management.” Two research projects were analyzed, focusing on the tasks and position of the communication management departments in (Dutch) companies, including the background of their heads. The first study is a quantitative, empirical description of the profession; the second is a qualitative study of labor differentiation. Although chief executive officers and authors on communication management acknowledge communication as a strategic variable within an organization, the daily practice of the communication management departments consists, reportedly, for most part of copy production and representation. Consequently, even executives with management positions function merely as “technicians.” Most of the officers interviewed acquired their professional background in other areas and come from other departments; they had no relevant training in communications, nor did they have significant knowledge of relevant theories. The position of the communication management department within the organization reflects its operational activities and (lack of) professional background.

Betteke van Ruler is associate professor in Communication Science and Communication Management at the Free University of Amsterdam.

Section snippets

Methodology

This first large-scale study of communication management examined the departments, units, and people responsible for general communication management (i.e., internal and external corporate communication) or public relations and information (in Dutch called “Voorlichting”). The objective was to establish the extent to which this is a specialist field.7 Because this type of position is subject to a wide variety of job titles,8 and as no personalized lists are offered for sale, the questionnaire

Methodology

The second study under consideration here is an extension of the first, but in greater depth. It examined whether labor differentiation exists within the communication profession, and, if so, what tasks are carried out at what levels of responsibility.

The first research project was one of the stimuli that led the Professional Communication Association to more actively seek increased professionalization. One of its actions was to initiate research into job profiles within the profession. The

Conclusions and discussion

The research into communication management has thus far led to the following conclusions. Study 1 showed that in most organizations communication management is a part of job specialization, but a fairly marginal activity to which those with neither qualifications nor experience-based expertise are appointed. A “steering” role at the strategic level, which is considered important in the literature, is virtually never encountered.

Study 2 was carried out among organizations in which professionals

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