Global public relations as a subfield in the theory and practice of communication

Abstract

The next decade will bring unprecedented challenges to global society, including the uncertainties of social, political, economic and cultural sustainability in a world that is experiencing tremendous changes within an incredibly compressed timeframe. The need exists within 21st Century global society for specialists who have particular knowledge and skills to practice public relations in a range of social, political, economic and cultural environments, while adhering to universal professional values and best practices.  Specialists in global public relations must have the technical knowledge and skills required of all practitioners, but must have additional education and experience that increase the breadth and depth of their worldview to enable them to better understand, appreciate and respect the range of social, political, economic and cultural environments worldwide.  They must perform strategically as interpreters, ethicists and social policy makers in guiding organizational behavior and must take strategic responsibility for influencing and reconciling public perceptions of their organizations within a global context.  However, even this foundation is insufficient to address the unprecedented challenges to global society.  It behooves the global public relations scholarly and practitioner community to continually re-examine the role and function of public relations and its base assumptions in a 21^st Century global society.