Core Elements for Organizational Sustainability in Global Markets: Korean Public Relations Practitioners’ Perceptions of Their Job Roles
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Literature Review
2.1. Job Roles of Public Relations Practitioners
2.2. Job Roles of Public Relations Practitioners in Korea
3. Research Questions
4. Method
4.1. Participants
4.2. In-Depth Interview Procedures
4.3. Data Analysis Technique
5. Findings
5.1. Korean Public Relations Practitioners’ Perceptions of Their Job Roles
5.1.1. Strategic Counselor/Manager Role
5.1.2. Non-Strategic Technician Role
5.1.3. Business Manager Role for Practitioners’ Own Firms
5.1.4. The Relationship between Practitioners’ Backgrounds and Perceptions of Roles
5.2. Elements Affecting the Job Roles of Korean Practitioners in Global Public Relations Firms
5.2.1. Element 1: Cultural Characteristics
“In particular, providing clients or journalists with entertainment or gifts is a general business practice that is widely accepted in the Korean market. It represents relationship-oriented Korean culture. To build emotional intimate relationship with media or clients, practitioners have to provide entertainment and spend more time with them even after work time. You know Korean culture … it is not an overstatement that Koreans work better or more efficiently if there is an emotional bond. We feel a stronger bond when we find any connection … school ties, geographical ties and so on … with the business partner. For example, once I build a strong relationship with media personnel, the media personnel might help me when I ask for a positive press response regarding my clients’ issues because of Jeong. Of course, I should prepare some interesting news, too. Anyhow, one of the Korean practitioners’ jobs could be building personal relationships with clients or journalists, so to achieve that goal, practitioners serve them.”
“Young practitioners sometimes are limited in their work on government projects because young age is not trusted by old government officials. Young practitioners can’t be assigned responsible jobs but only assistant roles.”
5.2.2. Element 2: Media Environmental Specificity
“Media journalists, especially the journalists who are related to my clients’ industry and who request some information from me are like bosses over my work. Or, I would say they are king! They govern my roles at work. They have big power and we, PR practitioners are affected by them. In general people trust the information media release, so I should listen to media journalists’ every word as well as to their requests. Then I can have good results or achievement in my public relations practice. This is the reality!”
“Korea’s media-centered culture is related to Korea’s unique cultural specificity. Because of media’s special power in Korea, family ties, school ties, and geographical origin ties, which public relations practitioners have, are usually involved with media to control media. And monetary transactions and entertainment for media happen in public relations business.”
5.2.3. Element 3: The General Public’s Perception of Public Relations as Unprofessional
“I myself consider public relations to be a professional field, but most people do not share my opinion. I think the public’s general perception of public relations leads to my clients’ perceptions that public relations practitioners are secondary assistants. Clients’ perceptions affect my job role as a technician … which involves trivial errands, making simple invitation cards, or promoting specific events while having no power to make decisions.”
“Those who don’t know about public relations might perceive that practitioners’ jobs are cool because they think we do something creative. Those who know a little about public relations perceive practitioners’ job as tough because practitioners have to be the legs and arms of their clients. Those clients perceive practitioners as “cheap agent for them” and the media think practitioners are bothersome but necessary beings. This is a practitioners’ reality. The public’s different perceptions decide a practitioners’ work.”
“While a medical doctor, lawyer, or pharmacist, as it is called “professional” by social agreement, public relations practitioners are not perceived that way by the public. Still … many people don’t know what public relations is and what public relations practitioners do. Even my parents don’t know what it is and asked me … like … so what do you do at work? (laugh) … it is a pity.”
“I believe that public relations practitioners debase themselves by providing unlimited services ‘from A to Z’, a characteristic related to the subordinate relationship mentioned previously. Distinct definition of work areas will aid in public relations specialization.”
5.2.4. Element 4: Client Perceptions of Public Relations/Client Relationships
“I think many clients perceive public relations practitioners as their agents, lower class, or subordinate personnel who assist them in their jobs … jobs which they originally thought they could handle alone … but which they no longer can because they don’t have time to do everything. Because they think we are their assistants or secretaries, they ask practitioners to be their arms and legs. As clients make requests, I have no choice but to provide all kinds of services including some which are not part of my main roles. So … I think the relationship with clients and how they perceive public relations or practitioners’ roles determine my roles as a public relations practitioner.”
5.2.5. Element 5: Practitioners’ Own Firms’ Principles and Rules
“My firm has some special rules and policies. My firm’s policies have more influence than anything else has on my role as a practitioner. Sometimes, my clients ask me to do some work for them but I have to reject it based on my firm’s rules … well … for example, sometimes, I have a request from my clients to drink alcohol or enjoy entertainment with media people after my regular work time, but my firm has a rule that requires me to reject this kind of request from clients. Thank God!”
5.2.6. Element 6: Headquarters’ Principles and Rules
“As practitioners, who work in an international PR firm which has headquarters in America, we are obliged to comply with American concepts in determining what kind of job roles are acceptable and what are not. American standards, which are often regarded as global standards, usually do not allow us to follow Korean business practices. Therefore when we tried to establish relationships with stakeholders in the Korean style, it was rejected by our headquarters … so … we have to take much more time to build relationships with Korean stakeholders.”
5.2.7. Element 7: Business Contracts with Clients
“My firm has contracts with government and publicly held organizations. I do my work based on those contracts. It is a three-month project for research and some strategies regarding government issues. So I am like a researcher. … I don’t actually practice what I have suggested for the project. I also don’t do menial technical work because I just do consultant roles or researcher roles.”
5.2.8. Element 8: Practitioners’ Positions/Job Titles
“… my boss’ opinion or decision affects what I have to do. I should have my boss’ confirmation for all my documentation before I send it to my clients. If my boss does not agree with my work, I should change my work … I think it is partly related to Korean culture of hierarchy.”
5.2.9. Element 9: Practitioners’ Academic Qualifications
“My firm assigns practitioners who have master’s degrees in communication or public relations to consulting projects which mainly involve research, not practice. On the other hand, practitioners who have only bachelor’s degrees mostly are not involved with that kind of consulting project. Well, even though they are involved, it is rare or they are not responsible for the project. A consulting project requires professional research ability which can be acquired at the masters’ level in a communication major. Practically, if they don’t have specific research or analysis ability, it is hard to achieve certain roles.”
6. Discussion and Conclusions
Acknowledgments
Author Contributions
Conflicts of Interest
Appendix A
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Jeong, J.; Park, N. Core Elements for Organizational Sustainability in Global Markets: Korean Public Relations Practitioners’ Perceptions of Their Job Roles. Sustainability 2017, 9, 1646. https://doi.org/10.3390/su9091646
Jeong J, Park N. Core Elements for Organizational Sustainability in Global Markets: Korean Public Relations Practitioners’ Perceptions of Their Job Roles. Sustainability. 2017; 9(9):1646. https://doi.org/10.3390/su9091646
Chicago/Turabian StyleJeong, JiYeon, and Nohil Park. 2017. "Core Elements for Organizational Sustainability in Global Markets: Korean Public Relations Practitioners’ Perceptions of Their Job Roles" Sustainability 9, no. 9: 1646. https://doi.org/10.3390/su9091646