Finding Our Essential Knowledge

Posted on May 28, 2008 | 0 Comments

Dr. James E. Grunig has articulated three kinds of research in our field:

1. Research used in the practice of public relations to identify publics, set strategies and measure results.
2. Research on the practice of public relations to understand trends, best practices, etc.
3. And research for the practice of public relations to develop broad knowledge about what works, when, and why.

Where can you go these days and not hear about the first kind of research? Conferences, trade…

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The Authentic Enterprise Provides Basis for Rich Discussion

Posted on May 27, 2008 | 1 Comments

The Authentic Enterprise held center stage for two and a half days recently at a gathering of leading academics, corporate and agency practitioners. It definitely accomplished one of the key objectives by encouraging dialogue on the outcomes the white paper describes. This was the third Academic Symposium, hosted by the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire and jointly sponsored by the Arthur W. Page Society and the Institute for Public Relations. The thirty attendees included thought leaders from the academic community, as well as others with corporate and agency leadership experience. The objective of the…

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How much transparency is enough?

Posted on May 16, 2008 | 2 Comments

Too many corporations and agencies have made the mistake of disguising advocacy efforts by creating phony front organizations posing as something other than what they really are. It's very clear that honesty is always the best policy and transparency is essential.

Today's Wall Street Journal features a page one story about a website called AngryRenter.com, which the Journal describes as "an AstroTurf campaign" -- a fake grass roots effort. The reporter's premise rests on his contention that the people behind AngryRenter.com are not renters, and that some of the 44,500 people who…

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Looking Ahead to Future Leaders of the Profession

Posted on May 14, 2008 | 0 Comments

A major objective of both the Arthur W. Page Society and its The Authentic Enterprise white paper is to stimulate dialogue that will help organizations be more authentic. Since its inception 25 years ago, the Page Society has established a solid record of providing opportunities for senior-level public relations and corporate communications executives who seek to enrich and strengthen themselves, the discipline they practice and their companies.

The Page Society also spends considerable time and effort developing those who will lead corporate communications functions in the future. Working in close cooperation with the…

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The Dialogue Takes Off

Posted on May 09, 2008 | 5 Comments

The dialogue we hoped to spark when we published The Authentic Enterprise and launched this blog is taking off. References to our white paper and our blog are popping up all over the world in the blogosphere and in the mainstream media, as well.

The latest example is a terrific podcast of an interview with IBM's CCO, Jon Iwata, on a PR technology website called For Immediate Release (FIR) (scroll down to May 6). It's co-hosted by a pair of consultants named Shel…

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A New Role for the CCO—Defining and Activating Values

Posted on May 07, 2008 | 2 Comments

One aspect of the Page Society's white paper, The Authentic Enterprise, that has gotten little commentary, is the recommendation that chief communications officers (CCOs) assert leadership in defining and activating values. Ironically, this recommendation is the one that may represent the biggest departure from the way most people think about the role of the CCO.

For companies to succeed in the rapidly changing and challenging global business environment, having a set of values that serves as a guide to authenticity is essential. But many would not…

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