Dominant Coalition and Excellence Theory in PR

In an organization, the members of the dominant coalition have unique perspectives that influence how much public relations practices are involved in decision-making. The dominant coalition is a company's most powerful leaders with the authority to make strategic decisions, establish organizational goals and dictate the methods for achieving these goals (Wilson, 2015). In order for public relations to be successful, a top PR manager needs to have access to the coalition.

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Excellence Theory

According to Grunig and Grunig (2008), the excellence theory frames public relations as a strategic management function necessary for organizational effectiveness and emphasizes building long-term relationships with constituents. One of the key aspects of public relations is building relationships with strategic publics and helping organizations identify and segment these stakeholders. According to Grunig and Grunig (2008), if an organization has good relationships with important stakeholders, it is more likely to have mutually beneficial goals that can be achieved through collaboration with its publics.

"For public relations to contribute to organizational effectiveness, the organization must empower public relations as a critical management function" (Grunig & Grunig, 2008).

There are four characteristics of excellent public relations:

1. The senior PR executive is involved with the strategic management processes of the organization.

2. Communication programs are managed strategically to reach key publics.

3. The senior PR executive is a member of the dominant coalition of the organization, OR has a direct reporting relationship to managers in the dominant coalition.

4. Finally, diversity is embodied in all public relations roles.

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The Principle of Requisite Variety alongside Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The principle of requisite variety states that organizations require internal diversity, including the representation of practitioners of all genders from diverse racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds (Grunig & Grunig, 2008). Furthermore, diverse perspectives must be brought into the dominant coalition's strategic dialogue. This would allow public relations to integrate the diversity of the external public into internal organizational decisions to build mutually beneficial relationships and contribute to organizational success.

According to Luque (2021) with PRSA, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are crucial in public relations to foster authentic and effective communication strategies that resonate with diverse audiences. From top to bottom, an organization needs to have as much diversity inside as exists beyond the boundaries of the organization. Diverse organizations can ensure that campaigns are targeted to diverse audiences, which fosters meaningful connections and open dialogue. PR practitioners have an important role in ensuring that diverse perspectives inform organizational decisions (Luque, 2021).

The dominant coalition determines the extent to which public relations influences organizational strategy. By granting PR managers access to decision-making and seating them within the dominant coalition, organizations can become more excellent and foster lasting relationships with stakeholders. Diversity, equity and inclusion within organizations ensures that internal decisions reflect the needs of diverse external stakeholders to enhance organizational effectiveness.

References

Grunig, J. E. & Grunig, L. A. (2008). Excellence Theory in Public Relations: Past, Present and Future. Public Relations Research. 10.1007/978-3-531-90918-9_22.

Luque, F. (2021). Why DE&I Shouldn't Be an Afterthought. PRSA. https://prsay.prsa.org/2021/10/29/why-dei-shouldnt-be-an-afterthought/

Shin, J. & Heath, R.L. (2020). The Role of Public Relations Professionals and Leadership Challenges. Public relations theory: A skills-based and case-study approach (1^st ed.). Wiley-Blackwell Publishing.

Wilson, C. (2015). How dominant coalition members’ values and perceptions impact their perceptions of public relations participation in organizational decision making. Journal of Communication Management, 20(3), 215-231. 10.1108/JCOM-07-2015-0058