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Arabs, the West and Public Relations: A Critical/Cultural Study of Arab Cultural Values
... He applied symmetrical communication approaches where "individuals, organizations, and publics should use communication to adjust their ideas and behavior to those of others rather than try to control how others think and behave" (Grunig, 2013, p. 156). The Sheikh visited Kuwaitis' diwaniyas to share the concerns of his people (Al-Rayis, 2014) and was actually employing collectivism and commitment to the group as a cultural dimension, distinguishing the Arabs in general, for better rapport and communication with his people (Al-Kandari & Gaither, 2011). ...
... In addition, more than other rulers in Kuwait, Sheikh Al-Salem was called the "Father of the Constitution", "Father of Democracy", "Father of Independence", and "Father of Kuwait" when he passed away (Al-Rayis, 2014, p. 47). These examples demonstrate the patriarchal nature of Arab cultural communication patterns (Al-Kandari & Gaither, 2011). Attachment to the past was another Arab cultural orientation (Al-Kandari & Gaither, 2011) that Sheikh Al-Salem's media efforts effectively employed. ...
... In various Arab national songs and his various speeches to Arab audiences, he reminded the Arabs of their Arab and Muslim ancestral heritage and history as important values. Regarding the commitment to religion as an Arab cultural communication orientation (Al-Kandari & Gaither, 2011), the sheikh visited Diwaniyas are part of the Islamic heritage of Al-shura practice. This embodies the tradition of mutual consultation. ...
This study explores the political branding of a powerless small state, the state of Kuwait during the reign of Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem, from 1950 to 1965. The study uses models developed by Anholt for a strategic perspective on nation branding and by Bolin and Miazhevich for tactical communication in nation branding. This study explores the use of strategic communication in an Islamic-Arabic culture to brand Kuwait as a sovereign nation. At the strategic level, it employs the components of strategy, substance, and symbolic action, and at the tactical level, it uses the components of agents, audience analysis, temporal orientation and media to examine symbolic action. Using those models and following a qualitative historical analysis, the study identifies and analyzes the efforts of Sheikh Al-Salem to transform Kuwait from a Sheikhdom to Statehood in the 1950s. Those efforts helped to deter Iraq's threat to the Kuwaiti sovereignty as well as establish a self-governing, constitutional monarchy in the 1960s. The study concludes by evaluating the effectiveness of Sheikh Al-Salem's efforts as measured by tangible outcomes.
... 1) высокая религиозность [Ali, 1992, Hodge, 2002Al-Kandari, Gaither, 2011;Тищенко и др., 2010, с. 384−387]; ...
... 2) высокий уровень коллективизма [Jafari, 1993;Kim et al., 1994;Kelly, Aridi, Bakhtiar, 1996;Haynes et al., 1997;Ali, Taqi, Krishman, 1997;Robertson et al., 2002;Al-Kandari, Gaither, 2011]; ...
... Исламский кодекс поведения в этом случае предписывает помощь пожилым людям внутри семьи, и подобные принципы закрепляются законами и продвигаются заинтересованными людьми. 5) Особо отметим большой блок исследований, посвященных культурным ценностям, в том числе жителей арабских и/или мусульманских стран, который строится на типологии культурных измерений, разработанной Гертом Хофстеде [Hofstede, 1980;Ronen, Shenkar, 1985;Vitell et al., 1993;Geletkanycz, 1997;Dorfman, Howell, 1988;Shane et al., 1995;Robertson et al., 2002;Al-Kandari, Gaither, 2011]. Исследование Г. Хофстеде [Hofstede, 1980] выделило в качестве характерных для арабских стран такие ценности, как высокая мускулинность, избегание неопределенности и дистанцированность от власти. ...
... Language and religion are influential factors that moulded Arab identity (Al-Kandari and Gaither, 2011), to the point that Aish (1998) believes that communication is 'a product of what may be termed as the Arab-Islamic world view' (p. 35). ...
... 40). For example, using verses from the Quran is a very persuasive communication tool as the Quran is considered to be the ultimate truth (Al-Kandari and Gaither, 2011). Another example of such influence is discussed by Almahraj (2019) who asserted that Islamic religion is an essential source of ethical conduct and personal moral compass to the Saudi public relations practitioners that trivialise any other form of code of ethics. ...
This article adopts a critical approach to public relations by applying a new model for analysing public relations discourse in the context of the Kuwaiti Police. It further attempts to apply a new pragmatic framework that might provide a new alternative for analysing public relations practices thus shedding more light on this professional area. Hence, it is suggested in this article that the use of Sharifian’s cultural pragmatic framework could be effective in anchoring overarching meanings in public relations discourse. Three Officers from the Kuwaiti Police were consequently interviewed for this study, with their interviews being analysed in light of the new framework, thereby exploring the issue of cultural influence in public relations discourse and testing the efficacy of applying the new framework on public relation practices. The application of this framework subsequently generates four themes related to Police public relations discourse.
... The authors argued that national cultures with high individualism, low power distance and low uncertainty avoidance facilitate adaptation to change. On the other hand, national cultures with a high power distance level, a high level of collectivism and high uncertainty avoidance more likely tend towards showing resistance to change [14] and [15] did not observe any significant relationship between resistance to change and national culture, although there are some studies [16]- [19] which support the idea that having high uncertainty avoidance increases the possibility of resistance to change. In parallel with these studies, [20] remarked that societies with a low degree of uncertainty avoidance have a tendency to show more tolerance towards change, and therefore they are expected to be less resistant to change. ...
... In previous sections of the current paper, it has been mentioned that societies with high uncertainty avoidance levels are characterized by formalizations, and proposed that these formalizations result in new technology adoption being restricted. Moreover, we identified more resistance to change in high uncertainty avoidance societies [13], [16]- [20], which may lead to a lower likelihood of new technology adoption [49]. ...
... Many principal dramatists considerably contributed to its advancement and improvement. Arab playwrights were inclined to achieve dramatic drawings in several Arabic realms all the way through places and time (Al-Kandari & Gaither, 2011;Al Omoush et al., 2012;Al-Zubaidy, 2014;Zaidi, 2016). ...
This paper attempts to cast light on a leading poet-playwright who signifies several Arabic cultures, proficiencies, and skills. The study aims at revealing to what extent the play Omar is a modern Arabic poetic play. Omar is a historical drama that deals with social problems. Omar presents a vision of Arabic drama in the modern age, but it is also a poetic play. For that, it is the task of the researcher to try to prove that Omar bears several grounds, such as poetic devices and connotative symbols, to be called a poetic drama. The investigator adopts the critical-descriptive method in analyzing the first scene of the introduction of the play, Omar. The paper is planned with an introductory overview dealing with a brief view of poetic drama and blank verse. The second part deals with Ali Ahmad Ba-Kathir as a pioneer poet-dramatist. The main part of the study deals with the epic play Omar with reference to the first scene of the introduction, shedding light on the skillfulness of the writer in manipulating poetic and musical devices. The task finishes with recommendations and a brief conclusion.
... Arab culture that can significantly affect efforts of corporate communication. Two such values are devotion to one's group and the acknowledgement of legislative authorities and hierarchies (Al-Kandari and Gaither, 2011). In turn, those values might also be reflected in media portrayals of corporate diplomacy. ...
Purpose
For corporate communications, it is crucial to know how news media outlets report and frame the sociopolitical activities of multinational corporations (MNCs), including their corporate diplomacy, that affect perceptions of their legitimacy. Therefore, this study aims to identify how local news media frame corporate diplomacy in a host country and, in turn, benefit the media legitimacy of MNCs.
Design/methodology/approach
To identify media frames in the host country, a quantitative content analysis involving factor and cluster analyses of 385 articles published in newspapers in the United Arab Emirates from 2014 to 2019 addressing the corporate diplomacy of large European MNCs operating in the country was conducted.
Findings
This study identified three media frames, two of which establish moral and pragmatic media legitimacy. Results suggest that media legitimacy grows when news media emphasise institutional relationships between MNCs and local, established organisations and corporate diplomacy's benefits for society.
Practical implications
Findings provide insights into how corporate communications can contribute to legitimacy building by emphasising corporations' relationships with institutional actors in host countries and the benefits of corporate activities for local communities.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study was the first in corporate communications to empirically investigate news media's role in corporate diplomacy and how media frames contribute to the media legitimacy of MNCs at the moral, pragmatic, regulative and cognitive levels.
... In this study, emirate of residence and nationality were not found to be predictive of adherence to family values. This is somewhat surprising, given that it has been traditionally assumed that both Arabs and immigrants from South Asian countries have more robust conservative family values than persons coming from more westernized countries [3,30]. This surprising result can be taken as evidence of the optimal assimilation and integration efforts of the UAE government, to the extent that residents of all nationalities are properly integrated to society, and consequently, they exhibit uniform patterns of family structure and values, thus building a form of "melting pot" integrated society in the UAE [20]. ...
Background
Mental health issues are still stigmatized in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), possibly due to cultural reasons. This implies that some mental health conditions (most notably depression and anxiety) are not properly treated, due to resistance to seek help. It is therefore important to assess attitudes towards mental health in the UAE and their possible association with other variables.
Results
In this study with 201 participants, attitudes towards mental health were assessed. Results came out showing no association with gender, nationality, age, or emirate of residency. A correlation was found with traditional family values, and in turn, this adherence varied across genders, with males having higher levels.
Conclusions
Mental health issues in the United Arab Emirates are still stigmatized, although some improvement is evident. Given that stronger values predict more negative attitudes towards mental health problem, it is recommended authorities in the United Arab Emirates attempt some cultural progressive reforms in order to remove the stigma from mental health problems.
... Another important value in Arab culture is the pursuit of social harmony encouraging people to bond together forming loyal groups (Atiyyah, 1999;Al-Kandari & Gaither, 2011), which is promoted by Islamic teaching (Kalliny & Gentry, 2007;Ourfali, 2015). Managers and employees in organizations in Arab countries strive for close relationships and group harmony (Dedoussis, 2004;Kabasakal et al., 2012) and as a consequence conflict is avoided (Atiyyah, 1999). ...
Introduction: Safety climate assessment is a key measure of organizational safety. A strong safety climate is integral to the high safety performance in aviation. Most survey instruments that purport to measure safety climate are derived from evidence obtained in developed countries in the west. It is rare for these studies to examine the influence of macro-environmental factors on safety climate, and rarer still in countries found in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Method: The researchers conducted 28 semi-structured interviews with experienced aviation maintenance engineers from a national carrier in the region. The interview questions were derived from an extensive review of existing studies of safety climate. Data from interview transcripts were coded, creating a data structure using participant quotes for 1st order codes and arriving at three aggregate dimensions: organizational commitment to safety, organizational safety practices and social relationships and their consequences. Results: Commercial considerations influenced negatively organizational commitment to safety. Organizational safety practices were weak. There was a lack of safety training, a lack of resources to support safe working, poor safety communication, and a failure to report safety issues. Strong friendships were developed through working together in teams. This adversely influenced the reporting of errors and the punishment of violations. Discussion and conclusion: The apparently weak organizational safety climate reported here was attributed to financial constraints following the imposition of economic sanctions and embargos, and to the influence of Arabic cultural values that privilege family connections and the importance of maintaining harmony in social relationships that precludes punishment. Practical application: Financial constraints inevitably limit resources for safety and encourage prioritization of production. Arabic cultural values inhibit the development of a 'just' culture and a 'reporting' culture and challenge the universal adoption of approaches for promoting organizational safety developed in the West.
... This would contradict the requirements for a collectively rewarding engagement process (Heath, 2018). -Kandari & Gaither, 2011). Thus, engagement with local actors seems to be more aligned with the host country's cultural values than engagement processes with international actors. ...
While corporate diplomacy is discussed as stakeholder engagement allowing multinational companies to manage relationships, engagement approaches to public relations suggest that organizations, through interaction with their stakeholders, create social capital. This study integrates both approaches, exploring how corporate diplomacy develops social capital. Based on in-depth interviews with public relations executives (N=25) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), our results indicate that corporate diplomacy in the UAE relies heavily on stakeholder engagement, particularly with governmental institutions, and consequently builds on dialog and collective decision-making. While governmental engagement is mainly conducted through personal relationship cultivation, engagement with other multinational corporations is based on more distant relationships. However, both approaches appear to create social capital and provide social resources, including loyalty and trust. We conclude that by employing different engagement strategies, corporate diplomacy supports both the corporation and various stakeholders in the host country, and close by discussing implications and future research directions.
... The social and cultural characteristics of Arab societies differ from those of Western nations (Al-Kandari & Gaither, 2011;Mostafa, 2007). Although there is an increasing awareness within the Arabic Gulf countries regarding the significant role of environmental awareness and responsibility (Hildebrandt et al., 2021), this does not always translate into green lifestyles. ...
Background
Despite consumers appearing to assign great importance to green purchasing and expecting companies to produce their goods in an environmentally friendly way, they do not always exhibit this positive attitude while making purchases.
Focus
This paper aims to discuss the extent to which green purchasing behavior in the Arabic Gulf is affected by individuals’ perceived environmental attitudes, concern, perceived seriousness of environmental problems, perceived environmental responsibility, perceived self-identity in environmental protection, perceived social context in environmental protection, as well as demographics.
Methods
The study adopted a quantitative research approach using a survey questionnaire on a sample of 324 individuals residing in different Arab countries in the Gulf area. A 5-point Likert scale was used. Path analysis was conducted to test and evaluate the hypothesized relationships among constructs.
Results
The study found importantly, by using multiple regression analyses, that consumers’ environmental concern, self-identity in environmental protection, and social context in environmental protection are significant predictors of green purchasing behavior and can predict 38.9% of green purchasing behavior. Among demographic factors, gender showed a significant effect on green purchasing behavior.
Importance to Social Marketing Field
The present study enhances the social marketing literature through the understanding of green purchasing behaviors from a perspective of non-Western countries.
Recommendation for Research or Practice
This paper has significant managerial implications. The findings could help marketers and government in formulating strategies that encourage green purchasing behavior in the Arabic Gulf.
Limitations
Although the current study shed some light on green purchasing behaviors in the Arabic Gulf, it did not focus on a particular type of green product; rather, it looked at green purchasing behavior in general.
... Arabia. The disparities in religious and cultural practices between the Arab Muslims in the MENA region and Western societies led to a culture of misunderstanding and the creation of numerous misconceptions that extended the political gap between the two sides and weakened international relations (Al-Kandari & Gaither, 2011). This has led to a degree of suspicion on the part of Arab Muslims towards the political initiatives and negotiations conducted by many Western nations, suspicions that are due to prejudices and the foreign interests involved. ...
Throughout history, socio-political experts in the Arab-Islamic and Western worlds have embraced the prospect of fruitful Arab-West inter-governmental and inter-ambassadorial relations. In the fields of international relations and education, there is substantial research conducted for reconciling the socio-political and religious dilemmas in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Nonetheless, pondering the intransigent deterioration of affairs and the rise of extremism and terrorism, the region has become a focal point of mainstream Western media without evidence of political resolutions or sensible Western foreign policies. Moreover, much of recent critical Western works on the interpretations of political Islam from ontological perspectives require further attention. Nevertheless, misapprehensions about both historical and contemporary Islamic thought are evident, particularly among prominent Western diplomats and politicians. Therefore, it has become vital to devise a contemporary diplomatic training program for future Western representatives to the MENA region, largely since the methods of Western international relations theory (IRT) have been labelled as Eurocentric, unaccommodating and insufficient. The main objectives of this dissertation are as follows: to provide elucidations on how political Islam is observed, especially when Jürgen Habermas’s descriptive, interpretive and critically self-reflective methods of analysis are applied to it; to provide a holistic analysis of the historical factors that influence political Islam among Arab Muslims; to explore how these factors diverge from existing assumptions about political Islam in the Western setting; and, to pinpoint and elaborate upon extant hindrances in Western inter-governmental and inter-ambassadorial discussions. The findings revealed numerous shortcomings in current approaches to political Islam and also highlighted the factors behind its popularity among Arab Muslims. The findings also identified apprehensions towards Islamic thought in the Western setting and pinpointed effective political and educational notions through the application of Habermas’s critical theory and theory of communicative action. Finally, the dissertation outlined the rationale for a diplomatic training program for future Western diplomats and politicians.
... There are many commonalities among the Arab countries, documented in multiple studies that warrant their inclusion in a single review. Some of these include the commitment to the religious teachings and practices of Islam, devotion to the group, resistance to change, recognition of hierarchical order and a sense of pride (Al-Kandari and Gaither, 2011;Elbanna et al., 2011). The Arab world's key characteristics include unique cultural norms with many Arab countries are influenced by a Bedouin tribal cultural heritage and the profound role of kinship and Wasta (known in other cultures as personal connections, networking, or Guanxi). ...
Given the significant political and socio-economic transformations occurring in the challenging yet under-researched Arab world nowadays, this study seeks to (1) systematically review the literature in the leading mainstream management journals; and (2) develop a future research agenda that would enhance our understanding of the region. To do this, we conducted a systematic review of 176 published management studies (2000-2016). Our thematic analysis revealed three overarching themes. These were (1) avenues for economic development and improved performance, (2) leveraging and adapting to changing local institutional contexts and (3) overcoming legitimacy concerns/barriers in the Arab world. Our recommendations on the future research agenda of these themes were intended to provide key insights for researchers and managers interested in proactively contributing to the development of a timely research agenda for these promising markets.
... Therefore, social influence is considered an especially critical factor in changing purchasing patterns and encouraging PEBs in predominantly collectivist cultures (Hynes & Wilson, 2016;Vermeir & Verbeke, 2006). Saudi behaviours are heavily driven by social norms (Al-Kandari & Gaither, 2011), although some studies have shown surprising results in two other collectivist cultures -India and Iran -revealing a non-significant relationship between social norms and consumers' behavioural intention Yazdanpanah & Forouzani, 2015). However, the majority of studies considering social influence as a factor in consumers' behavioural intentions to adopt PEBs have found its effect to be significant (Bamberg, 2003;de Leeuw et al., 2015;Hynes & Wilson, 2016;Onwezen et al., 2013;Vermeir & Verbeke, 2006;Whitmarsh & O'Neill, 2010). ...
Major environmental issues facing our planet are considered to be partly rooted in consumer overconsumption that has resulted from high economic growth. Pro-environmental behaviours (PEBs) have been studied extensively in developed Western countries but more research is needed in developing non-Western countries. Additionally, there are increasing calls for research providing broader theoretical and behavioural explanations of consumers’ intentions to adopt PEBs. Therefore, the aim of this research was to examine the factors affecting consumers’ PEBs in Saudi Arabia. Quantitative data (n = 613) were collected using a survey method. The proposed conceptual model and associated hypotheses were tested using structural equation modelling. The results revealed that consumers’ intentions to adopt direct- and indirect-PEBs are affected by innovativeness, materialism, perceived consumer effectiveness, and environmental concern, but not by social influence. Evidence was also found of differences between younger and older respondents. These findings can be used to formulate effective marketing strategies to benefit the environment, society, and sustainable companies in the country.
... The significance of this study stems from the importance of explaining the role of public relations in litigation procedures through exploring the origins of the litigation system and projecting the concepts of public relations and its characteristics on these procedures so that the mechanism is applied efficiently. These issues are essential for developing a reform policy for the judicial system, especially to address its shortcomings in terms of litigation procedures, which can be avoided and abstained by highlighting features of the practice of public relations and its role in achieving this objective through the application of a physiological formality procedural system when considering lawsuits and ruling between their parties (Al-Kandari & Gaither, 2011). This system must follow the provisions regulating the litigation procedures in each country. ...
... The significance of this study stems from the importance of explaining the role of public relations in litigation procedures through exploring the origins of the litigation system and projecting the concepts of public relations and its characteristics on these procedures so that the mechanism is applied efficiently. These issues are essential for developing a reform policy for the judicial system, especially to address its shortcomings in terms of litigation procedures, which can be avoided and abstained by highlighting features of the practice of public relations and its role in achieving this objective through the application of a physiological formality procedural system when considering lawsuits and ruling between their parties (Al-Kandari & Gaither, 2011). This system must follow the provisions regulating the litigation procedures in each country. ...
This study tackles the problem of whether or not public relations practice within different judicial institutions follows a refined style by discussing the concept of public relations and its importance in the development of the judicial system. Besides that, the study identifies procedures for compliance with the rules and standards of this relationship upon considering lawsuits by the judge and dealing with the accused. The study also examines whether or not the procedures of notification and response from all parties of the lawsuit follows a refined style to maintain the performance of the judicial institution in its work to the fullest, and in exchange, preserve the dignity of the accused. The evidence from this study suggests that an internal communication system in the litigation scope should be applied for all litigation proceedings from beginning to end. These procedures must be regulated legislatively in a manner consistent with the general rules and principles governing litigation while taking into consideration the special nature of the judicial system.
... Another core cultural value that appears across research is collectivism and group affiliation (Al- Kandari & Gaither, 2011;AlSaqer & Al Hashimi, 2019;White & Alkandari, 2019). For instance, White and Alkandari (2019) found that the collectivistic nature of Kuwait that fosters a sense of collective responsibility and social cohesion could be drivers for the strong collaboration between the private and public sectors for CSR projects and for promoting the country's image. ...
Although origins of public relations can be traced to ancient times in regions across the world, its academic study has been associated with twentieth century United States of America (Broom & Sha, 2013). Ethnocentricity characterizes much of public relations theorizing, which does not capture the broader gamut of the global enactment of public relations (Sriramesh & Vercic, 2009, 2019). This special issue aims to situate research in a non-Euro-American context and to offer richly textured, contextual understandings of public relations in the Middle East.
A region steeped in history; one that gave the world its first system of writing; the cradle of three world religions; producer of a substantial share of world oil – the Middle East in recent times has gripped the world’s attention not only with issues of grave importance in conflict-ridden countries, but also with transformative economic growth, especially in countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Significant political, economic, social, and cultural similarities and differences among countries in the region imply the need to examine specific contextual factors that could impact the practice of public relations in the region.
The purpose of this introductory essay is to analyze and contextualize extant research in the Middle East using the global public relations framework (see Sriramesh & Vercic, 2009, 2019), introduce the articles in this issue, and to propose directions for future research. The global public relations framework considers culture fairly broadly to encompass political, economic, media, societal, organizational, and activist cultures. The framework not only highlights the importance of examining these variables, but also emphasizes the interconnections among them. This editorial introduction is structured as follows. We review the variables of the global public relations frame- work and contextualize public relations research in Middle Eastern countries within the framework, introduce the articles in this special issue, and suggest avenues for future research.
... In order to examine the research questions against the background of existing literature on PR education (Al-Kandari & Gaither, 2011;Barry, 2005;Bowen, 2010;Hajoš, 2017;Muturi, An, & Mwangi, 2013;René Benecke & Bezuidenhout, 2011;Stacks et al., 1999), this study inquired into Libyan professionals' and senior PR students' perceptions using mixed methods (questionnaire and face-to-face interview). The reason for using these methods was to get a wide range of different responses, to be able to produce generalisable results from students' perceptions (survey), and to provide us with a more accurate interpretation of reality (interview). ...
Public relations in Libya is very much a new phenomenon, even compared with other Arab countries, although there are PR practices growing in tandem with some large local businesses and organisations. Based on the assumption that PR continues to play a vital role in communities and businesses, it is important to reconsider and evaluate its practices regularly, especially in terms of teaching and skills (including its curriculum). This study explores the quality of the educational PR curriculum, training and taught courses in Libyan universities by focusing on the perceptions of Libyan PR’s academic professionals and senior PR students, covering roughly more than a quarter-century of teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It examines how university PR students are taught, what strategies and modules are applied and how professionals and students evaluate the PR curriculum and their practical advantages. Based on a survey (N=367) and interview (N=15) approach, the overall findings revealed that the PR curriculum needed to be updated and that PR should be recognised as a practical, not a theoretical, subject and should have its own union helping to provide more training programmes in an updated setting.
... Such an approach mirrors the Arab cultural value of commitment to religion that distinctly imbues public relations practice in the Middle East (Al-Kandari & Gaither, 2011). This study positions religion and religious messages within a Western notion public relations as a function of community building (Kruckeberg & Stark, 1988;Stark & Kruckeberg, 2001). ...
This study examines the public relations functions of eight Kuwaiti banks listed in the Kuwait Stock Exchange Market (KSEM) that post on their Instagram accounts. It also uses market-size, organization, and individual level predictors to model Instagram postings. A content analysis of 1502 posts revealed the banks use Instagram for promotion, information dissemination, community building, and interactive engagement, in that order of prominence. The findings suggest banks operate at the confluence of visual communication through Instagram and integration of religious symbolism to serve a public relations function predicated on image and influence. In doing so, the banks tap into the wellspring of social media use by target publics by navigating a balance between obedience to Allah and meeting bank business objectives. The resulting tension between sacred and secular highlights Arab cultural values and suggests Instagram fosters individualism, which challenges Arab emphasis on collectivism and fractures the notion online platforms can effectively build meaningful relationships that characterize Arab culture. The study posits Instagram is more effective in an Arab context at image building than relationship building, threading the importance of visual communication through social media across Arab culture and global public relations practices.
Desde o fim da Segunda Guerra Mundial, poucos Estados têm permanecido os mesmos no Médio Oriente. Ao nos depararmos com a constância da Monarquia da Arábia Saudita, perguntamo-nos: em que pilares este Estado se construiu? Será que estes se encontram fragilizados pelo tempo? Como estão a ser colmatadas as fragilidades? Através do presente estudo e utilizando o método histórico, realizou-se uma análise exploratória descritiva para estudar o caso da Arábia Saudita. Este artigo revelará o fenómeno da construção deste Estado árabe e como este tem permanecido quase inalterável até ao surgimento do Príncipe Herdeiro Mohammad bin Salman.
“Nenhuma quantidade de sangue ou tesouro americanos podem produzir paz e segurança duradouras no Médio Oriente. É uma região problemática.”, disse o Presidente Donald Trump em 2018, relativamente à Guerra Civil Síria. Mas é assim que se carateriza o Médio Oriente. Apesar de ter apoiado a formação do Estado de Israel em 1948, devido ao apoio que recebia de Estados Árabes conservadores, os Estados Unidos procuraram sempre se afastar deste país recém-nascido de forma a não haver alterações das esferas de
influência nesta região. No entanto, após 1979, a “Superpotência” compreendeu que ter o apoio de Estados conservadores não contrabalançava dar apoio a Israel. Devido a ter surgido uma outra ameaça para os Estados Árabes conservadores, a República Islâmica do Irão, estes começaram a desviar o olhar do apoio que os Estados Unidos concediam a Israel. Com o fim da Guerra Fria, mais uma alteração ocorreu nesta região. As esferas de influência entre comunistas e capitalistas haviam desaparecido e os Estados Unidos eram a única “Superpotência”. A atenção passou para o conflito israelo-palestiniano, bem como para o terrorismo. Com exceção do Egito e da Jordânia, nenhum país árabe normalizou relações com Israel, devido à questão palestiniana. Contudo, com a alteração da embaixada americana de Telavive para Jerusalém por Donald Trump, nenhum país árabe, em especial do Golfo Pérsico, levantou grandes problemáticas, ameaçou com cortes de relações, com a realização de um embargo de Petróleo, nem com suspender o processo de paz entre Israel e Palestina. Consequentemente, perguntamo-nos: Como se caraterizam as relações entre os
Estados Unidos da América, a Arábia Saudita e Israel, desde o fim da Segunda Guerra Mundial até à administração Trump, tendo em conta o impacto das alterações tanto de política externa como sistémicas no Médio Oriente? Este projeto de investigação consiste num estudo de caso único, estudado através de uma abordagem metodológica histórica e por uma abordagem teórica fundamentada na Teoria das Alianças de Walt. Este estudo terá como foco o grande Estado Árabe conservador, a Arábia Saudita, e Israel. Como elo de ligação, teremos os Estados Unidos da América. Procurar-se-á compreender se um relacionamento tático seria possível entre a Arábia Saudita e Israel, tendo em conta estas alterações que ocorreram de política externa e de política regional.
The combination of a global pandemic and an ignited social justice movement created a digital environment in which people turned to social media to navigate a concentric firestorm fueled by both the Black Lives Matter movement and the COVID-19 pandemic. Through interviews with 25 supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement, we used the circuit of culture to build theory about the production and consumption of messages. Specifically, we examined the ways in which meaning was produced, interpreted, and contested in the context of a social movement occurring inside of a global pandemic. We engaged in theoretical bricolage by demonstrating how perspective by incongruity, appropriation, and the referent criterion can shape meaning within the context of the circuit of culture. This study concludes with a foundational conceptualization of concentric firestorms, and we relate this conceptualization to two concepts we propose based on our data: virtual density and virtual saturation.
On November 15, 2015, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon declared the Northern Islamic Movement, headed by Sheikh Ra’ed Salah, illegal due to its relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine which is closely tied with the Hamas organization. The Northern Islamic Movement had been active in Israel since 1996. Despite the fact that its leaders have been arrested from time-to-time, up until 2015 it had never been declared illegal. From that time on, it has been considered a terrorist organization according the Israeli law. This article compares and contrasts the organization’s activities both before and after it become illegal (1996-2017).
Bien qu’elle constitue une piste prometteuse dans le champ de la neuropsychologie, la question de résolution de problèmes reste un domaine très peu exploré par les chercheurs. Dans cette optique et afin d’étudier le fonctionnement exécutif, nous avons fait recours à un protocole comportant des problèmes solubles et d’autres insolubles (auxquels il n’y a pas de réponses possibles) auprès d’une population tunisienne saine et pathologique. Ainsi, dans une étude préliminaire, la moitié des sujets sains tunisiens résolvait les problèmes insolubles en dépit de tout dysfonctionnement exécutif, une perturbation qui semble spécifique à la pathologie frontale d’après la littérature. Afin d’expliquer ce comportement de résolution, plusieurs explications ont été évoquées notamment exécutive en termes d’adhérence cognitive (Le Gall et al., 2001), mais aussi sociocognitive en lien avec le besoin d’approbation sociale plus particulièrement (Souissi, 2013). En effet, l’objectif de la présente recherche est d’examiner la capacité de résolution de problèmes numériques auprès de la population tunisienne saine et malade et expliquer plus particulièrement le comportement de résolution de problèmes insolubles précédemment décrit chez certains d’entre eux. Nous explorerons plus particulièrement les performances des sujets tunisiens sains (n=45) comparés à des malades porteurs de lésions frontales (n=21) et postérieures (n=11). Nous examinerons l’impact des variables socioculturelles telles que la désirabilité sociale, l’orientation culturelle et la dépendance au contexte sur l’ensemble des performances. Les résultats plaident en faveur d’un lien entre la résolution de problèmes solubles et les fonctions exécutives chez les trois groupes de participants. En revanche, la résolution de problèmes insolubles semble expliquée par la désirabilité sociale chez les sujets contrôles alors qu’elle est liée à un dysfonctionnement exécutif chez les malades frontaux.
Potential challenges in conducting international sales research, coupled with the lack of systematic guidance currently prevent western sales scholars from conducting research in emerging market contexts. The authors draw upon (a) their decade-long experience in conducting qualitative sales research in the Middle East (ME), as well as (b) depth interview data they collected specifically for this paper from eleven academics engaged in doing sales research in that region to propose a three-step framework for conducting qualitative sales research within the ME. The exclusivity of this framework to the ME context is rooted in its responsiveness to the unique elements and idiosyncrasies inherent within the ME culture. In addition to offering a systematic guidance, the framework implies that it is not the research expertise of the western scholars, but their ability to understand and respond to cultural nuances, and cultivate and employ soft skills such as communication, trust, relationship building, and/or mutual respect that may make or break their foray into conducting sales research in the ME markets.
Since the concept of corporate diplomacy is at the core of this dissertation, this chapter will offer an extensive review of the previous literature on corporate diplomacy to derive a concise definition of corporate diplomacy, guiding this thesis. Corporate diplomacy originates to a large extent from public diplomacy. Therefore, this chapter will first introduce public diplomacy by outlining significant conceptualizations of the term and comparing public diplomacy with public relations to distinguish the two fields from each other.
In order to examine the role of corporate diplomacy in building organizational legitimacy, the current research builds on a theoretical and conceptual framework consisting of sociological neo-institutionalism, legitimacy and media frames, and public relations theory. In this chapter, the theoretical approaches and central constructs will be introduced, defined, and discussed.
Zusammenfassung
Four different research questions guide this research project. A mixed-method research design with qualitative and quantitative empirical methods was chosen since it enables an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon of corporate diplomacy. This thesis used a triangulation of methods to study corporate diplomacy on the organizational, media, and general audience levels. This chapter presents each method and the procedure of every study in detail.
This subchapter presents the results of the first study, which sought to answer, firstly, to what extent and how is corporate diplomacy in the UAE performed as engagement with its social environment? and , secondly , to what extent and how is corporate diplomacy in the UAE used to gain organizational legitimacy?
Zusammenfassung
Now that this thesis has introduced the theoretical framework and discussed the related main concepts of corporate diplomacy, public relations, legitimacy and the role of the media, and institutional linkages, the fourth chapter reviews previous research on these constructs. The chapter firstly presents previous findings on corporate diplomacy and secondly on public relations as a legitimation strategy. Subsequently, previous research on the media’s role in gaining legitimacy and institutional linkages in the organizational legitimation process are reviewed.
In today’s world, MNCs not only have great financial power but an immense impact on the communities in the host countries where they operate. In many cases, MNCs have an even greater effect on society than the local government does. However, organizations are constantly observed and scrutinized by different actors in their environment, including the media, NGOs, and governments in their home country as well as in their host countries. A summary of the conducted studies is provided hereafter to answer the research questions presented at the beginning of this thesis.
Zusammenfassung
This chapter portrays the UAE’s particularities in terms of political, economic, cultural, and media systems are presented and linked to public relations and corporate diplomacy. By outlining the features of the economic, political, and media systems as well as cultural characteristics and discussing these in the context of public relations and corporate diplomacy, this chapter provides a comprehensive contextualization of this thesis.
This research provides critical, comparative insights into the public communication responses employed by Australia and New Zealand during the first twelve months following the World Health Organization declaring COVID-19 a global pandemic. The two nations share a similar socio-political and cultural context, but despite being highlighted by the international media as early success stories, their public communication responses to the pandemic showed noteworthy differences. Borrowing from cultural studies, this paper applies the circuit of culture model and offers a snapshot in time that reinforces the importance of socio-cultural awareness when communicating intricate and challenging information. It supports the idea that a range of effective solutions to complex communication challenges are possible and may result in a similar outcome, including strengthened identities and national pride during uncertain times.
Whilst there has been a growing interest in children's welfare in recent years, there has been a lack of consideration for those with special needs or health conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Both children with ASD and neurotypical children may be affected by low self-esteem, poor physical condition, or psychological distress at school, which can affect their quality of life. It is therefore important for children and young people to have their quality of life measured and understood. While, for the Arab world, including Saudi Arabia, there has been the translation of health-related quality of life tools, there is a need to ensure their validity compared to the original English language versions. In light of this need, this paper presents the development and application of the KIDSCREEN-52 method to measure the quality of life for children with ASD and neurotypical children in schools in Saudi Arabia. A quantitative approach was employed to achieve the development of the method consisting of instrument translation and the standardized assessment of the quality of life for Saudi pupils. This developed method was found to independently and analytically assess the quality of life in Saudi pupils. The results from the application of the developed instrument revealed that although children without ASD rated their quality of life higher than those with ASD, overall, most Saudi Arabian students with ASD enjoy a reasonable quality of life. The findings of this study should be of interest to educators and individuals working with and on behalf of school-aged children and young people in foreign language settings where the application of development instruments could reveal the health-related quality of life.
Introduction:
Safety climate assessment is a key measure of organizational safety. A strong safety climate is integral to the high safety performance in aviation. Most survey instruments that purport to measure safety climate are derived from evidence obtained in developed countries in the west. It is rare for these studies to examine the influence of macro-environmental factors on safety climate, and rarer still in countries found in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
Method:
The researchers conducted 28 semi-structured interviews with experienced aviation maintenance engineers from a national carrier in the region. The interview questions were derived from an extensive review of existing studies of safety climate. Data from interview transcripts were coded, creating a data structure using participant quotes for 1st order codes and arriving at three aggregate dimensions: organizational commitment to safety, organizational safety practices and social relationships and their consequences.
Results:
Commercial considerations influenced negatively organizational commitment to safety. Organizational safety practices were weak. There was a lack of safety training, a lack of resources to support safe working, poor safety communication, and a failure to report safety issues. Strong friendships were developed through working together in teams. This adversely influenced the reporting of errors and the punishment of violations.
Discussion and conclusion:
The apparently weak organizational safety climate reported here was attributed to financial constraints following the imposition of economic sanctions and embargos, and to the influence of Arabic cultural values that privilege family connections and the importance of maintaining harmony in social relationships that precludes punishment.
Practical application:
Financial constraints inevitably limit resources for safety and encourage prioritization of production. Arabic cultural values inhibit the development of a 'just' culture and a 'reporting' culture and challenge the universal adoption of approaches for promoting organizational safety developed in the West.
Introduction: Endometriosis has a negative effect on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), wellbeing and daily functioning. Endometriosis is an under-researched condition within non-western populations. Cultural representations are needed to understand the relative roles of societal norms, traditional factors, and religious sensitivities on the impact of endometriosis on HRQoL in various populations. In particular, there is a lack of emphasis placed in understanding the association of HRQoL on endometriosis in Arab women.
Method: In this prospective case-control study, 2,610 Arab ancestry women in the United Arab Emirates were recruited to investigate the impact of endometriosis on HRQoL, diagnostic delay, psychological co-morbidities, work productivity, and physical activity. Participants completed the following standardized, validated questionnaires: Short Form-36 version 2 questionnaire, the World Endometriosis Research Foundation EPHect minimum clinical questionnaire version, and Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire. Translations to the Arabic language, validated using the forward-backward translation method, of the questionnaires were utilized.
Results: HRQoL scores were significantly impaired in women with endometriosis, as demonstrated in the Physical Composite Scores and Mental Composite Scores in the symptomatic control group ( p = 0.001; p = 0.003, respectively) and the asymptomatic control group ( p < 0.001; p < 0.001, respectively). Susceptibility and severity of multiple pain syndromes and infertility in women with endometriosis was the main indicator of lower HRQoL. Anxiety ( p = 0.007) and depression ( p = 0.005) were significantly associated with endometriosis, in comparison to symptomatic controls. The average diagnostic delay was 11.61 years, however single women experience 15.81 years of diagnosis delay, with approximately 18% ( n = 15) of the single women experiencing more than a 20-year delay in diagnosis. The intensity of physical activity was not associated with endometriosis, when compared to symptomatic ( p = 0.405) or asymptomatic controls ( p = 0.144).
Conclusion: For the first time, we provide evidence from a combined hospital, clinic, and population-based study that Arab women with endometriosis experience significant impacts on HRQoL, substantial diagnostic delay after the onset of symptoms, significant association to psychological disorders (anxiety and depression), and a negative impact on work productivity. Future research must focus on understanding the personal and culturally centered beliefs of Arab women to ensure a positive HRQoL trajectory by improving diagnosis and management strategies.
Employing the Spiral of Silence theory, this study examines the influence of four cultural dimensions (collectivism, resistance to change, commitment to religion, and patriarchy and hierarchy) on gender variations in opinion expression in incongruent offline and online opinion climates about women working in the police force in Kuwait. The response of 534 individuals indicated that a tendency for expressiveness and personal support for women were positive predictors of opinion expression, while fear of isolation and respondents’ beliefs about the stance of Islam on the issue were both negative predictors. Both genders were affected by the same variables when they expressed their opinions offline, but they were each affected by different variables when online. The results suggest that women benefit from online discussions more than men.
Information communication technology (ICT) continues to increase human activities. Higher Education Institutions around the world have used this technology to enhance learning experiences and overcome geographic barriers in the creation and delivery of educational knowledge. In this context, online distance education (PJJ) has become popular in Higher Education as an educational process that can help them achieve international prestige as well as increase their student numbers through ICT-based learning. Including in the current Covid-19 pandemic era, the PJJ method is the only solution in this pandemic. However, the successful implementation of PJJ using ICT presents a number of challenges. This paper explores institutional, technological, cultural and learner challenges, the manifestation of which can vary from country to country using Checkland's Soft System Methodology (SSM) as a learning methodology. We present an empirical examination of the challenges of PJJ in the context of Saudi culture during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This chapter addresses the gap in the literature on the experience of women who are holding managerial positions in public relations in the non-Western society of Bahrain. This research attempts to provide a unique contribution to PR scholarship by using a qualitative approach to study the experience of Bahraini female leaders working in public relations. The chapter introduces the progression enjoyed by women in the kingdom of Bahrain today, in parallel to the social, cultural, and political developments enjoyed by this country. The appointment of women to managerial positions in Bahrain over the past years has ushered in a significant departure from the traditionally exclusive, male-dominated decision-making arena. The research suggests combined liberal and radical feminist strategies to improve the role of female managers in public relations in the cultural context of Bahrain. Moreover, new legislative and educational development facilitates promising opportunities for the progress of female PR practitioners in managerial positions in Bahrain.
This chapter addresses the gap in the literature on the experience of women who are holding managerial positions in public relations in the non-Western society of Bahrain. This research attempts to provide a unique contribution to PR scholarship by using a qualitative approach to study the experience of Bahraini female leaders working in public relations. The chapter introduces the progression enjoyed by women in the kingdom of Bahrain today, in parallel to the social, cultural, and political developments enjoyed by this country. The appointment of women to managerial positions in Bahrain over the past years has ushered in a significant departure from the traditionally exclusive, male-dominated decision-making arena. The research suggests combined liberal and radical feminist strategies to improve the role of female managers in public relations in the cultural context of Bahrain. Moreover, new legislative and educational development facilitates promising opportunities for the progress of female PR practitioners in managerial positions in Bahrain.
Real Madrid is one of the leading sport organizations in the world in terms of finances, fans and awards, a status gained in large part due to its values. Using a critical/historical method, this paper examines the role of public relations in how Real Madrid communicates its values with club members and international fans, focusing on the years 2000 to present. For that purpose, this article uses the circuit of culture and its five moments-regulation, production, consumption, representation, and identity-in the creation of shared meaning. The circuit provides an organizing and conceptual framework that places public relations practice in a dynamic negotiation of power between the organization (Real Madrid) and its stakeholders (mainly international fans) that is context specific and constantly changing. The study concludes that Real Madrid has been able to embrace a set of universalist values and thus find massive success to break away from its older, local and national identity, all without alienating its Spanish fans. "Some will say that winning is all that matters in soccer, and others, more naive, we think this is a show where being liked also matters." (Jorge Valdano, former player and General Manager of Real Madrid)
Purpose
What gets measured gets done” goes the cliché. Therefore, it is imperative for corporate communicators to understand the measurement of persuasive communication, starting with its antecedents. This paper will highlight the link between audience awareness/behavior and persuasive communication through an examination of how 1920s practitioners studied the effect their communications materials (specifically film and print brochures) had on key audiences.
Design/methodology/approach
The author used the cultural-economic model (CEM) of public relations (PR) as a framework to examine the various socio-cultural organizational factors that affected the production and the consumption of communication materials and messages.
Findings
The intent and techniques of PR measurement have not changed much in 100 years. A contemporary practitioner might conduct a study of communications materials in a similar manner as the 1920s social hygienists, and this study adds the concept of human agency to the discussion of PR measurement. This is not to engage in historical presentism and judge past practitioners on current standards. Instead, it is a call for contemporary practitioners to take a deeper look at the moment of consumption and all the variables that go into meaning making.
Originality/value
Most of the field's historical case studies focus on the production of communication messages and materials, while this paper examines those facets as well as audience consumption. Implications for contemporary practitioners are discussed.
As a sharing economy involves both social and cultural factors, it has become more important to understand the impact of trust in the sharing economy in the context of national culture. Culture has not been extensively studied in e-commerce, either in general or in the sharing economy. Although sharing economy and other forms of online commerce bypass national and geographical boundaries, the trusting behavior differs between cultures. This chapter aims to explore the influence of cultural preferences on the trust inculcated by global consumers when they decide to adopt and embrace the sharing economy as way of life. The goal of the study is to understand the effects of two relevant aspects of cultural values (Hofstede’s cultural dimensions of uncertainty avoidance, individualism versus collectivism, and indulgence versus restraint on trust formation) toward Airbnb among global consumers in the Middle East region. An overarching research question is posed: How does culture affect trusting behavior of consumers in the sharing economy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region?
Motivated by “inability thesis,” this chapter examines the role of culture and human behavior in the context of Fraudulent financial reporting. Our study shows how the culture was used and abused in an environment where ethical decisions were replaced with the need to portray “business as usual” when in fact, the corporation was collapsing. In Toshiba’s case, the top management institutionalized various inappropriate accounting treatments directly and indirectly through their subordinates’ understanding (and/or misunderstanding) of what was expected of them, the crime of obedience. The findings suggest that the unspoken language of group mode behavior expedites the instinct for survival. Though cultural limitation and cultural upbringing do not exempt individuals from their responsibilities, the understanding of how the “local” managers place cultural importance in decision-making could offer the “international” managers culturally attuned strategies in managing global corporations, especially in the time of crisis.
Family businesses are considered an important component of economies and their growth. Arab economies consists of family business like any other economy. Moreover, family businesses in the Arab Region are considered crucial parts of Arab economies due to the status of family and tribe in the Arab societies. Family businesses are similar to other firms and businesses in functioning in the business environment, facing challenges as well as devoting efforts for growing and expansion. There is a wide range of attention paid towards family businesses in developed and developing economies. However, compared to family businesses worldwide, there is scant amount of research about family businesses in the Arab Region. This paper presents an overview on the obstacles and challenges that face family businesses in the Arab Region to obtain a better understanding of the challenges and their severity over the business environment in which family business operate, through relying on secondary data such as the available literature as well as the outcome of the family business survey of the PWC organization. This research concludes that business environment and accessing the right skills frame the major challenges for family businesses while accessing finance and the conflict between family members are the least challenges among family businesses in the Arab Region. The research outcome includes a framework to better deal with such challenges.
Social capital has emerged as a promising theoretical approach to understanding political influence in the public relations literature. However, the rationale of using social capital to influence corporate government relations in authoritarian societies is indistinct. To remedy this, we integrate Bourdieu’s (1986) and Lin’s (2001) social capital theories to explore how applying a variant form of social capital (e.g., guanxi) might shape corporate government relations in authoritarian China. A multi-method, qualitative approach was employed involving 44 interviews, participant observation and document review. The findings highlighted an underexamined “vertical” dimension of social capital (i.e., links with authority in a hierarchy), which enables corporations to exercise agency over the pre-existing and often vague regulatory environment. This study adds a new perspective to social capital with hierarchical guanxi that enriches our understanding of guanxi-based political influence in Chinese corporate government relations.
This study aimed to examine the applicability of the Excellence principles in Kuwait, generating insights into factors that affect the practice of strategic public relations management across corporate, governmental and nonprofit organizations. The findings, based on 21 semi-structured in-depth interviews with Kuwaiti public relations practitioners, revealed that the public relations profession demonstrates low levels of adherence to the generic principles of excellence. Public relations practitioners are less involved in strategic management and less empowered in the dominant coalition. Practitioners have provided various barriers including higher management’s lack of understanding of public relations, and lack of qualified practitioners, which have created disparities in understanding symmetrical communication. The sector of the organizations and the employment system in the country have also contributed to the situation.
Advertising in MENA Goes Digital draws on empirical
research and theories to explore how the adoption of
digital technology in MENA affecting the advertising
industry, what forms of advertisements have emerged
from the industry globalization and adoption of new
technologies, and, specifically, the ways in which
advertising in MENA has developed. Through key case
studies of marketing in the MENA region from
companies such as Procter & Gamble, Olay, Vimto, and
MTV Arabia, the book sheds light on the intricate
relationship between technological and societal
development and advertising practice.
Employing the uses and gratifications perspective, this study examined factors that motivated Kuwaitis to watch or avoid watching the Al-Jazeera satellite channel and their relationships with political interest and trust in government. Viewers obtained several gratifications that included opinion leadership, free marketplace of information, and surveillance. Those who avoided watching Al-Jazeera did so for partisanship, biased coverage and political apathy. The relationships between gratifications derived from watching Al-Jazeera with political interest and trust in government revealed that those who were very interested in politics were more likely to watch Al-Jazeera for its opinion leadership and surveillance functions. Importantly, the results of this study showed that trust in government was negatively associated with Al-Jazeera's role as a free marketplace of information, its credibility in news presentation, and Kuwait's image in the Arab world. The results of this study support and reinforce our understanding of the various postulates of the uses and gratifications theory. Satellite television networks such as Al-Jazeera have created a free marketplace of ideas and information that would eventually engender citizens to speak for themselves rather than allow authorities to speak for them. Furthermore, these networks have become open forums for average Arabs to express their ideas and exchange views.
This study focuses on how American public relations practitioners and scholars can incorporate the dynamics of intercultural communication into their work with Arab clients in the U.S. The study examines how two cultures—the Arab and the American culture—have two distinct perspectives for viewing the role of language, for structuring persuasive messages, and for communicating effectively with their audiences.Several frameworks for viewing cultural variations were used to develop a chart on “cultural communication preference” for Americans and Arabs. For the Arab culture, emphasis is on form over function, affect over accuracy, and image over meaning. An awareness of these cultural differences can help American practitioners deal more effectively with their Arab clients in developing written and oral communication, in public relations programming and in understanding professional ethics.
International Public Relations: Negotiating Culture, Identity, and Power offers the first critical-cultural approach to international public relations theory and practice. Authors Patricia A. Curtin and T. Kenn Gaither introduce students to a cultural-economic model and accompanying practice matrix that explain public relations techniques and practices in a variety of regulatory, political, and cultural climates. offers the first critical-cultural approach to international public relations theory and practice. Authors Patricia A. Curtin and T. Kenn Gaither introduce students to a cultural-economic model and accompanying practice matrix that explain public relations techniques and practices in a variety of regulatory, political, and cultural climates.
In recent years, we have witnessed an increase in scholarship documenting the relevance of theorizing resistance in communication scholarship in globalization contexts. Historically, communication scholars have studied resistance in organizational communication, public relations, health communication, gender, and rhetoric. Our review of this research documents the common threads among distinct yet interdependent lines of scholarship, and we identify additional ways in which communication theorists have explored resistance (and processes for communicating resistance) in the contexts of power, ideology, and hegemony. We conclude our chapter by discussing the need to theorize power, subordination, and resistance as complex and intertwined processes in light of globalization that play out in the complicated terrains of transnational hegemony. In so doing, we suggest an overarching framework for locating studies of resistance in the realm of globalization politics and connecting resistance theories in communication to the possibilities for transformative politics.
This wide-ranging examination of Arab society and culture offers a unique opportunity to know the Arab world from an Arab point of view. Halim Barakat, an expatriate Syrian who is both scholar and novelist, emphasizes the dynamic changes and diverse patterns that have characterized the Middle East since the mid-nineteenth century. The Arab world is not one shaped by Islam, nor one simply explained by reference to the sectarian conflicts of a "mosaic" society. Instead, Barakat reveals a society that is highly complex, with many and various contending polarities. It is a society in a state of becoming and change, one whose social contradictions are at the root of the struggle to transcend dehumanizing conditions. Arguing from a perspective that is both radical and critical, Barakat is committed to the improvement of human conditions in the Arab world.
We conducted 18 interviews with public relations professionals to provide grounding and refinement of the contingency theory of accommodation in public relations. Support was found for a continuum from pure accommodation to pure advocacy and for a matrix of variables affecting the continuum. Predisposing and situational categories of variables were identified that affect the degree of accommodation and advocacy undertaken by public relations practitioners in a given situation. Overall, the findings suggest that practitioners are quite sophisticated in considering a welter of factors affecting accommodation of publics. Findings also provide additional factors to add to the matrix of 86 variables in the contingency theory, while calling into question some variables offered initially in the matrix. Although generally overlooked in the literature, philanthropic/ community relations functions are viewed by practitioners as important opportunities to be accommodative. Overall, the practitioners' view of their communication world offers validity to the contingency theory and suggests further theory development is in order.Amanda E. Cancel works in public relations in the private sector, Michael A. Mitrook is an assistant professor at Central Florida University, and Glen T. Cameron is the Maxine Wilson-Gregory Chair in Journalism Research at the Missouri School of Journalism.
My conversations with Professor Dr. Basyouni Ibrahim Hamada, his illustrious paper “Arab Image in the Minds of Western Image-makers”1, my Pakistani nationality, and my professional interest are, to a great extent, responsible for providing me with the raison d’être to write this precise paper. Our universe, which in this regard is an Arab/Muslim universe, is somehow becoming the centre of controversy. It is equated with violence, boycott, exclusion, terrorism, lack of democracy, unwholesome human rights record, among other facts and allegations. This paper deals with what can be done about it in public relations.
By Fred E. Jandt.This textbook challenges students to develop cultural competency by developing an understanding of how we perceive and react to cultural rules – not only those of others, but also our own. Going beyond an "American" assessment of the field, this textbook assumes that no culture is privileged over another, be that culture from across the globe or a subculture or subgroup around the corner. Issues of identity, nationality, assimilation, and inter-group relations promote appreciation of diversity among people.
Sophisticated public relations is being practiced in the Middle East. However, the models used in that geo-political region are not identical to U.S. models, nor to those in other Western countries usually considered part of the “First World.” In particular, Moslem culture heavily influences much of Middle East practice. Some contemporary public relations literature indicates that the only “ethical” public relations practice embraces a “two-way symmetrical” model. However, a counterthesis contends that public relations is culturally relative in both its theories and in its techniques— inferring that a range of asymmetrical models may be most appropriate for a given culture and its social/political/economic systems. It reasonably follows that a cultural relativism capable of embracing a range of public relations models would require a like “relativism” in the consideration of professional public relations ethics. However, this consideration may not be problematic in much of the Middle East. Throughout parts of that geo-political region, nothing inherently precludes the practice of “two-way symmetrical” public relations in situations and environments where public relations would be practiced. In fact, given Middle East/Moslem culture, such model may be the most likely to evolve. Neither is satisfaction of the “ethical” demands of public relations inherently precluded in much of the Middle East, i.e., “ethics” within the particular context of “two-way symmetrical” practice that is advocated in some contemporary public relations literature.Dean Kruckeberg is professor of public relations and coordinator of the public relations degree program in the Department of Communication Studies, University of Northern Iowa.
The development of democracy in the Arab world does not always pay sufficient attention to the cultural foundations of Arab political and social life. Concepts of the person, time, memory, and relationship need to be considered as vital elements of the political cultures of these countries. Against that background, it may be possible to suggest elements of constitutional and legal organization that are more in keeping with Arab cultural orientations, rather than supposing that the imposition of Western constitutional forms will necessarily suit local needs in the Middle East.
This paper advocates a morally/ethically defensible “organic theory” of public relations that is in opposition to the public relations literature that predominantly suggests that only those publics that have direct consequences for the organization are publics with whom public relations practitioners should deal. A biological metaphor can be used in supporting this “organic” theory of public relations in which the organization is an organ and society is a body as a whole.This paper concludes that the process of public relations, as well as the outcomes, is critically important in maintaining a metabolic balance and harmony within society itself—a requisite for the health and well-being of nation-states, corporations and nongovernmental organizations. Much of this process involves communication as a ritual, rather than communication as transmission of information; it involves interpersonal communication, rather than mass communication. It involves relationship-building as opposed to persuasion. Much of this process has been found traditionally in Arab culture, and these rich traditions should be recognized and examined for their utility and value in developing an Arab model of public relations to help resolve the plethora of 21st Century issues that threaten global stability and ultimately the well-being of all cultures and societies.
This study, conducted in Saudi Arabia, indicates that the educational background of public relations practitioners and the number of public relations employees in an organization are both factors in predicting the sets of values held by the public relations employees in Saudi Arabia.Further, the direction these factors indicate is quite the opposite from what some American public relations theorists might predict.Dr. Al-Enad is an associate professor in the Department of Mass Communication, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
In 1995, 20 women students will be admitted into the newly-designed public relations major program at the United Arab Emirates University in Al-Ain. The program is based on the American model for an undergraduate public relations curriculum.This article explores the context of the decision to implement such a model and to use such a perspective. It does this by examining the history of public relations education in the Arabian Gulf area and the meaning of public relations in that context.In addition, it reports on the findings of the first field study of public relations practice in the U.A.E. It concludes with an examination of the role of Emirati women in the culture and their future in public relations practice.Creedon is director of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Kent State University. Al-Khaja is an assistant professor in the Department of Mass Communication, United Arab Emirates University. Kruckeberg is coordinatir of the public relations degree program at the University of Northern Iowa.
This study of the 10 official English-language, Middle East government and presidential web sites determines if and how they are building a dialogue with, and agenda for, English-language media and targeted publics. The paper addresses the dialogic functionality of web sites; what features are supplied to journalists to help build the media agenda; and how well communication across cultural boundaries and expectations takes place. Many results were unexpected and suggest Middle Eastern practitioners are relying on a personal relations model that takes advantage of the lack of a media gatekeeper on the web but not of the web’s media agenda-building capacities.
To learn more about international public relations it is important to explore the assumptions underlying each nation's practice. Through such analysis, we learn that many of the assumptions that guide Western theories and practices are not applicable in other regions of the world. This article examines one assumption—that the practice of public relations targets a variety of key organizational publics. In many developing nations it is government officials rather than the general public who are of greatest importance to effective public relations. If government is the most important public in developing nations, then this relationship will influence the practice of public relations.Maureen Taylor is an Assistant Professor of Communication at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Michael Kent is an Assistant Professor of Communication at SUNY-Fredonia in Fredonia, New York.
Incluye bibliografía e índice
International public relations: Toward an integrated theoretical base
- T K Gaither
- P Curtin
Gaither, T. K., & Curtin, P. (2008). International public relations: Toward an integrated theoretical base. In T. L. Hansen-Horn, & B. D. Neff (Eds.), Public
relations: From theory to practice (pp. 281-299). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC)
- M Ayish
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