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The aim of this paper is to present and compare two approaches (the global and the cultural) to public relationship management and to argue by reference to different cases, why the cultural approach can be considered more effective in establishing good relationships in different national cultural contexts.

The discussion identifies some of the limitations of recent thinking regarding the nature of a global public and the possibility to define and treat international publics as a global public in public relationship management. As validation of this claim, cases in the European context are presented to show that a cultural approach provides better interpretations of human behaviour in different national contexts and thus better understanding of organisations' publics.

It is argued, that the idea of a global public in public relationship management does not work in different national cultural contexts, while the traditional cultural approach can work in situations characterised by diversity in values, interests and principles.

The paper intends to demonstrate the enduring validity of the cultural approach in international contexts, especially where public relations activities are directed at establishing good relationships with publics belonging to different nations, cultures and interests.

The paper explores the impact of mergers and acquisitions (M&As) on technological performance. We posit that the post‐acquisition technological performance is positively related to the technological combination potential of the merging firms and to their ability to realize this potential. In turn, the combination potential depends on M&As motives aimed at complementing firms’ technological resources, whereas firms’ ability to realize their potential is significantly influenced by their prior experience in M&As and technology integration.

The purpose of this study is to look into Italian PR practitioners' opinions on whether or not specific social networks, the personalised networks of influence, are perceived to be one of the main strategic resources and the degree of relevance they give to such networks. Personalised networks of influence are also tested with Italian journalists.

The data of the study were gleaned from a survey on PR practitioners' and journalists' self‐perceptions and perceptions of each other that was conducted in Italy from March to October 2007. The survey was based both on qualitative data collected through personal interviews with senior PR practitioners and journalists and on quantitative data gathered through an online, close‐ended questionnaire. The study is based on the analysis of the survey data on personal influence.

The findings show no statistical difference between PR practitioners and journalists. PR practitioners and journalists did not perceive the importance of having personalized networks of influence differently with regard to their professional activities, although they valued more significantly having strong professional skills than personalised networks for their career advancement.

The study offers new insights into the personal influence model and the concept of influence and power in relation to public relations practitioners' career advancement and professional activities.

The purpose of this paper is to review recent literature on global public relations in order to scrutinize how contemporary transformations are conceptualized in the field, and what this means for the understanding of public.

The authors offer a critical analysis and discussion of recent publications in order to explore the nexus of “public”, “culture” and “global”, questioning whether the increased interest in a specific understanding of culture actually contributes to the field’s ability to deal with complex and transforming publics in a meaningful manner.

The majority of global public relations literature applies redundant understandings of globalization. It attaches prime importance to the concept of culture and contributes little to the understanding of transforming publics. Few scholars acknowledge the limitations of using “culture” for the definition of publics in global contexts. Alternative approaches to understanding “publics” in global public relations research and practice are hardly offered.

The findings imply that global public relations research would benefit from abandoning monolithic social science categories and from working transdisciplinary in order to refine its understanding of contemporary societal and social transformations and their implications for the understanding of public and relationship building.

The discussion indicates that public relations practitioners could benefit from reorienting their understanding of publics in globalizing societies in order to build and nourish mutually beneficial relationships. The authors apply the insight into contemporary business practices to offer public relations practitioners a starting point for reorientation.

The authors contribute to global public relations scholarship with an alternative approach to the understanding of transforming publics which merges the spatial turn and the practice turn known from wider humanities and social science research, and relevant business practices.

The aim of this paper is to develop and test a theoretical framework, grounded in managerial and organisational theories of dialogue, through which organisations can take decisions in relation to the most appropriate crisis response strategies for handling social media stakeholders.

The theoretical framework is developed through a conceptual analysis of literature on dialogue, social media and crisis communication. The theoretical framework is then tested in eight different international organisations experiencing a crisis. For each case, different web contents, such as organisations' status updates/posts, links, videos published on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, were analysed using a rhetorical research approach.

The analysed organisations apply different online dialogue strategies according to crisis types and in combination with specific crisis response strategies. Most of the organisations investigated carry on those dialogue strategies suitable to develop consensus (concertative), guide conversations on specific topics or issues (framing), find solutions to the crisis collectively (transformative). Concertative strategies were often associated with informative crisis response strategies, framing strategies with denial and justification crisis response strategies and transformative strategies with corrective actions.

By using a dialogic perspective in setting up online conversations with their external stakeholders, the paper proposes a theoretical model to explain companies' decisions in carrying on online dialogues during critical situations and thus contribute to the body of knowledge on online crisis communications.

The proposed model can support crisis communicators to manage dialogue's aims and dimensions differently by taking into account both contextual and situational conditions.

By integrating management studies on dialogue into crisis communication and social media literature, the authors intend to offer an alternative thinking of organisations' decision-making in relation to crisis response strategies and social media stakeholders.

The purpose of this investigation is to explore Alitalia and the Italian Government's crisis response strategies (CRSs) implemented in three specific periods of 2008 to understand Alitalia and the Italian Government's approach in communicating with media stakeholders as well as to examine how main Italian and international newspapers framed Alitalia's CRSs.

This study adopts a content analysis approach to evaluate CRSs used by Alitalia and the Italian Government in their official press releases then reported by the main Italian and international newspapers.

Both Alitalia and the Italian Government focused mostly on corrective action – however, some differences in their choice of CRSs are visible during the three periods. Alitalia provided more information on the situation through its press releases than the government, whereas the government used in a larger measure excuse strategies, especially in the later period. In terms of news coverage, the content analysis shows that the CRSs reported by the international press correspond to those in the press releases whereas the Italian newspapers preferred other frames than those offered by Alitalia and the Italian Government.

The findings confirm previous investigations on the importance of applying a context‐oriented approach in crisis communication management, but they also underline the importance of media relations management.

This study extends the body of knowledge in crisis communication management and news coverage and offers some suggestions to manage effective media relations within the Italian media system.

This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds his own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

The analyzed organizations apply different online dialogue strategies according to crisis types and in combination with specific crisis response strategies. Most of the organizations investigated carry on those dialogue strategies suitable to develop consensus (concertative), guide conversations on specific topics or issues (framing) and find solutions to the crisis collectively (transformative). Concertative strategies were often associated with informative crisis response strategies, framing strategies with denial and justification crisis response strategies and transformative strategies with corrective actions.

The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations.

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and an easy-to digest format.