Future of International Public Relations

Clearly, culture matters in international public relations. Its practice varies greatly around the globe through competing definitions of public relations and semantic nuances that suggest links to propaganda and persuasion. On a larger level, it’s the cultural subtleties that alter not only definitions of public relations but also what it means to do public relations internationally.

Culture represents the layers public relations must contend with to get to shared situations at the core of international public relations, whether building nations, attracting tourism, spurring economic growth, or controlling discord from opposition groups or nations. The layers of culture extend across international lines, from developed to developing countries, from democratic nations to authoritarian regimes.

Although it’s important to define public relations practice, such an endeavour can also limit theoretical scope. Definitions privilege worldviews, establish power relations, and attach names to communicative processes that are constantly in change, shaped by global forces that include economic and cultural waves.

International public relations is an area of the public relations practice that will continue growing with the development of PR in different parts of the world, specially with emerging countries in Asia and South America. They will add value to this profession and possibly develop new theoretical frameworks. The future of public relations, most importantly of international PR, is a global world without limits.

Ketchum Senior Counsel John Paluszek shares his perspectives on the future of public relations in an address to the Florida Public Relations Association at its annual conference in August 2008.