문화와 변화의 충돌 : 한국형 Public Relations(공중관계)의 모색

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The purpose of this study is to examine public relations models practiced in South Korea and to explore the impact of cultural and communication characteristics on public relations activities. This study also supplies descriptive insights into how changing social, political, and economic conditions are affecting the public relations function. The final purpose is to explore the Korean-style public relations.
Qualitative interviews with 34 practitioners in the client and agency side were conducted from October 2000 to November 2000. Research results indicate that
most Korean public relations practitioners perform publicity duties that are one-way asymmetrical activities, however they aspire to practice two-way symmetrical models increasingly as the Korean society becomes open and democratic. Current trends suggest that Korean companies increasingly understand the value of public relations in the pluralistic and integrated society.
Social democratization brings with it, the development of public relations. The traditional public relations, which heavily focuses on media relations and personal connections with journalists, is not effective in the ever-changing democratic South Korean society. The changing economic, political and legal system provides organizations with more opportunities than limitations. The traditional communication characteristics of the East have been mingled with individualistic perspectives of the West for more than a half century. Changes in the public relations industry in South Korea reflect this interaction.
Although there is still a shortage of experienced public relations professionals and public relations agencies rely heavily on foreign clients, optimism for the public relations industry has been growing among practitioners in South Korea. The demand for public relations services by South Korean companies is increasing with concomitant increase in their understanding of the benefits of public relations. In conclusion, the dialectic interaction between culture-based traditional public relations and changing forces resulting from social and economic democracy lead the next generation of public relations in South Korea. The prospect is more optimistic than pessimistic.