International Encyclopedia of Communication Online

Extract

The contingency theory of strategic conflict management, which began as an elaboration, qualification, and extension of the value of symmetry propounded in the excellence theory, has, over the last decade, come into its own and emerged as an empirically tested perspective. This entry consolidates the maturation and advances of the theory. Much of the literature on effective →  Public Relations and conflict management had been built on Grunig & Grunig's (1992) and Grunig & Hunt's (1984) excellence theory (→  Excellence Theory in Public Relations ). Four models of excellence have been posited: in a “press agentry/publicity model” the organization is only interested in making its ethos and products known, even at the expense of half-truths. The “public information model” is predominantly characterized by one-way transfer of information from the organization to its publics; the aim is to provide information in a journalistic form. In a “two-way asymmetric model,” instead of a rigid transference of information, the organization uses →  Surveys and polls to persuade the public to accept its point of view. Finally, in a “two-way symmetric model” the organization is more amenable to developing a dialogue with the public: communication flows both ways between the organization and the public (→  Organization–Public Relationships ), and both sides are prepared to change their ... log in or subscribe to read full text