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1 P M J O U R N A L O F D I G I T A L R ESEARCH & P UBLISHING This case study impressively shows what the new PR world looks like for global corporations such as Ford. Within hours a crisis can develop and spread through the blogosphere and social networks such as Twitter and harm a company’s reputation. However, as social media allows for twoway communication, the same tools and mechanisms can also be utilized to resolve the crisis quickly. For more than ten years, public relations scholars have been recognizing and pointing 7(6&6+%&8$3#7,$5&'7G%>&7D&6+%&`"6%>"%6&D7>&6+%$>&'>7D%**$7"M&B+%&`"6%>"%6&57(#8&4"3##9&7DD%>& the tools to pursue the idealized form of dialogic organizationalpublic relationships (Kent & Taylor 1998; Kent & Taylor 2002; Seltzer & Mitrook 2007; Bruning, Dials & Shirka 2008; McAllisterSpooner 2009). Until recently however, the reality showed a different picture of static, noninteractive corporate websites that have been used rather for impression management than for full twoway communication (ConnollyAhern & Broadway 2007) The development, growth and wide acceptance of social media however changed this picture. Since social networking and microblogging sites, such as Facebook, Youtube and BG$66%>S& )%,3"& 3##7G$",& 7>,3"$K36$7"*& 67& 5>%36%& '>74#%*& 3"8& )%570%& 356$I%& 0%0)%>*S& organizations have utilized these tools to launch products and strenghten their existing brands (Waters et al. 2009). However, for Kent and Taylor (1998) the real power of the World Wide Web is its potential to build effective organizationalpublic relationships. Their theorybased, strategic framework for dialogic relationships is the starting point for this article that aims to explain how interactive social media tools, not static websites, have the potential to foster a balanced relationship between organizations and their stakeholders. Kent and Taylor’s (1998), concept of dialogic communication was largely based on Grunig and Hunt’s (1984) four models of public relations press agentry, public information, twoway asymmetrical and twoway symmetrical communication. Out of these four, twoway symmetrical communication was the most desirable model (Grunig 1992). The relationship between twoway symmetrical and dialogic communication can be seen as one of process and product: dialogic communication is the product, a particular type of relational interaction, that is established through twoway symmetrical communication structures, processes and rules (Kent & Taylor 1998, p. 3). Dialogic communication consequently refers to any negotiated exchange of ideas and opinions and is guided by the principle to reach mutually satisfying positions and the principle of intersubjectivity (Kent & Taylor 1998, p. 5). 68
1 P M J O U R N A L O F D I G I T A L R ESEARCH & P UBLISHING To utilize the power of the Internet for dialogic communication, Taylor and Kent (1998) 6+%"&&'>%*%"6%8&4I%&'>$"5$'#%*&7D&57"6%"6&3"8&G%)*$6%&8%*$,"&6+36&%I%>9&57>'7>36%&G%)*$6%& should embody. The principles include 1) dialogic or feedback loops to allow the publics to query organizations and organizations to respond to questions, concerns and problems, 2) the usefulness of information, 3) the generation of return visits through repeatedly updated information, 4) the intuitiveness or ease of the interface and 5) the rule of conservation of visitors. B+%*%&4I%&'>$"5$'#%*&$"57>'7>36%8&6+%&*636(*&h(7&7D&,778&G%)&8%*$,"&)(6&U%"6&3"8&B39#7>& .V;;V1&D%#6&6+%&"%%8&67&5#3>$D9&6+%&57"5%'6&7D&8$3#7,&$"&'()#$5&>%#36$7"*&3"8&'>7I$8%8&4I%& features that were recommended to be implemented by any organizations seeking to commit in dialogic communication. Feature One: Mutuality Mutuality refers to an acknowledgment that organizations and publics are inextricably tied together. It implies collaboration in seeking to understand the position of others and how they reached those position and the spirit of mutual equality. Feature Two: Propinquity Y$3#7,$5&'>7'$"h($69&0%3"*&6+36&'()#$5*&3>%&57"*(#6%8&$"&0366%>*&6+36&$"C(%"5%&6+%0&3"8& are able to articulate their demands to organizations. The feature of propinquity includes the immediacy of presence, which means that parties involved are communicating about $**(%*&$"&6+%&'>%*%"6&>36+%>&6+3"&3D6%>&6+%9&+3I%&)%%"&*7#I%8S&3&6%0'7>3#&C7G&6+36&D75(*%*& on constructing a future for participants that is both equitable and acceptable, and real engagement. Feature Three: Empathy Empathy refers to the atmosphere of support and trust that must exist if dialogue is to succeed. Empathy involves the notion of supportiveness which means that participation is not only encouraged but facilitated though making conversations easily accessible. N7>%7I%>& %0'36+9& $0'#$%*& 5700("3#& 7>$%"636$7"& 3"8& 57"4>036$7"& G+$5+& >%D%>*& 67& acknowledging the voice of the other in spite of one’s ability to ignore it. Feature Four: Risk Implied in all organizational and interpersonal relationships is some risk. It includes the risks of vulnerability, unanticipated consequences and the recognition of strange otherness 69
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