Papers by Terence (Terry) Flynn
Journal of Professional Communication, Apr 30, 2016
chum and Past President of the Chartered Institute for Public Relations in the United Kingdom (UK... more chum and Past President of the Chartered Institute for Public Relations in the United Kingdom (UK) to discuss and reflect upon his perspectives on the future of the profession and the challenges that are on the horizon for practitioners and current students of the profession. Waddington discussed how his formative training as an engineer in the UK has helped him to create new systems and processes to better understand and manage the multifaceted challenges that organizations now face within the public arena. Together with a number of UK and European professionals, Waddington has lead a number of crowd-sourced publications and learning tools designed to future-proof the practice of public relations.
Organizations face crises everyday: From seemingly small, localized events that interrupt an orga... more Organizations face crises everyday: From seemingly small, localized events that interrupt an organization\u27s ability to achieve its objectives, to national and international crises that disturb the social and political framework within which global organizations operate. Organizational crisis public relations management combines a set of theoretical and organizational characteristics that have been shown to influence an organization\u27s ability to ready itself, respond to, and recover from crisis events. This study of 468 public relations practitioners in Canada (N = 239) and the United States (N = 229) has examined the contribution that six key organizational indexes (leadership, organizational culture, the organization\u27s perception mindset, public relations excellence, crisis management and organizational learning) have on the overall crisis preparedness of organizations. This is the first quantitative study of public relations managers that has assessed the role of public relations in the management of organizational crises. Furthermore, the study proposes and tests a predictive model of crisis preparedness showing that a composite index of 12 organizational crisis public relations management (OCPRM) variables is the best predictor of organizational crisis preparedness
Palgrave Macmillan UK eBooks, Dec 11, 2016
Over 70 years, the public relations industry in Canada and the USA has seen significant growth an... more Over 70 years, the public relations industry in Canada and the USA has seen significant growth and development with the advancement of professional standards, university and college-based undergraduate and graduate degree programs, and industry associations that advocate on behalf of its members in both countries. This chapter details the similar but uniquely different development of the field in both countries; differentiated not only by culture and size but educational systems and language.
Canadian journal of communication, Sep 1, 2014
The practice and study of public relations in Canada has had a contested and conflicted history. ... more The practice and study of public relations in Canada has had a contested and conflicted history. Theory building and empirical research have been overshadowed by the dominant, American-centric, two-way symmetrical model that was proposed some 20 years ago. Further, there has been limited focus on the requisite competencies and skills necessary for contemporary public relations practitioners, despite the transformations in the media and professional communications fields in recent years. This study is situated and contextualized in the knowledge, competencies, and skills required for twenty-first-century professional communication workers. It also explores the specific requirements for current public relations practitioners.
Journal of Public Relations Research, Apr 1, 2006
The purpose of this article is to offer thoughts on the future research directions for public rel... more The purpose of this article is to offer thoughts on the future research directions for public relations scholars. More specifically, 2 areas of potential research are offered: the balance zone model of public relations management and an outcome-based model of public relations. I argue that we need to move well beyond the current 2-way thinking about publics and begin to reconceptualize public relations in a multidimensional perspective, where dialogue, collaboration, and negotiation with multiple stakeholders and stakeseekers occur simultaneously. A new role of the public relations practitioner is to maintain an equilibrium that satisfies the mutual interest of all parties.
Organicom, Jun 11, 2016
Advances in cognitive neuroscience and the mapping of the human brain provide great opportunities... more Advances in cognitive neuroscience and the mapping of the human brain provide great opportunities for the fields of public relations and communications to begin to more clearly understand how storytelling, strategic messaging and communication activities influence human perceptions of trust, credibility and authenticity. This essay provides insights into the interconnections between professional communications and how the science of how people respond to those initiatives. From brain imaging technologies (fMRI) to measuring brain activities levels (EEG), these new technologies are enabling communication researchers and practitioners to have better understanding of physical and perceptual responses which may lead to attitude and behavioural changes in the intended communication audiences.
Journal of Professional Communication, Jul 1, 2014
Os avanços na neurociência cognitiva e o mapeamento do cérebro humano oferecem grandes oportunida... more Os avanços na neurociência cognitiva e o mapeamento do cérebro humano oferecem grandes oportunidades para as áreas de relações públicas e de comunicações para começar a entender mais claramente como a narrativa de histórias, as mensagens estratégicas e as atividades de comunicação influenciam a percepção humana da confiança, credibilidade e autenticidade. Este ensaio fornece percepções das interconexões entre comunicações profissionais e de como as pessoas respondem a essas iniciativas. Desde as tecnologias de imagens cerebrais (fMRI – ressonância magnética funcional) até a medição de níveis de atividades cerebrais (EEG - eletroencefalograma), estas novas tecnologias estão permitindo que pesquisadores e profissionais da comunicação tenham melhor entendimento das respostas físicas e perceptivas que podem levar a mudanças atitudinais e comportamentais nas audiências de comunicação visadas.Advances in cognitive neuroscience and the mapping of the human brain provide great opportunities...
The McMaster Journal of Communication, May 26, 2010
The authors describe the history of the study of public relations/ communication management in Ca... more The authors describe the history of the study of public relations/ communication management in Canada. Focus is placed on the lack of empirical research concerning the function and practice of professional communication in Canada. The authors also discuss the dangers this lack of evidence poses to the constructing of an effective critical literature surrounding the social, cultural and economic impact that public relations/communication management is having in Canada. The authors draw comparisons to three other fields: journalism, communication studies and cultural studies, all of which have faced a similar evolution emerging from practice to theory. Finally, the authors discuss innovative new undergraduate and graduate programs developed at McMaster to address the dearth of empirical investigation of public relations/communication management in Canada.
This article outlines the importance of new and emerging behavioral insights research for the pub... more This article outlines the importance of new and emerging behavioral insights research for the public relations profession. How attitudes and beliefs are cultivated, processed and then potentially changed through communicative activities are outlined and connections draw to the practice. Research from the fields of cognitive and behavioral science, neuroscience and psychology also detail the types of resistance that intended audiences cognitively employ to counter behavioral and attitude change. Finally, the power and persuasive influence of narrative communication is also discussed and examined as it relates to the fields of crisis management, health communication, public policy issues and consumer behaviour. Persuasive communication is at the heart of public relations. While industry professionals continue to successfully change attitudes and behaviours, research in the fields of social cognition and neuroscience are beginning to reveal the underpinnings of this communication. This new understanding is invaluable for improving the practice of public relations because it illustrates why some communications are successful while others are not. As the literature continues to grow, research on the different aspects of communication have started to intersect, providing a more integrated perspective of communication. Focusing on the interactivity of factors continues to be important for the literature to explain the complex nature of communication seen by industry. The advancements in methodology, such as new modelling and imaging techniques, create new possibilities for research and subsequently, application in an industry setting. It is often a reciprocal relation between research and industry, with new applicable industry practices emerging from research, and new directions for research emerging from industry.
Canadian Journal of Communication, 2014
The practice and study of public relations in Canada has had a contested and conflicted history. ... more The practice and study of public relations in Canada has had a contested and conflicted history. Theory building and empirical research have been overshadowed by the dominant, American-centric, two-way symmetrical model that was proposed some 20 years ago. Further, there has been limited focus on the requisite competencies and skills necessary for contemporary public relations practitioners, despite the transformations in the media and professional communications fields in recent years. This study is situated and contextualized in the knowledge, competencies, and skills required for twenty-first-century professional communication workers. It also explores the specific requirements for current public relations practitioners.La pratique et l’étude des relations publiques au Canada ont eu une histoire difficile et pleine d’épreuves. La construction des théories et la recherche empirique ont été éclipsées par le modèle dominant, américano-américaines, bio-directionnelle proposé il y 20 ...
Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 2016
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the leadership skills and competencies defined i... more Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the leadership skills and competencies defined in the Pathways to the Profession and understand the value senior corporate communications managers place on those skills and competencies and how senior-level corporate communicators demonstration of those skills and competencies. Design/methodology/approach – Institutional review board approval was obtained for a qualitative research design based on focus groups conducted in four Canadian cities with 25 senior corporate communicators, human resources professionals, and general business managers. Findings – This research has validated the competencies and credentials for senior-level corporate communications and public relations executives as highlighted in the Pathways to the Profession framework. It has also provided the profession with an understanding of the value senior public relations and organizational managers place on professional association membership and professional and aca...
This chapter considers the separation between critical and administrative communication studies a... more This chapter considers the separation between critical and administrative communication studies and the impact that this separation has had on the development of professional communication studies in Canada
This study explored the relationship between a large health care institution in Canada and its st... more This study explored the relationship between a large health care institution in Canada and its stakeholders as a means of understanding how “the community” wants to be engaged in ongoing hospital restructuring and system planning. A mixed-methods research design (focus groups, depth interviews and Q-methodology) was used to assess stakeholders’ perceptions of effective community engagement strategies and frameworks for sustainable community and organizational outreach. Findings show that the community members expect health care organizations to engage in mutually beneficial, two-way symmetrical communication and dialogue. Results provide scholars, public relations practitioners and organizational leaders with insights on the community’s expectations and willingness to engage.
Journal of Professional Communication, 2014
Journal of Professional Communication, 2013
This article provides a discussion of the growing importance of crisis communications in communic... more This article provides a discussion of the growing importance of crisis communications in communications management practice. Using celebrated examples to set the scene, such as the BP oil spill, Toyota, SARS and the Japanese tsunami, the author describes how crisis communications can be a factor in making organizations more cost effective given the high reputational and legal cost of crises. The author also discusses the distinction between tactics and strategy and how the crisis communications research agenda must move to focus more specifically on crisis preparedness and management.
Journal of Professional Communication, 2011
This editorial describes the birth of the Journal of Professional Communication (JPC). It discuss... more This editorial describes the birth of the Journal of Professional Communication (JPC). It discusses how four fields-public relations, promotionalism (including advertising and advocacy), communication metrics and journalism-appear to be converging into a blended profession, which requires an increasingly similar set of skills and faces many common ethical questions. The authors describe how the advent of social media and a return to oral culture, predicted by Marshall McLuhan, has heralded this convergence. JPC's conception is also discussed: an interdisciplinary venue for practitioners, academics, artists, professional researchers, journalists and policy makers to explore this emerging convergence, exchange ideas and debate current and historic issues in and across their diverse fields.
This chapter discusses principles of risk communication. Communicating sensitive, technical infor... more This chapter discusses principles of risk communication. Communicating sensitive, technical information to the public can be one of the most difficult challenges that a scientist faces today. In the current regulatory environment, the effective communication of scientific information with the public is one of the most important elements of the risk management process. Scientific, technical, and managerial personnel must develop an understanding of the dynamics of communicating during times of high concern and low trust to establish credibility and build trust with the public. If the results of scientific risk assessments will be the basis for policy decision making, the communication skills of the risk manager will be the critical factor in the eventual adoption of the policy. This chapter describes the science and insights behind the field of communicating technical information during times of high concern and low trust. While considerable research has been conducted in the fields of risk communication and risk management on communicating with the public, the opportunity to build trust and establish credibility with the public goes beyond risk issues. In fact, the principles that underlie the science of risk communication can be used in the workplace, in community groups, during moments of crisis, and even in personal relationships.
Journal of Public Relations Research, 2006
The purpose of this article is to offer thoughts on the future research directions for public rel... more The purpose of this article is to offer thoughts on the future research directions for public relations scholars. More specifically, 2 areas of potential research are offered: the balance zone model of public relations management and an outcome-based model of public relations. I argue that we need to move well beyond the current 2-way thinking about publics and begin to reconceptualize public relations in a multidimensional perspective, where dialogue, collaboration, and negotiation with multiple stakeholders and stakeseekers occur simultaneously. A new role of the public relations practitioner is to maintain an equilibrium that satisfies the mutual interest of all parties.
Os avancos na neurociencia cognitiva e o mapeamento do cerebro humano oferecem grandes oportunida... more Os avancos na neurociencia cognitiva e o mapeamento do cerebro humano oferecem grandes oportunidades para as areas de relacoes publicas e de comunicacoes para comecar a entender mais claramente como a narrativa de historias, as mensagens estrategicas e as atividades de comunicacao influenciam a percepcao humana da confianca, credibilidade e autenticidade. Este ensaio fornece percepcoes das interconexoes entre comunicacoes profissionais e de como as pessoas respondem a essas iniciativas. Desde as tecnologias de imagens cerebrais (fMRI – ressonância magnetica funcional) ate a medicao de niveis de atividades cerebrais (EEG - eletroencefalograma), estas novas tecnologias estao permitindo que pesquisadores e profissionais da comunicacao tenham melhor entendimento das respostas fisicas e perceptivas que podem levar a mudancas atitudinais e comportamentais nas audiencias de comunicacao visadas.
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Papers by Terence (Terry) Flynn
public can be one of the most difficult challenges that a scientist faces today. In the current regulatory environment,
the effective communication of scientific information with the public is one of the most important elements of the
risk management process. Scientific, technical, and managerial personnel must develop an understanding of the
dynamics of communicating during times of high concern and low trust to establish credibility and build trust with
the public. If the results of scientific risk assessments will be the basis for policy decision making, the
communication skills of the risk manager will be the critical factor in the eventual adoption of the policy. This
chapter describes the science and insights behind the field of communicating technical information during times of
high concern and low trust. While considerable research has been conducted in the fields of risk communication
and risk management on communicating with the public, the opportunity to build trust and establish credibility with
the public goes beyond risk issues. In fact, the principles that underlie the science of risk communication can be
used in the workplace, in community groups, during moments of crisis, and even in personal relationships.