A STRATEGY OF POWER RELATIONS FOR RACIALLY DIVERSE PUBLIC RELATIONS PRACTITIONERS
Open Access
Author:
Flores, Juan Carlos
Graduate Program:
Media Studies
Degree:
Master of Arts
Document Type:
Master Thesis
Date of Defense:
March 23, 2017
Committee Members:
Denise Bortree, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor Michel Haigh, Committee Member Matt McAlister, Committee Member
Keywords:
diverse diversity business public relations organization organizational power dynamics power dynamics power power relations mentors race minority groups dominant groups
Abstract:
The public relations industry, an industry comprised of mostly Caucasian practitioners, is suffering from a clear lack of racial and ethnic diversification. Many racially diverse practitioners have a hard time being recruited and flourishing at their positions within an organization, let alone entering top management. This issue is indicative of PR’s reputation of being a lily-white profession and can be attributed to the power dynamics within an organization. Using a theoretical framework of power relations, this study explored whether power can be used by racially diverse practitioners in the minority group through the strategic formation of power relations given their agency’s power dynamics. The 21 interviews suggest power relations are employed by diverse practitioners and are heavily based on dissimilarities. Interviewees claim power relations prove to be beneficial in advancing their careers and helping them avoid instances of pigeonholing, micro inequalities, tokenism and termination.
