Cultural Relativist Theory Of Public Relations

Therefore, there are many theories and concepts that have helped PR practitioners in this global era, those theories and concepts include multiculturalism, intercultural communication, individualism, and collectivism. According to Chmielecki (2011), the debate of whether public relations can be practiced the same way in different countries has been around for several decades. “Ethnocentric perspective scholars” have argued that public relations practices shouldn't be any different than from the scholar’s own culture (Chmielecki, 2011). While “cultural relativist perspective” scholars have argued that public relations should differ in each society (Chmielecki, 2011). Furthermore, some “middle way” scholars such as Vercic, J. Grunig, and L. Grunig,

In the 1990s companies such as ADNOC, Emirates Airlines, and Dubai Municipality realized the importance of PR in their institutions (Kirat, 2006). MEPRA, the Middle East Public Relations Association, is a nonprofit member association founded in 2001 with the intention of driving the growth of PR in the region (Kirat, 2006). MEPRA believe that “public relations is a strategic discipline that focuses on reaching and influencing an organization’s stakeholders…It is the responsibility of public relations to help build an organization’s relationships in order to influence stakeholders’ attitude, opinion and ultimately their behavior” (Middle East Public Relations Association [MEPRA], n.d.). Most of the companies that have a public relations are companies in the public sector, while the private sector in the UAE mainly depends on PR agencies to fulfill their PR requirements and needs (Kirat,

Which will put those students out of full time job in public relations, which will result in a decline in people who understand the nuances of UAE culture, which will hinder them from being able to well apply public relations practices in the country. Conclusion In conclusion, public relations practitioners face many challenges when applying practices in the UAE. Differences between cultures can hinder public relations campaigns and practices. Therefore, it is important for public relations professionals to expand their knowledge of different cultures, languages, customs and their way of conducting business. Being able to apply public relations strategies is highly important for the quickly rising economy and overall development of the United Arab Emirates. However, most public relations employers are looking for someone with the right attributes to start from the bottom up as opposed to someone with a PR degree. With the many nuances that exist within the culture, such as, time orientation, gender association, and high and low context cultures, it is important to know how to navigate them when applying PR practices in the