Exploring the Roles of Organization-Public Relationships in the Strategic Management Process: Towards an Integrated Framework

By combining the growing body of knowledge on organization-public relationships with insights from strategic management, the purpose of this study is to demonstrate, from the relational approach, the value of public relations. Specifically, it intends to examine the roles of organization-public relationships in each stage of the strategic management process, namely, strategic analysis, strategy formulation, strategy implementation, and strategic control. The findings show that OPRs can contribute to strategic analysis by being the source of information, channel of information, active information detector and foundation for internal analysis. It contributes to strategy formulation by providing broad information, incorporating intelligence, perspectives and insights and engaging employees in decision making. In strategy implementation, OPRs can generate support from parties involved and facilitate the strategy execution process. In strategic control, OPRs can provide feedback and updated information for strategy adjustments and strategy review, engage employee in self-management and facilitate organizational control through relational trust, commitment and satisfaction. Through playing multiple roles in each strategic management stage, relationships can eventually contribute to sustainable competitive advantage, achievement of organizational goals, and organizational effectiveness.