Organization–Society Relationship

The relationship between organizations and society is addressed by many academic disciplines, one of them being organizational communication. This entry is focused on the organizational communication activity called public relations, which specifically addresses organizational attempts to negotiate their relationship with society. Much of the instrumental research on public relations has sought to help organizations improve these relationships through measures of dialogue and the mapping of stakeholders' views and needs. A growing strand of research has also located organizations within the larger social context and addressed the role of communication in regards to issues of power and social change, as well as notions like legitimacy and reflection.