Public Relations Management in Large & Innovative Multinational Corporations : A qualitative & comparative study of Shell, Coloplast & Company A

Abstract: Purpose:       The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that affect PR in multinational corporations (MNCs) today, and to explore how the factors affect PR management in the selected MNCs. Method:       A qualitative research was conducted through semi-structured interviews with PR managers at three multinational corporations. In addition to the primary data, a secondary data search was conducted. Conclusion: Both internal and external factors affect the PR management in large multinational corporations. The internal factors being sector, size, stage of organizational development and culture (Tench & Yeomans, 2009, pp. 24-25). The external factors, largely made up of the public also contain different sources of media. The participating companies all claimed to be largely affected by both internal and external factors; although different factors were more or less forth standing for the companies. The public was also identified as an external factor that plays a very important role as “the other party” in the two-way communication in PR programs, the companies clarified that the public affected both what and how the PR departments communicate.