Portraying tomorrow’s professionals: Delphi study on strategic communication capabilities in Spain

Authors

Abstract

The concept of professional capabilities is new among scholars and practitioners in the strategic communication field where the competency concept has been the traditional scientific approach. The capability approach originated from human development theory developed by Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum and from professional studies, such as those of Stan Lester. However, it is a theoretical challenge to apply this concept to strategic communication. This article presents a Delphi study conducted in Spain within the framework of the international global research project Global Capability Framework for Public Relations and Communication Management.

The researchers asked if there could be a global consensus on a core capability framework that reflects regional differences. Spain’s first empirical research phase involved a Delphi study with a panel of experts composed of scholars, consultants and communication managers. The result is a core framework of 14 capabilities in which the strategic dimension is given greater importance than the operative or tactical nature of communication. In this regard, the experts prioritize a profession that demands strategic capabilities in order to influence the relationship between organizations and the social environment. The findings portray a multifaceted professional, with an emphasis on the management and consultant dimension. 

Keywords

capabilities, competences, strategic communication, Delphi study

References

BARTRAM, D. (2005). «The Great Eight Competencies: A Criterion-Centric Approach to Validation». Journal of Applied Psychology, 90 (6), 1185-1203.

BERKOWITZ, D. y HRISTODOULAKIS, I. (1999). «Practitioner Roles, Public Relations Education, and Professional Socialization: An Exploratory Study». Journal of Public Relations Research, 11 (1), 91-103.

BROOM, G. M. y SMITH, G. D. (1979). «Testing the practitioner’s impact on clients». Public Relations Review, 5 (3), 47-59.

DELBECQ, A. L.; VEN, A . H. van de y GUSTAFSON, D. A. (1975). Group techniques for program planning. Glenview: Scott Foresman.

DESANTO, B. y MOSS, D. (2005). «Rediscovering what PR managers do: Rethinking the measurement of managerial behaviour in the public relations context». Journal of Communication Management, 9 (2), 179-196.

DOWNS, Y. y SWAILES, S. (2013). «A capability approach to organizational talent management». Human Resource Development International, 16 (3), 267-281.

DOZIER, D. M. (1992). «The organizational roles of communications and public relations practitioners». En: GRUNIG, J. E. (ed.). Excellence in public relations and communication management. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum, 327-355.

DOZIER, D. M. y BROOM, G. M. (2006). «The centrality of practitioner roles to public relations theory». En: BOTAN, C. y HAZLETON, V. (eds.). Public Relations Theory II. Londres: Lawrence Erlbaum, 137-170.

FAWKES, J.; GREGORY, A. y MONTOYA-MARTÍNEZ, E. (2017a). «Rethinking competence and capability approaches, applied to public relations». En: EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF MARKETING (ed.). Making knowledge work. Glasgow: University of Strathclyde, 1-36.

FAWKES, J.; GREGORY, A.; MONTOYA-MARTÍNEZ, E. y GUTIÉRREZ-GARCÍA, E. (2017b). Intervening in public relations, competence and capability. San Diego: 67th International Communication Association Annual Conference, 1-27.

GLOBAL BODY OF KNOWLEDGE PROJECT (2015). List of KSAB. Global Alliance. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/561d0274e4b0601b7c814ca9/t/56c1fb0759827e4bccf4dc2a/1455553288468/KSABlist.pdf [Fecha de consulta: 07/04/2018].

GREGORY, A. (2008). «Competencies of senior communication practitioners in the UK: An initial study». Public Relations Review, 34 (3), 215-223.

KENT, M. L. y SAFFER, A. J. (2014). «A Delphi study of the future of new technology research in public relations». Public Relations Review, 40 (3), 568-576.

LESTER, S. (2009). «Routes to qualified status: Practices and trends among UK professional bodies». Studies in Higher Education, 43 (2), 223-236.

— (2014). «Professional standards, competence and capability». Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, 4 (1), 31-43.

LINSTONE, H. A. y TUROFF, M. (1975). The Delphi method: Techniques and applications. Reading: Addison-Wesley.

MANLEY, D. y VALIN, J. (2017). «Laying the foundation for a global body of knowledge in public relations and communications management». Public Relations Review, 43 (1), 56-70.

MINISTERIO DE EDUCACIÓN, CULTURA Y DEPORTE (2017). Datos y cifras del sistema universitario español. Madrid. https://www.mecd.gob.es/dms/mecd/servicios-al-ciudadano-mecd/estadisticas/educacion/universitaria/datos-cifras/datos-y-cifras-SUE-2015-16-web-.pdf

MORENO, A.; TENCH, R. y OKAY, A. (2017). «Re-fuelling the talent tank: A qualitative study of key deficiencies, future needs, and life-long learning needs of communication management professionals in Europe». Communication & Society, 30 (3), 109-127.

MOSS, D.; NEWMAN, A. y DESANTO, B. (2005). «What do Communication Managers Do?: Defining and Refining the Core Elements of Management in a Public Relations/Corporate Communication Context». Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 82 (4), 873-890.

NUSSBAUM, M. C. (2004). «Beyond the social contract: Capabilities and global justice». Oxford Development Studies, 32 (1), 3-18.

O’REILLY, D.; CUNNINGHAM, L. y LESTER, S. (eds.) (1999). Developing the capable practitioner: Professional capability through higher education. Kogan Page.

ROBEYNS, I. (2005). «The Capability Approach: A theoretical survey». Journal of Human Development, 6 (1), 93-117.

RULER, B. van; VERCIC, D.; BÜTSCHI, G. y FLODIN, B. (2009). «A First Look for Parameters of Public Relations in Europe». Journal of Public Relations Research, 16 (1), 1-34.

SAAVEDRA LLAMAS, M. y PERLADO LAMO DE ESPINOSA, M. (2017). Los estudios universitarios especializados en comunicación en España. Barcelona: UOC.

SEN, A. (1993). «Capability and Well-Being». En: NUSSBAUM, M. y SEN, A. (eds.). The quality of life. Nueva York: Oxford University Press, 30-53.

STEPHENSON, J. (1998). «The concept of capability and its importance in higher education». En: STEPHENSON J. y YORK M. (eds.). Capability and quality in higher education. Londres: Kogan Page, 1-13.

STEPHENSON, J. y YORK, M. (2013). Capability and quality in higher education. Nueva York: Routledge.

TENCH, R.; ZERFAß, A.; VERHOEVEN, P.; VER?I?, D.; MORENO, A. y OKAY, A. (2013). Competencies and role requirements of communication professionals in Europe: Insights from quantitative and qualitative studies. ECOPSI research report. Leeds Metropolitan University.

THURLOW, A.; SÉVIGNY, A. y DOTTORI, M. (2018). «Global Capabilities in Public Relations». Public Relations Journal, 11 (3), 1-25.

WAKEFIELD, R. y WATSON, T. (2014). «A reappraisal of Delphi 2.0 for public relations research». Public Relations Review, 40 (3), 577-584.

WATSON, T. (2008). «Public relations research priorities: A Delphi study». Journal of Communication Management, 12 (2), 104-123.

Published

19-12-2018

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.