1. Public Rela+ons in Transi+on society:
experience of Bal+c States and
Poland
Dr. Kaja Tampere
University of Jyväskylä
FINLAND

2. What is transi+on society?
The socie+es changing from a totalitarian to
democra+c form of government are known as
transi+on socie+es. Transi+on is not just a one‐
way process of change from one hegemonic
system to another. Transi+on, to a certain extent,
also cons+tutes a complex reworking of old social
rela+ons in the light of the processes
dis+nguishing of one of the boldest projects in
contemporary history—the aQempt to construct
a form of capitalism on, and incorpora+ng the
ruins of, the communist system (Smith, 1997;
Stark, 1996).

3. It was instead the opening move in the
reconstruc+on of a new social order from a
strange mixture of components of varied
origin. It was a major cultural and civiliza+on
break, a beginning of the reconstruc+on of the
deepest cultural +ssue as well as the civilized
surface of society, the slow emergence of a
new post‐communist culture and civiliza+on.
(Sztompka, 1996, p. 120)
The change was trauma for all parts.

4. What is Public Rela+ons?
• PR is the maintenance of rela+onship with
public by communica+on in order to establish
mutual understanding. (defini+on is based of
American and European approach, Bled
Manifesto 2002)
Keywords for successful PR is dialogue

5. What means to be in dialogue?
• they must have an equal opportunity to ini+ate and maintain
the conversa+on;
• they must have an equal opportunity to offer challenges, and
give explana+ons and interpreta+ons;
• interac+on between them must be free of manipula+on,
superiority and control;
• and they must be equal in power
Before teams of organiza+onal management can really carry out
public rela+ons, three principles need to be agreed on:
• the economic and social stability of an organiza+on depends
on the support of public opinion;
• all people have the right to receive informa+on on the
decisions that affect their lives;
• two‐way communica+on management helps an organiza+on
to adapt to changes

6. The nature of PR in democra+c
countries
• The nature of PR in democra+c countries –
excellent theory by Grunig (1984): professional
development through history
• Role of PR in Europe (Bled Manifesto 2002:
hQp://www.vercic.pristop.si/doc/manifesto.pdf ):
– Managerial role
– Reflec+ve role
– Opera+onal role
– Educa+onal role

7. Role of Public rela+ons in Transi+on
Society
• Change from government rela+ons to public
rela+ons: death of personal influence model
• Changes in communica+on culture and ethics
• Changes in aitudes toward responsibility
• To teach society how to live in new
condi+ons: to give human face to
capitalism

8. The pedagogical role of PR can be expressed in the
following key concepts:
• Dialogue: equality of the par+es; the crea+on,
in coopera+on, of an interac+ve program of
ac+on; following the viewpoints of the public;
giving construc+ve feedback; explana+on
through situa+ons familiar and important to
the target group; following ethical standards;
and validity (truth, rightness, sincerity,
comprehensibility)
• Achieving results: mutual understanding;
achieving consensus; admiing the
inevitability of change

9. Thank you for your aQen+on!
• hQp://kajatampere.files.wordpress.com/
2007/09/kaja‐tampere‐doctoral‐
disserta+on.pdf
• hQp://kajatampere.files.wordpress.com/
2008/03/pr‐research‐published1.pdf
• hQp://kajatampere.wordpress.com/