Toward a caring government: Advancing ethical government public relations with a care-based relationship cultivation model

ABSTRACT

In this study, we explore the potential contribution of care ethics to government-public relationship (GPR) management. Drawing on the ethics of care and relationship management theory, this study examined government communicators’ conceptualizations of care and care-based relationship cultivation strategies by interviewing 32 public relations practitioners working at county government agencies in the United States. Findings suggest that care is a complex, multidimensional construct that involves relational, emotional, humanistic, and personal components in the context of government public relations. The study advances public relations scholarship by proposing a Care-Based Relationship Cultivation Model and suggests measures for seven care-based relationship cultivation strategies highlighting care ethics. Our findings are useful for local government practitioners across countries to infuse care into their public relations efforts.

KEYWORDS:

• Government public relations
• ethics of care
• government-public relationship (GPR)
• relationship management
• relationship cultivation strategies

Acknowledgement

This project was supported by a Page Legacy Scholar Grant from The Arthur W. Page Center at Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at The Pennsylvania State University. The authors thank The Arthur W. Page Center for supporting this research, as well as anonymous reviewers and the journal's editorial team for their constructive feedback.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Disclaimer statement

Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do no necessarily reflect the views of Penn State.