Conceptualising and measuring relationship as public diplomacy outcome: development of the Relationship Assessment of Diplomatic Interaction Outcome (RADIO) scale

ABSTRACT

In response to calls for developing an instrument to measure public diplomacy outcomes, this paper introduces the Relationship Assessment of Diplomatic Interaction Outcome (RADIO) scale. Developed based on the Organisation–Public Relationship Assessment (OPRA) scale in public relations, the RADIO scale measures relationship between a country and its foreign publics as public diplomacy outcome. It classifies relationships into two types: experiential (characterised by direct experiences with a country) and reputational (those without direct experiences). Two macro-dimensions (i.e. interactional bilateralism and power mutuality) and two micro-dimensions (i.e. trust and empathy) are proposed for both relationship types. Relational satisfaction and relational continuance are proposed as micro-dimensions for experiential relationships. Relational attentiveness and relational curiosity are proposed as micro-dimensions for reputational relationships. Implications of the RADIO scale also are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Measurement
• OPRA scale
• public diplomacy
• public relations
• RADIO scale

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lisa Tam

Lisa Tam (PhD, Purdue University) is Lecturer of Strategic Communication at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia. Her primary research interest is the application of relationship principles in public relations to public diplomacy. She has previously published on CSR and health communication.

Jeong-Nam Kim

Jeong-Nam Kim (PhD, University of Maryland) is Director of Debiasing and Lay Informatics (DaLI) Lab and Professor and Gaylord Endowed Chair of Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Oklahoma. His Situational Theory of Problem Solving (STOPS) has been applied to employee communication, government communication, health communication and public diplomacy.