Editorial

Citation

Gregory, A. (2006), "Editorial", Journal of Communication Management, Vol. 10 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/jcom.2006.30710caa.001

Editorial

One of the current mantras of the communication industry is that we are involved in a rapidly developing and global business.

The new reality of the communication environment has revolutionary implications for organisations. Whatever they do is the subject of intense scrutiny and the hiding places for less than ethical practice are disappearing. They cannot do things in secret any more, even if that is what they want. The new technologies mean that information can be transmitted from the inside to the outside world with alarming ease and rapidity. Organisations are no longer self-contained: their boundaries are ever more porous.

In like manner, the new technologies also make it very easy for the outside world to look in. There are not many organisations without a web site these days, but there are also web sites about web sites, blogs, vlogs and all manner of electronic “noise” which provide insights, opinions and advice on organisations. Whether they want it or not, the workings of organisations are being exposed to public view in a way that was never imagined. Transparency is a requirement, not an option.

Yet despite these realities, it does seem that many organisations still have to recognise that this porosity and transparency operates on a global scale. People in Japan read what is on the web site of a firm in Iceland and they see it from within their own cultural and educational framework. I often wonder how much thought organisations devote to understanding the implications of their web sites on global audiences by standing outside their own cultural prism.

With this in mind, it is vitally important that we ensure that this journal brings a variety of perspectives from around the world into the public sphere. A long and legitimate complaint of public relations practitioners and academics in developing nations is that the Anglo-American world view dominates. There are many reasons for this – both good and bad, but that is the current position. It is gratifying to see in this issue of the journal, contributions from authors from a range of countries. They all bring their own enlightening country perspective to the subjects they deal with and enrich our understanding of public relations in the round.

One of the passionate supporters of broadening the base of communication knowledge was the former editor of the journal, Emma Wood. I would like to thank Emma for her work over the last three years. She is an inspiration to work with: challenging and unafraid of controversy, but also keen to encourage new researchers and writers from around the world to share their insights, In particular, Emma also developed the debate element of the journal to encourage discussion and to provide a forum for a variety of views. For her massive contribution I am very grateful.

I welcome Dr Magda Pieczka as the New Editor. Dr Pieczka has published widely in books and journals as noted in the last editorial. Being a critical scholar, she also brings a new dimension to the Journal which will broaden the journal's base – that is to be encouraged.

Just as the world is changing, the journal too needs to evolve and change to embrace as many perspectives on communication as possible. The edges of our knowledge need to be porous and transparent and we need to be able to engage with a variety of disciplines and experiences to enrich the field.

I look forward to the next stage of development for the journal and warmly welcome different thinking from different people in different places to help us get there.

Anne GregoryEditor-in-Chief