Global and Multicultural Public Relations

7Coordination and Control, Standardization and Localization

Keywords

global efficiency; multicultural; polycentric; standardization; localization; coordination control

Central Themes

• Strategies such as coordination, control, standardization, and localization are frequently refined by multinational organizations (MNOs) to carry out their public relations functions and practices around the globe.
• The techniques and efforts used to integrate and evaluate global operations follow three principles: efficiency, learning, and flexibility or responsiveness.
• Standardization improves organizational efficiency by integrating public relations operations across various world locations into a more cohesive and collaborative state.
• Localization improves the effectiveness of public relations, or the ability of a program or campaign to achieve a desired effect.
• Environmental factors play a role in an organization's decision to localize.

Introduction

The advent of globalization has made it imperative to comprehend strategic and tactical public relations choices from a global perspective. Global and multicultural public relations can be best understood as the strategies employed by organizations in any environment in order to engage in effective two‐way communication with stakeholders in an effort to build enduring symbiotic relationships. These environments are no longer isolated from one another, meaning the influence an organization has on its stakeholders at home (where it is headquartered) ...