The impact of web 2.0 technology on the application of the Excellence Theory in government organizations

Abstract

This study explored how and to what extent the rise of Web 2.0 technology and its necessary adoption by government organizations in the execution of their communications and public relations efforts has impacted the practical application of the core principles prescribed by Excellence Theory of public relations, with a focus on the implementation of a two-way symmetrical communications model. The researcher conducted in-depth interviews with five communications practitioners at various levels of seniority, currently working for government organizations in Canada. The research also included a survey which gathered information on the current perceptions and usage habits of 69 social media users. The research results indicated that the typical operational and administrative structures associated with government organizations create significant obstacles to building and maintaining optimal organization-public relationships and are not consistent with core elements of the excellence theory of public relations. The research suggests that while Web 2.0 technology affords the technical capabilities to facilitate two-way symmetrical communication between government organizations and their publics, both current user behavior trends and barriers to execution impacting government organizations do not align with this pursuit. Despite this, the Excellence Theory continues to provide a valuable aspirational framework that can assist communications practitioners in the ethical design and effective implementation of their strategic communications initiatives.