Bulletin No. 22 | July – August 2004

PROFILE OF THE MONTH

JAMES E. GRUNIG

University of Maryland, USA

James E. Grunig is a professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Maryland where he specialized in public relations, science communication, and communication theory. He holds a Ph.D in mass communication from the University of Wisconsin. Grunig is the best known for his research on publics, on why organizations practice public relations as they do, on the strategic management of public relations, on public relations effects, and on science writing.

He has published more than 215 books, book chapters, articles, reports and papers. His articles have appeared in the Journal of Public Relations Research, Journalism Quarterly, Journalism Monograph, Journalism Studies, Communication Research, Human Communication Research, Public Relations Review, Public Relations Research and Education, Public Relations Research Annual, Journal of Communication Management, Academy of Management Journal, Economic Development and Cultural Change, Journal of Communication, Journal of Technical Writing and Communication, and American Behavioral Scientist. He is the co-author of Excellent Public Relations and Effective Organizations : A Study of Communication Management in Three Countries, Managing Public Relations, Public Relations Techniques, and Manager’s Guide to Excellence in Public Relations and Communication Management. He is editor of Excellence in Public Relations and Communication Management. Excellent Public Relations and Effective Organizations received the 2002 PRIDE award of the Public Relations Division of the National Communication Association as the best book in public relations in the previous two years. 

Grunig was named the first winner of the Pathfinder Award for excellence in academic research on public relations by the Institute for Public Relations Research and Education. In 1989, the Public Relations Society of America gave him its Outstanding Educator Award. In 1992, the PRSA Foundation awarded him the Jackson, Jackson & Wagner award for outstanding behavioral science research on public relations. He also won the most prestigious lifetime award of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), the Paul J. Deutschmann Award for Excellence in Research. 

Grunig has worked professionally in public relations as a science writer for the National Science Foundation, International Harvester Company, the U.S Department of Agriculture, the University of Wisconsin, and Lowa State University. He also has served as a research consultant to AT&T, the Edison Electric Institute, the Maryland State Department of Education, Black and Decker, the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, the Department of Energy, and many other organizations. 

Grunis is member of Arthur Page Society, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the International Association of Business Communicator (IABC), the International Public Relations Association (IPRA), the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (AEJMC), the International Communication Association (ICA), and the National Communication Association (NCA). He has been the head of the AEJMC public relations division and head of public relations interest group of ICA. He was co-editor of the Public Relations Research Annual and its successor, the Journal of Public Relations Research, from 1989 – 1994. He also serves as an advisor to Lawrence Erlbaum Publisher for its series of books on public relations. 

From 1985 – 95, Grunig served as project director for the $400,000 research project on excellence in public relations and communication management, funded by the IABC Research Foundation. In 33 years at the University of Maryland, Grunig has advised 77 Master’s theses and 17 doctoral dissertations. He has taught courses in public relations theory, techniques, campaigns, management, publics, employee communication, and specialized writing. In the las 21 years, he has presented talks and seminars to over 335 professional groups in 35 countries.