Assessing communication behavior: An application within the public relations profession

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Abstract
Based upon results of discriminant analyses, significant communication differences were found between public relations professionals, when profit vs. non‐profit, counseling vs. non‐counseling, wide vs. narrow spans of control, and upper vs. lower management levels were compared. Overall, subjects spent the greatest amount of time as sources and receivers during work‐related information exchange and problem‐solution identification. Non‐profit organizational members were characterized by spending more time as sources of behavior regulation messages; counseling firm members exhibited greater use of personal‐related messages and spent more time receiving information about problems than their in‐house counterparts; those with a wider span of control engaged in a greater amount of communication aimed at regulating work behavior and solving work problems; compared to lower level managers, those in upper level management' exhibited communication behavior more indicative of policy‐formulators and problem‐solvers.