CEO Expectations in terms of PR roles

The aim of this empirical study was to determine the chief executive’s role expectationsof the most senior manager or practitioner responsible for the corporate communication(public relations) function in the organisation, in terms of the PR strategist (a strategicrole at top management level), the PR manager and the PR technician. Aconceptualisation of the role of PR strategist preceded the empirical study, differentiatingit from the historical roles of PR manager and PR technician. The most important findingwas that CEOs in the sample empirically verified the conceptualised role of the PRstrategist.In view of the findings of the Excellence Study that shared expectations between topmanagement and the corporate communication manager should exist for an organisationto achieve excellent communication (Dozier, Grunig & Grunig 1995), this study madean important contribution by establishing a benchmark regarding CEO expectations ofthe most senior manager responsible for the corporate communication function