Mapping the strategic thinking of public relations managers in a crisis situation: An illustrative example using conjoint analysis

A great deal of anecdotal and empirical evidence indicates that the public relations function is not well integrated into the strategic decision making of most organizations. Observers suggest that to be part of the strategic decision-making process, managers must demonstrate that they are strategic thinkers, i.e., show that they have "what it takes" to be part of the dominant coalition. However, research on strategic decision making has been dominated by the case study methodology, which has led to calls for quantitative approaches that might verify and supplement these qualitative-based findings. This article illustrates the operationalization of the conjoint analysis multivariate technique for the study of the public relations function within strategic decision making in a crisis situation. Implications for theory development and testing are also discussed.