The Disappearing Act: Public Relations Consultancy in Theory and Research

Abstract

This paper concerns itself with the relative invisibility of the public relations consultancy in academic research and theory building. In conceptual terms, the paper draws on literature devoted to professional organizations, specifically to management consultancy focusing on similarities with public relations industry. The empirical material presented here is a case study of the UK consultancy industry between 1995-2000. The paper argues that taking a long-term view of public relations consultancy makes it possible to qualify some of the views about the practice articulated by its critics. The main findings of the analysis can be summarised as: consolidation, globalisation, and diversification.