Understanding learning in senior public relations practices: From boundary spanning to boundary dwelling
Citation
Powell, M. & Pieczka, M. (2016) Understanding learning in senior public relations practices: From boundary spanning to boundary dwelling. Journal of Communication Management, 20 (4), pp. 312-327.
Abstract
Over the last 50 years, the social legitimacy of public relations has improved through
standardising and monitoring the education and training of its practitioners. This article
argues however that while successful in developing a professional development trajectory
from novice to competent practitioner, the profession has struggled to fully understand the
development trajectory of senior public relations practices. The diversity of occupational
contexts in which public relations is practised, the condition of professional seniority and
the knowledges and tools required for working at occupational boundaries is challenging for
senior public relations practitioners. It is also a challenge therefore, for the profession to
develop and support the learning required for senior practice beyond competency
frameworks. This article suggests that socio-cultural learning theory offers a potentially
fruitful way of understanding what and how senior professionals learn that requires public
relations to develop a clearer conceptual understanding of the relationship between
knowledge and practice. 'Communities of practice' has been influential in the fields of
management and organisations (Bolisani and Scarso, 2014) but this article employs the idea
of a learning process that takes place in 'constellations of practices' (Wenger, 1998) to offer
a view of senior practice as boundary dwelling (Engestrom, 2009) rather than boundary
spanning. Senior practitioner learning therefore, is 'situated' (Lave and Wenger, 1991) in
the liminal spaces those boundaries provide and should be understood as inherently
uncertain and always becoming. The article argues in consequence, there is a pressing need
for senior practitioner learning to be more effectively supported by the professional group.