公共關係之「關係」研究－－研究方向的省思與展望

'Relationships,' or 'Guanxi Factors,' in Public Relations Research - Outlooks and Reflections on Research Directions

本文旨於探討「關係」現象對於公共關係研究的意義。文中主要討論三個主題：（１）探討關係的「在地」現象以及「關係」研究對於公共關係學的意涵；（２）對現有「關係」文獻之回顧與檢討，以及（３）提出初探性理論架構與研究問題。本文認為有關「關係」的研究取向有諸多問題待釐清，相對的，也存在許多研究契機待探討。文獻檢討提出以下問題：（１）西方公共關係之研究大多數侷限於單領域與單文化之討論，具跨學門或跨文化觀點之討論闕如；（２）國內公關領域中有關「關係」的研究出現未能充分反應「在地」現象與特性的情形，以及（３）「華人關係主義理論」面臨現代化、全球化及專業化等多重價值的衝擊。

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the concept of 'guanxi' (or relationship) and explore its implications to public relations research. This paper begins with discussion of indigenous 'relationship' issues and their implications to public relations studies, then reviews the studies and theories pertinent to relationships in public relations, and last attempts to develop a conceptual theoretical framework. Many issues about the relationship-oriented studies remain to be clarified but they are also worth exploration. The subject matters this paper addresses are threefold. First, despite comprehensive public relations studies of relationships in the West, most of such studies have limited themselves to single discipline and single cultural discourses. Interdisciplinary and/or cross-cultural organization-public relationship (OPR) theories have been rarely found. Second, in Taiwan's public relations studies of relationships, there is a paucity of the characteristics and phenomena of indigenousness. Third, theories on Chinese Relationalism are illuminating for the exploration of the OPR, but such theories are facing a number of challenges from globalization and modernization of the Chinese society in the 21st century.