ARE WE READY FOR THE INSTITUTIONALISATION OF GR AS A PROFESSION?

Institutionalising GR can take place either internally or externally in organisations. External institutionalisation of GR, either by law or public recognition, does not imply an internal institutionalisation (within an organisation and clients). The process of institutionalisation is inevitably connected to the level of credibility and professionalism that our profession demonstrates. It is much dependent on our credibility as GR Practitioners. Credibility is the probability of being believed. Credibility, like authority, is not only a personal characteristic, but rather something that is attributed, recognised by others. Even if credibility is dependent on the personal values and morality of individuals, it is not a natural characteristic of the GR Practitioner, but a result of relations. Credibility is a result of relationships between a source and a receiver. The extents and modes of credibility vary depending on different types of relationships. Frequently, a person who is credible for a public is not credible in the same way or for the same reasons for another group of people. Credibility also relies on contexts and situations. In certain situations, even the most credible individuals may change their behaviour because of different interests, pressure or external power and become less credible.The same is true for those who are generally less credible. Credibility plays an important role in professional life. In activities concerning GR, credibility refers to the judgments made by a message recipient concerning the believability of a communicator . Among the features that make a profession more credible, scholars indicate trustworthiness, expertise and ethics .Credibility per se is not enough to reach a level of institutionalisation and recognition at organisational and societal levels. Another important element is professionalism.

Professionalism has been understood by different scholars as a necessary and important parameter to assess the quality of GR practices as well as to legitimise the existence and need for this occupation. Unfortunately, we have not yet reached  common standards and norms for the GR practice. The main characteristics of GR professionalism should be based on

• a set of professional values;
• strong professional organisations that socialise practitioners into these values;
• professional norms -such as those provided by a code of ethics - that can be used to enforce values;
• technical skills acquired through professional training;
• an intellectual tradition and an established body of knowledge. An established body of knowledge, ethics, and certification are the pre-requisite of a profession, but the profession needs also to have the power to do what it is meant to perform.

An institutionalization of GR can only happen if beforehand conditions of professionalism, credibility and power are set up.

Our profession continues to suffer from a quite widespread ambiguity in society. Many people do not exactly know what GR is about, or they have a misleading interpretation of its functions and roles. This is partly as a consequence of lacking a consistent proposition on the boundaries and contents of our profession. A proper communication on GR has never fully reached the general public. It has principally remained inside professional associations .

Institutionalising GR requires first and foremost that GR are considered a ‘real profession’ and not only a mere occupation. It also requires a certain level of professionalism and credibility. It is rather difficult to promote an idea of institutionalisation of GR , if the basic requirements of professionalism and credibility are not fully met and above all the profession at societal level is not considered a ‘real profession’. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the term ‘profession’ involves the application of specialized knowledge of a subject, field, or science to fee-paying clientele. Professionals are thus people with a high degree and intellectual knowledge, such as lawyers, doctors and engineers. A profession is characterized by the existence of determined qualities, such as competences, knowledge and reliability. GR lacks some of the criteria for a professional characterisation. GR today is mostly an unregulated profession with no specific degree requirement although this is slowly changing – which implies that it is seeking recognition and institutionalisation, but still misses credibility and professionalism. Credibility in GR  is frequently a personal rather than a professional characteristic. GR Practitioners are credible among their clients and companies, because they are perceived as competent, reliable, ethical and trustworthy as individuals. Codes and regulations are not proof of professionalism. What counts is the way we conduct our daily GR activities. Today to be credible, what matters is the respect of rules, being transparent with influential publics is an agreement that each single practitioner does with them and not a question of codes. Hence, the credibility that comes from the respect of rules is more a personal question than a professional one.

Our credibility should depend on accreditation and regulation of our profession at national level. Today, anybody who has his/her own consulting business can theoretically claim to do GR. Professional associations and universities have only recently started to convene on the necessity to have organic and structured programmes of qualification by providing specific training and knowledge in the field.  

Professional norms and code of ethics exist at the level of professional organisations, but they are not binding for two reasons. First, because many GR practitioners are not members of a professional organisation, they are not obliged to conform to ethical codes. Second, there is not an external institution monitoring GR practitioners’ activities and sanctioning unethical practices. In this respect, even if a practitioner, member of a professional organisation, carries out some unethical activities, in the worst scenario he/she will be expelled from the professional organisation, but he/she could continue practicing GR. 

GR can be more institutionalised, if knowledge on the profession and law recognition goes hand in hand. A deeper knowledge of what GR is and does among the general public would help increase GR professional credibility and would work as a stimulus for further professionalism. The question of the State’s recognition is not, however, so settled. Some believe that an increment of GR professional credibility will lead to a concrete recognition by the State; others think that it is the State’s recognition that will lead to a professional credibility. Others would not consider State recognition so important, but rather legitimacy at societal level. In practice, it is probably a combination of the three together with the development of a body of knowledge and specific professional standards that would move GR towards institutionalization. 

Summary

1. GR activities could be more institutionalised by the means of law recognition.
2. An authority that observes and supervises GR practices and has power of sanctioning organisations and professionals which employ GR activities against national and international codes is necessary.
3. A wider knowledge among the general public of the roles and functions of GR  can help our profession to be more legitimised and credible.
4. The credibility of GR as profession does not depend on the existence of a professional code but on the quality of actions that each GR practitioner daily manages.
5. The idea of institutionalisation is inherently related to a problem of current GR  professional standards. Today GR professionalism, which is also the expression of collective professional standards, is perceived as something more personal rather than related to the profession per se. We need to develop common professional standards.
6. An inherent feature of professionalism and credibility is a question of ‘ethical’ dilemma. The dilemma is whether or not GR codes of ethics are required to prove that GR is a profession and a reputable one; whether or not having and adopting a code of ethics means for GR practitioners to be more credible among the general public and above all among clients. GR practitioners prefer an individualist approach, that is they perceive it as being important to be considered credible, ethical and trustworthy as individuals rather than as members of a profession. GR practitioners do not believe that their professional codes of ethics would actually increase their professionalism nor would they necessarily increase their credibility and reputation among their clients and/or among the senior management of the company they work for
7. Many practitioners, who would like to see GR more institutionalised, think a wider knowledge among the general public of the roles and functions of GR  could help our  profession to be more legitimised and credible, as increased knowledge would help distinguish the professionals from those who are pretending to do GR . It appears that the question of institutionalisation loses all its intrinsic positive connotations, if credibility and professionalism are not developed before. Specifically, it will be easier and more natural to see institutionalised GR in organisations, when those who practice GR have acquired specific competences and knowledge and are supported by strong professional norms and regulations. The problem, however, is not to be blamed only on GR professionals. These should surely be accountable for lacking the strength to put forward a public discussion on their profession, standards and practices outside association and professional circles, but also companies and clients are responsible. Still too many do not demand and expect – perhaps unconsciously – specific preparation and expertise from GR practitioners. The little knowledge among some senior managers of what GR is all about, what it can do for organizations, and which standards and norms should people practicing abide to, make those senior managers choosing even those who assert to be GR practitioners, but are not fully trained to work as such. A larger knowledge on the profession at societal level would make it possible to limit the amount of unprofessional GR practitioners that continuously blur the image and reputation of GR . Additionally, a clear distinction between GR competences and fields of activities from other disciplines would serve as a starting point to legitimate this profession, at least at societal level.
8. Institutionalization of GR should be re-conceptualized with an issue of GR  professionalism and modes by which it is performed by GR practitioners. Institutionalization at macro level would come at a later stage, as a consequence of the development and maturity of the profession