The communication grid

At best theories and models help explaing the world and its phenomena - such as PR in the public sector. Betteke van Ruler's communication grid is one way of explaining the strategies of PR practice. It is actually a fourfold table that helps understanding the strategies and probably more a model that a theory. Here's the grid (in a little bit simplified form):
  
                               

     CONTROLLED ONE WAY

    Information                             Persuasion 

    Consensus-building                 Dialogue    

TWO WAY

(van Ruler 2004, 139)

The public sector (inc. local government) today is clearly seeking to emphasis the two way model and wants to place itself  in the dialogue box where information is just not provided by the authorities but is being handled in dialogue with the stakeholders (here the citizens). All kinds of citizens forums are organised (see for example in Jyväskylä) and discussion areas are created in the cities' internet site. Citizens are invited to discuss with decision-makers.

Sometimes I feel a bit sick and tired of this fuss about citizen participation. Do we as citizens always care? Do we have the time? As van Ruler notes, the two way communication model needs an aware as well as committed public because without, we are back in the information box.

As citizens, are we the active discussants, eager to interact with the authorities? Or would we just rather let our representatives (the councillors) do their job? Whose job is it to try to activate people - the PR's? Is that not too big of a task for PR?                      

Source: 
van Ruler, Betteke. 2004. The communication grid: an introduction of a model of four communication strategies. Public Relations Review 30. 123-143.