Fred Harvey Company public relations and publicity (1876-1933)

摘要

Purpose - This paper aims to examine the entrepreneurial Fred Harvey Company's early publicrnrelations and publicity efforts to determine what they add to our knowledge of the development ofrnpublic relations in the USA.rnDesign/methodology/approach - This historical analysis uses mainly data gleaned from anrnin-depth examination of the two archival sources available: the Fred Harvey Company photographsrnand papers at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, AZ (at about ten linear feet, the most complete collectionrnof Harvey materials), and the Fred Harvey Collection at the University of Arizona (photographs,rncorrespondence, and miscellaneous records).rnFindings - Although the dominant historical perspective has labeled this era the "Seedbed Years"rnand characterized them as "a day of business arrogance toward employee and citizen alike", this casernsuggests that other models of practice were in use that developed out of differing cultural milieux. Tornthe dominant view of public relations developing in the USA as a result of business pressures, then,rnshould be added the perspective of organizational culture and the role it played in the development andrnprofessionalism of the field.rnResearch limitations/implications - This one case study cannot be generalized to the whole field;rnhowever, the findings support those of a growing number of other scholars (Sullivan, Piasecki),rnsuggesting that the dominant evolutionary paradigm of US public relations history artificiallyrnconstricts our understanding of the field.rnPractical implications - The insider's perspective gained through this study has implications forrnprofessionalism, integrated communications, and ethical practice.rnOriginality/value - This paper examines a previously unknown case in US public relations historyrnand sheds light on early public relations and publicity methods that challenge the dominant paradigmrnin US scholarship. The notion of press agentry as the dominant practice is explored and challenged.