At the BledCom 2009 Symposium, July 3-4 at Lake Bled, Slovenia, the Institute for Public Relations and its Commission on Global Public Relations Research presented a €500 Special Prize. The prize recognized the best new research to help practitioners understand how and why the culture of a country or region is an essential variable influencing how public relations is practiced there.

The Commission seeks to develop management tools by which organizations can more effectively govern their global public relations programs. A better understanding of the culture variable is an essential step in this direction.

Any accepted paper that addresses this question and is relevant to practitioners was eligible for the prize. A special BledCom and Institute for Public Relations panel of judges chose the winning paper from those submitted by scholars, researchers and graduate students. The winner paper and all contending papers have been published on the Institute website.

The Bledcom organizers and the Institute for Public Relations hope the new prize will further stimulate cooperation between the key European and US organizations dedicated to PR research and education, and between scholars and professionals as well.

Dr. Dejan Verčič (left), Dr. Donald K Wright, Dr. Holger Sievert, Peter Debreceny