PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Theoretical implications of this dissertation build a foundation for practical and strategic implications for local animal welfare organizations, other types of nonprofits, and the public relations practitioners who advocate for these organizations on their behalf. These strategic implications are not exclusive, or by any means, exhaustive. More than one strategic implication can be used in tandem. Public relations practitioners advocate for clients, but they should also educate their clients to the benefits of using strategies rooted in veracity and genuineness to heighten control mutuality with key publics such as donors.

Local animal welfare organizations and other nonprofit organizations

Integrative strategies offer nonprofit organizations a means for donors to exert some control in their relationship with the organization beyond financial contributions. By using integrative strategies to enhance control mutuality, all parties feel responsible for the outcomes resulting from the decision-making process because all parties

contributed. The following list offers resultant suggestions to guide strategy creation grounded in veracity and genuineness that promote control mutuality.

1. Regularly ask your donors for feedback;

2. Show your donors that you value their opinions and suggestions through the use of dialogue;

3. Regularly implement suggestions that your donors give you;

4. And, give your donors the opportunity to be involved in decision-making. Listening, valuing opinions and suggestions, as well as including members of donor publics to participate in the decision-making process could potentially lead to continued donations and greater donor retention (O’Neil, 2007), not only social media engagement. These practical and strategic implications are best highlighted in this dissertation through donor comments.

Research conducted in this dissertation supports the suggestions offered to local animal welfare organizations and other nonprofit organizations. Bullet point 1(regular feedback) is best highlighted by one donor’s comment about their local animal welfare organization’s social media efforts, “I would like it if we could post pictures of animals we adopt on their Facebook page. I would also like to post comments and ask questions on Facebook. It is not an interactive site.” This example highlights one local animal welfare organization’s lack of symmetrical communication with its donors. By regularly asking your donors for feedback through the use of polls and open-ended questions, donors may feel more control mutuality with their local animal welfare organization on Facebook. Bullet point 2 (showing value) is best highlighted by one respondent’s comment that, “[Organization E] is a kind of place where the people are always

appreciative and welcoming to all that enter. As a young adult, I work a lot and I will always donate my time and financial contributions to places that value me.” By showing that they value their donors’ opinions and suggestions through the use of dialogue, local animal welfare organizations can elicit control mutuality and satisfaction.

Bullet point 3 (implementation) is best highlighted by one donor’s comment that, “Now a stronger supporter since ‘no kill’ policy being adapted. Struggled with donating to programs that could result in ‘putting down’ animals.” By listening to suggestions for improvements on their ‘no kill’ policy, donors perceived greater control mutuality and satisfaction. More so, the local animal welfare organization affords the donors with the respect and dignity they deserve under Kant’s Formula of Respect for the Dignity of Persons. Bullet point 4 (control mutuality) is best highlighted by one donor’s comment of his or her local animal welfare organization, “They should try to encourage everyone that donates to them to give them their emails, so they don't have to mail information to them. This would save them money that could be used for the animals, instead of wasting it on postage.” This comment indicated that when donors perceived control mutuality, they tended to feel that their opinions and suggestions would be valued by their local animal welfare organization.

Public relations practitioners and other types of organizations

Several types of strategies can be used in a strategic communication plan to accommodate various needs of an organization. From a practical and ethical standpoint, integrative and stewardship strategies can be used to enhance control mutuality perceived by donors by affording them the respect and dignity that they deserve under Kant’s Formula of Respect for the Dignity of Persons. Strategies rooted in genuineness and

veracity allow organizations to show value and respect to their key publics. Heightened control mutuality provides organizations with creative suggestions, solutions, and

messaging for problems that key publics notice in their interactions with the organization. For example, one respondent offered to their local animal welfare organization, “They need to utilize volunteers more so when it comes to social media and fundraising.”

The following list addresses questions toward creating strategies grounded in veracity and genuineness that promote control mutuality with strategic publics. More general than the previous recommendations for local animal welfare organizations, the following list offers a few suggestions to guide strategy creation grounded in veracity and genuineness that promote control mutuality.

1. Do you regularly ask for feedback from key publics?

2. Do you show your key publics that you value their opinions and suggestions?

3. Do you regularly communicate about how suggestions from your key publics

have been implemented?

4. Do you give your key publics the opportunity to be involved in decisions? If so, how often?

The goal of creating strategies rooted in veracity and genuineness aiming to heighten control mutuality is relationship retention and quality. By listening, valuing opinions and suggestions, as well as involving members of key publics to participate in decision-making, organizations could potentially address relationship retention and quality issues. When members of key publics feel that their opinions and suggestions are valued and that they are respected by the organization, they feel more inclined to

relationships between organizations and their key publics beyond financial support. Perceived control mutuality shows key publics that their opinions and suggestions for improving communications and operations matter to the organization.

5.4 SUMMARY

Control mutuality is one means of enacting ethical public relations and

authenticity as part of a civil society because it places symmetrical communication at the center of relationship management for local animal welfare organizations. For this reason, symmetrical communication is necessary for enhancing control mutuality. In relationship management, control mutuality might be able to help increase instances for local animal welfare organizations to achieve common goals with key publics such as donors. When members of key publics feel that their opinions and suggestions are valued and that they are respected by the organization, they feel more inclined to continue interacting with the organization. Donors who perceive control mutuality are also satisfied with their relationship with their local animal welfare organization.

If local animal welfare organizations were to place a greater focus on

management practices and communication strategies grounded in veracity to enhance donors’ perceptions of control mutuality, satisfaction, and credibility, local animal welfare organizations can potentially offset relationship termination by their donors. If donors perceive greater satisfaction with more opportunities for control mutuality, local animal welfare organizations can build greater credibility with their key publics as an organization that values their donors for more than the financial support they offer, creating a more authentic relationship.