Social impact and social value in public relations/communication: An international analysis for a conceptual framework

This study examines the understandings of social impact and social value by public relations/communication practitioners, educators, and academics in four developing countries: Ecuador, Lithuania, Türkiye, and Uruguay. As organizations face increasingly complex challenges, public relations/communication professionals play a critical role in society. However, there remains a lack of clarity regarding the definitions of social impact and social value. This research utilizes open-ended responses to a global Delphi study. In exploring how these concepts are understood, this paper also identifies similarities and differences among them. These discrepancies underscore the need to establish common definitions for social impact and social value to guide public relations/communication practices, while still allowing for contextual adaptations that ensure integration in different countries. The findings provide evidence associated with the relational approach to social impact. However, this approach is still not fully integrated into public relations/communication practices in the studied countries, particularly its key factor, stakeholder involvement in defining social impact, and the conceptualization of social value from the stakeholders' perspective. This research contributes to the development of public relations/communication by clarifying how practitioners, academics, and educators in diverse socio-cultural contexts define and apply social impact and social value. It highlights the need for a more stakeholder-centered approach and calls for greater integration of social value frameworks into public relations/communication practice. These insights can inform future research and professional strategies to enhance the role of public relations/communication globally.