James Mahoney

Public Relations Writing is an undergraduate communication and public relations textbook. It positions writing for public relations in the context of strategic planning, and is based on traditional communication writing principles, including for news and digital media. The book illustrates how writing for all public relations tools reflects the concepts that inform professional planning and practice.This book, based on the author's wide professional practice and tertiary teaching experiences, has been widely used in international undergraduate teaching and learning. This fourth edition continues to treat clear, concise and accurate writing for this profession as integral to all aspects of professional practice and as a skill that is not confined to media release writing. Among the book's strengths are the student exercises, including international cases, which are based on real-world examples, and references to ethical practice. This book provides a holistic approach to learning about writing in this profession. While its focus is on writing, this holistic approach, which includes material on planning a communication strategy, makes it an ideal text for introductory subjects at university as well as for specialist writing units. While it is primarily grounded in Australian practice, the book is written in line with accepted international approaches to public relations writing, including the principles of journalism’s 'news writing', and contains case studies from other countries. This book appeals to audiences in early-year university students studying public relations and marketing communication.It is also suitable for professional practitioners seeking to enhance their writing skills.

Public Relations Writing is an undergraduate communication and public relations textbook. It positions writing for public relations in the context of strategic planning, and is based on traditional communication writing principles, including for news and digital media. The book illustrates how writing for all public relations tools reflects the concepts that inform professional planning and practice.This book, based on the author's wide professional practice and tertiary teaching experiences, has been widely used in international undergraduate teaching and learning. This fourth edition continues to treat clear, concise and accurate writing for this profession as integral to all aspects of professional practice and as a skill that is not confined to media release writing. Among the book's strengths are the student exercises, including international cases, which are based on real-world examples, and references to ethical practice. This book provides a holistic approach to learning about writing in this profession. While its focus is on writing, this holistic approach, which includes material on planning a communication strategy, makes it an ideal text for introductory subjects at university as well as for specialist writing units. While it is primarily grounded in Australian practice, the book is written in line with accepted international approaches to public relations writing, including the principles of journalism’s 'news writing', and contains case studies from other countries. This book appeals to audiences in early-year university students studying public relations and marketing communication.It is also suitable for professional practitioners seeking to enhance their writing skills.

This book presents a new approach to the analysis of Australian federal election campaigns, approaching them from a professional communication perspective. It stress-tests the campaigns of the major parties against the requirements of effective strategic communication planning and implementation parameters used in professional practice. Research undertaken during the 2022 election period analyses campaign issues, whether communication tools were appropriate, and whether strategic directions led to real outcomes by delivering votes to the parties. Applying the Hallahan model for the first time in an Australian election study, the book offers rare insights into a political culture that employs compulsory voting. It will be of interest to scholars and students of Australian politics, public relations, and communication studies.

This book presents a new approach to the analysis of Australian federal election campaigns, approaching them from a professional communication perspective. It stress-tests the campaigns of the major parties against the requirements of effective strategic communication planning and implementation parameters used in professional practice. Research undertaken during the 2022 election period analyses campaign issues, whether communication tools were appropriate, and whether strategic directions led to real outcomes by delivering votes to the parties. Applying the Hallahan model for the first time in an Australian election study, the book offers rare insights into a political culture that employs compulsory voting. It will be of interest to scholars and students of Australian politics, public relations, and communication studies.

Strategic Communication deals with the principles behind strategic communication planning. It covers the professional practice steps involved in researching, planning, writing, evaluating and implementing a communication strategy. This book links strategic communication campaign planning to medium and long-term business activity and to how organisations deal with issues. This thoroughly revised third edition includes: New international cases and professional exercises that will enable students to work through the cases and apply theory to real-life situations; New discussion questions on important aspects of campaign planning; Chapter exercises that encourage students to think more broadly about communication strategy and work through the particular aspects of a strategy; In Theory panels that highlight key theories and demonstrate important links between theory and practice Accessible and comprehensive, this is an essential text for students of professional communication and professionals transitioning into the field of Strategic Communication.

Strategic Communication deals with the principles behind strategic communication planning. It covers the professional practice steps involved in researching, planning, writing, evaluating and implementing a communication strategy. This book links strategic communication campaign planning to medium and long-term business activity and to how organisations deal with issues. This thoroughly revised third edition includes: New international cases and professional exercises that will enable students to work through the cases and apply theory to real-life situations; New discussion questions on important aspects of campaign planning; Chapter exercises that encourage students to think more broadly about communication strategy and work through the particular aspects of a strategy; In Theory panels that highlight key theories and demonstrate important links between theory and practice Accessible and comprehensive, this is an essential text for students of professional communication and professionals transitioning into the field of Strategic Communication.

This book proposes a model for directly aligning strategic communication with organisational business planning to enable effective management of mid- to long-term organisational issues. It argues that current conceptualisations of strategic communication need to be extended to locate it more precisely within definitions of strategy and as an essential element of mid- and long-term business planning. This approach re-positions strategic issues communication in a professional practice dimension that has a specific focus on issues that do not immediately impact on an organisation’s ability to achieve its day-to-day business goals. Full of contemporary examples from business, and including a thorough explanation of how the model can be applied in professional practice, the book will prove illuminating reading for scholars, students, and professionals alike.

This book proposes a model for directly aligning strategic communication with organisational business planning to enable effective management of mid- to long-term organisational issues. It argues that current conceptualisations of strategic communication need to be extended to locate it more precisely within definitions of strategy and as an essential element of mid- and long-term business planning. This approach re-positions strategic issues communication in a professional practice dimension that has a specific focus on issues that do not immediately impact on an organisation’s ability to achieve its day-to-day business goals. Full of contemporary examples from business, and including a thorough explanation of how the model can be applied in professional practice, the book will prove illuminating reading for scholars, students, and professionals alike.

A groundbreaking logic-based approach to bridging the scientific-constructivist divide in social scienceThe Logic of Social Science offers new principles for designing and conducting social science research. James Mahoney uses set-theoretic analysis to develop a fresh scientific constructivist approach that avoids essentialist biases in the production of knowledge. This approach recognizes that social categories depend on collective understandings for their existence, but it insists that this recognition need not hinder the use of explicit procedures for the rational assessment of truth. Mahoney shows why set-theoretic analysis enables scholars to avoid the pitfalls of essentialism and produce findings that rest on a firm scientific foundation.Extending his previous work and incorporating new material, Mahoney presents specific tools for formulating and evaluating theories in the social sciences. Chapters include discussions of models of causality, procedures for testing propositions, tools for conducting counterfactual and sequence analysis, and principles for knowledge accumulation. Equal focus is placed on theory building and explanatory tools, including principles for working with general theoretical orientations and normative frameworks in scientific research. Mahoney brings a novel perspective to understanding the relationship among actors, social rules, and social resources, and he offers original ideas for the analysis of temporality, critical events, and path dependence.Bridging the rift between those who take a scientific approach and those who take a constructivist one, The Logic of Social Science forges an ambitious way forward for social science researchers.

A groundbreaking logic-based approach to bridging the scientific-constructivist divide in social scienceThe Logic of Social Science offers new principles for designing and conducting social science research. James Mahoney uses set-theoretic analysis to develop a fresh scientific constructivist approach that avoids essentialist biases in the production of knowledge. This approach recognizes that social categories depend on collective understandings for their existence, but it insists that this recognition need not hinder the use of explicit procedures for the rational assessment of truth. Mahoney shows why set-theoretic analysis enables scholars to avoid the pitfalls of essentialism and produce findings that rest on a firm scientific foundation.Extending his previous work and incorporating new material, Mahoney presents specific tools for formulating and evaluating theories in the social sciences. Chapters include discussions of models of causality, procedures for testing propositions, tools for conducting counterfactual and sequence analysis, and principles for knowledge accumulation. Equal focus is placed on theory building and explanatory tools, including principles for working with general theoretical orientations and normative frameworks in scientific research. Mahoney brings a novel perspective to understanding the relationship among actors, social rules, and social resources, and he offers original ideas for the analysis of temporality, critical events, and path dependence.Bridging the rift between those who take a scientific approach and those who take a constructivist one, The Logic of Social Science forges an ambitious way forward for social science researchers.

Strategic Communication (Second Edition) deals with the principles behind strategic communication planning. It covers the professional practice steps involved in researching, planning, writing and implementing a communication strategy. This book links strategic communication campaign planning to business activities around short, medium and long-term needs and to how organisations deal with issues. The framework followed in Strategic Communication can be used for strategic planning in a range of specialisations including corporate communication; community relations; financial and investor relations; government relations and lobbying; internal communication; marketing communication and public relations. Readers will build their own strategic communication plan when working through the book, as each chapter covers how to plan a specific element of a communication strategy, exploring key principles and relevant theories. The second edition has been thoroughly updated to include contemporary cases and examples, additional theoretical and campaign planning material and is complemented by a range of features to support and reinforce learning.

Some in the social sciences argue that the same logic applies to both qualitative and quantitative methods. In A Tale of Two Cultures, Gary Goertz and James Mahoney demonstrate that these two paradigms constitute different cultures, each internally coherent yet marked by contrasting norms, practices, and toolkits. They identify and discuss major differences between these two traditions that touch nearly every aspect of social science research, including design, goals, causal effects and models, concepts and measurement, data analysis, and case selection. Although focused on the differences between qualitative and quantitative research, Goertz and Mahoney also seek to promote toleration, exchange, and learning by enabling scholars to think beyond their own culture and see an alternative scientific worldview. This book is written in an easily accessible style and features a host of real-world examples to illustrate methodological points.

Some in the social sciences argue that the same logic applies to both qualitative and quantitative methods. In A Tale of Two Cultures, Gary Goertz and James Mahoney demonstrate that these two paradigms constitute different cultures, each internally coherent yet marked by contrasting norms, practices, and toolkits. They identify and discuss major differences between these two traditions that touch nearly every aspect of social science research, including design, goals, causal effects and models, concepts and measurement, data analysis, and case selection. Although focused on the differences between qualitative and quantitative research, Goertz and Mahoney also seek to promote toleration, exchange, and learning by enabling scholars to think beyond their own culture and see an alternative scientific worldview. This book is written in an easily accessible style and features a host of real-world examples to illustrate methodological points.

In this comparative-historical analysis of Spanish America, Mahoney offers a new theory of colonialism and postcolonial development. He explores why certain kinds of societies are subject to certain kinds of colonialism and why these forms of colonialism give rise to countries with differing levels of economic prosperity and social well-being. Mahoney contends that differences in the extent of colonialism are best explained by the potentially evolving fit between the institutions of the colonizing nation and those of the colonized society. Moreover, he shows how institutions forged under colonialism bring countries to relative levels of development that may prove remarkably enduring in the postcolonial period. The argument is sure to stir discussion and debate, both among experts on Spanish America who believe that development is not tightly bound by the colonial past, and among scholars of colonialism who suggest that the institutional identity of the colonizing nation is of little consequence.

In this comparative-historical analysis of Spanish America, Mahoney offers a new theory of colonialism and postcolonial development. He explores why certain kinds of societies are subject to certain kinds of colonialism and why these forms of colonialism give rise to countries with differing levels of economic prosperity and social well-being. Mahoney contends that differences in the extent of colonialism are best explained by the potentially evolving fit between the institutions of the colonizing nation and those of the colonized society. Moreover, he shows how institutions forged under colonialism bring countries to relative levels of development that may prove remarkably enduring in the postcolonial period. The argument is sure to stir discussion and debate, both among experts on Spanish America who believe that development is not tightly bound by the colonial past, and among scholars of colonialism who suggest that the institutional identity of the colonizing nation is of little consequence.

The book provides a unique contribution to the literature in this field in that the studies of decision theory and data-based decision making are integrated. Focusing on educators assuming leadership roles in school improvement, the book’s content is equally relevant for administrators, supervisors, and teachers. The book, however, is centered on data-driven decision making, both as a requirement of the No Child Left Behind Act and as a normative professional standard. Issues related to accumulating, storing, and protecting data in districts and schools also are covered. Applications in administration, supervision, and teaching are demonstrated.

Despite their many similarities, Central American countries during the twentieth century were characterized by remarkably different political regimes. In a comparative analysis of Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Nicaragua, James Mahoney argues that these political differences were legacies of the nineteenth-century liberal reform period. Presenting a theory of "path dependence," Mahoney shows how choices made at crucial turning points in Central American history established certain directions of change and foreclosed others to shape long-term development. By the middle of the twentieth century, three types of political regimes characterized the five nations considered in this study: military-authoritarian (Guatemala, El Salvador), liberal democratic (Costa Rica), and traditional dictatorial (Honduras, Nicaragua). As Mahoney shows, each type is the end point of choices regarding state and agrarian development made by these countries early in the nineteenth century. Applying his conclusions to present-day attempts at market creation in a neoliberal era, Mahoney warns that overzealous pursuit of market creation can have severely negative long-term political consequences. The Legacies of Liberalism presents new insight into the role of leadership in political development, the place of domestic politics in the analysis of foreign intervention, and the role of the state in the creation of early capitalism. The book offers a general theoretical framework that will be of broad interest to scholars of comparative politics and political development, and its overall argument will stir debate among historians of particular Central American countries.