The Influence of National Culture
on Strategic Public Relations:
The Malta Experience
Laura Mifsud-Bonnici
Malta
info@lmbcommunications.com
'Small scale does not in itself cause
anything. It only establishes a framework
which makes more likely the triggering of
certain behavioural responses…Somehow,
smallness, mediated and operationalized in
real-life encounters, could be conceived as
another pertinent feature, along with
others, to promote a better understanding
of the small-scale, social universe.'
(Baldacchino, 1997)
Literature Reviewed included that on:
• interpersonal communication and networks
• social influence and reputation
• public relations and local media
• Maltese history and the current
economic/political situation
• anthropological and social studies on Malta
• globalisation and cross-cultural communication
The study stresses the importance of
meaning and 'the analysis of signs and
symbols, especially in language…it
attempts to decipher hidden messages and
the system of codes through which people
communicate both verbally and nonverbally, consciously and unconsciously'.
(Heath and Bryant, 1992)
Malta is considered a high context society,
where non-verbal cues, social and physical
contexts and existing relationships between
communicating participants may ascribe
much of the meaning
Popular Maltese proverbs suggest the
effects of personalisation and patronage:
It's not what you know but who you know
Malta is small and its people well-known
It is better to have a friend in the market
than money in your coffer.
'Every Maltese is at the centre of a large network
of kin relations. Thus, when the need arises,
many people are able to move along the intricate
channels of consanguinity and affinity to establish
personal contact with influential persons. It has
also been noted that this network of kin can be
extended artificially. Important persons, such as
politicians and professionals are often invited to
become godparents, marriage witnesses and
confirmation sponsors. These relationships are
constantly manipulated to bring individuals in
touch with decision makers.'
(Boissevain, 1993)
This study sought to:
• explore practitioners' understanding of the
function of public relations and their use of
interpersonal channels of communication
• discover the role that influence and
persuasion play in their practice, and
• explore the links between personalisation,
patronage, reputation and public relations, as
practised in a small society
Category
Theme
'That Is What
Public Relations Is'
'Speaking For Others’
'Money Talks'
'We Don't Refer To That As
Public Relations'
'Malta Is Malta'
'I Have To Walk Around
With A Halo'
'Everyone Knows Everyone'
'One Tends To Politicise
Everything'
'We Need Human Input' 'Tying You To Your PC'
'Difficult To Penetrate
The Core Media'
'whatever you need, if you don't know
somebody there who can provide it, you
know somebody, who knows somebody
who can'
'Happily, we are all individuals similar to
others in many ways and yet very different
to others. It is these differences that make
us who we are and determine the directions
in which we will grow and change. Being
normal doesn’t mean giving up our
uniqueness so we can be like everyone
else.'
(Buscaglia, 1992)