EXPLORE THE EVOLUTION OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

IN POST-COMMUNIST ROMANIAN BOOK PUBLISHING

INDUSTRY: HISTORICAL AND SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACH

ALINA DOLEA *

ABSTRACT
There is little scientific research on the history of public relations in Post-
Communist Romania with a few exceptions. (Dolea, 2012; Rogojinaru, 2009, 2014) This
study aims to fill the gaps and explore the development and reconstruction of the history of
public relations role 'in the book publishing industry. certain industries have been because it
was considered a symbol for the effects of the communist regime in the community: the
consumption book the lowest in Europe with one book per capita per year (Barbu, 2015),
nearly half of the population has not read even a book for a year (access Culture
Eurobarometer and participation, 2013), while almost 40% of the Romanian high school
students have difficulty in reading and understanding the text for the first time (Program for
International student Assessment, 2012). Building a social construction theory (Berger &
Luckmann, 1966/2008) and, methodologically, the approach of historical sociology (L'Etang,
2004, 2014), this study explores the relationship established between the different actors, and
the practice of public relations in an industrial structure which aims to increase the
consumption of books and reading habits. In addition, this place in the context of
relationships intertwined history, tracing the evolution of public relations in the book
publishing industry for a quarter century. This exploratory study shows how the industry
itself witness the rebirth after decades of Communism, censorship and control. As a result,
public relations has followed a slow process and the end of institutionalization and
professionalization: the role of public relations has been largely technical, marketing and
sales support through event management and editing press materials; it was after 2010 that
the strategic, managerial role of public relations has begun to slowly understood, initially
with (some) of the practitioners themselves, then with (some) top publishing director. Public
relations is still in the stage aimed at the recognition of legitimacy, professionalization and a
greater role both within their organization and within the community. Moreover, if public
relations practitioners will understand and assume social roles (focus on the public interest),
they are able to influence, through the public communication campaigns, public policy to
overcome functional illiteracy; Ultimately, this will benefit both industry and the
organization of their own books.

*Ph.D., University of Bucharest, e-mail: alinadolea@gmail.com,

"Revista Romana de sociologie"Serie Noua, anul XXVIII, nr. 3-4, p. 173-199, 2017 Bucureşti
 Keywords: public relations in Romania, the book publishing industry, historical
restoration, post-Communist Romania, functionally illiterate.

FILLING THE GAPS IN PUBLIC RELATIONS SCHOLARSHIP:

THE NEED FOR HISTORICAL SOCIOLOGY

Over the last decade, there has been growing preoccupation among scholars define
public relations to go beyond public relations and determine the limits of the relevant field, to
analyze in depth how practiced worldwide and specializes what has emerged with the
development of the profession and field. This causes the multi-leveled approach to the study
of public relations: on the one hand there is a line of research on the analysis of specialization
PR, which resulted in the emergence of other areas such as internal communication and
public relations, corporate communication, crisis communication, public relations officer of
health or government public relations, etc. (eg, Moss, Verčič & Warnaby, 2000; Tench &
Yeomans, 2006); On the other hand, there is a line of research on how public relations is
understood and practiced in various parts of the world (national / international vs. domestic /
global), resulting in the case study countries (eg Zerfass, van Ruler & Sriramesh 2008).
Initially, the second line of research is dominated by functional paradigm aims to
answer "Effectiveness Questions" (why and the extent to which public relations enhance
organizational effectiveness) and "Excellence Questions" (how public relations should be
organized and managed to be able to make their contribution to the effectiveness of the
organization). These questions are fundamental in developing the theory of Excellence
(Grunig, 1992), the dominant theory in public relations in the 1990s.
As an increasing body of scholarship, scholars have begun to focus on the
development of a common conceptual framework to engage in cross-national comparisons
and international studies. This is the case Krishnamurthy and Verčič, for example, the edited
Global Public Relations Handbook and indicates "there is also need to extend our analysis of
public relations in various areas by going beyond some basics of conceptual or theoretical,
and also explores how contextual variables external to the organization (such as culture,
political systems, economic systems, and media systems) affect community relations
activities in various parts of the world. "(2003, p. XXVII)
In fact, the studies that consider the context of public relations that pave the way for
socio-cultural change of a broader coagulating in the last decade in public relations. (Bentele,
2008; Bentele & Wehmeier 2007, 2008; Edwards, 2011, 2014; Ihlen & van Ruler, 2007,
2009; Ihlen & Verhoeven, 2009; L'Etang, 1996, 2005, 2009; McKie & Munshi, 2009;
Moloney, 2006 ) Public relations is thus analyzed in the context of the promotion of culture
(s) (Wernick, 1991; Devis, 2013) that has spread as a consequence of globalization to serve
the interests of the organization to compete in the neo-liberal market.
Inspired by Critical Theory, the leading clerics in public relations discussed also
about public space and public space and not just about the market, about the effects and
impacts of the practice of public relations and not just about improving the process itself, on
issues of power and various actors and less about the power of, a single special actor. (Dolea
2015) In other words, they bring forward an alternative discourse to the discourse of the
dominant managerial larger conversation about the current role of public relations' in the
community. In addition, they finally diversify the object of research, invite to reflection on
the other (marginal until then) aspects of public relations practice and theory, while
proposing an alternative paradigm, theory, and methodology.

In the context of this reflexive flow scholarship research on the history of public
relations has emerged and developed (eg Bentele, 2013; L'Etang, 2004, 2008, 2014; McKie &
Xifra 2014), especially after the establishment of an institutionalized framework, an annual
conference dedicated in Bournemouth in 2010. thus, a six-volume series edited by Tom
Watson (2014, 2015) marks a milestone in the historiography of public relations, as it
includes the perspective of the development of community relationships in Asia, Eastern
Europe, Middle East and Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Western Europe, as
well as some new approaches and theoretical essays both historiography and theoretical
revision. They bring forward facts, events and phenomena of the past that can simplify many
complex understanding of what constitutes the practice of public relations in their different
manifestations are present throughout the world. More importantly, they have historically
contextualize the practice of public relations, putting them in a variety of organizational
contexts, institutional, social, political or economic. What is interesting is to investigate how
the approach and methodology of history can be used in studies of the history of public
relations and how collaboration between historians and scholars of public relations can be
developed to improve and advance the interdisciplinary area of study. This exploratory study
fits into this stream of research on the history of public relations in Eastern Europe that aims
to investigate how public relations longitudinally developed as a practice in the book
publishing sector, in Romania. Assuming a critical perspective, this analysis allows the
discussion of the extent to which public relations plays or could play a social role provides
kontribus for people who are undergoing the process of reconstruction, and the level of
institutional identity, social after the fall komunism.
 SHIFTING PARADIGMS IN PUBLIC RELATIONS:
FROM EXCELLENCE TO CRITICAL THEORY

While discussing the development and the role of public relations in the book
publishing industry Romania after 1990, this paper aims to reflect the emergence of a critical
paradigm in the study of public relations, complementing one dominant functional. Scholars
who consider it important approach to privilege the context of public relations, rather than the
practice itself: "systems theory as proposed by Grunig and his colleagues did not complete
because they ignore the context of public relations in terms of its origins in, and impact on,
the power relations in society. Generally, critical theory argues that PR practitioners
perpetuate the ability of both companies and the government to maintain a privileged position
in society, usually by dominating the news agenda and does not include the voices of the
minority of the public debate. "(Edwards, 2006) Therefore, a critical approach to public
relations not only change the focus from the point of view of the organization to the public at
large, but also introduce other elements of analysis, such as the various actors in the
communication process and the status of their various jurisdictions. Relationship to be
established, negotiations and agreements for shared meaning is no longer the only process
between an organization and its publics: it is a process that occurs in the wider society in
which various actors (organizations, government, media, NGOs, experts, etc.) with a different
agenda active, take positions, negotiate and utilize their resources electrical variables. It is in
this broad context that the critical research questions in public relations changed from "how
public relations can help organizations become more efficient" for the reflexive questions
relating to "what is the role of public relations in the community".
critical approach represents a clear paradigm shift: from understanding and analyzing
public relations in terms of management theory is sometimes taken-for-granted in the study
of public relations with excellent theory / Symmetry become "dominant paradigm" (Botan
and Taylor, 2004) to understand public relations as a social force or social activities in the
community. Thus, public relations research has expand both in terms of methodology and
approach, as illustrated by a deep inventory conducted by L'Etang (2005): "has been a change
in the main discursive fields (Mickey, 2003; Surma, 2005; Weaver, motion, & Roper, 2005);
re-orientation away from the US towards other cultures and history (L'Etang, 2004;
Sriramesh and Verčič, 2003; Tilson & Alozie, 2004); and the incorporation of media
sociology (Moloney, 2000) "(p. 522). There is also the tendency of European body that is
consistent from research in public relations that challenge the US approach to public relations
focused on the management theory: "Contrary to the approach to public relations most,
oriented view socially oriented management problem, but rather toward relationships that
public relations has with the community in which it was produced and by the social system it
co-produces. However, we found a sociological approach to public relations can also give
meaning to the practice in mesolevel microlevel organizations and individual practitioners
"(Ihlen & van Ruler, 2009, p. 3). In addition, there is also a debate about the specificity of
public relations in Central and Eastern Europe, after the fall of the Berlin Wall: This has to be
considered a good transition (Lawniczak, 2001), transformational (Grunig, Grunig & Verčič,
2004), or a continuum. (Bentele & Wehmeier, 2003; Bentele, 2010) In a critical turn in public
relations, scholars have seen also how sociology and great works of sociologists can be used
in studying the history of public relations: Jacquie L'Etang (1995, 1996a, 2010) and Gunter
Bentele (1997, 2010, 2013) has been the most prolific European scholars started diseperti
sociological research based on the history of public relations. L'Etang has primarily focused
on the issues, methods and politics in writing of the public history of the relationship (2008a)
and the proposed approach of historical sociology (2004, 2014) that he used to analyze the
history of professional practice and public relations as a field of study in the UK. In turn,
Bentele (2010) has analyzed the history of the practice of public relations' in German and
different periods were identified to develop a public relations theory (model-integrative
functional strata).
Conceptualization of public relations as a social activity, this research refers to the
social constructivism, particularly on the seminal work of Berger & Luckmann (1966/2008).
They consider the reality of human social construction and contribute to the social
development of the world, negotiation of meaning, interpretation and definition.
Constructivism is fundamental to the concept of meaning and interpretation that is being
created, built and reconstructed in the process of communication, which leads to social
structures, organizations, and institutions. This institutionalization process emerged from a
very habitualization practice: "institutionalization occurs whenever there is a reciprocal
typification habitual action of various types of actors. In other words, every provision of the
type of an institution. What must be emphasized is the reciprocal of the institutional and
typical typifying not only the act but also the actors in institutions "(p. 81). Therefore, social
events repeat and tend to follow a certain pattern lead to the emergence and further
development of the practices associated with these activities and, through typification,
reciprocity and habitualization, they follow a gradual process of institutionalization. And this
was also due to the symbolic meaning, what requires practices, social (re) constructed and
owned by people who do.
If PR is considered a social activity, the concept of institutionalization is useful in
understanding how the practice of public relations has been articulated, have developed over
time and has led to the emergence of specific structures and institutions. Institutionalization
can be traced through the gradual emergence of the profession, the professional body of
practitioners, education and curriculum to shape the future of professional bodies and, of
course, the institution. At the same time, because public relations is itself a dynamic process
in which social actors interact and establish new definitions, meanings and interpretations,
this ultimately resulted in new structures and institutions which, in turn, carries the
significance of new and (re) interpretation of public relations ,
As a result, the historicity is a key concept in social constructivism, because once the
body has been formed, they "imply historicity and control. typifications reciprocal action
built in the course of history together. They can not be made instantaneously. Institutions
always have a history, of which they are the product. It is impossible to understand an
institution adequately without an understanding of the historical process in which it is
produced. "(Berger & Luckmann, 1966, p. 82) Historicity in public relations requires on the
one hand the methodology longitudinally to allow the investigation of the development of
practices over a period of greater time and on the other hand connects this exploration effort
by ,, social political economic context of the time period envisaged by the study. By
contextualizing and embedding the practice in the history of their times it is possible to obtain
data that may explain why public relations is understood and practiced in a certain way and,
finally, to reveal the existing conceptualization exact role that the understanding and practice
shape.
In the public relations scholarship, Günter Bentele and Manfred Ruhl (1993) was the
first to discuss the implementation of a social constructivist theory. Build this perspective,
Bentele (2008) proposed a theoretical approach to the reconstruction as a public relations:
"the reconstruction process underway in the process of public communication that arise
through public relations and advertising and journalistic activities. In the process of
communicative description of reality, the reality of social and communicative nature
reconstructed. In the process, the principles perspectiveness, selectivity and constructive ones
that are most relevant. Reconstruction approach combining social information and
communication relations. "(P. 19). Although functional stratification-integrative approach
Bentele limits explanation focuses on linear and function (see, eg L'Etang, 2014, pp. 657-
658), a discussion of the nature of the communication reconstructive very useful in the study.
I highlighted the negotiations very symbolic between social actors are different in the
manufacturing public relations as a social activity: perspectiveness, selectivity and
constructive was a stage in a dynamic process of negotiations through the interaction between
the different perspectives of various social actors selected in accordance of reality and
propose interpretations built it ,
Building on the social constructivism and (re) constructive approach, the major
exploratory research questions that the structure of this longitudinal study is: how public
relations is not developed in the book publishing industry Romania after 1990? Specific
questions are as follows:
(RQ1) What is the evolution in the book publishing industry in the Romanian society
and facilitated the emergence and institutionalization of the practice of public relations after
1990?
RQ2) What role public relations has never played in the Romanian book publishing
industry for 25 years?
(RQ3) How is the public relations it is currently understood and practiced in Romania
the book publishing industry?
 METHODOLOGY

To answer the research questions, this study uses historical sociological approach
defined by L'Etang (2004) as "work that uses historical data to support the sociological
interpretation and analysis" (p. 233). In his view, "Sociology of History uses historical data to
support the interpretation of the sociological and analysis, for example, see public relations as
part of a social process, structuration, discursive practices associated with the development of
history and change these processes in a way that is contextual, interrogative and disturbing .
"(L'Etang, 2014, p. 656) Moreover, L'Etang (2014) argues that the history of PR to draw
using historical sociology implies investigation" nuanced dialectic of history that reflects the
dynamics of the past are no longer there, the history of thought and thought, imagination,
time of writing, contemporary assumptions and anticipation of the future ". (P. 659)
Combining social constructivist and approach historical sociology is possible to track
not only the institutionalization of gradual practice of public relations in the book publishing
industry, but also to show how different contexts affect the change process: combining the
socio-cultural and political transformation takes place at the community level to the a study
on the reconstruction of the history of PR to enable analysis that goes beyond causality and
make connections between different events and reveal the dynamics and structure of
processual. This in turn contributed to a shift from a descriptive analysis for reflexive kind of
analysis is focused on the re-evaluation of public relations in the community. As a result, this
study examines (1) the practice of public relations, habitualization and typification those who
have caused certain institutionalization in the book publishing industry; and (2) incorporate
these developments in the context of different socio-political in Romanian history to reflect
on the social role of public relations. Historical sociological approach used by L'Etang (2004)
to track the professionalization of public relations in the UK, drawing on the sociology of
professions, adjusted in accordance with the realities of Romania: public relations is
generally considered to have appeared in Romania as the practice after 1990 and the fall of
the communist regime. (Rogojinaru, 2009) There are, of course, the practice of
communication in Romania well before 1990, but they serve to the spread of the Romanian
Communist Party and regime propaganda. In contrast, this study aims to reflect and explore
the development and the role of public relations' in Romania a democratic society, in the
industry is closely related to the very process of (re) creation / birth of a democratic society
after 1990.
Operationalization of the approach of historical sociology, this exploratory study is
built on a corpus mixture including: (a) in-depth interviews with representatives from
publishing houses, journalists and experts in publishing books, (b) online material on the
evolution of the book publishing industry, and (c) the data from social documents
(barometres).
corpus mixture is brought valuable data were analyzed using the following
dimensions of research: the actors (especially publishing houses, but also journalists and
experts in the publishing industry), practices of public relations and communication products
(eg campaigns) and structures (public relations department in publishing). This analysis aims
to identify the significance due to the different actors for certain practices and the appearance
of the structure. This correlates with historical data on the development of the publishing
sector and is considered in the periodization of history - three phases identified by Rogojinaru
(2009) in the development of public relations, in general, in Romania: (1) the stage of the
early pioneers of the 1990s (1991-1995) is based in practice a mixture of media, publicity and
promotional activities; (2) the exploration phase in the second half of the 1990s (1995-2000 /
2001) introduction to the study of public relations and while in practice; (3) the phase of 2001
and continuing consolidation (p. 553).
Interviews were conducted in May-June 2016, with: representatives of publishers
Romania (Alexandra Florescu, PR and Brand Manager Nemira; Miruna Meirosu, PR
Manager of Curtea Veche Publishing; Raluca Tirnauceanu, Marketing Coordinator Litera),
special reporter on cultural topics (Marius Chivu, author and cultural journalist in the cultural
magazine Dilema Veche, Marius Constantinescu, Senior cultural journalist at Romanian
television, Doinel Tronaru, cultural journalist at the newspaper Adevarul) and experts in the
field of book publishing (Founder and Managing Director of Headsome Communications, Dr.
Bogdan Hrib, Publisher at Tritonic Books). Interview questions related to: how the book is
now being promoted (including practices that are the most frequent and efficient); how a
book that used to be promoted in the early 1990s, in 1995 and in 2000 - if there is a change in
practice, what the current or context affects them and how; Naming function / responsible in
charge of promoting the book in publishing, when such function / role created in the
publishing house and the context that triggered the decision; The main current responsibilities
of the department of public relations / practitioners; why publishing start assuming social
roles by promoting the actions and even the campaign to increase the reading level in
Romania; The main issues in the book publishing industry - and the relative, the problem
back in the 1990s and in early 2000; the future role of public relations practitioners in the
book publishing houses.
The initial goal of this study was to trace the gradual institutionalization of public
relations in Romanian book publishing industry and to explore further the professionalization
of the practice for 25 years. Therefore, requests for interviews have been sent to 10
publishing houses in the Romanian market for the general manager and is responsible for
promoting the book (be it public relations, marketing and / or branding). The fact that all 10
have such practitioners or even a department responsible for promoting the book shows there
institutionalization of the practice of public relations in 2016. However, this is quite often
mixed with marketing responsibilities, indicating their degree. Unfortunately, only three
publishing houses accepted to answer interview questions, therefore studies need to be
recalibrated. Because it was impossible to keep track of the exact stage of the process of
institutionalization, specificity practices and their evolution over time, the motivation behind
the institutionalization that can express a certain understanding, this study focuses back on
the practice of public relations and contextualization of these practices. In other words,
instead of privileging the perspective of the publishing house, the study looks at how the
different actors (publishing, experts, journalists) interpret these practices and integrate them
in different contexts over the last 25 years: the development of the country's history, the
specificity of the book publishing industry Romania and the evolution of public relations as a
profession after 1990.
To complete the 8 interview, the corpus collected 50 online materials to support the
recovery of this documentary different context in the period 1990-2015. Although the two
industries (publishing houses and public relations) have professional associations, there is a
lack of study, research and archives which will enable an assessment of their development
and professionalization. As a result, the media become important documentary source for
constant interest in covering news in the two industries and in conducting their own research
and interviews in an attempt to present the evolution of the market. google.ro corpus selected
through a search engine using key phrases such as "the book publishing industry," "the book
publishing industry in 1990", "book promotion", respectively "PR industry". From the results
back, there are articles that have been selected in the first two pages of search with the
following criteria: media culture (Revista 22, Dilema Veche, Dilemateca), the general media
(Cotidianul, HotNEWS, Voxpublica), media economics (Forbes, Capital, Ziarul Fianciar ,
Wall-street.ro), press agencies (Mediafax) and special Portal news, articles and analysis in
public relations and communications (website IAA Romania). Media diversity is an
important criterion for the reconstruction of history from a variety of sources, specialties and
perspectives.
In addition, data from national and international studies and barometer included to
provide contextual data on cultural consumption and consumption of books in Romania:
culture and access to a Eurobarometer survey in 2013 the participation of the European
Commission, the Cultural Consumption Barometer in Romania in 2005 and 2014 editions.
Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) study in 2012 of the Organization for
Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) also consult and data about the capacity of
15-year student readings are also used to bring forward other elements that could facilitate the
understanding of the context of post-communist Romania.
Summing up, this article explores the development of public relations in the book
publishing industry Romania by basing the analysis of interviews and documentary sources in
the context of the history of the evolution of the Romanian society after the Communists. It
seeks to offer an explanation of how public relations has been practiced and understood by
social actors are different and reflect how eventually serve, in the future, not only the purpose
of publishing houses, but also that the Romanian society in general.
 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS

1. THE ROMANIAN BOOK PUBLISHING INDUSTRY - A POST-COMMUNIST

CONSTRUCT

Romanian book publishing industry today is a rather young one: almost all publishing
houses have been established after 1990. There is a publishing house before communism, but
they were nationalized in 1948 when the communist country "over all companies that employ
more than 100 people, and by 1950 the share of industrial sector in the country reached more
than 92% ". (Berend, 1996, hal.73) Not only publishing house, but also printing houses and
book stores personally, have been affected: some were closed, while others became state-
owned enterprises. It was a time when it also newspapers and cultural journals banned in an
attempt to marginalize intellectuals high profile pre-communist who could criticize the
system: they were expelled from the university and some of them even imprisoned; Other
people were also subjected to "recycle" if they agreed to promote the ideals of a social state
and a member of the party. In addition, in 1949, the state created his own publishing and
institutional structures (Directorate General Publishing House, Printing House and Book
Distribution) to supervise, monitor and control what is published: the aim is "to encourage the
mass printing of Marxist-Leninist classics, realist literature socialist, various works of
propaganda (political, cultural, scientific atheist) and school books ". (Vasile, 2011, p. 131)
Although there has been no line that emerged from the study of communism in
Romania (eg Giurescu et al, 2010 ;. Tismaneanu, 2011), including on aspects related to
culture (Vasile, 2011, 2013), the data is still somewhat rare and difficult to find deals with the
right dimensions or the evolution of the book publishing industry during Communism. Some
of the figures mentioned in the online version of the entire book about Romania issued by the
Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress as part of the Country Studies / Area
Handbook Series sponsored by the US Department of the Army between 1986 and 1998:
"From 1955-1966 the number of titles gradually increased, reaching a plateau of
about 9,000. In the next decade, however, the book publishing declined
dramatically, and in 1985 only 3,063 titles published - about a third as many as
during the 1960s. Not only the number, but also a variety of books published
during the 1970s and 1980s reduced. By far the largest number of titles credited
to a single author caused Ceausescu, whose writings are published in Romanian
and foreign languages in large print. [...] Total issuance declined from about 25
in the early 1970s to 18 in the late 1980s ". (Bachman, 1989, Mass Media
chapter)

Moreover, Ion Bogdan Lefter (2009) recalls that, during the dictatorship, as a closed
society where the newspapers are controlled, TV programs two hours and the option to go out
almost inexistent, reading becomes a way of entertainment, but only for the minority of
Romania - society intellectual:
 "Just at the beginning of communism, when the book is printed to fill the new
rural library, there are hundreds of thousands of copies, but then literature is not
literature, but in many cases pure propaganda. It has been stable during 1960-
1970, when there are several tens of thousands of copies for prose and several
thousand for a poem, then approximately 1,000-1,500 copies during 1980, and to
decline towards 500 copies by the end of the age. "(Lefter 2009, para. 4 and 5)

In this context, soon after the Revolution in December 1989, there was an explosion
of consumption of books, largely facilitated by the general confusion and lack of regulation
that followed, included in the book publishing industry. As a result, "in 1991 more than
10,000 registered publishing house: published books (and the media) is, in the years of the
first post-communist, a good business". (. Vasilescu 2006, paragraph 2) Given that period,
Publisher Tritonic Books explain how it's possible:
"The year 1990 is the year when it's easy to fill a hole in the bookcase Romania.
The book circulated without traslated, they even copied using a xerox machine
and the title is the only hearing about the sale in a number of copies are
unthinkable today. [...] editing books seem an apartment with guaranteed
business success. "(Dr. Bogdan Hrib, personal communication, June 26, 2016).

Therefore, "in 1990, a book can be published even in the 50,000 to 150,000 the
number of copies is a request pending for decades because of censorship and all the editors
who published what it used to be censored to 1990", as explained Gabriel Liiceanu, director
of Humanitas Publishing House and president of the Association of Editors Romania in 2005.
(Corlatan 2005, para. 4) types of books ranging from mystery novels, science fiction,
romance novels, erotic novels, adventure novels and documents, memoirs and journals.
However, the icon for the period deemed successful erotic literature symbolized by the
"phenomenon Sandra Brown": "one does not know exactly how many books by Sandra
Brown has been published in Romania - some people say that there are more books"
translated "from him really writes: the author has rapidly menempatkanbersama writings à la
Maniere de and published with names that are well known ". (Vasilescu, 2006, para. 3)
This account of the early 1990s showed on the one hand the bad legacy of the book
publishing industry, which is basically emerged after the Revolution, and the other side of the
"hunger" particular at the community level to everything that has been previously banned.
Thus, they portray a society heavily influenced by the culture of censorship during the
communist regime in which being able to find and buy any book is a symbol of the new
freedom. This consumption behavior and in particular social contexts quickly manipulated by
people who see a business opportunity to make money take advantage of the increasing
demand. This in turn affects the slow development of the industry further. Towards the end of
the 1990s, a very different situation as the number of copies has been reduced, due to several
factors: "the cost of production increased by 40% in 1998, hyperinflation drop in purchasing
power, the supply becomes larger than demand; Therefore, in 1999 the book production fell
80% compared with the start of the decade. The number of copies reached 2.100 media.
"(Vasilescu, 2006, para. 6)
 After 2000, there were more than 4,000 publishers registered in the data base of the
National Library of Romania. In 2004, "only 200-300 actual issuance active in the market
and among them only 100 have significant activities: there are more than 10,000 titles per
year and the number of media copy is 2400", according to Doina Marian, executive president
of the Romanian Editors Association ( Corlatan, 2005).
At that time, the negative evolution of the market between 1990 and 2006 is
considered normal after the chaos of the years that are not regulated early 1990s. However, as
the industry developed, some of the actors in the book publishing (editor, writer and
journalist) shows a lack of national infrastructure and government policies in the field as a
main structural factors that contribute to this decline:
"Bookstore in small towns or in big cities districts have disappeared; in the
villages there is no network to distribute the books, which means 40% of the
population does not have direct access to the book. Some figures from the
National Statistics Institute: in 1990, there were 16 665 libraries in the country,
in 2004 only 12 574; school library also decreased (10 029 in 1990, 9204 in
2003), as well as the public library (4458 in 1990, 2.906 in 2003). [...] countries
do not offer much: there is a long-term cultural policy, without a space of
"socializing" as bookstores and libraries, or legislation to stimulate consumption
-. which, in our case, the book acquisition "(. Vasilescu 2006, 10).

In 2016, nearly 10 years later after the status described above, the evolution of the
industry seems to have continued a negative trend. Putting the data together statistics from a
recent study available, journalists cultural and writer Marius Chivu feature of the book
publishing industry today as follows: "The overall turnover of about 60 million EUR (for
comparison, in Hungary was 123 million EUR, while in Poland is 772,000 .000 EUR), with
approximately 130 active publishers and 260 bookstores (although a larger number of cities
and 45% of the population lives in villages also without a library), and a number of media
about 1,000 copies per title. "(Chivu, 2016).
In this context, the national book fair (Gaudeamus was founded in 1994 and Bookfest
established in 2005) has grown and became an industrial center, as a place where readers can
come, meet their authors and buy books discounts. It is another particularity of the Romanian
book sector as in other countries the book fair is a place where editors and writers meet to
discuss potential collaboration. In turn, in Romania, due to the gradual closure of bookstores,
the book fair is the main point of contact between the reader and publishing. In the end, the
book fair for the first opportunity to buy a lot of books discount and then print high sales (an
important percentage of the annual turnover of the publishing house acquired during the
exhibition).
Given these developments and figures, Romania ranked last in the EU with the lowest
possible consumption of books: a Romanian media spend from 5 EUR per year on books and
on average there is one book book consumption per capita per year (Barbu 2015). The
Eurobarometer latest on access culture and participation (2013) showed that nearly half of the
population of Romania have not read even one book a year and frequently Romania pleads
lack of access to cultural infrastructure in general (cinema halls, libraries, bookstores, etc.) As
an excuse for lack of participation in cultural life. To supplement this data, the most recent
program for International Student Assessment (2012) of the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD) showed nearly 40% of high school students Romania
have difficulty in reading and understanding the text for the first time, that the paradox can be
interpreted as either root the causes and consequences of the cultural situation and
consumption of books in Romania.
However, it is very difficult to have an accurate evaluation of the book publishing
industry and consumer behavior because there is almost no research. Romanian Editors
Association pointed to the little transparency in the industry as the main reason for this
situation, because most publishers do not want to publish their data on the number of copies
they sell. (Tiron, 2012). Therefore, the media has come to play an important role in the book
publishing industry, through constant efforts of several journalists who have followed the
evolution overtime and have made their own research and report on the market. One of the
latest series of interviews and analysis of the state of the industry is the one that carried out in
March 2016 by Petre Barbu of Forbes magazine has interviewed the chief executive 10
publishers. Summing up the development of this industry and its status, the editor of the most
representative in Romania points to the key issues of the following: lack of access to books
for a large percent of the population, the involvement of the few countries in elaborating
long-term policy for culture and the book sector and the status of critical education in
Romania (Barbu, 2016b; Chivu 2016). The latter is actually an argument that is often used in
publishing discourse to legitimize their campaign to improve literacy and reading among
children.

2. THE GENERAL CONTEXT OF PUBLIC RELATIONS’ DEVELOPMENT IN ROMANIA

Public relations is officially recognized as a profession in Romania in 1997 when the

title of community relations specialists are included in the national classification of jobs. But
as the practice, public relations deemed to have appeared soon after 1990, despite the
publicity and political propaganda preceded it (Rogojinaru, 2009). Similar to other countries
in the former Communist bloc, in public relations Romania has certainly undergone a process
of development and institutionalization ever since. For example, the study of the history of
the Romanian government public relations (Dolea, 2012) showed that the institutionalization
process began soon after 1990, but the ongoing professionalization because there is a
predominance of technical roles and models are somewhat asymmetric public information.
In 25 years, the various actors to contribute continuously to the way public relations is
defined, practiced and understood in the Romanian society. The first academic course in
public relations was introduced in the capital Bucharest in 1991 at the postgraduate level by
the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration, followed by the
University of Bucharest has to offer degree in public relations in 1992. Gradually, education
in public relations has spread all over the country and now every university in major cities
and regions (such as in Moldavia Iaşi, Cluj in Transylvania, in the Banat Timişoara,
Constanţa in Dobrogea) offers a degree in communications and public relations. doctoral
program in communication science has been approved in the education system introduced in
2008.
In Romania, there is currently no national review of public relations, but there are a
few journals and reviews of various faculties of communication, journalism and / or public
relations. publishing has begun to translate the handbook of primary and manuals of public
relations, such as that of Wilcox and Cutlip, after 2005, and even to create a series of books
dedicated to communications and public relations, as Polirom (PR series), Curtea Veche
Publishing (International public Relations series), Tritonic (series Media) encourages the
Romanian authors to publish their research and work. However, research on the relationship
rather rare Romanian society.
The main role in professional development played by the Romanian practitioners who
founded the first Romanian public relations agencies, such as Perfect Co. Ltd., in 1992,
followed by DC Communication, BDR Associates and Image PR, third in 1995 and PRAIS
Corporate Communications in 1996. The institute foreign and global communications
company that also began to discover the potential of the Romanian market emerged and
opened local branches (such as Saatchi and Saatchi PR, Ogilvy PR, Graffiti PR, McCann PR)
or expanded their network through its affiliation with local agencies PR Romania: Hill &
Knowlton Ketchum, Golin. This process accelerated after 2000 and the public relations
market continues to grow: in 2004 16 first PR agencies have accumulated a turnover of
around 10 million euros (Chilom & Barbu, 2005); in 2011, the PR industry as a whole is
estimated at around 20-25 million euros (Negraru, 2012); in 2015, 30 the first PR agencies
have a turnover of more than 32 million euros, an increase of 7.1% compared with the
previous year and a net profit of 2.18 million euros, according to data from the Romanian
Ministry of Public Finance (Barbu, 2016a). Thus, viewed from a historical perspective, the
PR industry tripled in the last decade and become more competitive with some of the top
players. However, no data on how many public relations practitioners in Romania.
Back to the 1990s, the establishment of professional associations followed naturally
after the establishment of the first public relations agency, in a joint effort practitioner of
institutions, companies or public institutions, as well as scholars to gain social recognition for
new practices and fields of study. Romanian Association of Public Relations (ARRP) was
created in 1995 and defined its mission as contributing to the development and consolidation
of public relations in Romania. The main attainment is official recognition of the profession
of public relations specialists and included in the national classification of jobs in Romania in
1997 (Bortun, 2005). ARRP is a founding member of the Global Alliance for Public
Relations, follow the Code of Athens and has its own code of conduct which was created in
2008. From 2012, ARRP start the process of modernization and change of status, creating a
new visual identity, renewed activity and focus to incorporate standardization and
certification (Romanian PR Association, 2012). Another professional association is the Club
of Public Relations Companies (CCRP) was founded in 2003 by agencies and companies
activating in public relations. While ARRP gathered practitioners (so that each member),
CCRP gathering organization with the aim assumed to define and promote the activities and
interests of the public relations industry, as well as contributing actively to the development
of a professional environment that is ethical, sound and competent and also in line with
international practice domain ( "PR company founded the club", 2003). CCRP's main
achievement is the first of two studies on the status and use of public relations in the private
sector the most important 200 investors and advertisers in Romania: the first in 2006-2007
( "The budget allocated by the Romanian company for public relations services", 2007) and
the the second in 2010 in the image and the use of public relations (Muraru, 2010). Given the
lack of empirical research and the study of public relations in Romania, the two studies
provide valuable data on how it is practiced and understood in several companies in that
period. This brief overview of the development of public relations as a profession in Romania
useful for this study because it provides contextual data associated with the degree of
institutionalization and professionalization. They add to the general data of the book
publishing industry from the previous section, provides valuable context for the discussion
and analysis of the practice of public relations and roles within a particular industry.

3. PUBLIC RELATIONS IN ROMANIAN BOOK PUBLISHING INDUSTRY AFTER 1990

The book publishing industry adopt practices of public relations, especially after
2000, rather late compared with the general evolution of public relations in Romania
(appearing in the early 1990s). Explanation of this final adoption is a post-communist and
specificity of the industry: "In the 1990s, 'kelaparan'untuk read the book so big that serves the
promotion of people to people and the important role played by generalist publications,
magazine monthly and even culture "(Dr. Bogdan Hrib, Publisher Tritonic Books, personal
communication, June 26, 2016). Thus, journalists are people searching for information about
new books and are keen to write about them in the context of huge demand there, while the
focus of publishing it only to ensure that the physical books on the market. In addition, when
the publishing houses began to promote their books, a new marketing strategy so it appears to
have won:
"In this context (of the 1990s), there is no need for complex marketing strategies.
For titles to be sold in the tens of thousands of copies of it enough to follow
some basic steps such as: translation, editing, printing and ensure a wider
distribution possible. After 1995, there was a promotional campaign :. Exposure
preferential bookstore, cultural reviews in publications, interviews with writers
on television or radio, organized a book launch and book signing session
"(Raluca Tirnauceanu, Marketing Coordinator at Litera, personal
communication, July 6, 2016).

These statements are public perceptions early postcommunist want to read, as a

symbol of newly acquired freedom, while the media is placed in a very strong position: they
facilitate the process for the communication and create new forms of early success in the
publishing market. In fact, one of the oldest and most widely practices used in the promotion
of books in Romania is the direct distribution of copies to journalists for review. This marks a
key role in the process of sanctifying jounalists book, even if the time and especially after the
economic crisis and the rise of social media there have been fewer and fewer journalists in
the print media culture. Some have turned to blogs and social media and continue reviewing
the book, but their role has been repeated too: their audience is no longer common, most
people are familiar with their signature and who have followed them in online, a new space in
which journalists have created the scope of their own culture.
It was only after 2000, as the market becomes increasingly competitive, that the
practice of public relations is gradually institutionalized and graduates employed in public
relations:
"In our company, the position of PR specialists was created around 2007, when
there is an urgent need for a professional. (...) In 2007, it [PR] is still something
of an avant garde. There is no knowledge of what a specialist in public relations
is, what is the responsibility, how he / she really can support the development of
the company. "(Miruna Meirosu, PR Manager of Curtea Veche Publishing,
personal communication, July 5th, 2016).

The creation of the role of public relations is thus associated with the publishing
house needs to develop the business as a whole: at the time, throughout the industry, the
number of copies of a book is very small compared to the hundreds of thousands of copies
sold in the early 1990s. Therefore, the institutionalization of public relations rather arises
from the desire to find a solution to the growth in the book publishing industry as a whole,
rather than from an understanding of the key role or potential within an organization.
Analyzing the evolution of the whole industry, Publishers Books Tritonic put into the
broader context of the establishment of structures dedicated to public relations in publishing:
"After 2000, the promotional techniques in the book publishing industry began to
imitate Western models. [...] simultaneous launches across the world, including
Romania, a book which was released along with the film (even the cover of this
book are taken from the movie's trailer), and Advanced Reading Copy first
appeared. We could talk about the gradual professionalization of promotional
activities and departments with 2-3 people perIn 2000, while between 2006 and
2008 a large number of copies and titles allow budgeting PR. (...) The
emergence of communication specialists, graduates in this field, enabling the use
of special techniques to the field. "(Dr. Bogdan Hrib, personal communication,
June 26, 2016).

Thus, the book promotion practices are presented as follows imitation of Western
models or recipes that precede the actual institutionalization of public relations. In fact, this
role has been started in the United States. Therefore, it may be a willingness to import format
that successfully promote the book in the West who really create a context favorable to
prepare the role of public relations in the Romanian publishing company. Consequently, since
this import "form without substance" and despite this institutional progress, there is a
predominance functions associated with the technical role of public relations in publishing
during the 2000s:
"In early 2000, doing homework means ensuring good media coverage, editing
press releases, preparation of speeches, pregnant and editing brochures. Now,
activity is much more complex specialist. Organizing events (book launch / press
release), editing annual reports, may conflict mediation, management counseling
 "(Raluca Tirnauceanu, Marketing Coordinator at Litera, personal communication,
July 6th, 2016).

It was the growing number of educational programs in public relations in Romania

and the common development as a new profession that has slowly led to the reconfiguration
of the role in the issuance of a single technical to more managerial. Reflecting on what has
changed in practice the promotion of the book after the formation of public relations
department of the publication, several reporters said: "more direct contact (...) the
abandonment of classical history, criticism, commentary (for lack of readers, but also of
special cultural journalist can write them ) "(Doinel Tronaru, cultural journalist in the
newspaper Adevarul, personal communication, June 24, 2016); "Plus thoroughness,
professionalism, correct targeting and effective communities, as communication specialists
have an important role in promoting the book, on the outside, moral, spiritual values
aesthetics, is a product that needs to be sold and a publisher is, after all, a business" (Marius
Constantinescu, Senior cultural journalist at Romanian television, personal communication,
June 13, 2016). Another reporter indicates that creating the institutional structure is not
sufficient for the professionalization of the book publishing industry if these efforts are not
sustainable:
"Executive Director [responsible for the promotion of books at a publishing
house] is not allocated a budget for marketing and public relations, departments,
consequently, poorly paid employees. Except for two or three large publishers,
public relations specialist left after a few months. There is no professional public
relations practitioners, only amateurs and juniors .... publishing houses do not
invest in editing to have a good editor, not to mention the PR .... "(Marius Chivu,
author and cultural journalist in Dilema Veche, communication personal, June
29, 2016).

From the perspective of journalist culture that has followed the evolution of the post-
communist book publishing industry from time to time, the professionalization of public
relations is directly linked with the management vision publishing houses and understanding
certain institutional mission: the allocation of resource-poor for the entire organization, not
just the communications department, because this limited managerial vision that seems to
prevail. Therefore, the reporter showed that one of the problems in the industry is the quality
of the process of editing the book, not necessarily a lack of specialists.
Top publishing houses have still continued to diversify and improve their
communication practices, especially after the recovery from the 2008 global economic crisis
affecting also Romanian and small industries. That was the period of the most rapid
transformation since the advent of technology and internet publishing in Romania and started
a blog and open social media accounts, while a website customized and enhanced to include
online store. Some publishing houses develop a strategic campaign of integrated
communications include interviews, media campaigns, launching and public lectures and
readings, meetings with writers in public spaces (for instance in the Romanian Atheneum)
outside the exhibition a book or a traditional bookstore: Polirom and Curtea Veche, even
awarded for their communication campaigns in the national competition Romanian PR
Award. (Dolea 2008) The practice became so complex that an integrated campaign is
correlated with the drama theater, exhibitions, the introduction of a course on human rights in
the curriculum for high school students, because it is, for example, the case for the translation
of Romania of the book "Speaking truth to power" by Kerry Kennedy (for Master & Dolea,
2009). However, this is a worldwide program of advocacy for human rights and the concept
of promotion has been made and tested in other countries before it is implemented also in
Romania. Therefore, it is rather an exception and does not reflect the maturity of the industry
as a whole:
"Today, less than a quarter (15%) of the active issuance has hired a communications
specialist (...) Therefore, [the] community with some people who rarely talked
about, which has a common identity between the two worlds are related, the one
culture and one of the communication consultant, without the feeling of really
belonging to one of them. (...) communication specialist may end up completing the
actual tasks of the editor of the book or of specialist sales and so on ... "(Founder
and Managing Director Headsome communication, personal communication, June
28, 2016).

Thus, experts in the book publishing industry also highlights an important aspect of
the professional identity of public relations specialists in this industry: they have to negotiate
and establish their identity in their organizations. In other words, they are placed in a position
of advocacy and communication legitimize their role in relation to editing books and sales,
which is a different role. This links back to the point expressed by the reporter linked to a
particular organization's vision is limited in the issuance of Romania that really defines this
role by the narrow way that ends up enacting the "limits" in running the public relations
profession.
In 2012, the first public relations agency dedicated entirely to the book sector
(Headsome Communications) was established by the former Director of Public Relations
Polirom Publishing House. The agency kept up to date to contribute to the professionalization
of public relations in the book sector, initiating events specific to an annual: "Approved for
printing. Gala sector Romanian Book "and" The Bucharest International Literature Festival ".
The need for professionalization of continuous inside and outside of the publishing
house is also illustrated by the fact that, in 2016, the publisher using various public relations
tools, techniques and instruments, but mix it with marketing and sales, in order to promote
their books:
"We try to involve as many opinion leaders as possible, we use a testimonial, we
partnered with actor [...] which can, in turn, support the communication to the
community they have access to. We use radio ads through a partnership with the
largest station in the country [...] banner on the most relevant blogs and sites, which
will be seen and thus generate sales. Promotions and preferential exposure in
bookstores tactics that we use along with direct mail. "(Miruna Meirosu, PR
Manager of Curtea Veche Publishing, personal communication, July 5th, 2016).
 There is also a trend of social media, and especially Facebook and some even hire an
expert online publication:
"The Ministry of communication and promotion, including Marketing Coordinator
(who worked with sales to commercial campaigns, for strategic partnerships with
suppliers, to participate in book fairs and other events), Public Relations and Brand
Manager (which handles media and online communication, organization of events,
branding and promotion of books / collections) and Managers online (who took care
of our online presence and communication with the public through our community
on Facebook, blogs and online partners, etc.). "(Alexandra Florescu, PR and Brand
Manager Nemira, personal communication, June 27 2016).

This description structure of the learning and practice of promotions in place in 2016
shows how much the audience, the media and the Romanian society, in general, has changed,
compared with the early 1990s: from the model of the communication and the key role of
media, the promotion of the book has been into the communication process that is managed
strategically targeting different segments of people, using a variety of channels and practices.
The reconfigurations in the media, the rapid development of the internet and social media
and, especially, their users, has finally pressed specialist public relations to promote not only
the limits set by the vision of managerial in their organizations, but also of their own:
profession of public relations rapid change in an interconnected world is, therefore,
practitioners need to constantly reposition and redefine their role in relation to global trends,
technological developments and their impact on people.
From their perspective, the journalists highlighted the importance of: (1) a direct
meeting between the author and the public - "I believe in public lectures, in some launch
(book fairs, festivals, events ...) ... it is Art" (Marius Constantinescu, Senior cultural journalist
at Romanian television, personal communication, June 13, 2016); (2) "banner for anyone who
is able, contests on radio and TV according to the type of books. So far, the most efficient is
mentioned in the blog online influencers "(Doinel Tronaru, Adevarul newspaper reporter in
the culture, personal communication, June 24, 2016).
On the other hand, experts in the field point to issues that really restrict the practice of
public relations:
"Given the lack of budget and lack of professionalization of those who practice this
work, practice the most efficient still, in fact, people who are useful: press releases,
arranging interviews with the author, the event (when the author is available) and, of
course, some social media "artifices". (...) Unfortunately, publishers are not included
in their organizational chart online specialist (...) therefore, there are all sorts of
campaigns that emerge and be signed by people outside the field -. Some succeeded,
some others are totally inadequate "(Founder and Managing Director Headsome
communication, personal communication, June 28, 2016)

In other words, even if the book has become a brand marketed for sale, reporter
culture brought forward not only arguments of efficiency in the promotion, but also the
specificity of this industry and the value is symbolic: the book has been turned into
merchandise neoliberal, but they are wrong one culture, their art. Thus, one of the polemic in
the industry and, mostly, in the world of culture illustrated: to what extent or should the
cultural products marketed as other commodities? Is there or should there be some limits
given his symbolistics?
Adding to this, there is another new trend among publishing houses: the launch of its
corporate social responsibility program is intended to make the book more accessible and to
increase the reading habit among the young Romanian. These practices are legitimized in
terms of: (1) the responsibility - "it is our responsibility to enhance the book market and we
decided to start from the only point where we really can make a difference, that of children,
because this is the age when reading habits form "(Miruna Meirosu, PR Manager of Curtea
Veche Publishing, personal communication, July 5, 2016); (2) the task - "In our capacity as
carriers of culture, we feel it is our duty to do something to change this situation, so we set up
a campaign to bring people closer to the book" (Raluca Tirnauceanu, Marketing Coordinator
at Litera, personal communication, July 6, 2016); (3) need to replace state intervention -
"reading campaign (...) came to replace the lack of a national program, a coherent and
elaborated by the relevant authority, as happened in other European countries and not only.
(...) Therefore, the assumed issuance of a part of reading promotion in their communities
have access to and in the format that they deem most appropriate. "(Alexandra Florescu, PR
and Brand Manager Nemira, personal communication, June 27, 2016).
The initiative to promote reading and improve literacy directly to the children describe
a preoccupation of the publication to address social problems in the Romanian society and
intervene where the state has failed to provide long-term development program. This idea of
identity and the role of trade between private companies and the state is not new in the
neoliberal world view (see Olins, 1999). However, from a critical perspective, the key
question is the extent to which the publication started in social responsibility program as
aiming to generate change at the community level or instrumentalise this situation to gain
visibility for their own business? In other words, whether they are intended to make the
reader and reducing illiteracy in Romania or they aim to increase the pool of buyers for their
own books? Answers to questions like being at whether this is a long-term program with
measurable goals over a public relations (eg number of articles / article / interview). More
precisely, we had a goal to overcome social change.
Summing up, the evolution of public relations in the sector of book publishing more
than a quarter of a century can be illustrated by a shift in the perception of the book: if in
1990 the book was an average major of entertainment to commercial television appeared,
after the 2000s, the book became a cultural product and brand , promoted as other global
products. However, there is a constant need for professionalization in the promotion of the
book, all the more because they have a social relevance as an important and symbolic value.
 CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

Similar to a puzzle, this exploratory study reconstructs from a different perspective to

the emergence and evolution of the practice of public relations in the book publishing
industry for a quarter century Romania. It shows how the industry itself witness the rebirth
after decades of Communism, censorship and control and how the huge demand for the book
in the postcommunist not require professional communication: there is still using the informal
networks developed during Communism to spread the word about a new product available
for purchase; in addition, journalists are the ones to promote books in their fields, without the
input received from the publishing house; in particular social and cultural journalist, thus,
supporting the reconstruction of the nation. In this context, the practice of public relations
appeared rather late in the sectors of the book: if related to the stage of public relations
general development in Romania (Rogojinaru, 2009), it can be said that the first phase of
pilot based on the practices of amalgam media, publicity and events promotional spread from
1990 to 2000/2001, the second exploration phase covers the period from 2001 to 2009 and
the third, a consolidation phase began after the economic crisis and the emergence of social
media, especially 2009/2010 (RQ1). publishing house has begun to find a potential public
relations mostly after 2000, as the market becomes more competitive. However, this is a
market that is highly fragmented, with thousands of publishers officially registered, but only
a few tens of really active. Due to the lack of transparency in the industry and the absence of
studies official, doubled by the reluctance penerbita home to provide data on the practices of
their communications and historicity of them, this study has findings are limited: can not
describe the overall picture of institutionalization and professionalization of public relations
in this sector for 25 years. Instead, employ historical sociology and constructivist approach,
this exploratory study offers a perspective of the different actors (public relations
practitioners in the sector of the book, journalist culture, and experts in the field) and the
different historical contexts in the development sector of the book, as well as the Romanian
society in generally. Thus, it is possible to understand the phenomenon of the gradual
emergence and development of public relations in this industry and not to identify or evaluate
the proper stages, characteristics, type of function and discuss how they vary from publishing
house to another or from one period to another. To overcome that, future research should
target all publishing house with a public relations practitioner and design quantitative and
qualitative methodologies mixture, combining surveys to determine and practice questions
with in-depth interviews to get an explanation for the practices.
 Compiling the different pieces of the puzzle, this study shows that the role of public
relations in the post-communist book publishing industry has been largely technical,
marketing and sales support through event management and editing material for the media
(RQ2). It is after 2010 that the strategic, managerial role public relations has begun gradually
and slowly understood, initially with (some) of the practitioners themselves, then with (some
of) the director of the publishing house. However, this applies to the issuance of up and even
if the practice has diversified and become more professional, public relations is still in the
stage of legitimate aims for recognition both inside and outside publishing (RQ3). Moreover,
the fragmentation of the book publishing industry and the exploratory nature of this study
does not allow for generalization. But they can offer a place for future quantitative studies to
further explore these aspects and provide representative data. PR practitioners from the upper
house in the book publishing industry seems to be in the process of defining their
professional identity between what they can do and what the industry and their organizations
actually allow them to do. This coincides with the trend of publishing house assuming
corporate social responsibility program to improve reading. It is precisely this new focus that
can offer public relations practitioners a platform to advocate for greater social role for public
relations both within the organization and community. However, this is not lost: the
practitioner is still largely an educational campaign to legitimize them in terms of their
corporate interests to develop future markets reader and not in terms of addressing social
needs they can contribute. If the PR practitioners understand and assume social roles PR puts
the public interest above the interests of their company's business, they may trigger a public
policy and develop a long-term responsibility programs of their own. This could ultimately
lead to social change and improve literacy, which in turn will benefit both the company and
the book publishing industry.
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