Professional Personnel; *Public Relations

A study examined the similarities anc differences which exist in the professionalization of pubic relations in Austria, Norway, and the United States. Subjects, 136 of 188 members of the Public Relations Verband Austria, 150 of 300 members of the Informasjonsforeningen (Norway), and 272 of 500 members of the Public Relations Society of America, completed questionnaires. Differences and similarities were isolated by examining concepts of the ideal job, the actual job, public relations development, and public relations role. Cultural values, educational systems, and history were used to explain the differences and similarities. Results indicated that: (1) practitioners in all three countries evidenced similarities in the autonomy dimension of the ideal job but differences on the prestige dimension; (2) practitioners differed on the autonomy dimension of the actual job; (3) even though it wa