The relationship between an organization and its public represents a central concern for the research and practice of public relations. The central research question is: How can digital media and technologies contribute to a company’s global relationship management? Stemming from the general question I have three more research-related questions: 1. How can social media communities contribute to corporate relationship management? 2. What are the key questions for global relationship management? 3. What are the organizational prerequisites for global relationship management? Conclusion Digital media and technologies can contribute in a unique way to global relationship management. These peculiarities comprise the “big four”:

  • integration
  • accessibility
  • connectivity
  • interactivity

Connectivity and interactivity are the two most important for global relationship management. Social media channels have opened up new opportunities for companies to benefit from platforms in recent years, where users meet, communicate, exchange ideas and even create products. The problem for global relationship management is that these platforms are very different worldwide, their users and the culture of the communication within these channels are equally different. As a consequence for global relationship management, organizations have to set up a systemat-ic and long-term process of analysis, planning, creation and control to professionally manage the organization’s communication. This process includes not only the communication itself but also the organization of communication within the company. Expert global relationship management is tied to requirements: they concern the involved personnel, roles, responsibilities, processes, structures, the appointed information technology as well as the culture of the communications.