Leadership and public relations in two emerging markets: A comparative study of communication management in Latvia and Russia

This study investigates perceptions of public relations leadership in two emerging markets-Latvia and Russia-via an online survey of a diverse pool of public relations practitioners. This effort is guided by Meng and Berger's (2013) model of excellent public relations leadership. Additionally, this study moves a step further by seeking to understand how national sociopolitical contexts shape leadership in public relations. Results show a number of similarities and differences in Latvian and Russian participants' interpretations of professional leadership. Gaining access to the dominant coalition, or decision-making authority in the organization is perceived as an important ability in both countries. Challenges of talent management are more acute in Russia than Latvia.