Effective public diplomacy requires strategic collaboration between public institutions and the private sector to achieve impactful global promotional campaigns and nation branding. Existing public diplomacy models often employ a transmission model of communication, focusing on clear message delivery and assuming receiver understanding. This approach overlooks communication complexities and the co-creation of social realities. The authors argue that current public diplomacy communication, dominated by the transmission model, is inadequate for addressing modern complexities involving government, the private sector, and foreign publics. They propose integrating the Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM) communication theory to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of public diplomacy efforts. The study will analyze existing communication models in public diplomacy and propose a CMM-based alternative to foster better communication and outcomes between the government, private sector and the foreign public, focusing on co-creation and shared meaning-making.

Existing literature highlights the link between public diplomacy and communication, with some defining diplomacy as "communication applied to relations among nation-states." The evolution of public diplomacy is tied to technological advancements, media, and public opinion. The significance of shaping global public opinion and evaluating the impact of public diplomacy efforts is also discussed. The authors acknowledge differing viewpoints on public diplomacy, some viewing it as an evolving academic field, while others focus on practitioner-driven approaches. They advocate for a balanced approach, similar to Nye's "smart power" concept, combining hard and soft power for effectiveness. The review examines various public diplomacy models, including the Basic Cold War model, the Non-state Transnational model, and the Domestic PR model, noting their limitations in handling contemporary communication complexities. These models primarily focus on message transmission rather than feedback or the impact of creating new social realities.

The study employs a thematic analysis of existing literature (Ross, 2002; Gilboa, 2008) to identify communication models used in public diplomacy. The authors use the Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM) theoretical framework as a primary lens, aligning with social constructivism's emphasis on social reality creation through communication. The methodology involves identifying transmission-focused models used in public diplomacy and proposing a convergence-based approach between public diplomacy and the private sector. The study draws on research in organizational development, where CMM is used to analyze communication patterns, focusing on dialogic approaches. The study uses Pearce's (2007) questions—What are we making together? How are we making it? What are we becoming as we make this? How can we make better social worlds?—to guide the analysis of the needed shift from a transmission model to a CMM model.

The analysis reveals that traditional public diplomacy communication models primarily rely on the transmission model, focusing on message clarity and receiver comprehension. This approach, however, often fails to account for the complexities of communication and the co-creation of meaning among stakeholders. The authors identify three existing models in public diplomacy (Basic Cold War Model, Non-state Transnational Model, and Domestic PR Model) as being less effective in today’s complex communication environments involving governments, the private sector, and the foreign public. These models primarily concentrate on sending messages without sufficient emphasis on feedback or the impact of messages in shaping social realities. The study introduces the Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM) framework as an alternative. CMM focuses on coordination, coherence, and mystery in communication. Coordination emphasizes collaborative meaning-making, coherence explores shared story-telling and interpretation, and mystery acknowledges the limitations of rational understanding in complex social interactions. The authors use the CMM framework to propose a dialogical model for public diplomacy communication that emphasizes co-creation of social realities, inclusivity, and feedback mechanisms. A table is included contrasting the traditional transmission model with the proposed CMM-based model. The Cupertino Community Project is highlighted as a case study illustrating the successful application of CMM principles to resolve community conflicts.

The findings highlight the limitations of the transmission model in public diplomacy, advocating for a shift towards a CMM-based approach that emphasizes dialogic communication, co-creation, and the inclusion of various stakeholders. The CMM framework provides a more holistic understanding of the communication process, acknowledging its dynamic nature and the role of various factors in shaping social realities. The case study of the Cupertino Community Project exemplifies the practical application of CMM's principles in addressing community disputes. The dialogic approach facilitated by CMM improves the collaboration between the public and the private sector in public diplomacy, overcoming challenges associated with power imbalances and diverse perspectives. The study emphasizes that a collaborative approach between public and private sectors is crucial, considering resource limitations faced by public institutions. It promotes using a communication perspective where efforts are put into creating conversations where they would not have otherwise existed. The paper’s emphasis on the social construction of reality stresses the importance of paying attention to the communication process itself in creating a more sustainable and mutually beneficial public diplomacy framework.

The study contributes to the theoretical understanding of public diplomacy by advocating for a shift from the transmission model to a CMM-based approach that emphasizes dialogic communication and stakeholder inclusion. It offers a practical tool for public diplomacy practitioners by providing a framework for more effective communication between governments, the private sector, and foreign publics. Future research should focus on developing a detailed handbook for implementing the proposed CMM-based model and evaluating its effectiveness in various public diplomacy contexts. This includes monitoring its impact on creating shared meaning and fostering collaboration amongst stakeholders. Further research is encouraged to refine the model based on empirical data and to explore its applicability across diverse cultural and political contexts.

The study primarily relies on a literature review and a case study, limiting the generalizability of the findings. Further empirical research is needed to test the proposed CMM-based model in various settings and contexts. The case study is limited in scope, not providing a deep-dive into the specific communication strategies involved. The proposed CMM model may not adequately account for contextual factors like power dynamics and cultural differences, warranting further research to explore these factors. Future research will need to address and account for these limitations.