Final answer:
James Grunig and Todd Hunt proposed that public relations practitioners fulfill a strategic role within organizations, focusing on long-term planning and relationship management.
Step-by-step explanation:
Professors James Grunig and Todd Hunt identified that public relations practitioners perform what organizational theorists call a strategic role. In the context of organizational structures, the strategic role is crucial as it pertains to the identification of long-term goals and the development of plans to achieve those objectives. In public relations, this involves activities like reputation management, crisis communications, and relationship building with various stakeholders.