Premium Essay

Functions of Public Relations

In:

Submitted By mmpiedra
Words 754
Pages 4
Defining Public Relations
MKT438
May 2012
Gary Solomon

Defining Public Relations
Public Relations (PR) is defined in many ways. PR is the management of perception. It involves managing publics perception about someone or an entity like a company. However, it may also focus on a particular product or service of a company. The First World Assembly of Public Relations Associates, held in Mexico City in 1978 defines PR as “the art and social science of analyzing trends, predicting their consequences, counseling organizational leaders, and implementing planned programs of action which will serve both the organization and the publics interest” (Gary Solomon/University of Phoenix, 2012). However, the British define PR as “Reputational Management.” The Britain’s definition of PR focuses on reputation and the result of what you do and what you say and what others say about you. They also say that PR is about managing reputation in a way that it warrants understanding and support, and also influences opinion and behavior” (Gary Solomon/University of Phoenix, 2012). According to "PRSA Public Relations Society Of America" (2012), “Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics” (What is Public Relations? PRSA's Widely Accepted Definition).
Through the paragraph above, one can learn that there are different ways to define PR and although each is different to a degree, they are not independent of each other. Each build from one another and each provides a different perspective of PR. The first definition of PR focuses on the management of perception, which may include the manipulation of data to influence publics, stakeholders, etc, all with the intent to manage perception. In contrast, the second definition as presented by The First World Assembly of Public Relations Associates,

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Management Functions of Public Relations

...professional courses. It is also currently offering Post Graduate programmes and as well work study for needy students. The university is strategically placed in the city with ability to the access of the HELB loan facility and as well flexible learning programmes to accommodate the interested working class students. Furthermore, it is still offering the retired people a special mature entry programme to an opportunity to study theology and leadership. With the qualified and experienced staff, St. Paul’s is without doubt the best college committed to provision of quality, relevant and affordable university education for the market place. It is with the understanding of how the university is growing and its commitment to quality that good public relations ventures are highly needed to enhance the existing image or craft and strive to maintain a new positive image. As Garry Melanson (2003) put it, the main goal of a PR department is to enhance company’s reputation. This will be obligation or responsibility to ensure that the university is advancing in line with its objective of positioning itself as a competitive educational institution of higher learning in the continent of Africa. The education paradigm,...

Words: 2221 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Organizational and Societal Relations

...Running Head: ORGANIZATIONA AND SOCIETAL RELATIONS Organizational and Societal Relations Nijema Brown University of Phoenix Organizational and Societal Relations Public relations deal’s with both organizational and societal relations functions, which has two elements each, media and employee relations (organizational function) and community relations and social responsibility (societal relations) which, describes the make-up of the functions. This paper is an analysis or how the two functions organizational and societal relations can pose as issues in an organization and ways to address the issue to the public. Functions of Public Relations Public relations have two functions, which are organizational and societal. The organizational function deals with what a company is supposed to do as an organization, while societal function is all about what the public expects from an organization and how an organization communicates and build relationships with the public. Two main elements of organizational function are media and employee relations. Two main elements or the societal function are community relations and social responsibility. Organizational Functions Media Relations Media relations are significantly important to public relations because it is the main way organizations communicate with the public. “The public finds most of its information about a company through the media” (Functions of Public Relations). Different media outlets such as the newspaper...

Words: 1100 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

The Development of Pr in Indonesia

...THE DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC RELATIONS IN INDONESIA By: Nabila (1406546866) A survey was conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor in Fortune Magazine and U.S. News and World Report said that public relation is one of the fastest growing professions. A public relations is a profession that is needed by all the organization, business, and other sectors. Many common people said that public relations practitioners are only depend on the how well they speak. However, the job that public relations practitioners should do pretty much tough. Not only talking, they have to be able to do many things like giving an advice to the CEO, solving of the organization problem, and evaluating the organizational programs, etc. More definitions on public relations have been determined. These are several definitions of public relations from some experts as follow: Otis Baskin, et.al stated that “Public relations is a management function that helps achieve organizational objective, defines philosophy, and facilitate organizational change. Public relations practitioners communicate with all relevant internal and external publics to develop positive relationships and to create consistency between organizational goals and social expectation.”. While Cuplit in Ihut Murni Aritonang, et.al defined that “Public Relations is the management function that establishes and maintains mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and the public on whom its success or failure depends.” Another definition...

Words: 1190 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Public Relations

...Give a detailed narration unpacking how the Public Relations function has evolved over the years and the challenges that the practice faces in the developing countries. Public Relations function is as old as human civilisation. Published narrations or histories have usually telescoped and oversimplified a fascinating history by emphasising novelty and a few decorated personalities. There have been contributions in the professional literature that impart a meaningful picture of public relations function’s past and present (Cutlip, 1994). It has existed in one form or the other. There are a lot of examples of its varied form, content and end use. An ancient clay tablet, found in Iraq, told the Sumerian farmers how to grow better crops. That was over 4000 years ago. The Arabian tales relate how the celebrated Sultan Haroon-Al-Rashid used to wander about every night in disguise to see for him as to what the people really felt about his administration. However, the available literature makes us inclined to think of public relations as a 20th century phenomenon, but the desire to communicate with others and to deal with the impact of opinion dates back to ancient cultures (Wilcox and Cameron, 2003).Therefore, this paper seeks to give a detailed narration unpacking the public relations function evolution over the years and the challenges that the practice faces in the developing countries. In the Ramayana there is a character called Bhadro who used to report to Rama about...

Words: 3134 - Pages: 13

Premium Essay

Functin of Public Relations

...Introduction The public relations of an organization is like the air in the tires of a taxi. Nobody is really concerned about or notices the air in the tires until there is a puncture or a blow out. It is the taxi driver who should check and maintain the correct tire pressure. Public relations are the functions that provide benefits to the organization and its strategy and marketing functions. Organizational functions are those distinct advantages that a good PR campaign provides to an organization such as brand building, creating public awareness, providing feedback, etc. Public Relations Public relations are a constantly evolving and dynamic profession. It has come a long way from its image as a glamorous but anyone can do it job. In fact, as little as 20 years ago, it was highly recommended that to enter the profession, one needed nothing more than secretarial training. But public relations have grown beyond this image. Today, public relations are a sophisticated industry that needs individuals who are confident in their abilities and skills and are aware that they are well suited to a highly demanding profession. Today’s public relations practitioners have a range of tertiary qualifications and constantly try to improve and expand their knowledge and skills. “ Public relations specialists handle organizational functions such as media, community, consumer, industry, and governmental relations; political campaigns; interest-group representation; conflict mediation; and...

Words: 1103 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Human Capital Planning

...4) EXPLAIN THE NEED FOR ETHICAL PUBLIC RELATIONS IN RELATION TO THE CONSCIENCE OF AN ORGANIZATION. The importance of ethics is not only visible in public relations alone; on the contrary it encompasses each and every aspect of our daily life. The public relations of organisations that lack ethical principles are bound to fail sooner or later. The field of ethics, also called moral philosophy, involves systematizing, defending and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior. It is defined by Parsons (2008:28) as the application of knowledge, understanding and reasoning to questions of right or wrong behavior. With this definition one can say that ethics are personal values system that each person uses to judge the right or wrong behaviour in others. In public relations discipline, ethics includes values such as honesty openness, loyalty, respect, integrity and forthright communication. Careful and consistent ethical analyses facilitate trust, which enhances the building and maintenance of relationships- after all, that is the ultimate purpose of the public relations function, (Bowen, 2008). Thus this essay will explain the need for ethical public relations in relation to the conscience of an organisation. Organisations accomplish more of their long term goals when they integrate some of what publics want, meaning that the management engages in an ongoing relationship of give and take with the publics. Scholars (Goodpaster & Matthews, 1982; J. E. Grunig & L. A. Grunig...

Words: 1693 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Defining Public Relations

...Public Relations Defined MKT/438 Public Relations August 11, 2013 Richard Dool Define Public Relations Companies large and small hire Public Relations or PR professionals to bring awareness of their products or services. Public relations, is defined by many different sources in many different ways. The purpose of Public Relations differs from one company to the next, depending on organizational size, the particular product or service they may be drawing interests towards, their are a number of reasons why Public Relations is defined so many different ways. Public Relations: The Profession and the Practice Public Relations: The Profession and the Practice, Chapter 1: The Nature of Public Relations, defines Public Relations as, “Public relations is a leadership and management function that helps achieve organizational objectives, define philosophy, and facilitate organizational change. Public relations practitioners communicate with all relevant internal and external publics to develop positive relationships and to create consistency between organizational goals and societal expectations. Public relations practitioners develop, execute, and evaluate organizational programs that promote the exchange of influence and understanding among an organization’s constituent parts and publics” (Baskin, Heiman, Lattimore, & Toth, 2007). Even as defined by this text this is a continually working definition, meaning it will continue to change as the need of...

Words: 763 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Defining Pr

...Defining Public Relations Public Relations (PR) has evolved throughout its existence to fit numerous business functions and intents. Some companies refer to PR as the department in charge of publicity and gaining attention. This definition alone can have several meanings. One meaning could be the intent to gain free publicity and attention through news and word of mouth. Another meaning could include the placement of media such as print, radio, and television. Sometimes media buying is handled through the marketing department, or as a joint venture between the two departments. These examples help explain the ambiguity behind the definition of PR. This enigma has attracted much attention from practitioners in the field, and a few main opinions have emerged as to PR’s purpose (Strong, 2011). The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) has attempted to define PR as an official definition for the industry. To do that, the PRSA created a loose definition that could be applied to many widely held concepts of the function of PR. A PRSA National Assembly decreed the official definition of PR to be, “public relations helps an organization and its publics adapt mutually to each other” (2011, para 3). The PRSA adds further clarity to this definition be explaining the word organization was chosen to convey the idea that PR is a concept that can be used by many organizations not just businesses. The word ‘publics’ is used to include every stakeholder of an organization, not just...

Words: 826 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Public Relation

...MOUNT KENYAUNIVERSITY NAME : COURS : LECTURER : COURSE UNIT : DATE : 00/06/2013 TASKS : Introduction (Public Relation theory) Public relations are a management function separate from other functions. Many organizations splinter the public relations function by making it a supporting tool for other departments such as marketing, human resources, law, or finance. When the public relations function is sublimated to other functions, it cannot move communication resources from one strategic public to another as an integrated public relations function can. Public relations manager, are obliged to have knowledge of different theories so that they can make the right decisions for their public relations plans and programs. The value to their employer or client will be directly related to how well they use theory in your work. Not any single theory covers all you need to know in public relations or any other discipline; therefore, it is valuable to look at theories by grouping them according to how they are used. We start with theories of relationships, then, we discuss theories of persuasion and social influence. Systems Theory Systems theory is useful in public relations because it gives a way to think about relationships. Generally, systems theory looks at organizations as made up of interrelated parts, adapting and adjusting to changes in the political, economic, and social environments in which they operate. Organizations have to recognizable boundaries, within...

Words: 1785 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Community Relation Scenario

...Community Relations. Any organization must be seen as a good community citizen and should have the goodwill of the community in which it operates. An effective community relations program will need to be continuing and comprehensive. Organizations can implement various programs to improve community relations on a regular or even ongoing basis. So, clearly, one of the major functions of public relations is to bridge the business/community gap. When organizations support activities and programs that improve quality of life in their communities their image and reputation will be enhanced. Employee Relations. Maybe the most important resource that a company has are its employees and the customer service they provide. The functions of public relations in regards to the company’s employees is the maintenance of employee goodwill. The image and reputation of a company among its employees is also another responsibility of public relations in its function of employee relations. Product Public Relations. When new products are introduced to the market the role that public relations plays is crucial for creating awareness and differentiating the product in the public’s eyes from other similar products. When existing products need a push public relations is often called on the improve product visibility. Sometimes there are changes instituted in existing products and public relations has to focus the attention of consumers on the product. If a product needs to be positioned in the market...

Words: 450 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Business

...Impact of Public Relation on Marketing Promotion Activities Abstract: Advertisement is one of the most popular media for marketing of products all over the world. Companies allocate and spend huge amount of money on advertisement to inform and attract customers. But advertising is losing its effectiveness because of growing advertising clutter, the increasing number of channels, the availability of zapping mechanisms, and reduced watching of television by certain groups. In promoting the products or services as well as companies concerned, the major challenge today is getting people's attention. As a result, market experts are considering other methods of getting consumer attentions. Now consumers are pressed for time, and many work hard to avoid advertising messages. Companies are facing challenges to find new ways to capture consumer’s attention and public relations can play a growing role within the marketing promotional mix to build and maintain brands. Consumers are now learning about products and brands through means other than advertising and in this context public relations are gaining momentum. Even public relations can establish and maintain a positive image of the company among its various stakeholders. This reality is consistent with our perception that public relation is an important part of the Integrated Marketing Communication(IMC) process, contributing in its own way but also in a way consistent with marketing goals. This study attempts to find out comparative...

Words: 2978 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

Pr Overview

...their stakeholder publics. PR •Public in PR is called "publics" •It has an "S" at the end •Segmentation •It is cyclical In PR, The word audience is not encouraged. Why? because it refers to a "passive" group of people not "reactive". PR is guided by these steps: Step 1: There is researching and analyzing. Step 2: There is policy & formation. Step 3: There is programming. Step 4: Communication Step 5: Feedback PR people: •Boundary spanners •Must be connected to both •Organization •Publics •Problem Solvers *Problems are opportunities for you to make a difference A conceptual schema for studying PR The duties of the PR Profession 1. Responsible for assimilating & communicating information 2. Span the boundaries 3. Relate the needs & interests of publics 4. Maintain effective relationships w/ the media 5. Arrange company representative and have direct contact w/ various publics 6. Write speeches and edit publications 7. Produce & distribute films, videos & other print collaterals 8. Manage fund raising campaign & community activities 9. Develop & maintain new media Elements of PR 1. Counseling – Giving advice to management 2. Research – Determing attitudes & behavior 3. Media Relations – Working w/ mass media to seek publicity 4. Publicity/Publication – Dissemintating planned messages 5. Employee/Member relations – Responding to concerns 6. Community Relations – Planning activities...

Words: 1362 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Reportng Standards

...REPORTING STANDARDS FOR OPTIONAL SECTION 2B  ADVANCEMENT INVESTMENT    These advancement functions, and the expenditures made to fulfill them, occur within sets of  organizational frameworks, legal entities, program structures, and names that vary from  institution to institution. As a result, completing this survey may require the collection of data  from beyond the centralized advancement unit at your institution.     Advancement Expenditures and FTEs: These correspond to the rows in  Question I and Question II in Section 2b. The columns A‐F are covered in  the next section.    Question I: This question is about financial expenditures. (Staff FTEs are reported in Question II.)   1. Salaries  In this row, include the cost of salaries, even if these are paid for centrally. Allocate salary costs by  functions described below. So, the salary of a single employee may be spread over multiple  functions. The salaries by function should correspond to the FTEs by function in Question II.   Report the salary costs (exclusive of employment benefits, which go on row 2) of full-time, part-time, and Temporary exempt employees. EXCLUDE salaries of presidents and heads of academic units. Do NOT  report all support staff under Advancement Management/Advancement Services.   2. Benefits  Report the share of benefits paid by the institution for the salaries and wages reported on row 1. These benefits usually include social security; medical, disability, and life insurance; and retirement plan...

Words: 1967 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Pr Defination

...Public Relations Defined Jason E. Green MKT 438 January 20, 2013 Robert Etter Public Relations Defined The purpose of this paper is to define public relation and identify some reasons why so many different definitions exist in our modern society. As well as to categorize the different definition and how they interrelate. The initial thoughts that were gathered regarding public relation is that it is a planned process to stimulate the thinking of an audience by offering a solid character that displays sound judgment, which is achieved by a communicating with the audience to persuade there thinking. As further research were conducted the idea that few words can define such a broad concept became infrequent, which demonstrated that further research and in-depth thinking was necessary. Although common thinking would align marketing with public relations the two seem like separate ideas and ideals that once harmoniously aligned can translate in a successful image campaign. According to Fraser P. Seitel one of the most ambitious searches for a universal definition was conducted and commissioned in 1975 by the Foundation of Public Relation Research and Education. The leaders in the field of public relations analyzed 472 different descriptions and explanation and offered an 88-word sentence: “Public relations is a distinctive management function which helps establish and maintain mutual lines of communications, understanding, acceptance, and cooperation between an organization...

Words: 763 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Docs

...DEFINING PUBLIC RELATIONS pp.298-302 Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing the flow of information between an individual or an organization and the public. PRSA (2010) – Public relations helps our complex, pluralistic society to reach decisions and function more effectively by contributing to mutual understanding among groups and institutions. It serves to bring private and public policies into harmony. Public relations serves a wide variety of institutions in society such as businesses, trade unions, government agencies, voluntary associations, foundations, hospitals, schools, colleges and religious institutions. To achieve their goals, these institutions must develop effective relationships with many different audiences of publics such as employees, members, customers, local communities, shareholders and other institutions, and with society at large. The managements of institutions need to understand the attitudes and values of their publics in order to achieve institutional goals. The goals themselves are shaped by the external environment. The public relations practitioner acts as a counselor to management and as a mediator, helping to translate private aims into reasonable, publicly acceptable policy and action. People who work in the public relations industry are generally known as flacks, public relations specialists, communications specialists, or media specialists. Their primary function is to serve as advocates for their employers—businesses, hospitals...

Words: 4018 - Pages: 17