Before
discussing on the Organization and setup of a typical public relation
department with the aid of an organogram, it is significant to know what public
relation is all about so as to have a vivid and clear understanding of its
department and structure.
WHAT IS PUBLIC RELATION?
Many
scholars and practitioners have presented various definitions of public
relations, based on their own knowledge, experience and perspectives. One thing
common to these definitions is that public relations is undertaken to create
and sustain goodwill and harmony among the various entities and institutions of
the society.
According to Cutlip, Centre and Broom,
in their classical book, “Effective Public Relations” (1994), public relations
can be defined as the management function that establishes and maintains
mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and the public on
whom ots success or failure depends. This definition clearly underlines the
fact that public relations is a two way process between an organization and its
identified publics that is meant to benefit both parties.
The British Institute of Public
Relations (BIPR) defines public relations as “the deliberate, planned and
sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an
organization and its publics”. This definition suggests that a public relations
is not a haphazard endeavor. It is a process that is deliberately planned to
achieve a given goal or objective, which is mutual understanding between an
organization and its publics and must be planned.
Another definition of public relations
is given by a Frank Jefkin, British Author, who says that public relation
consist of all forms of planned communication both inward and outward between
an organization and it publics for the purpose of achieving objectives
concerning mutual understanding.
Generally, public relation is the
practice of managing the spread of information between an individual or an
organization such as a business, government agency or a non-profit organization.
Public relations may include an organization or individual gaining exposure to
their audiences using topics of public interest and news items that do not
require direct payment. This differentiates it from advertising as a form of
marketing communications.
The aim of public relation is to inform
the public, prospective customers, investors, partners, employees, and
stakeholders and ultimately persuade them to maintain a positive or favorable
view about the organization, its leadership, products, or political decisions.
Public relation specialists establish and maintain relationships with an
organization’s target audience, the media, relevant trade media, and other
opinion leaders.
Success in the field of public
relations requires a deep understanding of the interests and concerns of each
of the company’s many stakeholders. The public relations professional should
know how to effectively address those concerns using the most powerful tool of the
public relations trade, which is “publicity”.
PUBLIC RELATION DEPARTMENT
Just
like other sectors, public relation comprises of many people performing various
function in order to establish a mutual relationship and understanding between
an organization and its general public. This people work under the public
relation department and are referred to as “Public relation practitioners”. It
is significant to know that the size and structure of a public relation
department determines the function it is expected to perform. In order words,
an organization or company with a huge work load will require a large public
relations department. The public relations department performs the following
functions of public relation department:
1. Conducts
media/opinion research and feedback on the performance of the organization:
practitioners in this department help to test the appropriateness of what the
company offers or delivers to the public and also get various perceptions from
the audience or public on how they feel about the company. This is done through
the process of research.
2. They
help to publish information leaflets, weekly bulletins, quarterly briefs,
annual reports, monthly newsletters etc. all this publications help to give
background information about a company
3. They
counsel management on the best method of achieving a good corporate image. This
is one of the essential features and component of public relation
practitioners. Practitioners aim at advising a company on how to solve image
problem issues and how to create a good corporate image.
4. Coordinating
all community relations and social responsibility activities.
5. Organizing
radio, television programmes and effectively liaising with the media
6. Crisis
communication: protecting a company from a threat to its reputation is another
public relation department’s function. While media representation is a part of
crisis communication, preparing a crisis communication plan and training
leadership and employees on its components is handled by a public relations
department. A crisis communication plan developed by a public relations team
typically includes determining specific logistics for expected reporters, the
designation of an official spokesperson for the crisis, the development of
targeted messages for internal and external audiences and training for company
leadership on how to handle tough or hostile questions.
7. Content
development: preparing documents, written and electronic is another function of
public relations. Example of contents developed by a public relations department
includes: company newsletter, blogs, speeches and annual reports. Contents may
also be written for another member of the company, such as a letter to
employees form CEO. Often, a public relations department works with another
department to ensure a project fits with an overall company message. For
instance a public relations department may work with advertising and marketing
department on creating a description, report or other content about a new
product or service
8. Social
media management: establishing, monitoring or growing an organization’s or an
individual’s online presence is another function of public relations
department. Specific tasks may include; creating or updating Facebook pages,
tweeting information and keeping an eye on what others are saying in cyberspace
about an organization.
ORGANIZATION AND SETUP OF A PUBLIC
RELATION DEPARTMENT
A typical public relation department in
an organization, comprises of five senior officers with three auxiliary staff
in order to achieve a cohesive and efficient outfit. It is expected that they
would be a director, assisted by managers and other senior staff members.
Managers would head various units such as; publications, publicity, audiovisual
and protocol. This classification differs from one organization to another
depending on the area of emphasis.
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An Organogram of a Public Relations
Department
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SUMMARY
For a perfect public relation
department to emerge, officers would be creative, innovative, painstaking,
widely read, prolific and experienced in handling both material and human
resources. The general manager should be able to carry his staff along as they
project the corporation image of an organization.
REFERENCES
Seitel, F. P. (2001). The Practice of Public Relations 8th ed.
Black, Sam (1989). Introduction to Public Relations.
London: Modino Press Ltd.
Cultip, S. M Centre, AH and Broom, G. M (1994).
Effective Public Relations 7th ed. Englewood Cliffs: New Jersey;
Practice Hall.
Armour L. (2006). Public Relation Autonomy: retrieved
February.
Skandan, M. (2004), Public Opinion Relations and
Communication Behaviour, Gohare Danesh Press, Tehran, Iran.