Transcript Lesson 1a: Defining the Profession

Introduction to Public Relations
Instructor: Leon Roberts
Email: [email protected]
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Introduction to Public Relations
New Words
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© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
A Conceptual Schema for Studying Public
Part 1
Part 2 Relations
Part 3
Part 4
The Profession
Introduction
The Process
The Publics
The Practice
Research
Media
Relations
Financial
Chapter 1
falls here.
History
Strategic
Planning
Public
Affairs and
Government
Employee
Relations
Not-forProfit
Theory
Corporate
Action and
Communication
Law and Ethics
Evaluation
Slide 3 of 44
Community
Relations
Consumer
Relations
Emerging
Trends
In Part One—Chapter 1, Our
Focus Is An Introduction to
Public Relations
We will look at the process of public
relations and its increased importance
to management. We will learn about
important issues in public relations
today as explained by some of the
leaders in the field.
Today’s Learning Objectives
•
•
•
•
Be able to define public relations and the four-step
process
Know the essential elements of good public
relations
Know the functions and activities of a public
relations professional
Understand the value of public relations in almost
any field
“Public Sentiment Is Everything”
It was during the Civil War that
President Lincoln learned the value of
good public sentiment (or opinion).
Public sentiment is everything.
With public sentiment, nothing
can fail; without it, nothing can
succeed.
--Abraham Lincoln
Photo from the University of
Tennessee web site
www.SunSITE.edu
Slide 6 of 44
A Working Definition of
Public Relations
Did you know that public relations is all these?
•
•
•
•
A management function within your organization
A facilitator of change in your organization and
community
An instrument of communication between your
organization and the community
An influence for creating consistency between the
programs of your employer and the community
Misconceptions of Public
Relations
What is your response to the following
definition from Webster's dictionary for
public relations?
– those functions of a corporation, organization, etc.
concerned with attempting to create favorable public
opinion for itself
1. Think about it. Do you agree or disagree? What do you think is lacking
in the definition?
2. If you perceive that a corporation is using the media in self-serving ways,
how would you rate that company’s credibility?
A Summary Definition
of Public Relations
a dual management and
communications function, providing a
transformative influence on
organizational decision making and
public opinion through two-way
communication and relationship
building
Definition from the PRSA
In 1988 The Public Relations Society of
America crafted the following definition:
“Public relations helps an organization
and
its publics adapt mutually to each
other.”
By clicking on the definition, you can visit
the PRSA Web site for amplification.
Public relations is a management
function that influences organizational
objectives and philosophy and
facilitates organizational change.
The Means:
Public relations practitioners communicate with all
relevant internal and external publics (people groups) to
develop positive relationships and to create consistency
between organizational goals and societal expectations.
The Purpose:
Pubic relations practitioners develop, execute, and
evaluate organizational programs that promote the
exchange of influence and understanding among an
organization’s constituent parts and publics.
Slide 11 of 45
The Framework of this Course
Together, profession, process, publics
and practice form a holistic approach to
public relations.
This course integrates all four of these
essential elements.
The Profession as a
Management Function
Public relations practitioners provide
three management services essential to
the life of an organization:
– Communicate with internal and external
publics.
– Define objectives, policies and philosophies.
– Facilitate organizational change in harmony
with environment.
Managing as a
Communicator
What is meant by managing
through defining objectives?
Slide 14 of 45
• The practitioner
acts as a manager
as he or she seeks
to understand in
depth management
level decisions.
• Only then can we
clearly
communicate those
decisions to
employees and the
public.
Defining Objectives as a
Manager
•
•
Public relations can make important
contributions to forming an organization's
ideas about what it is, what it should do,
and what society wants and expects
from it.
Often a manager’s perception of an
organization is different from the
perception of its publics.
Matching Philosophy with
Behavior
One of the PR practitioner’s most
strategic roles is in the:
…Structuring of company philosophy and
carrying out of that philosophy in
practice so that what the institution says
is not at variance with what it does.
Charles S. Steinberg
Communicating Public Opinion
to Executives
• PR practitioners accurately monitor
community needs and public opinion
regarding organizational issues.
• Practitioners participate in management
planning regarding sensitive public
issues.
• Practitioners can then represent the
public interest and predict public
reaction to institutional decisions.
Managing through
Facilitating Organizational
Change
Our world is rapidly changing.
Organizations that change with it
prosper. Those that don’t die. This
principle of change is critical for a
practitioner to be effective in public
relations.
1. Technology Developments
Such as the
Internet, especially
the World Wide
Web
2. Increased Governmental
Control
• Consider how just one
government agency, The
Federal Communications
Commission, could affect
business practices.
• Click on the image to
catch the breadth of the
influence of the FCC.
What about International business?
3. Rise of International Business
Click on the picture to hear about International PR.
4. Frequency of Mergers and
Acquisitions
5. Developing Countries
Attracting
Investment
The Four-Step Process Is The Foundation
For The Practice Of Public Relations
Research
Planning
Evaluation
Action
The Goals of the Process
• Research in public relations:
– understanding public opinion.
• Planning in public relations:
– ensuring the effectiveness of the
process.
• Action and communication:
– how public relations messages are
transmitted to the publics.
• How public relations is evaluated:
– the ways in which practitioners assess
the outcomes of their activities.
The Public Relations Process
Seeks a Proactive Responsible
Influence
•
•
Recognize that organizational behavior does
affect public opinion.
The practitioner attempts to…
– predict behavior through research
– plan accordingly to influence behavior
– maximize benefits for all concerned
What Do We Mean by
“Responsible Influence”?
• Influence is best practiced with a:
– high commitment to ethics
– sincere social responsibility
• The practitioner should constantly be
asking “What is in the best interest of
society?”
How some corporations are responsible…
Corporate Social
Responsibility
Click on the picture to hear about Corporate Social Responsibility.
What Is a Public?
A public is a group of individuals or
organizations who recognize their connection
with a common problem, cause or goal.
There are six major groupings of publics:
• Employees
• Media
• Community
• Consumers
• Financial Markets
• Government Agencies
Let’s take a look at one corporation’s publics…
The Publics of Global Steel Importers
Stop Seattle Industrial
Growth Now, Inc.
Managers
Federal Trade Commission
Long Shoreman’s Union
Employees
Auto Makers
KOMO-TV Station Korean Steel Producers
US Steel Producers
Steel Labor Union
Global Steel
Importers
Seattle Times
Newspaper
Seattle Chamber of
Commerce
www.steal.com
National Assoc of Home
Builders
Heavy Industries
Global Steel Stock Holders
Korean Ministry of Trade
Seattle City Commission
Teamsters Union
WA US Congressmen
WA State Government
Global Steel is a fictitious Seattle, WA based importer of steel from South Korea.
Slide 30 of 56
The Organization’s Role in
Helping Society
The PR practitioner works with
management to responsibly serve the
public interest.
The practitioner suggests ways the
organization can adjust its behavior to meet
social, political and economic responsibilities.
Seeking Mutual
Satisfaction of Needs for
Both Sides
The practitioner must
discover common ground
between the needs of the
organization and the
needs of its publics.
– The needs of both are
legitimate and warrant
solutions.
– The discovery takes much
research, analysis and
interaction with the
publics.
Aim at Understanding and
Acceptance
Influence should lead to the following…
– An understanding of organizational
behavior
– An acceptance of social consequences of
behavior
Or
– A change in organizational behavior
Communication Skills
Required for PR
The PR practitioner should be:
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•
•
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Knowledgeable in research, planning and
evaluation techniques
An excellent writer and speaker
A specialist in communication technology
An expert in graphics and audiovisual
communications
Communication Tasks
Public relations practitioners often produce
the following communication materials:
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•
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•
Press releases
Annual reports
Employee magazines
Electronic newsletters
PR campaign creations and management
Two-way
Communication--A
New Phenomenon
Good communication starts with supplying
accurate information from an
organization’s PR office.
– Actively interpret the organization’s values,
policies and plans to your publics.
– Actively interpret the publics’ needs and
concerns to the organization.
Two-way
Communication
Continues with Listening
Only by listening can you tell if there is
understanding and acceptance of
organizational behavior.
The needs of publics cannot be determined in
isolation.
– It is essential that you go to the publics and allow
them to express their own needs.
– Make sure that the publics are hearing the
organization’s messages accurately.
The Nature of
Public Relations as
a Practice
Public relations people…
– Are boundary spanners.
You must be connected to both your
organization and its
publics.
– Are problem solvers.
Problems are opportunities for you to make
a difference.
Systems Involve Mutually
Dependent Parts
• Public relations managers and media
representatives need each other.
– Don’t view the editor of the local paper as an
adversary. Initiate a positive relationship.
– You need the media’s ability to deliver
messages.
– The media need messages about your
organizational and public issues.
Combined Functions of the
Professional
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•
•
•
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Strategic planning: programming overall goals
Forming relationships
Writing and editing
Media relations work—know media’s needs
Producing materials such as newsletters, press
releases, annual reports
• Planning and executing special events (e.g.,
stockholders meeting)
• Speaking for the organization
• Conducting research by monitoring and
evaluating public feedback
Different Areas of PR
Practice
Four types of organizations that require PR
services:
– Not-for-profit organizations
– Corporations
– Government
– Public Relations Agencies/Counseling
Firms
In Summary…
Public Relations is a diverse and exciting area
found in almost every industry. It requires a
broad base of communication skills and the
ability to build bridges between organizations
and their publics.