Public Relations
Definitions
Public relation is a term that has evolved over the years with varied interpretations based on its application and understanding. According to Hunt's definition, PR is the organization of communications amid a business and its community. Management, as used in the definition, indicates how a business is coordinated using the available information to achieve its desired goals. However, interaction or communication is employed in the definition to signify that the interchanged message should be well comprehended by an organized group working to achieve a single objective (Ledingham et al., 2015). The public will signify a group that is attached to the organizations because of relying on similar interest from the business.
According to the Institute of PR, USA; the concept is defined as the intentional, planned and accumulated efforts intended to sustain a mutual understanding between a corporate and its public.
Edward Bernays describes the concept as an attempt to engineer the public to bear or accept an activity through the use of information sharing, allow a movement, impact or an institution.
George Meredith simply defines the concept as all that is incorporated to realize a constructive opinion.
Explanation for the variation in meaning
Although the definition of the notion varies significantly with time and its application, one message that is consistent with the three definitions is its intended use or responsibility for business. PR is considered as a management occupation that cultivates an environment for mutual understanding, or corporation between a corporate and its public. The concept is used to address issues that are experienced in a business, informs an organization administration of the public opinions concerning their product or service and how to respond to such reactions. Hence, the concept is important to organizations as it enables the management to utilize change to achieve the desired goals of the business (Verčič et al., 2015).
Apparently, the concept of public relation is meant to create a right image for a company which should be sustained over time. The culture or public relation should be embraced in all organizations as it helps in attracting and motivating the public towards utilizing the corporate merchandise. Having an effective PR is of great significance to any business as it eliminate any form of misunderstanding thus embracing a mutual understanding amid stakeholders and the public in general.
The aspect of PR has evolved over time, and this can be explained by the drastic change in technology, its new roles and the ever increasing relations in the global setting. While the earlier definitions focused on publicity and press agentry, the current definitions focus their argument on engagement and how to build sustainable relationship amid parties. In Edwards definition, three main aspects are included to indicate the desired meaning of the PR concept, and this includes sharing of information amid people, persuasion effort and finally integrating with others to achieve shared values (St. John & Johnson, 2015). The mere fact can explain the variation in the definition that with a change in the organizational strategies, societies have also changed hence need for a variation in the explanation to incorporate more elements of the definition. Moreover, further studies appreciate the fact that as long as two or more people are working together to achieve shared values, the concept of public relation must be integrated. When people live together, they have to build relationships and integrate with one another to a great extent as a society becomes more complex, the increased use of PR (Sriramesh, 2009).
PR as a concept evolved in the 20th century in most of the European countries and up to about 4000 years in the Asian countries. It is, therefore, evident that the concept has evolved over the years and is practiced by different people embracing varied cultures. The variation in the definition can thus be explained by the change in the global setting and the diversity in its use an aspect that has attracted its use in various organizations (Ledingham et al., 2015). Moreover, PR plays an essential role in the in the management of the organization and it used as a policy tool for resolving the business crisis and a platform for rebuilding organizational reputation to the public.
Public relations is one of the elements that plays a significant role in the management of organizations as it employed in the organization of relations and interactions with different stakeholders. Communication is incorporated in the management of organizations through the use of PR as through the concept; they are affected in one way or another. No matter the kind of definition that is used, it is important to appreciate the fact that varied aspects are consistent. The first concept in the above case is that PR is used by corporate to do their marketing and communications roles. Therefore, PR is utilized by businesses to engage with other stakeholders and build a good reputation of their progress using the media (Huang-Horowitz, 2015).
In concluding the above discussion, we can appreciate the fact that with globalization, the world is changing and so has the concept of public relation since its establishment in 1987. The change indicates an acceptance by the different businesses to incorporate modernization which can maneuver well in the current global society that is characterized by independence, and interconnectedness. Moreover, one aspect that should be appreciated is the fact that the evolution of the concept is there to stay so as to meet efficiently the modern needs of businesses and incorporate new strategies into use.
References
Huang-Horowitz, N. C. (2015). Public relations in the small business environment: Creating identity and building reputation. Public Relations Review, 41345-353.
Ledingham, J. A., Kim, J., & Ki, E. (2015). Public Relations As Relationship Management : A Relational Approach to the Study and Practice of Public Relations. New York: Routledge.
Sriramesh, K. (2009). Critical Review of Globalization and Public Relations: An Overview Looking Into the Future. Prism. 6(2). Retrieved on 23/01/2016 from http://athalkrishna.com/2014/09/05/critical-review-of-globalisation-and-public-relations-an-overview-looking-into-the-future/
St. John, I. B., & Johnson, K. (2015). Perspectives of an underconsidered stakeholder group: Citizen journalists’ views of public relations practitioners and their materials. Public Relations Review, doi:10.1016/j.pubrev.2015.09.010
Verčič, D., Zerfass, A., & Wiesenberg, M. (2015). Global public relations and communication management: A European perspective. Public Relations Review, 41785-793.
