Question

Explain public relations as a management function.

Answer 1

As a management function, public relations encompasses the following: 

1. Anticipating, analysing and interpreting public opinion, attitudes and issues which might impact for good or bad the operations and plans of the organisation.
2. Counselling management at all levels in the organisation with regard to policy decisions, courses of action, and communication, taking into account their public ramifications and the organisation's social or citizenship responsibilities.
3. Researching, conducting and evaluating, on a continuing basis, programmes of action and communication to achieve informed public understanding necessary to the success of an organisation's aims. These may include marketing, fund raising, employee, community or government relations and other programmes.
4. Planning and implementing the organisation's efforts to influence or change public policy.
5. Setting objectives, planning, budgeting, recruiting and training staff, developing facilities; in short, managing the resources needed to perform all of the above.
6. Examples of the knowledge that may be required in the professional practice of public relations include communication, arts, psychology, social psychology, sociology, political science, economics, and the principles of management and ethics. Technical knowledge and skills are required for opinion research, public issues analysis, media relations, direct mail, institutional advertising, publications, film/video productions, special events, speeches and presentations.
7. In helping to define and implement policy, the public relations practitioner utilises a variety of professional communication skills and plays an integrative role both within and between the organisation and the external environment.