The article defines the concept of Public Relations, its scope and function spread over varied organizational segments and the role it should play in today's changing world.
With the Industrial revolution taking root in the 19th century, manufacturing units began to spring up in the western hemisphere. With the fruits of progress slowly spreading over the globe, a number of companies were started in the developing world also. With rising numbers competition amongst businesses commenced growing, and soon the notion of Public Relations began to take shape. The initial start was limited to press handouts and advertisements in newspapers to broaden publicity so as to widen the range of consumer awareness about organizations and their products. As technology opened up the avenues for invention and scientific advancement, the importance of effective public relations to highlight and publicise success and achievement was well realised. PR thus became a very valuable tool in the marketing hierarchy.
"Public relations helps an organization and its publics adapt mutually to each other." This definition by the Public Relations Society of America is commonly accepted and used today.
In this definition, the essential functions of research, planning, communications dialogue and evaluation are implied. Key words are "organization" rather than the limiting implication of "company" or "business", and "publics" which recognizes that all organizations have multiple publics from which they must earn consent and support. |
