Public relations (often abbreviated as PR) remain a certain type of corporate communications that, coordinated and sustained over time, seek to strengthen the strategic links between a company or organization and its stakeholders.
In other words, it is communication management that seeks to maintain the relationships between the organization and its external interlocutors in the best possible state. Doing this provides them with information, exchange opportunities, and fosters the so-called loyalty (preferential client relationship).
similarly, Public relations constitute a set of strategies of different types. Its objective is to promote, sell, promote, or make its interests known to its clientele and the general public in a planned way. Therefore, he uses techniques and concepts typical of marketing and design and sociology, psychology, politics, and journalism.
Public relations is also a self-contained discipline and field of study. The Austrian-American publicist and inventor Edward Bernays (1891-1995) invented them in the early 1900s. Its importance during the Great Depression that began in 1929 was significant as a mechanism to claim business work and its contribution to the economic system.
Definition of Public Relations
According to some authors and scholars of the subject, we can define public relations as:
Although, A characteristic managerial function that helps establish and maintain lines of mutual communication, understanding, acceptance, and cooperation between an organization and its audiences; It involves the management of problems or issues, it helps managers stay informed and sensitive to public opinion; defines and emphasizes the responsibility of managers to serve the public interest; it helps managers stay ahead of changes and use them effectively, understanding them as a warning system to anticipate trends” (Rex Harlow).
The managerial function that establishes and maintains mutually beneficial relationships between an organization. And the public on which its success or failure depends” (Scott Cutlip and Allen Centre).
The administrative function that evaluates public attitudes identifies an organization’s policies. And procedures with the public interest and executes a program of action and communication to generate public understanding and acceptance” (John Marston).
Functions and Objectives of Public Relations
Public relations interests are very diverse and distinct, but we can roughly summarize them as follows:
Manage corporate or organizational identity. It means that PR ensures that the different departments of the company use the same language and project a unified image of it to the public. Which implies:
Management of external communications. In other words, everything that leaves the organization and remain consumed stay the client or the general public.
Management of internal communications. That is how the parts of the company communicate with each other.
Management of public opinion. Such as press monitoring, strategic consultations, Internet and social media management, strategic marketing, etc.
Corporate social responsibility. Thus, the organization’s commitment to the community of which it remain a part stay known. Not only as a way of projecting a positive image of its work and its vision and mission. But also as a mechanism to give back to society part of the resources that the company obtains from it.
Although, Event organization. PR often achieve their objectives by producing and organizing various types of events, fairs, invitations, celebrations, etc.
Importance of Public Relations
Although, Public relations are an inseparable part of business and organizational practice today. Also,They can be a way of bringing companies closer to their public or a mechanism to “humanize” some large corporations whose operation is more like that of a machine.
Of course, this can involve ethically questionable work. Such as washing the face of companies whose economic activity is irresponsible or harmful. In other cases, it may be part of the communication strategies of a positive organization that would not otherwise be as well known and would not receive enough support and visibility.