Public Relations and Society
Public Relations as been defined as an art and social science of analyzing trends, predicting consequences, counselling organisation leaders and implementing planned programme of action which will serve both the organisation {and or individual{s}} and its {his/her/ their} publics.
Public Relations is d deliberate, planned and sustainable effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an organisation {or individual} and {his/her} publics. -BIPR
PR is about reputation- {the result of what you do, what you say and what others say about you}. It’s the discipline which looks after reputation, with the aim of earning understanding and support and influencing opinion and behaviour. It is the planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organisation {or individual} and it’s {his/her} publics.
SOCIETY on its side, is simply every kind and degree of relationship entered into by men, whether these relationship s are organized or unorganized, direct or indirect, conscious or unconscious, co-operative or antagonistic- Chinoy [1967]
Therefore, there should be a synergy between Public relations and Society.
Organisation and Publics are key elements in the definition and also practice of Public Relations. Organization is a group of people i.e. government, business, professional, cultural, educational. Publics are audience that are important to an organisation- customers, employees, media, Government e.t.c.
Therefore, a Public relations expert should be able to study and understand ‘society’, as the knowledge would help in building a mutual understanding- which i the bedrock of PR.
Public Relations is a combination of Sociology, Psychology, Philosophy, Economics, language Journalism, communication and other knowledge into a system of human understanding. –Herbert M. Baus.
Psychology is the physical and scientific study of human and animal behaviours in their natural conditions which can be used to improve their living and regeneration.
In the cause of doing his/her job, PR Expert is should understand attitude, how people behave and react or response to some phenomenon. The main objective of PR is to transfer {change} four negative attitude to four positive ones. This is what Frank Jefkins called PR transfer Process.
Hostility --→ Sympathy Apathy--→ Interest Prejudice --→ Acceptance Ignorance--→ Knowledge
The study of Social Psychology would assist PR experts to understand people {individuals and org.} their attitudes, behaviours, motivation, relationship and the society at large.
Communication is also an important element. It could be the cause of crisis – a communication gap between school authority and the students could cause a riot in school. ... wars between nations are caused by cultural misunderstanding that could be alleviated trough international political communication’ – Aubrey, a political Scientist. Some scholars hold the belief that better communication is a panacea for crisis.
Though, Burgoon, et al {1994} made it clear that people can use communication either to become demagogues, to incite riots, and to initiate wars. They can also use it as a tool to serve humanity or to grow and develop as individual.
So, communication is a crux in PR, a PR expert should be able to use communication tools perfectly and this is the journalism aspect of PR. PR experts, as the linking bridge between its organisation and their publics. According to Charles Corley –“communication is the mechanism trough which human relationships exist and develop”. PR experts should not handle communication with levity. When one study communication, he is studying people in relation with one another, their groups, organisations and society, influencing each other and being influenced, informing and being informed, teaching and being taught... Schramm and Roberts {1992}
Communication {as defined by Daramola I, 2003} “as the use and interpretation of symbols, information and idea by a person or several other persons, by speaking or trough other means such as songs, gestures, e.t.c. In a nut shell, PR experts should be blessed with the ability to manage information and communication than any other person. He/She should be able to use all forms of communication. PR experts should be an orator and as well a good writer.
PR is a profession that brings few other {i.e. Psychology, Sociology, Journalism, e.t.c.} together in other to create a favourable environment for his organization and clients. So a PR expert would do the job of a journalist, psychologist, advertiser e.t.c. just to make sure he made his organisation/ clients an household brand
