PUBLIC RELATION

1.3 CONCEPT & DEFINITION, ROLE AND OBJECTIVES

1.3.1 PUBLIC RELATIONS CONCEPT & DEFINITION

Pioneers of Public Relations
Some people see Ivy Lee (1877-1934) as ‘the father of public relations’ while to
some it is Edward Bernays (1891-1995). However, both have significant contribution
in establishing modern public relations as professional practice. Interestingly they also
represent two different and opposite views of practising PR. For Ivy Lee, PR was an
‘art’ in which creativity and innovation was critical. For Edward Bernays PR could be
a scientific practice.

Declaration of Principles published by Ivy Lee

published said that PR work should be done in
the open, should be accurate and cover topics
of public interest. He also credited with
developing the modern press release.

Edward Bernays is the first theorist of PR.

influenced by psychological theories of his uncle,
Prof. Sigmund Freud, his approach was that
audiences had to be carefully understood and persuaded to see things from the client’s
perspective. He wrote the first textbook on PR and taught the first college course at
New York University in 1923.

‘Public Relations’ is basically the art and science of managing relationship with ‘public’.
It attempts to establish and sustain mutually beneficial relationships between an
organization, commercial or non-commercial, and the stakeholders or “publics”. The
concept of publics varies from persons to person or organisation to organisation. These
are the people, group or institutions upon which success of the entities depends. These
publics may include customers, investors, employees, suppliers, legislators, competitors,
government officials and others.
Although Public relations (PR) blossomed as a professional discipline in the 20th Century
its roots can be traced throughout civilization across the globe. Whether using poems
and other writings to promote the image of a king or sending emissaries to other countries
to promote art and religion, all these activities are part of Public Relations and being
practiced since times immemorial.
According to Edward Bernays, one of the founders of PR, “The three main elements
of public relations are practically as old as society: informing people, persuading people,
or integrating people with people.”
PR played an important role in Indian national movement. Leaders like Mahatma
Gandhi used various PR methods to communicate with the masses and win public
support. Several methods used by him are now part of the standard practice of PR
across the globe.
Every organization, institution, and individual practice public relations, knowingly or
unknowingly. As long as we operate in a social environment, we cannot ignore our
relationship with others in the society. The role of PR is to develop and manage this
relationship at its best so that mutual understanding can be developed, generating
public goodwill and good reputation.
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In initial years of professional public relations, Government and public services have
been among the leading users of public relations techniques. However, post-globalization,
increased competition in business, greater understanding of consumers, growth of mass
media and rise of social media have necessitated adoption of PR for various commercial
and non-commercial organizations and individuals.
The primary purpose of public relations is to create understanding and build reputation.
Unlike advertisement which aims at generating awareness and promoting sales, Public
Relations makes effort to develop mutually beneficial relationships between organisations
and the public. Organisations and Government Bodies adopt public relations techniques
to educate people about new public services, and in order to introduce new lifestyles.
The earliest definitions of public relations was centred around the concept of press
agentry and publicity, while more modern definitions incorporate the concepts of
‘engagement’ and ‘relationship building’.
One of pioneers of PR, Edward L. Bernays said that Public Relations is the attempt by
information, persuasion and adjustment to engineer public support for an activity, cause,
movement or institution.
According to the British Institute of Public relations (BIPR),
public relations is ‘the deliberate planned and sustained effort
to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an
organization and its publics”. As per this definition, PR is
not a haphazard process. Rather it is a consciously designed
effort and continuous in nature. Sporadic PR activities may
not achieve the desired output.
In 1978, the World Assembly of Public Relations agreed
Ivy Lee upon a definition of Public Relations, which is known as
‘the Mexican Definition’. It states “Public Relations is the
art and social science of analysing trends, predicting their
consequences, counselling organisational leaders as well as
planning and implementing a programme of action that will
serve the interest of not only the organisation but also that of its publics”. This definition
links public relations with social science disciplines such
as psychology, politics, sociology, languages and etc. It
also attempts to establish that PR is scientific, objective
and therefore factual.
British author Frank Jefkins in his book ‘Public Relation’
defines “public relations consists of all forms of planned
communication both inward and outward between an
organisation and its publics for the purpose of achieving
objectives concerning mutual understanding”. This
definition focuses on a two way communication involving Edward
both the organisation and its various publics to establish Bernays
Mutual understanding.
Cutlip, Center and Boom in their book ‘Effective Public
Relaions’ defined PR as the “Management function that
identifies, establishes and maintains mutually beneficial relationship between and
organisation and its publics upon whom its success or failure depends’. This definition
gives more clout and credibility to PR function.
In 2011-12, Public Relations Society America (PRSA) developed a crowd sourced
definition of PR as “Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds
mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics”.
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This definition focuses on the basic concept of public relations — as a communication
process, one that is strategic in nature and emphasizing “mutually beneficial relationships”.
“Process” is preferable to “management function,” which can evoke ideas of control
and top-down, one-way communications.
“Relationships” relates to public relations’ role in helping to bring together organizations
and individuals with their key stakeholders.

“Publics” is preferable to “stakeholders,” as the former relates to the very “public”

nature of public relations, whereas “stakeholders” has connotations of publicly-traded
companies.
PRSA also continues that as a management function, public relations also encompasses
the following:
♦ Anticipating, analyzing and interpreting public opinion, attitudes and issues that
might impact, for good or ill, the operations and plans of the organization.
♦ ·Counselling management at all levels in the organization with regard to policy
decisions, courses of action and communication, taking into account their public
ramifications and the organization’s social or citizenship responsibilities.
♦ ·Researching, conducting and evaluating, on a continuing basis,
programs of action and
communication to achieve the
informed public Pioneers of
understanding necessary to Public Relations
the success of an
organization’s aims. These Some people see Ivy Lee
may include marketing; (1877-1934) as ‘the father of public
financial; fund raising; relations’ while to some it is Edward
employee, community or Bernays (1891-1995). However, both have
government relations; and significant contribution in establishing
other programs. modern public relations as professional
♦ ·Planning and implementing practice. Interestingly they also represent
the organization’s efforts to two different and opposite views of
influence or change public practising PR. For Ivy Lee, PR was an ‘art’
policy. Setting objectives, in which creativity and innovation was
planning, budgeting,
critical. For Edward Bernays PR could be
recruiting and training staff,
developing facilities — in a scientific practice.
short, managing the resources Declaration of Principles published by Ivy
needed to perform all of the Lee published said that PR work should
[Link] relations is an
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art as well as science. It is an art because it
be done in the open, should be requires artistic skills, fine arts, language,
accurate and cover topics of public writing, public speaking, etc. It is science
interest. He also credited with because it uses social scientific methods to
developing the modern press understand and predict human behaviour and
release. society.
Edward Bernays is the first theorist Based on all these definitions, it can be said
of PR. influenced by psychological that as a management function, Public
theories of his uncle, Prof. Sigmund Relations plans and implements strategy and
activities to influence public opinion or public
Freud, his approach was that
reaction about an entity that can be an
audiences had to be carefully individual, a group, an idea, a product or an
understood and persuaded to see organization. Present day public relations
things from the client’s perspective. mainly consist of Persuasion, Information,
He wrote the first textbook on PR Communication, Third-party validation,
and taught the first college course Public opinion and Public policy.
at New York University in 1923.

1.3.2 ROLES AND OBJECTIVES

One of the major functions of public relations is shaping the image. It generates positive
publicity for a company, an individual or a government and enhances its reputation.
The Government uses Public Relations to keep the public informed about the activity
of government agencies, explain policy, and manage political campaigns. The Companies
use it to handle relationship with many groups affected by a company’s product and
policies: consumers, shareholders, employees, and the managing body.
Organizations have several management functions like finance, legal, human resources,
marketing, and operations that contributes toward its success. As discussed earlier,
Public relations helps organizations to develop and maintain relationships with all of its
key publics and stakeholders by effectively communicating with these groups.

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