CA 329 Assignment
“Public relations is the management function that identifies, establishes, and maintains mutually
beneficial relationships between an organization and the various publics on whom its success or
failure depends.”
“PR is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between
organizations and their publics.”
“Public relations is influencing behaviour to achieve objectives through the effective management of
relationships and communications.”
Page 12. Public Relations Defined. “Public relations is the management function that identifies,
establishes, and maintains mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and the various
publics on whom its success or failure depends.” (Swann, 2019)
Public relations, as defined by PRSA, “is a strategic communication process that builds mutually
beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.” At its core, public relations is about
influencing, engaging and building a relationship with key stakeholders to contribute to the way an
organization is perceived. (PRSSA, 2022)
“Public relations is influencing behaviour to achieve objectives through the effective management of
relationships and communications.” (British Institute of Public Relations, whose definition has also been
adopted in a number of Commonwealth nations) (Is & Relations, 2012)
*Let's analyze the key themes, similarities, and differences between these three definitions of
public relations
Definitions:
1. Definition 1:
"Public relations is the management function that identifies, establishes, and maintains
mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and the various publics on
whom its success or failure depends."
2. Definition 2:
"Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial
relationships between organizations and their publics."
3. Definition 3:
"Public relations is influencing behaviour to achieve objectives through the effective
management of relationships and communications."
Key Themes in Each Definition:
Definition 1:
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Management Function: Public relations is described as a strategic management role
that helps identify, build, and maintain relationships with stakeholders.
Relationship-Building: Emphasizes the importance of mutually beneficial
relationships between an organization and its various publics.
Success or Failure: It connects PR efforts to the organization's success or failure,
indicating that effective relationship management directly impacts organizational
outcomes.
Definition 2:
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Strategic Communication Process: Emphasizes that PR is part of a deliberate and
organized communication process that aims to achieve specific goals.
Relationship-Building: Like Definition 1, this definition underscores the idea of
mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.
Ongoing Process: The use of "process" highlights that PR is a continuous, systematic
effort, not a one-time activity.
Definition 3:
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Influencing Behavior: This definition introduces the idea of behavioral influence as a
key component of PR, suggesting that the goal is to affect stakeholder behavior to
achieve organizational objectives.
Managing Relationships and Communications: It focuses on the management of
relationships and communications, highlighting the strategic role of PR in shaping
interactions and influencing outcomes.
Objective-Oriented: The emphasis on achieving objectives through effective
communication underscores the goal-driven nature of PR.
Similarities between the Definitions:
1. Relationship Building: All three definitions focus on the idea that PR is about
establishing and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships between the organization
and its publics.
2. Strategic Nature: Each definition recognizes the strategic aspect of PR. Definitions 1
and 2 directly call it a management function or a strategic communication process,
while Definition 3 highlights the strategic management of relationships to achieve
organizational goals.
3. Publics: All definitions mention the importance of engaging with publics or
stakeholders (such as employees, customers, investors, the media, etc.), showing that PR
is about interacting with and understanding various audiences.
4. Influence: Definitions 1 and 2 imply the need for influence (successful relationships
often result in influence over public opinion, behavior, or perception). Definition 3
explicitly mentions influencing behavior as a central aspect of PR.
Differences Between the Definitions:
1. Focus on Communication:
o Definition 2 places a strong emphasis on PR as a strategic communication
process, while the other two definitions focus more broadly on relationship
management.
o Definition 3 incorporates communication as one part of relationship
management but focuses more explicitly on influencing behavior through
communication.
2. Management Function vs. Communication Process:
o Definition 1 positions PR as a management function, implying its role in overall
organizational strategy and decision-making.
o Definition 2 focuses on PR as a process, highlighting the ongoing nature of
communication efforts, whereas Definition 3 focuses on PR’s role in influencing
behavior through effective communication management.
3. Influencing Behavior:
o Definition 3 explicitly emphasizes influencing behavior to achieve
organizational objectives, whereas Definitions 1 and 2 focus more on building and
maintaining relationships and communication efforts without a direct emphasis on
influencing behavior.
4. Success or Failure:
o Definition 1 links PR directly to an organization’s success or failure, suggesting
that PR is integral to organizational outcomes.
o Definitions 2 and 3 do not explicitly mention success or failure but rather focus
on the process of relationship-building and behavior-influencing to achieve
broader organizational goals.
Summary:
Similarities:
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All definitions emphasize the importance of relationship-building between the
organization and its publics.
Each definition acknowledges the strategic nature of PR, whether it's as a management
function, a strategic process, or a means of influencing behavior.
All recognize the need for communication with stakeholders.
Differences:
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Definition 1 focuses on PR as a management function, linking it directly to
organizational success or failure.
Definition 2 emphasizes PR as a strategic communication process that is ongoing and
systematic.
Definition 3 highlights PR's role in influencing behavior through relationship and
communication management to achieve specific objectives, a more behavioral and
objective-oriented focus.
Conclusion:
Each definition reflects the evolving nature of PR, with Definition 1 emphasizing its importance
as a management function, Definition 2 underscoring its strategic communication process,
and Definition 3 highlighting the role of PR in influencing stakeholder behavior to meet
organizational objectives. Together, these definitions capture the broad scope of modern public
relations, combining relationship management, strategic communication, and behavioral
influence.
*Let’s break down the essential components of each definition in terms of key aspects like
communication, relationships, reputation management, strategic planning, and other
relevant elements:
Definition 1:
"Public relations is the management function that identifies, establishes, and maintains mutually
beneficial relationships between an organization and the various publics on whom its success or
failure depends."
Essential Components:
1. Management Function:
o PR is framed as a management function, which highlights its role in the
strategic planning and decision-making processes of an organization. This
positions PR as an integral part of organizational management, not just a tactical
or promotional function.
2. Identification, Establishment, and Maintenance of Relationships:
o The focus here is on the ongoing relationship-building process. PR is not just
about creating relationships but about sustaining and maintaining them over time.
This emphasizes the long-term nature of public relations work.
3. Mutually Beneficial Relationships:
o Central to this definition is the idea that PR involves two-way relationships
where both the organization and the publics benefit. This aligns with relationship
management and highlights the importance of engaging stakeholders
meaningfully.
4. Publics:
o The term publics refers to the various stakeholders or groups (such as customers,
employees, media, investors, etc.) that are critical to an organization’s success. PR
must identify and engage with these diverse groups.
5. Success or Failure:
o PR is positioned as essential to the success or failure of the organization,
reflecting its role in reputation management and the impact that effective public
relations can have on an organization’s performance.
Definition 2:
"Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial
relationships between organizations and their publics."
Essential Components:
1. Strategic Communication Process:
o This definition emphasizes that PR is part of a strategic communication process,
which implies a deliberate, planned approach to communication. This highlights
the importance of strategic planning in PR and how PR actions are connected to
organizational goals.
2. Relationship Building:
o Like Definition 1, this definition emphasizes the creation and building of
mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics. The
two-way nature of relationships is central to this definition, reflecting PR’s focus
on engagement.
3. Publics:
o Publics or stakeholders are also highlighted, emphasizing that PR efforts must be
targeted at various groups that affect or are affected by the organization. This
reinforces the idea that PR is about maintaining an ongoing dialogue with
stakeholders.
4. Ongoing Process:
o The use of process suggests that PR is not a one-off activity but a continuous
and systematic effort to build and maintain relationships, which reflects the
evolving nature of PR as a long-term endeavor.
Definition 3:
"Public relations is influencing behaviour to achieve objectives through the effective
management of relationships and communications."
Essential Components:
1. Influencing Behavior:
o Unlike the other two definitions, this one explicitly mentions influencing
behavior as a core element of PR. It highlights that PR is not just about building
relationships but also about actively shaping behaviors, opinions, or actions to
achieve specific objectives.
2. Objective-Oriented:
o This definition highlights that PR is about achieving specific objectives. It is
more goal-driven than the previous two definitions, underscoring the idea that PR
activities are intended to produce tangible outcomes, such as changes in public
opinion or behavior.
3. Effective Management of Relationships:
o As with the other definitions, managing relationships is a key component.
However, this definition adds the notion of effectiveness—PR must not only
establish and maintain relationships but do so in a way that achieves
organizational goals.
4. Communication:
o Communication is mentioned as an important tool in managing relationships and
influencing behavior. This reinforces the idea that strategic communication is
central to achieving the objectives of PR.
Summary of Essential Components:
Definition 1:
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Management function
Relationship-building (identifying, establishing, maintaining)
Mutually beneficial relationships
Publics (stakeholders)
Success or failure (impact on organizational outcomes)
Definition 2:
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Strategic communication process
Building mutually beneficial relationships
Publics (stakeholders)
Ongoing process (continuous, systematic efforts)
Definition 3:
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Influencing behavior
Achieving objectives (goal-driven)
Effective management of relationships
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Strategic communication
Key Comparisons of Essential Components:
1. Communication: All definitions emphasize the role of communication in PR, although
Definition 3 specifically ties communication to behavioral influence and achieving
objectives.
2. Relationship Management: All three definitions agree on the importance of
relationships, with Definitions 1 and 2 focusing on the mutually beneficial nature of
these relationships, and Definition 3 adding a layer of effectiveness in managing
relationships to achieve goals.
3. Strategic Focus: Definitions 1 and 2 focus more on long-term relationship
management and strategic communication, while Definition 3 emphasizes behavioral
influence and achieving specific objectives, giving it a more goal-oriented emphasis.
4. Publics/Stakeholders: Every definition mentions the need to engage with publics or
stakeholders, reflecting the growing recognition that effective PR requires targeted
engagement with various groups that have a stake in the organization’s success.
Conclusion:
Each definition highlights the importance of communication and relationships in PR, but they
differ in their emphasis. Definitions 1 and 2 focus on relationship-building and
communication as strategic, ongoing processes, while Definition 3 introduces the idea of
influencing behavior to achieve specific objectives, with a clear focus on goal-driven
outcomes.
*Each of these definitions reflects the evolving nature of public relations (PR) by highlighting
different aspects of how the practice has developed over time. Let’s break down how each
definition mirrors this evolution:
Definition 1:
"Public relations is the management function that identifies, establishes, and maintains mutually
beneficial relationships between an organization and the various publics on whom its success or
failure depends."
Reflection of the Evolving Nature of PR:
1. Shift from Tactical to Strategic:
o
The term "management function" marks a significant shift in the role of PR,
moving it from a primarily tactical activity (e.g., media outreach or event
planning) to a more strategic function that is part of the overall management and
decision-making process. This reflects how PR has evolved into a key player in
organizational strategy, influencing decisions and long-term outcomes.
2. Focus on Long-Term Relationships:
o The emphasis on "identifies, establishes, and maintains" reflects the growing
importance of long-term, sustainable relationships rather than short-term or
one-off interactions. This indicates the shift from PR as a tool for immediate
impact (like a press release) to relationship-building that lasts and provides
ongoing value to both the organization and its publics.
3. Success or Failure:
o This definition directly ties PR efforts to an organization's success or failure,
showcasing how PR has come to be seen as an integral part of organizational
health. This is a reflection of PR's growing influence over outcomes such as
reputation management, crisis communication, and stakeholder trust.
Definition 2:
"Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial
relationships between organizations and their publics."
Reflection of the Evolving Nature of PR:
1. Strategic Communication:
o The introduction of "strategic communication process" emphasizes the
planned, intentional nature of modern PR. This shows how PR has moved
beyond reactive or ad-hoc communication to a coordinated, goal-oriented
process that aligns with organizational strategies. It highlights PR's role in
shaping long-term perceptions and aligning organizational goals with stakeholder
interests.
2. Two-Way Communication:
o By focusing on "mutually beneficial relationships", this definition highlights
the shift to two-way communication, where organizations are no longer just
broadcasting messages, but engaging in a dialogue with their publics. This aligns
with the evolution of PR toward a more interactive and participatory approach,
where feedback from stakeholders is valued and incorporated into decisionmaking.
3. Ongoing and Systematic Process:
o The use of "process" underscores the ongoing and systematic nature of PR. It
reflects the transition from PR as a series of isolated activities (such as media
outreach or crisis management) to a continuous process that builds relationships
and manages reputations over time. This shows the increased
professionalization and strategic alignment of PR within organizations.
Definition 3:
"Public relations is influencing behaviour to achieve objectives through the effective
management of relationships and communications."
Reflection of the Evolving Nature of PR:
1. Focus on Behavior and Outcomes:
o The explicit mention of "influencing behavior" shows the growing emphasis on
achieving specific, measurable outcomes through PR. In this definition, PR is
not just about maintaining relationships or communicating with publics; it is
about changing perceptions or behaviors to meet organizational objectives.
This represents a shift toward a more results-driven, goal-oriented approach to
PR.
2. Strategic Objective Achievement:
o The phrase "to achieve objectives" underscores how PR has evolved to be more
explicitly aligned with business goals and outcomes. This reflects how PR is no
longer seen as simply about building goodwill or managing image; it is an active,
strategic tool for driving organizational success, including influencing
consumer behavior, public opinion, and stakeholder engagement.
3. Emphasis on Communication and Relationship Management:
o While the focus on influencing behavior is new, the importance of relationship
management and communication remains central. The definition reflects the
integration of communication efforts (such as campaigns, media relations, and
social media engagement) with relationship-building strategies. This highlights
how PR has become more holistic, using communication tools to build
relationships and influence outcomes.
Comparison:
1. Strategic Focus:
o Definition 1 introduces PR as a management function, indicating its growing
role in organizational strategy. Definition 2 positions PR as a strategic
communication process, further emphasizing the intentional and planned
nature of modern PR efforts. Definition 3 makes the strategic objective of
influencing behavior explicit, marking a further evolution where PR is directly
tied to business results and outcomes.
2. Relationship Building:
o All definitions emphasize the importance of relationship-building. Definitions 1
and 2 focus on the idea of mutually beneficial relationships between an
organization and its publics, while Definition 3 extends this to managing
relationships in order to influence behavior and achieve specific objectives,
demonstrating how PR has evolved to focus on not just building relationships, but
using them as tools for achieving strategic goals.
3. Communication Process:
o Definition 2 and Definition 3 explicitly frame PR as a communication process.
This indicates the shift in PR from being reactive or event-based (Definition 1) to
being about deliberate communication aimed at achieving specific outcomes
(such as influencing behavior or achieving organizational goals). PR is
increasingly seen as an ongoing, systematic communication effort rather than a
series of isolated activities.
4. Influence and Objectives:
o Definition 3 is the most behaviorally oriented, focusing on influencing
stakeholders to achieve specific objectives. This reflects the increasing resultsdriven nature of modern PR, where the effectiveness of PR is often measured in
terms of behavioral changes (e.g., customer purchase behavior, brand perception,
or public policy changes).
Conclusion:
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Definition 1 reflects the evolution of PR from a tactical function to a strategic
management role, emphasizing the importance of long-term relationship-building and
its direct connection to organizational success.
Definition 2 highlights the systematic, strategic communication process PR has
become, where relationship-building is viewed as part of a larger, ongoing effort to
engage stakeholders.
Definition 3 marks a more goal-oriented, results-driven approach, where PR is about
influencing behavior and achieving organizational objectives through effective
communication and relationship management.
Together, these definitions illustrate how PR has evolved from a primarily tactical role to a
strategic function focused on relationship management, communication processes, and
achieving measurable outcomes.