organization and its publics, involve the management of problems or issues,help management to keep informed on and
responsive to public opinion, defines and emphasis the responsibility of management to serve the public interest, helps
management keep abreast of and effectively utilities change,serving as an early system to help anticipate trends, and
uses research and sound and ethical communication as its principal tools Cutlip,Center, Broom 1999: p4
According to Frank Jefkins in his book of Public Relations,
Public relations is the art and social science of analyzing trends, predicting their consequences, counseling organization
leaders and implementing planned programs of action which will serve both the organizations and the public interest
Jefkins : 1991 :p181
In short public relations can be defined as a series of efforts and activities done by the organizations and its public that aim to reach the
successful in the competition business world.
B. The Function of Public Relations
As a management function, Public relations encompass the
following : 1.
Anticipating, analyzing and interpreting public opinion, Attitudes and issues that might for good or ill, the operations and plans
of the organization. 2.
Counseling management at all levels in the organization with regard to policy decisions, course of action and communication taking into
account their public ramifications and the organization’s social or citizenship responsibilities.
3. Researching, conducting and evaluating a continuing basis, program of
action and communication to archive the informed public understanding necessary to the success of an organization’s aims.
These may
include marketing,financial,fund
raising, employee,community or government relations and other programs.
4. Planning and implementing the organization’s efforts to influence or
change public policy. 5.
Setting objectives, planning, budgeting, recruiting and training staff, developing facilities
– in short, managing the resources needed to perform all of the above.
6. Example of the knowledge that may be required in the professional
practice of public relations include communication arts, psychology, social psychology, sociology, political science, economics and the
principles of management, and ethics. Technical knowledge and skills
are required for opinion research, public issues analysis,media relations, direct mail, institutional advertising, publications, filmvideo
productions, special events, speeches and presentations.
PRSA. 1982 : 5
C. The Activities of Public Relations
The contemporary meaning and practice of public relations included all of the following activities and specialties :
1. Publicity
Publicity is the information from an outside source that is used by the media because the information has news value. It is
uncontrolled method of placing messages in the media because the source does not pay the media for placement.
2. Advertising
Advertising is the information placed in the media by an identified sponsor that pays for the time or space. It is a controlled
method of placing messages in the media.
3. Press Agentry
Press Agentry is the creating newsworthy stories and events to attract media attention and to gain public notice.
a. Public Affairs
Public affair is a specialized part of public relations that builds and maintains governmental and local community relation in order to
influence public policy.
b. Issues Management
Issues management is the proactive process of anticipating, identifying, evaluating and responding to public policy issues that
affect organizations related to their publics. c.
Lobbying Lobbying is a specialized part of public relations that builds and
maintains relations with the government for the purpose of influencing legislation and regulation.
d. Investor relations
Investor relations is a specialized part of corporate public relations that builds and maintains mutually beneficial relationship to
shareholders and others in the financial community to maximize market value.
e. Development
Development is a specialized part of public relations in private non profit organizations that builds and maintains relationship with
donors and members for the purpose of securing financial and volunteer support.
Cutlip and Broom, 1999: 9
D. Public Relations in Hotel
