WhatisPublicRelations

Christodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DPublic Relations NotesInstructor Dr.Ilias Hristodoulakis,Ph.DAthens,Greece Christodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DWhat is Public Relations What is this thing called public relations?The term public relations is often confusing because it is frequently used inaccurately.According to many self-called PR practitioners as well as to managers publicity,like public relations and corporate advertising,consists of promotional program elements that may be of great benefit to the marketing.Continuing,they recommend that the use of public relations in the promotion mix is a very good idea taking into consideration that:public relation is a cheap mean of communication,because mostly is coming free through publicity,and it is perceived by consumers as a more credible source than other media of promotion such as advertising.Christodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DWhat is Public Relations As a result public relations is related to the promotional activities,and is one technical activity used by marketing to promote the image of corporations and products.Public relations is a unique management function which helps organizations to establish and maintain mutual lines of communications,understanding,acceptance,and cooperation with their public(s).It involves the management of problems or issues;helps management to keep informed on and responsive to public opinion;defines and emphasizes the responsibility of the management to serve not only the organization but most important the public(s)interest(s);helps management to stay familiar with environmental changes;serving as a warning system to help predict trends;and uses research and symmetrical communication techniques as its principal tools.Christodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DWhat is Public Relations 1)Public relations is a unique management function1)Public relations is a unique management function Public relations practitioners need to be part of the total organization,in surveying the environment and in helping to define the mission,goals,and objectives of the organization.participation of the head of the public relation department in the dominant dominant coalitioncoalition,for defining the mission and planning the present and future strategy of the organization.The boundary role:they function as a liaison between the organization and its external and internal publics.To put it in different words,public relation managers have one foot inside the organization and the other outside.Public relations departments help organizations maintaining mutual lines of communications,understanding,acceptance,and cooperation with their public(s);Christodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DWhat is Public Relations The first step of strategic management of public relations is to-make a list of the people who are linked to or have a stake in the organization after thoroughly researching their public(s)ranking them according their impact on the organization or the extent to which the organization believes it should moderate its consequences on them;plan ongoing communication programs with the most important public(s).The communication activities between organization and public(s),need to be based on the principle of symmetrical communication.As a result communications,understanding,acceptance,and As a result communications,understanding,acceptance,and cooperation with their public(s).cooperation with their public(s).Christodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DWhat is Public RelationsPublic relations departments help organizations to manage Public relations departments help organizations to manage problems or issuesproblems or issues Organizations in which the public relations department is part of their decision management level,will have resolved most of the problems with publics before they become issues.Excellent public relations departments make sure that they scan the environment around the organization and balance their organization mission with external and internal demands On the one hand,they must interpreter the philosophies,policies,programs,and practices of their management to the public(s);and on the other hand,they must translate the attitudes and reactions of the public(s)to their management.Even when they are not represented in the dominant coalition,as environmental scanners,public relations practitioners are sensitive to changes taking place in the larger environment surrounding the organization that may influence the public opinion.Christodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DWhat is Public RelationsPublic relations serves not only the organization but most Public relations serves not only the organization but most important the public(s)interest(s)important the public(s)interest(s)Public relations practitioners must constantly communicate with many different publics,each having each own special needs and requiring different types of communications.Public relations practitioners role is to identify with critical publics with whom the organization must communicate on a frequent and direct basis.Under the quittance of public relations,organizations learn of how to get more sensitive to the self interests,desires,and concerns of each public.They understand that self interest groups today are themselves more complex and with more power than ever before.They harmonizing actions necessary to win and maintain support among each groups.Emphasizing and achieving a win-win arrangement.Christodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DWhat is Public RelationsExcellent public relations departments must use research Excellent public relations departments must use research techniques as its principal tools for developing decisionstechniques as its principal tools for developing decisions If communicators and public relations practitioners are decision makers,then operations research can contribute to public relations management by helping to provide decisions that produce efficient and/or effective courses of action in a rigorous and demonstrable manner.Operations research can be used to help develop well formulated objectives,that is,assist in goal setting;discover states of nature(situation analysis);identify possible strategies,competitive strategies;handle excessive numbers of strategies and states of nature;determine outcome;evaluate outcomes,that is quantifying the outcomes desirability;and select a specific strategy that is the best or the most efficient or both.Christodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DWhat is Public Relations The three primary forms of public relations research,as they have been suggested are methods,mostly indirect,of observing human behavior surveys to reveal attitudes and opinions,communication audits to evaluate how an organization is doing with respect to particular public(s),and unobtrusive measures such as fact finding,content analysis,and readability studies.As a result helps management to stay familiar with As a result helps management to stay familiar with environmental changes;to predict trendsenvironmental changes;to predict trendsChristodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DWhat is Public Relations Organizations with good public relations departments are Organizations with good public relations departments are always using two ways symmetrical systems of always using two ways symmetrical systems of communicationcommunication Under an asymmetrical communication system,organizations are striving to convince their practitioners that the organization knows best and that publics benefit from cooperating with the organizations decisions.Thus,the role of the practitioners to persuade publics to follow decisions made by the organization.Christodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DWhat is Public Relations On the other hand,organizations that basing their communication systems on symmetrical models recognize that they cannot isolate themselves from their environment.Acknowledging that publics and other organizations operating in the same external and/or internal environment interrelated with the organization,and freely exchanging information with those organizations and publics,establishing an equilibrium state that constantly move as the environment changes.Symmetrical models of communication are conflict resolution oriented rather than persuasion.Conflicts are resolved through negotiation,communication,and compromise and not through force,manipulation,coercion,or violence.Christodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DWhat Is Public Relations:The four Models of PRPress Agentry/PublicityFor Propaganda purpose,one way communication complete truth is not essential,Source Receiver as com.model,the initiative is always strongly in the hands of the source/sender.The means are usually strait forward advertising or other promotional activitiesPublic InformationFor dissemination of information purpose,one way communication but truth is important,source receiver as communication model,it is one way communication w/out usually the purpose of persuasion.little research usually readability and readership,is used for Government-nonprofit associations,businessesChristodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DThe four Models of PR Two way AsymmetricFor Scientific persuasion purposes,two way imbalanced effects communication,source receiver source com.Model,research is formative with evaluation of attitudes,typical use in competitive business and agenciesTwo Way SymmetricFor mutual understanding purposes,two way balanced effects,symmetrical mod.,formative with evaluation of understanding,typical used in regulated business and agencies Christodoulakis Ilias,Ph.D PR the Communication Management:NATURE OF COMMUNICATIONNeed for a common groundFeedbackThe role of the sensesSource message encoding channel message decoding receiver Noise and FeedbackChristodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DTHE GOALS OF COMMUNICATIONInform Persuade Motivate Mutual understandingChristodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DA PUBLIC RELATIONS PERSPECTIVEQuestions to Focus Materials Produced-Is it appropriate?-Is it meaningful?-Is it memorable?-Is it understandable?-Is it believable?Determine objectives Based on the Awareness Interest Desire Action model Informational motivationalChristodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DThe Communication Process:From Theory to PracticeIn Communication we are generally concerned with persuading people in one way or another,even if its only persuading them that were quite nice people.We therefore will often be concerned with examining peoples needs,in order that we can respond to those needs in our communication.Peoples needs motivate them to act;if we can identify those needs,we have a chance of motivating them to do what we want them to do,even if only attend to our communication in the first place.One humanist psychologist who is constantly referred to in the study of Communication is Abraham Maslow,who developed the hierarchy of needs shown in the graphic.Christodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DChristodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DMaslow emphasised the human need for self-actualisation,the realisation of ones full potential as a human being.According to Maslow,before one can set about self-actualisation,a person has first to solve the problems associated with the four lower-level needs of the hierarchy:Physical/survival needs:you must satisfy your physical wants before you can take the next step up the motivational hierarchy;Safety needs:once you have satisfied your basic biological needs,you can get on with exploring your environment.It is well known,however,that a child will not begin to explore unless it feels secure.But the drive for safety is in itself a motivator for exploration-when you know whats out there in the world,your uncertainty is reduced,the world s more predictable and safe;Christodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DSocial needs:these are belongingness needs.Maslow claims that we have an innate need to affiliate with others in search of affection and love.Through empathising with others we learn also to see the world from different points of view;Esteem needs:the groups we affiliate with help us to set our lifes goals.They can provide us with feedback on how well we are doing in pursuit of those goals.The closer we get,the more esteem we are likely to receive from others and feel for ourselves;Self-actualization needs:when we have acquired sufficient self-esteem we are confident enough to go on to realise our full potential,expressing ourselves in our own unique way.Christodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DMaslows hierarchy has the benefit of attempting a holistic account of human motivation,considering a range of influences on human behaviour.It is questionable whether,in the light of contemporary notions such as the decentred self,humanistic psychologys conception of the self is still tenable,though it has to be said that many people who have experienced Rogerian counselling will testify to its efficacy.Maslows hierarchy has also been criticised for being based on Maslows study of successful individuals in Western society.To what extent it might apply to non-Western societies or to non-middle-or upper-class individuals is not clear.Nor is it clear why there should be five stages rather than sixty-eight and it is certainly not clear why he believes that we must progress through the stages-one could think of artists,for example,who have shown scant regard for their survival needs,or even esteem needs,appearing to jump straight to working on their self-actualisation.Christodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DCertainly,it is hard to see how any but totally isolated people could satisfy their survival needs independently of,say,social needs.Hunter-gatherers live together,hunt and forage together,their survival is entirely dependent on society.So is mine of course in the sense that my ability to buy things from shops depends on certain infrastructures in society,but its also the case that I cant buy things from shops without engaging in an at least a rudimentary form of social intercourse.To separate out each of these needs in the way that Maslow does seems highly artificial.Christodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DNevertheless,there is some empirical evidence from Harlows experiments with monkeys which tends to support Maslows ideas.Whatever criticisms may be made of Maslow,the notion that something like these needs seems to motivate people has been taken on by marketers.Think of the way that house insurance companies offer free smoke or burglar alarms as incentives(safety needs)all those adverts which show the product at the centre of groups of happy people(social needs)marketing which pushes the high status of the product(esteem needs)Microsofts current emphasis on exploration of ideas and ones self through modern technology,their slogan Where do you want to go today?(self-actualisation needs)Christodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DThe Communication Process:SourceCommunicator:SourceCredibility The principal characteristic of the Communicator affecting his or her persuasiveness is his or her credibility.Credibility itself is made up of a variety of factors:Trustworthiness:Is this person honest?Can I believe what hes telling me?If Bill Clinton has had an affair and not told his wife,then how do I know he wont lie to me as well?Christodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DPoliticians will also try to undermine their opponents credibility by pointing to self-contradictions in their past-if(former Labour Party leader)Neil Kinnock was vehemently opposed to Britains membership of the European Union and in favour of unilateral nuclear disarmament,how can you believe him now that hes a fervent supporter of European union and opposed to disarmament?Advertisers will sometimes use trustworthy people to endorse their product:the jazz critic George Melly to endorse Sonys headphones,former Metropolitan Police Commissioner Robert Mark to endorse Goodyear tyres and so on Christodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DIn a 1953 experiment conducted by Kelman and Hovland subjects were played a message which recommended more lenient treatment of juvenile offenders.In the one case,the source of the message was said to be a judge in a juvenile court,in the other case an alleged drug dealer.Unsurprisingly,when the subjects were assessed immediately after hearing the messages,they found the high-credibility source(the judge)to be more persuasive).Three weeks later they were again assessed.This time,half the subjects were reminded who the source was.It turned out that where there was a reminder,the subjects maintained their original position,but,where there was none,there was a significant decrease in the persuasion of the high-credibility condition.(There was also a very minor,but insignificant,increase in the low-credibility condition.)Hovland argued that over the course of time the connexion between the cue(i.e.the communicators credibility)and the message became dissociated.He termed this the sleeper effect.Christodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DSorokin and Baldyreff played listeners two records of a classical music piece,each bearing exactly the same performance.Listeners were told in advance that one of the performances had been judged as significantly better by music critics.96%of subjects considered the performances were different and 59%agreed with the alleged opinion of the experts.Orson Welless War of the Worlds broadcast was doubtless also effective in part because of the perceived prestige of those allegedly commenting on the invasion-the fictitious Prof.Farrell of the Mount Jennings Observatory,Prof.Morse of McMillan University,General Montgomery Smith,commander of the Trenton state militia and othersChristodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DExpertise:Does this person know what hes talking about?Hence the tendency of politicians to spout statistics at the slightest provocation and the tendency of computer consultants to use computer jargon to people they know dont understand it.The perceived expertise of the source is likely to be more persuasive if the audience have no particular commitment to the subject under discussion.If people have some knowledge of the subject,then they probably have some arguments or counterarguments already prepared.If not,then theyll probably use some general rule of thumb,like This blokes paid to teach Communication Studies,so I suppose he knows what hes talking about.(!)Christodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DAttractiveness:We know from our studies of NVC that physical attractiveness often works in a persons favour.Judges give attractive people lighter sentences,college lecturers give them better marks and so on.Presidential and Prime Ministerial candidates have themselves remodelled by image consultants.One presidential hopeful is even rumoured to have had plastic surgery.Attractiveness is not only a matter of physical attractiveness,though.Other factors such as similarity and familiarity are important:Is he my sort of person?,Ive never heard of her before.Does he look like my sort of person?He sounds like a complete idiot and so on.Christodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DSo,a leader from specific local area might use a strong accent when addressing a rally in this area,though he uses a regular one when being interviewed on TV.There are numerous factors which influence attractiveness,for example the paralinguistic aspects of speech,which led Prime Minister Thatcher to take lessons in voice control,so that she appeared less strident and developed the sound of measured,breathy sincerity which became her hallmark.Humour is another factor,which explains why we find comedians being used for the voice-overs on a variety of commercials.Christodoulakis Ilias,Ph.DThere is an exception to this general rule of attractiveness,though.If a liked communicators recommendations are seen as stemming from internal factors(e.g.her special interests,her bias,her self-interest),but those of a disliked communicator are seen as stemming from external factors(thats the way things are),then the disliked communicator can be more persuasive If the source of a message was perceived as having low credibility,then the message would be interpreted as biased and unfair.That effect could probably be explained by the need to maintain cognitive consistency.High credibility sources were shown by Hovland and his colleagues to be likely to have a significant effect on the positive reception of the mess