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Management of Public Relations I

Management of Public Relations I. Introduction to Public Relations School of Communication Studies James Madison University Dr. Michael Smilowitz. What to expect?. A discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of managing public relations “in-house.”

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Management of Public Relations I

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  1. Management of Public Relations I Introduction to Public Relations School of Communication Studies James Madison University Dr. Michael Smilowitz

  2. What to expect? • A discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of managing public relations “in-house.” • A description of Seitel’s model for the management of public relations activities. • A discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of managing public relations through the use of an external agency. • An explanation of typical fee structures used by external agencies. • An identification of the types of objectives and their role in the pr management process.

  3. Organizations provide for their public relation activities by: • Hiring an external agency. • Maintaining an internal department • Sometimes called public relations departments, but nearly twice as often departments of communications, or departments of integrated communication. • Some combination of external agency work and internal department work.

  4. Advantages of internal departments • Part of the management team. • First hand knowledge of the organization. • More economical when public relation activities are extensive. • Continuous availability of staff practitioners.

  5. Disadvantages of internal departments • Limits on level of influence • Dependent on top management’s biases. • Can vary from simple journalistic function to problem solving activities. • Turf battles and frictions • Legal department concerned about current or potential litigation. • Human resources often wants to control flow of information to employees. • Advertising and marketing in competition for communication budget.

  6. Disadvantages of internal departments • Ready availability leads to confused roles • Stand-ins for top management’s speaking commitments. • Catch all for tasks no one else wants. • Loss of objectivity.

  7. Public Relations is typically a staff function Based on classical organizational theory, the line vs. staff distinction has important implications for internal pr practitioners. • Line structures are the authority channels of the organization that are responsible for accomplishing the organization’s primary purposes. • Staff structures provide support to the line structure to assist the line in performing its functions.

  8. Public Relations is typically a staff function. Staff managers/executives cannot order line managers/executives to follow any particular course of action. Staffs recommendations may be implemented only on the authority of a line officer.

  9. Planning for Public Relations Seitel’s model: Environment Business Objectives Public Relations Objectives Public Relations Programs

  10. Planning for Public Relations Seitel’s model: An opportunity or problem is noted in the constantly changing environment of the organization. For example, the pr department of a manufacturer of geriatric vitamins finds that the number of retirees purchasing home computers has significantly increased. Environment Business Objectives Public Relations Objectives Public Relations Programs

  11. Planning for Public Relations Seitel’s model: Environment Business Objectives Public Relations Objectives The change in the environment is considered for its relationship to the company’s goals and objectives. For example, the manufacturer of the vitamins is committed to increasing its market share of retirees by 20%. Public Relations Programs

  12. Planning for Public Relations The public relations department considers its current goals and objectives. For example, the pr department has determined to begin a web presence for the company, and to increase the market’s perception of the manufacturer as a good source of information for geriatric care. Seitel’s model: Environment Business Objectives Public Relations Objectives Public Relations Programs

  13. Planning for Public Relations The pr department initiates a plan to create a web site at which retirees can assess their vitamin needs. To ensure that the web site is accessed, the pr department prepares press releases describing its web site for distribution to computer magazines and magazines targeted at retirees; requests advertising to include the web site address in all its advertisements; plans a nutritional awareness contest for the web site. Seitel’s model: Environment Business Objectives Public Relations Objectives Public Relations Programs

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