Organizational and Societal Functions of Public Relations (PR)

Solution Preview

Question: Explain the organizational and societal functions of PR. From the following list select at least two functions you consider to be organizational functions of PR and two functions you consider to be societal functions.
a. Communications management
b. Relationship management
c. Media Relations
d. Publicity
e. Marketing communications
f. Employee relations
g. Investor relations
h. Social responsibility
i. Community relations
j. Consumer relations
k. Government affairs
l. Public affairs and issues management

*** Organizational functions of a PR are those functions which are directly related to providing benefits to the organization and its strategy and marketing function. Organizational functions are those distinct advantages that a good PR campaign provides to an organization such as brand building, creating public awareness, providing feedback, etc. ***

***Societal functions are described as production functions with inputs, transformations, consumption of resources, and outputs. Distinction between available supplies, requirements, and needs is stressed. Societal functions of a PR campaign are those functions which are aimed at providing benefits to the society in terms of providing them information about good and bad products, advantages and disadvantages of new products, product comparison, etc.***

Public relations specialists handle organizational functions such as media, community, consumer, industry, and governmental relations; political campaigns; interest-group representation; conflict mediation; and employee and investor relations. They do more than "tell the organization's story." They must understand the attitudes and concerns of community, consumer, employee, and public interest groups and establish and maintain cooperative relationships with them and with representatives from print and broadcast journalism. (http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos086.htm ) Public relations help our complex, pluralistic society to reach decisions and function more effectively by contributing to mutual understanding among groups and institutions. It serves to bring private and public policies into harmony.

http://www.prsa.org/_Resources/Profession/index.asp?ident=prof1

The major difference between organizational and societal function of a PR is that organizational function are more geared towards providing benefit to the company and its products whereas societal functions are more geared towards providing information to the consumers and stakeholders of the company.

*** Functions like communication management and media relations are organizational functions of PR wherein community relations and consumer relations and consumer relations can be termed more of societal functions***

Communications management is the systematic planning, implementing, monitoring, and revision of all the channels of communication within an organization, and between organizations.

It includes the organization and dissemination of new communication directives connected with an organization, network, or communications technology. Aspects of communications management include developing corporate communication strategies, designing internal and external communications directives, and managing the flow of information, including online communication. New technology forces constant innovation on the part of communications. The purpose of communications management is to ensure that both managers and workers have access to the same information. One of the simplest and most practical ...