Public Relations in Organizations - Assignment Example

MMUNIСАTIОN АSSIGNMЕNT University Student Id Course Date Definitions of public relations Public relations are the strategic communication that builds mutual relations between the stakeholders and the company. It entails maintaining the flow of information that does exist between the organization and the public. Through public relations organizations are able to meet the interests of the stakeholders of the organization especially the public that involve ensure go relations through providing the necessary information. The primary aim of public relations is many organizations are to improve the image of the organization to the stakeholders that can include investors, public, employees, and partners, among other stakeholders. Public relations in organizations are used building through ensuring constant communicating to various stakeholders aiming at assessing the satisfaction of the stakeholders with the organizational operations (Broom and Dozier, 2006). For instance, it is the role of the public relations department to ensure that the customers are satisfied. This involves ensuring that they encourage the customers to provide information to the company concerning the satisfaction of the level. This is possible through the information obtained by the public relations department that the organizations can be able to assess the level of customers’ satisfaction. Purposes of public relations Public relations are aimed at achieving certain purpose in organizations that can include the following: Improving relations: organizations are making use of the public relations to develop good relations with the stakeholders. The relations can be developed through ensuring constant information flow to the various company stakeholders. The different stakeholders in the organization do have different interests where it is the role of the public relations in the organizations to ensure that the interests of the stakeholder are considered. For instance, the public relations can provide the necessary communication to the public concerning the various changes that are taking pace in the organizations in the process of improving the organization performance (Ledingham and Bruning, 2008). This is critical in ensuring that the members of the public are kept aware of the changing operations in the organization. Besides, the stakeholders can make use of the public relations to make their communication to the company hence facilitating information exchange between the company and its stakeholders. Building awareness: some organizations are making use of public relations to build the awareness of their products. Organizations try to ensure that they build good relations with the members of the public through ensuring proper flow of information concerning the company products. For instance, the moment an organization is launching a new product in the market tends to make use of the public relations to ensure that the customer is aware of the company products making the demand increase (Hutton, 2003). Also, through increasing the products awareness of the company products, organizations are using awareness as a strategy of improving competitiveness in the market. This can involve organizing exhibitions where the public relations department communicates to the customers concerning the benefits of the company products. Developing interest: it is the roles of the public relations to develop the necessary interests that can make the customers targeted try the company products. The development of interests among the targeted customers entails ensuring that the customers are aware of the company products through providing the necessary information to the targeted customers. Besides, the public relations can ensure that the customers are involved in the product development process through collecting information concerning the preference of the customers. Through ensuring that the interests of the customers are considered in designing the products can assist in ensuring that the targeted customers develop interest (Ledingham, et al. 2000). The interest development process can be possible through guaranteeing the customers that their interests can be met by the products of the company. Providing information: through the use of public relations organizations are able to prove the necessary information to the stakeholders. For instance, the customers can be aware of the products that are available in the organization. Besides, public relations facilitate information sharing where the customers can be able to provide their complaints concerning the company products or services to the public relation. It is then the role of the public relations to ensure that the necessary actions are taken to ensure customer satisfaction (Grunig, 2013). Other stakeholders like the investors and shareholder can be in a position to access the company information through the public relations. For instance, they can access the financial information of the company through the public relations where their concerns can be effectively handled. Stimulating demand: organizations are making use of public relations in the process of promoting the level of demand for the company products. Through handling the customer complaints, organizations are ensuring that the customers are satisfied through providing the necessary information concerning the preferences of the customers to the company. This assists in developing the customer loyalty as the public relations have to ensure that a close relation with the customers are maintained where the interests of the customers are considered in the process so making various organization decisions (Cancel, Mitrook and Cameron, 2009). Besides, public relations assist in ensuring that the customers are assured of the commitment of the organization to ensure that they are satisfied. As a result, the public relations ensure that the demand for the company products s stimulated through encouraging customers to provide information concerning how they think the company products can be improved to meet their needs better. Processes of public relations The use of public relations organizations can be best understood using the process used in the process of developing public relations. Organizations need to ensure proper understanding of the public relations process in the process of developing their relations with the stakeholders (Philip, 2007). A four-step process can be utilized in the process of understanding the public relations processes. Research: reaching is the first step in the public relations process where the problem definition is provided. This involves finding the facts concerning the differences that do exists between the organization and the public. The problem can then be handled considering the facts that have been collecting during the research with the aim of improving the public relations through solving the differences that might be in existence. Planning: after gathering facts concerning the public relations through research, planning concerning the strategies to be employed in addressing the problem is planned. The necessary assessments are made concerning the potential effects of the identified problems (Marra, 2009). The organizations can then ensure that the necessary strategies are in place to solve the problems where they need to be aligned with the organizational objectives. Action and communication: the formulate strategies that are geared towards solving the problems identified are then implemented. The strategies are communicated to the relevant stakeholders where they are made aware of the objectives that need to be achieved (Dozier, Grunig and Grunig, 2013). The communication is directed to the targeted public aiming at ensuring that they are made aware of the strategies being employed to solve the public relations challenges facing the organization. Evaluation: after developing the public campaign and implementing the strategies formulated, evaluation is crucial to assess whether the set objectives are achieved. Through the evaluation, the organization is in a position to assess the effectiveness and the possibility of meeting the set criteria. The evaluation results are mainly geared towards assessing the effectiveness of the efforts of the organization to build public relations and ensure proper planning of the future. The above four steps are considered very important in ensuring the effectiveness of the public relations campaigns in any organization (Kelley, 2006). The four steps do rely on each other as the failure of e step affect the entire process as they overlap. Consequences of public relations Considering the increased competition in many industries, the reputation of an organization is very crucial in achieving competitive advantages in the market. Organizations that are aiming at achieving competitive advantages in the market have to ensure that their image is the market is good. The image of the organization can only be achieved through improved public relations. The corporate change that has been taking place in the market has forced the organization to work towards ensuring improvement in the public relations where organizations are looking for the best ways of achieving a good reputation. It is through the improvement of the company reputation that the company products can be competitive in the market as they public have great trust where the ability of the products to meet their needs. Public relations are crucial in improving the trustworthy of the company where an organization can only prove its corporate responsibility through the use of public relations. It is through the public relations that the organizations can be able to with the trust of the stakeholders through ensuring that the necessary communication is maintained (Hearit, 2004). The organizations can be able to win the trust of the public through ensuring that they consider the public opinions in the management process. For instance, the state formulation process and implementation can ensure that the interests of the stakeholders are considered aiming at building the image of the company in public. Public relation helps in ensuring that the public takes part in the management of the organizational operations through providing their opinions concerning the operations of the company. The public can provide their opinions in the process of suggesting the changes that are needed in the organization to achieve customer satisfaction (Sriramesh and Vercic, 2003). This can help the company in ensuring that the products designed are relevant in the market through considering the changes taking place in the preferences and tastes of the clients. Public relations efforts assist in marketing the company products by providing the necessary information considering the company product to the customers. Besides, through the public relations as the customers are likely to be satisfied as their interests are considered hence creating customer loyalty (Esrock and Leichty, 2008). This plays a crucial role in achieving the objectives of the company through ensuring that the sales volume of the company is increased. Case study: Apple Company Apple Company has been working towards improving its image in the industry. Considering the nature of the industry that the company has been operating, the image of any organization is crucial in achieving competitive advantages. As a result, the management of the company has been ensuring good public relations through engaging the various stakeholders of the company. The interests of the various stakeholders have been engaged in the affairs of the organization where they are encouraged to provide their opinions concerning the operations of the organization (Botan and Hazleton, 2010). Apple Company has been spending huge sums of money in shows and campaigns aimed at building the image of Apple Company in the market. For instance, Steve Jobs, the CEO of the company spend more than $100 million in campaigns aimed at communicating the company products. Apple Inc. strongly believes in the power of public relations in building the brand image. The public relations department of Apple Company has been engaging the customers in the process of developing new products. The customers are given the opportunity to provide their opinions concerning the new product development aiming at ensuring that the products can meet the needs of the customer. For instance, some company brands have been considered innovative due to the engagement of the customers in their development where some brands like the iPod and iMac have been developed considering the opinions of the customers (Hon and Grunig, 2009). This has played a critical role in ensuring that the customers are satisfied hence assisting the company in achieving competitive advantages. The personality of the Apple brand has been developed through the use of public relations where the company maintains close relations with the targeted customers. Conclusion Public relations have been used in many organizations to improve their brand image in the market. Some organizations are even making use of public relations as a strategy of achieving competitive advantages in the competitive market. The organizations that have been ensuring that they have effective public relations strategies are likely to establish good relations with the stakeholders where the various stakeholders are engaged in the operations of the organizations. Building reputation can be possible through public relations where the organization can ensure that they create customer loyalty through ensuring that the interests of the customers are considered. 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