Hassan Malik

Professional Practices in Public Relations

Senior Year Graduation Project

Executive Summary

The purpose of this Senior Year Graduation Project is to provide an overview and depth of

“Professional Practices in Public Relations” by showing examples, case studies, and articles.

Public relations is a way, where organizations, companies, and individuals communicate with

audience and media. The public relations practitioners and specialist communicate with target

audience directly or indirectly through various tools, such as using media to create and

maintain positive image and build a strong relationship with public. For example, the tools for

PR professionals could be press releases, newsletters, public appearances, World Wide Web

and etc.

In addition, there are two types of publics which are general public (also called public opinion)

and public sphere. As PR has a long-term relationship with its public, the general public is a

particular group that suggests PR practices is connected to process of democracy and political

arrangements. In contrast, public sphere is the place where people or friends have a discussion

amongst themselves about present problems around the world.

Introduction

There are various alternative names given to Public Relations, such as Communications,

marketing communications, public affair, and etc. Public Relation is needed in every type of

industry, such as business, non-governmental organizations, government organizations and

many more.
The businesses in the world is characterized by strong competition, in order to attract new

customers, clients or public and maintain existing customers the company/organization has to

differentiate themselves from their competitors and opponents. In addition, the role of Public

Relations specialist and firm is to encourage their clients to maintain their reputation and image

in front of the media. Therefore, public relations specialists will present a positive image to

build a strong relationship with the public to in order to increase the sales. Additionally, the PR

specialist will communicate with the public in the behalf of the company to represent the

products, services, and operations of the company.

Public Relations tools

The Public Relations specialist, practitioners, and firms uses various types of tools and

techniques to attract their large number of client’s than advertising and journalism; in addition,

they also help to create a strong meaningful relationships with target audience to achieve their

goals. For example, some of the tools they use are press release, new release, public event

conferences, advertising, exhibitions, convention, newsletters, release of statements for media,

and etc. Additionally, PR specialists also utilizes internet tool, for example social media

(Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and blogs. One of the goals for PR firms are to give a deep

insight to their clients about the activities, products and services they provide to customers, in

order to increase the publicity.

To become a PR specialist, you need to have relevant degree in Bachelor of Mass

communications. After achieving the degree in communications, PR practitioners needs to have

developed set skills during their education and training period, such as having strong writing
verbal communications skills. Most important role for PR specialist is to work under pressure

and face various types of questions asked by public or clients, which might be unethical ones

too.

The Public Relations practitioners and specialists will be eligible to grow and succeed in a free

society by keeping in mind about “public interest”. Additionally, there are two reason why

codes of conduct associations is built; firstly, to demonstrate pragmatic ethical framework for

members and secondly, to send the right message to the target audience in order they could

receive the message effectively and understand it properly.

Legal aspects of public relation practice

A public relation officer does not have to study law or become lawyer in their profession, on

other hand the key to become a better PR is to have knowledge about law for three reasons,

which are:

1. Public relations practices as a profession or other type of business, it has their own laws

and legal contracts, which includes contractual relationships and public law.

2. When clients or employers are being advised, public relations officers are responsible to

keep in mind about the legal situation that might occur. For example, if factory is closed

then what is the law on redundancy? Or if shares has to be purchased than what legal

documents are required for disclosure? Even though, no one claims the responsibility

for this neither clients nor lawyers. Therefore, practitioners are under disadvantage until

they are able to find and know about elements of law for the situations.
 3. One of the tactics lawyers use to during their case is logical analysis of problems and

situations, which will also highly help public relations practitioners. In addition,

creativity is included in the program of public relations that would convince the public

and the management the thoughts and expressions which will be presented.

If you want to succeed in your career than there will be challenges and competencies that will

come to you, which includes eligible to research and plan thoroughly, implementing the

strategic goals and objectives in your business, managing problems, crisis management and

organizational resources, and etc.

Sergei Samoilenko from George Mason University, Deborah Ballard from Wichita State

University, and Bagila Akhatova from Kazak University, these researchers had conducted a

study in 2011 on “How modern organizations must depend on a new type of communication

specialist to creatively solve problems and adapt to rapid organizational change, global

marketplace. And constantly emerging online communities.” The research is an instrument

called communication competency made by Pamela Shockeley-Zalaback, and four components,

including knowledge, sensitivity, skills, and values. However, the research was done in

Kazakhstan, which were passed to higher level of management in public relations department.

The respondent’s expectations were studied from multi-method survey, which was about

“crucial communication competencies that university graduates with a degree in public

relations should possess in order to be successful in their organizations.” One of the interesting

research was probed on how employers were surveyed “identified competence in using new

information technologies, relationship building, self-control, and ability to initiate dialogue…” as

it is important set skills for young professionals.

Any new practice that is introduced, it is added to Social Media and Public Relations; as a result,

PR and communications unites with technology which are important for public relations

practitioners. Nowadays, in this generation there are eight new practices that are very

important for the role of public relations.

Practice # 1: The PR Policymaker

New Public Relation policymaker is taught how essential part of strategic communications and

planning process to comprehend developments of social media policies, training, governance,

and maintain all of them.

Practice # 2: The Internal Collaborator Generator

The new practice of Internal Collaborator Generator is a tool for communication professionals,

who appreciates how social media collaborations begins inside the organization. Hence, social

media is moved everywhere and used in every company, so it is compelling to work in a specific

department, such as Public Relations, Advertising, Marketing, HR, IT, and etc. To improve

internal and external communication it is better to break down the collaboration, in order to

increase sharing, collaboration and innovation.

Practice # 3: The PR technology Tester

The tester is used for a strategic technology for peer-to-peer communications. In social media,

firstly, Public Relations was condemned for passing the knowledge and information at slow

speed by using social media channels, tools, and technology resources. Assume you are a PR

Technology Tester, your role is not only to pass on knowledge, but also test new technology to
improve interactions between the public. The most effective way to improve interactions with

information technology is new core competency.

Practice # 4: The Communications (COMMS) Organizer

The role of Public Relations professional is to educate and guide the organization to implement

the new communication process successfully. The companies have to be more responsible and

independent in making their relationship with their client/public, as they can’t depend on

distributing the message through push and broadcast method. Additionally, the responsibility

of public relations is to ensure the company’s stakeholders are receiving correct information

from the organization. One of the new ways to interact with public and distribute messages are

creating stories, developing, coordinating, and gather information through different type of

channels.

Practice # 5: The Pre-Crisis Doctor

As a Public Relation professional, your role of Pre-Crisis Doctor is to conceive that any company

might have to face with crises management. Further, you need to work proactively to create

crises prevention plans, including feedback survey and charts, and build tools to determine and

analyze the level of crisis management through media. One of the vital practice is to grasp

issues or problems, and try to find an easy solution to solve it before it ruins the reputation of

the company. Importantly, we need to remember is that once reputation is ruin and trust is

lose than it will be difficult to regain the trust of the public/clients.

Practice # 6: The Relationship Analyzer

The Public Relation practitioner has be a relationship analyzer, whose role is to change

themselves into communication sociologist by the using technology. As an analyzer, you need

to observe and explicate how audiences are connected, such as favorite brand, bands, peers in

web communities, and etc. You will enhance your skills in visualization and map the

connections to build a better strategic contract and higher level of interactions.

Practice # 7: The Reputation Task Force Member

The reason why Public Relations professional practices reputation management on steroids,

because social media could transform the company’s reputation within seconds; as a result,

Public Relations professional have to train strictly the core values and brand voice to the

organization. To maintain or save the reputation of the organization, Public Relations

professionals has to turn on their tracking and monitoring view, and increase the speed to

respond to public/clients with immediacy, constant accuracy, and transparency.

Practice # 8: The Master of the Metrics

In Master of the Metrics, Public Relations Professionals moves from accepting metrics to mold

measurable objectives and metric is connected tightly with higher-level of organizational goals.

In addition, you will discover the difference between outcomes of social media with outtakes

and outputs. Most importantly, measurement is a challenging area and your own accountability

is higher with social media communications.

Previously, we had discussed that Public Relations practitioners, professionals, and specialists

doesn’t need to become a lawyer to know the law, instead they should have a knowledge about

it which will help them in their cases. Public Relations is mostly needed in every industry and

the work and laws varies from country to country.

For instance, Public Relations needs to know the law of every country and know the rules and

regulations of the company they have been assigned to work with, if any problem arises than

they could help the organizations.

For example, England and Whales laws are different from Scottish law in many ways. In

Scotland, they have their own legal profession and law courts as other countries are jealous

they are following their own legal traditions, as like Continental countries are follow are

following their roots from Roman law. We will discuss here about the English law that points

out the difficulties in Scotland.

For example, there are two types of laws that distinguish from each other, which are criminal

law (punished as an offence) and civil law (person/organization claims about a legal matter

against another person or organization).

Contract

A contract is legal agreement, which does not have to be a written document, rather it could be

verbal or implied action, for example purchasing a product from the shop and agreeing verbally

about replacing the product if broken in six months.

Public Relations professionals are concerned with two types of contrast, which are contracts

with suppliers and contract with employment. In our profession, it is common that these

contracts are made informally and verbally. One of the attitude of the organizations or person

is to be rigid and unfriendly to ruin the reputation of other organization or person for their own

advantage.

In contract the legal binding, must include the followings:

1. You need to make legal relations and should know how to do it. For example, agreeing

on a lunch date is not an enforceable contract.

2. The contract should be made by the people, such as higher level of management or

board of trustees, and minor contract is not considered as type of contract; therefore,

the employees are not allowed to bind their company contracts unless they have been

authorized to do so.

3. The agreement should be made by two or more than two parties and creating an offer

and accepting that offer too.

4. The contract will be sustained with consideration, except in the case of deeds. In the

contract a value has to be added something little, such as money or goods that has to be

done by both parties.

Agreement:

The Agreement in the contract can be expressed or implied, but there should be an offer from

one of the party and acceptance on other side. Offer has to discriminate from invitation to

create an offer.
For instance, if any consultancy company is promoting their services than it means they are

inviting the clients to offer an assignment. If organization posts about jobs on different social

media than they are inviting the employees to apply for the positions opened. A contract or a

deal is made and accepted when both parties agrees on it or else it would not be called a

contract. Further, it is not important the offer has to be made to any specific person, it also

could be made to general public and an individual may accept it.

Consideration:

The contract can be executed in the law (except the deed), if consideration is shown, and there

is no requirement to pay any fee for it. It is beneficial for an organization or person to give

benefit to other company or person, or someone wants to give up on something, but the value

does not have to be equal depending on the situation or the case. Consideration is promising of

doing something, for example providing good and services to customers or hiring an employer,

and in return the customer is paying for good and services or employee working for the

employer.

Terms:

The terms in the contract is similar to offer and acceptance, as it may be written, oral, or

implied. In case, if any part ends the contract or breaks it before the given time, than the

opponent part or harmed party can charge a sue case for the damage, and if they have an root

agreement than aggrieved party can claim the contract at the last.
 The Practice of Public Relations

In agreement case, Public Relations consultancy will be avoiding the problems if the terms and

conditions in the contract are written in detail. For example, the consultancy association

includes specific terms in the contract, and the Confederation European Public Relations gives a

specific type of contract agreement. Some of the examples for terms are: notice periods,

payment of out-of-pocket expenses, protect against damage from third party, it might be

included in either formal, as it should be written clearly that it is part of the agreement.

Mistake:

If party has entered to an agreement contract by mistake on a specific manner or case, than the

contract can be voided due to acceptance and correspondence does not match each other. As a

common send the person should read the contract and understand thoroughly before signing

it, and if the person is not able to understand than it is essential to ask the meaning of the word

or sentence. The person or organization will be stuck with the terms included in the contract,

even though they have not read it.

There are six ways a valid contract can end, which are the followings:

1. Expiry - this is fixed in the contract, but it can continue on willing both parties if they agree

on it

2. Performance - there should be a specific job assigned to it.

3. Agreement – if both party agrees to end the contract then they can end it or one party can

charge on other party with an agreement for the damages cause during the contract.
4. By operation of Law – If there is a contract for personal service, it can only end if one of the

party is death.

5. Frustration – If any circumstances has changes or causes during the contract time, so it can

be performed originally then the contract will end.

6. Breach of contract – If the contract is broken in any circumstances that is unfair to other

party then the contract will end.

PUBLIC RELATIONS IN SPORTS. A CASE STUDY

Summary

The article summarizes a foray in the designation of public relations, to demonstrate good

practices, analyze the potency in the sports, promote positive image, as a result it will elevate

the public space. The case represents leadership and shows that public relations sets an

example of good practices, represent the strong tools to identify effective ways to excite the

public interest in teams and players, to promote the climate of sympathy among the public.

We will aim our research on two considerations, which are: to explicate (analyze) the role of PR

in sports, in honor to identify the public perception in regards to the position of public relations

in this scope. Additionally, the case is applied with research method, based on questionnaire

inquiry as a sample of 50 students, and represents sports faculty as being internal public.

Introduction

In English literature the public relations can be defined as a strategic form of communication,

which has a core to establish healthy relationship between the organization and public,

especially in framing the reputation and sending messages (Curtin, 2008, p. 19). The main goal
of public relations is to build salutary relationship with the organizations and audiences, by

having two ways communication. Public Relations is also defined by Public Relations Society of

America (PRSA), as like arts and social science to analyze the changes, predict the

consequences, advice organizations leaders and implementing program on actions been

planned, which serves both sides the organization and public’s interest (Newsom et al, 2003, p.

19). For publics and organization information, role of public relations is to portray management

functions which will evaluate public’s attitude, it creates conformable between

individuals/organization’s policies work mode and public’s interests. In addition, plans are set to

be practiced in an action programme in order to help an understanding and accepting the

public (Cutlip et al., 2010, p.4). Public Relations promulgate (circulate) their point of views and

protect the political, economic, and social action frame of the persons or organizations in the

process of building public opinion (Frönlich, Lovric, 2009, p. 7). Therefore, public opinion is a

reference point for the public relations and organizations.

Edward Bernays says that public relations is two way traffic rather than one way, where the

organizations leaders have the advantage to manipulate the public and their opinion. He says

on two way roads, leaders and public reaches towards reached towards consensus, and the

objectives and aims are set and made in the agreement with public and private interest.

However, public relations demonstrate the fact of management of communication, and form a

relationship between the public and organization. If a good communication strategy is used

effectively than the organization and public will reach to the stage of cooperation by having

mutual interest and respect. Because the system of public relations is focused on process of

communication their role gives them (PR) the opportunity to establish durable connections on
the basis of truth and mutual trust by having both inside and outside the system, but by having

publics opinion (Petrovici, 2011, p. 35).

The Public Relations is supported in the form of and guidance from the public opinion in the

respect of organization (Bemays, 2003, p. 26). The British Institute of Public Relations have their

own meaning for Public Relations, as public relations focuses on reputation, what you should

do, what you say, and what other says about you. Hence, the practices of public relation

teaches you discipline with focusing on the reputation of the organization, and achieving the

aim to gain understanding, support, and influence the public opinion and behavior (Newsom et

al., 2003, p. 18). In this case, public relation specialist responsibilities are double, like towards

organization and its audiences, in order to establish and maintain a positive relation to create

mutual interest and understanding.

In the area of sports, public relations roles is vast and very important. Public Relations faces

many major challenges, such as in this case, for example, one of the challenge they will face is

to build and promote a positive image to provide an enhancing visibility in the public space. The

growth of the sports and increase of fans in various forms in Romania has been arouse due to

hard work of public relations. Additionally, Public relations are professional traders, whose role

is to sell clients images to those target people who wants to find out information about what

they are going to buy and how is the client’s reputation in the industry or market (Stoiciu, 2000,

p. 17).

In this sports dominant, some specialist thinks the letter “P” in Public Relations represents the

fifth “P” for marketing strategy, including other four Ps, which are product, price, position, and
promotion (Wilcox et al., 2009, p. 16). At a certain perspective, public relations has to represent

important element of the marketing mix, who has to sort out the general tools of influence, for

example having relationship with media by press tours, conferences, fairs and exhibitions,

promotional activities, special events, pseudo-events and etc (Kotier, 1997, p. 177). The Public

Relations has a very important role, they have a main objective to recognize or analyze the

most effective technique for arousing the public’s interest for teams and players, selling match

tickets, and making the sponsor popular by advertising who had sponsored sports events or

equipment’s (Wilcox et al., 2009, p. 474). For example, Marlboro had gained a positive image by

Formula 1 car races sponsorship, and the image is associated with youth and courage (Petrovici,

2011, p.l 10).

For instance, throughout the communication strategies and programs adoption, public relations

represent a strong promotional tools to build an attitude from supporters. The organizations

associates them with sports, so they can raise public awareness to promote their products,

services and brands, involves themselves with public relation activities, and there is an

beneficial advantage to transfer a positive image (Beech, Chadwick, 2007, p. 5).

One specific example, from this point of view is FC Barcelona. FC Barcelona represents to clarify

the product and services the organizations has to what sports public relations applies to it. The

slogan mes que un club, FC Barcelona represents as a team inside which professionalism and

responsibility are referred to (http://www.fcbarcelona.com/). The case dynamically represents

the truth on how public relations role is crucial in supporting a positive image, determining the

most effective ways of exciting the public interest for teams and players, changing the climate

of understanding among the public. The promotional values on sports should sustain in
promoting the classroom values, for example the programme "Barçakids": respect, team work,

strength, tolerance; values can be taught indifferent ways, such as playing football (e.g. the

programme "FutbolNet"): commitment, responsibility, modesty, ambition, "making the dreams

of the most vulnerable children come true". These types of programs show that public relations

establishes an example for good practices in this field. The campaign "We are what we eat" goal

is to achieve in promoting healthy eating habits and ensure children(s) and young adults to

participate in sporting events for their own benefits by presenting the facts that proper

nutrition together with doing sport means a healthy lifestyle. "We are what we do, we are what

we achieve" is a successful athletic campaign which constitute in reuniting Messi with Sofian,

who was developed in raising awareness for people suffering from physical disability. The

objective of this campaign is to train educators in way, as where they can apply including

athletic activities in their courses (http:// foundation, fcbarcelona. com/ detail/article/we-are-

what-we-do-we-are-whatwe-strive-for-the-inclusive-athletic-campaign-reunites-messi-with-

soufian).

We should notice, public relations molds the bridge for betterment, a way to adjust to the new

attitudes generated by change. In this case, the purpose of public relations is to achieve the

changes by promoting "images" which leads to adapt at a certain behaviors by the individual,

beneficial for health, conducting campaigns in this respect (Petrovici, 2011, p. 72). In addition,

we should remember the fact that excellence in the management of public relations and

communication assumes to build good relations with the audiences strategically, in respect of

changing relations of collaboration with donors, sponsors, clients, shareholders and legal

forums (Wilcox et al., 2009, p. 100).

2. Material and methods

Public relations represent an genuinely in promoting the organization products or services and

include planning efforts to build and maintain mutual understanding relationship and gain trust

in public opinion and with targeting groups of audience (Kunczik, \z2002, p. 11). In the field of

sport, public relations has real communication opportunity to aim at molding the attitude of

sympathy and gain support from the public.

There are different ways to respond to the challenges of public relations in sport. For example,

a case study have been proposed, where it conducts a research on the recognition of public in

regards to the applicative role of public relations in this field. In this case, one of the method

that have been selected called questionnaire-based inquiry, which have been applied during

October-November 2013 to a represent 50 students as a sample; in addition to representing

internal public of sports faculty. The main purpose of this study is to monitor the perception

that exists at the level of the respective targeted public, in regards to the action of public

relations in sports, which is a tool of integrated communication. In public relations opinion,

responsibility and professionalism should constitute reference points.

3. Results and discussions

The questionnaire consists of a set of 14 questions, it is organized with some reference items,

ranging from the general to the particular. Although, the percentages attain for the first

question proclaims the facts 66% of the subjects have heard about public relations, in contrast

34% answered this question have not heard about public relations. On other hand, only 38% of

these are aware of how relevant of public relations is in sports, compared to 62%, who does not
have any opinion about it. According to some students, 48% thinks public relations means

having a relationship with the public, and 30% thinks public relations build trust and sympathy

among the public, and 22% thinks in honor of managing the communication between an

organization and its audiences (22%). Only 24% of the respondents believe that public relations

represent a strategy which may be applied successfully in the sports domain, unlikely 76% "did

not know" how to answer this question. According to 46% respondents, the role of public

relations is to promote celebrities, 28% respondents thinks, public relations increases the

public's interest in teams and players, and 26% thinks, public relations sells match tickets.

Furtherly, only 36% of the students believe that public relations plays crucial role in

popularizing the sponsors who funds and supports sport events or teams, compared to 64%

who do not any opinion on it, as they are not aware about it. The most effective ways to build

and promote an image are public appearances/on television (38%), interviews (28%),

communication campaigns (22%), respectively press conferences (12%). According to some

students, 62% believes that public relations in sport should focus more on the ethical aspects,

whereas 38% of them did not have any opinion about. Most of the respondents believe that

promoting values such as fair-play (52%), professionalism (26%), and responsibility (22%)

should form reference points in this domain. At the same time, 82% believe that they should

focus more on promoting sports healthy lifestyle, such as having as principle "mens sana in

corpore sano". Organizing educational sessions (56%), information and communication

campaigns (30%) or work-shops (14%) would constitute the most efficient ways of promotion

among the various categories of audiences. The answers for the questions were asked from

both genders, which shows that 70% were masculine segment, respectively 30% for the
feminine segment. The survey is categorized by age group, under the category for 18-23, 84%

were likely recorded to respond to answers of the questions, and under the category 24-24,

16% were likely to respond. Regarding the level of studies, 96% have high-school studies,

respectively 4% have academic studies.

The process of statistics and interpretation results had led to the formulation of certain

findings. First of all, they have mention the limitative nature of the research due to sample of

50 subjects are not enable a rigorous sociological analysis, but most rough findings, at the level

of the targeted segment of audience. Although the sample is relatively small, prediction is the

obtained results might guide us to new directions of actions for future research. The obtained

results of first analysis had shown that the public is not "familiar" with the syntagm of public

relations, which needs to have trainings in this respected domain. The percentages in the

survey of case study had shown the presence of terminological confusion at the conceptual

level, as the public relations is associated with "relations with the public". Overall, there were

certain issues in collecting the answers in regards for public relations in sport. The most

effective ways to build and promote an image are public appearances/on television, interviews,

communication campaign are according to the targeted public, and famous quote is “the

medium is message”. The role of public relations in sports, most respondents believed that they

should focus more on the ethical aspects and, especially, on promoting values such as fair play,

become more professional and responsible. The majority believes that public relations should

continue on promoting sport among the various categories of audiences (age, sex, color, and

etc), organizing educational sessions, and have communication campaigns and work-shops in

this domain. In fact, the data that is mentioned coincide with the information provided by the
literature, which perceives "the public relations function as a very important promotional mix in

the context of sport" (Shilbury, Quick, p. 8). "Practical sport public relations must be founded on

a number of core principles that include analyzing and understanding publics and stakeholders

and applying the public relations planning process (Hopwood, 2007, p. 293).

4. Conclusions

"Public relations is a field that is more often characterized by what it does rather than what it

is" (Ledingham, Burning, 2000, p. xi). One way to understand about public relations is to look at

it as the management of a corporate image, which means they are proactive and reactive at

different situations and they are professional in managing the relations with the organization’s

and organization's audiences. Based on the case study, there might be further identify practical

definitions and applications of public relations in sport by the way people perceive it as by look

around themselves, like how they work..

Public relations aim is to achieve sympathy and build sympathy and a positive attitude towards

the organization and their products. One of the way to achieve it is by establishing a strong

corporate reputation and influence people to think positively about the organization’s

activities. Organization’ should gain more knowledge of public relations that will help the

people to change the way of thinking and feeling about it. The most effective tactic is to use

approach and well-managed element smartly for all overall communication, public relations will

lead to real, measurable results in building a good relation between an organization and its

audiences. As Pope and Turco (2001, p. 114) note: "The beauty of public relations is that it

lends itself to many imaginative techniques that always offer new approaches". In author’s
opinion, public relations may create an example of good practices, and it is a strong tool for

changing the sympathy among the public.

The four-step PR concept created by John Marston – RACE

RACE was first widely known as an acronym associating with Public Relations process written by

Scott Cutlip and Alan Cente, later they revised the first edition of their textbook called “Effective

Public Relations.” It was soon used after the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) began

citing RACE in its brochures and said it is the best practice for those seeking accreditation.

Research

– Research is mostly about finding what is he problem or situation in the case, especially, asking

“W” (Why, When, and Where) and ask How too. It portrays the challenges organization faces,

which let you look into deeply, such as what involved and how specific it is to the directions of

the organizations goals. In this phase they need to think about how to resolve the issues.

Action

– In this phase is the organizations does planning and what is going to be done about it, like

what are the outcomes. The main focus in this phase is to determine what best sources can be

considered to achieve the outcomes.

Communication

– In this phase, it determines how the public will be communicated (what tools can be used); it

utilizes various types media to ensure that the message can be delivered successfully and

effectively to the targeted audience.

Evaluation

– In final phase of evaluation, it is all about asking question to yourself, such as “Has your

message reached to the audience”, “How many of them understood the message”, “How many

people have not understood the message”, and etc. The Public Relations reviews how the

public observes the organization over the first three stages. After everything is checks properly

in the process than Public Relations will target another issue.

Financial Public Relations

Industry

Public Relations manager and consultants are active in financial public relations mostly

everyday due to nature of their business or due to clients business. Public Relations

practitioners and specialist uses financial PR very rarely, same as like PR consultants, whose

duty is to handle financial public relations they use public relations specialist very rarely too.

Hence, financial Public Relations can be handle by those professionals who have specialized in

Masters in Financial Public Relations. According to Backhurt (2000), anyone can become a

financial PR professional, although there are usually three entry streams: 1) ex-senior financial

journalist, 2) former banker and broker, and 3) the fresh university graduate. The following
table will show you the increase of revenues in the industries by Lanson Communications, Hill &

Knowlton, Fishburn Hedges and Weber Shandwick Worldwide.

For example, United Kingdom had introduces ISA (individual savings accounts), which will

include the principle consumer tax-free saving device, which had been replaced by PEP

(personal equity plans) and TESSAs (tax exempt special savings account) (Annon, 2000a). In

2001, Gofton predicted the market will become slow and decline when the share offerings,

mergers and acquisition have been drowned in United States

Additionally, Public Relations professionals, who works for banks, insurance companies,

building societies, unit, trusts, London Stock Exchange (LSE), stock broker, and other financial

service operators became active after following deregulation mid 1980’s in UK. At the same

time, limited and limited organizations have to communicate with shareholders institutional

buyers, city editors and investment analysts for different reasons.

There are two types of Public relations in this domain: first, the traditional financial or City PR

aims at financial publics, such as regulatory agencies, banks, rating agencies, venture, and

capitalists by organizations. Other type of public relations is known as investor’s relations, who

aims at investors, for example financial service companies sells investment products to their

client investors.

Why financial public relations is different

In 1963, the word financial public relations is originally defined Public Relations Society of

America, but it was modified in 1988, for example “that area of public relations which relates to

the dissemination of information that affects the understanding of stockholder (shareholders)

and investors generally concerning the financial position and prospects of the company, and

includes among its objectives the improvement of relations between corporations and their

stockholders” (PRSA, 2002). One of the reasons why financial public relations is different

because it ensures that shareholders are able to understand company’s financial position.

Unlikely other types of public relations firms, as PR professionals enjoys to have media

coverage, and compared to financial PR it might create arrogance (overconfidence) in the

market.

Institute Public Relations Code of Conduct

IPR Principles

1. Members of the Institute of Public Relations agree to:

 I. They have to maintain high standards of professional endeavor, virtue,

trustworthy, financial property and personal conduct.

II. Dealt with honestly and fairly in business with the employers, employees,

clients, fellow professionals, other profession and public.

III. Respect the customs, practices and codes of clients, employers, colleagues,

fellow professionals and other professional from other countries.

IV. Taking full responsibility to care and ensure employment best practice, which

includes give no cause for complaint of unfair discrimination.

V. Work within the legal and regulatory frameworks affecting the practice of public

relations in all countries.

VI. Encourage professional training and development amongst member of

profession.

VII. Respect and abide by this Code ad related Notes of Guidance issues by this Code

and Notes of Guidance issued by the Institute of Public Relations and encourage

others to do the same.

Principle of Good practices

2. Fundamentals to good public relations practices are:

➢ Integrity

o PR should be honest and responsible for having public interest

o Checking the reliability and accuracy of the information before

dissemination.
 o Never knowingly mislead clients, employers, employees, colleagues, and

etc about nature of representation or what can be completely delivered

and achieved.

o Supporting the IPR Principles by bringing to the attention of the IPR

examples unprofessional conduct.

➢ Competence

o They should be aware of limitations of professional competence: without

limiting realistic, being willing to accept or delegate only that work for

practitioners who are skilled and experienced.

o Wherever there is an opportunity, collaborate on project to ensure the

important skill base.

➢ Transparency and conflict of interest

o it is not allowed to disclose to employers, clients, potential clients about

financial interest when suppliers are being recommended or engaged.

o Declare conflict of interest by writing to clients, potential clients and

employers.

o Ensure that service being provided with cost and accounted for manner

that conforms to accept business practices.

➢ Confidentiality

o Protecting the confidential present and former clients and employers.

o Be careful in suing confidential and insider information for disadvantage

usage or prejudge for clients and employers.

 o The information can’t be disclosed unless special permission is not given

by the higher management or public interest is at stakes

 Conclusion

To sum up, Public Relations is a growing industry in Middle East, especially, it is still growing in

Saudi Arabia as it’s very new. In United Arab Emirates, the industry in Dubai for Public Relations

is established and also it is world’s hub. Public Relation is a really good field to pursue and grow,

but you have to be at your best level. To study Public Relations, you need to do Bachelor in

Mass Communication, majoring in Public Relations. After completing your degree in Public

Relations, you should work in a small Public Relations agency, because you will learn more and

have more exposure, rather than starting in multinational PR firm. You start with junior PR

position, where you will enhance your skills in writing press releases, news, articles, and you

will learn how PR strategy is used by working on company’s cases. Later, after getting two years

of experience you step into executive Public Relations position, where you will have more

exposure and coordinating with clients directly, and will be handling cases and projects with

your team members. This will give you an opportunity to know, which specific direction you

want to be in while doing your master, such as Masters in Public Relations Finance, Masters in

Public Relation Communication, Masters in Public Relation Events and etc. Lastly, you can

target on multinational PR firm, such as Weber Shandwick, Lanson Communications, Hill &

Knowlton, and Fishburn Hedges.

Lastly, most importantly to remember is Public Relations will most of time use acronym RACE (R

– Research, A- Action, C- Communication, and E- Evaluation). RACE was first widely known as an

acronym associating with Public Relations process. Now they use different types of acronym,

such as ACE, PACE, and etc.

 Bibliography

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