The Key Public Relations Issues in the Contemporary Era - Essay Example

RISK AND UNCERTAINTY, THE KEY PUBLIC RELATIONS ISSUES IN THE CONTEMPORARY ERA By Location Risk and Uncertainty, the Key Public Relations Issues in the Contemporary Era Introduction The public relations practice has been in existence for several decades. Many experts have taken their time to define the public relations practice, as well as its key concepts. In the modern day, organizations find it harder to maintain a positive reputation as well as understand the views of the public. Organizations can only rely on public relations practitioners to create a reliable link between the organization and the public. Public relations practitioners indulge in the responsibility of providing an organization’s management team with the relevant advice on developing effective policies. Notably, the public relations practice ensures that an organization can assess the potential impact of its policies on the public. After the implementation of the organizational policies, public relations practitioners seek feedback from the public concerning the policies. Public relations practitioners must understand the opinions held by different sectors of the public if they are to keep the organization well informed. In addition, public relations practitioners play critical cultural and social roles as they strive to serve as a link between the organization and the customers. In the contemporary era, risks and uncertainty are some of the defining aspects of business in the modern world. Risk and uncertainty prove to be highly ambivalent. Therefore, organizations have tasked public relations practitioners with handling risks and uncertainties in the organization. Evidently, the public relations practice is of critical importance to any organization in the modern day. This paper will focus on describing some of the cultural and social roles played by public relations, as well as the influence of public relations practice on the society. Finally, the paper will tackle risk and uncertainty as some of the leading issues in public relations in the modern day. The Main Functions of Public Relations Public relations practitioners play critical roles in an organization and in the community. It is the role of public relations practitioners to communicate the policies of an organization to the public. Notably, organizations need to determine the potential impacts of their policies on the community and the public. Therefore, public relations practitioners create the necessary intermediary between the organization and the public. In addition, public relations practitioners offer informed advice to the organization’s management. The daily activities of a public relations practitioner involve a continued interaction with different sectors of the public. Through the continued interaction, the practitioners ensure that they understand the external environment affecting the organization (Boholm 2008, p. 2). Therefore, they are in a position to advise the organization management appropriately. Organizations need to ensure that there is a continuous flow of information from the organization to the publics. Public relations practitioners take up this responsibility and constantly manage communication lines between the publics and the organization. Other public relations practitioners serve as problem-solving facilitators. Their main responsibility is to help the management adopt a systematic process when handling communication problems. Other practitioners play technical roles that involve the production of advertising tools and other communication tools required by the management (Curran 2013, p. 78). Experts in public relations have described the different models applied in the practice. One model in the public relations practice is the one-way communication. In this case, public relations practitioners communicate messages from the organization to the publics. They do not indulge in feedback systems. Examples include press agentry and public information. Usually, the role of one-way communication is to persuade the public and play the role of an advocate for the organization. In addition, public relations practitioners also rely on two-way communication. In this model, information flows in two directions (Demetrious 2008, p. 104). Public relations practitioners communicate information from the organization to the public and get feedback from the public. Experts have categorized two-way communication further. One category comprises of the asymmetric two-way model, which involves the collection of data from identified publics and relying on the data when establishing controls in the communication environment. The main purpose of the asymmetric model is to ensure that the organization can alter the perceptions and attitudes of the public. On the other hand, the symmetric model refers to a communication channel through which the public can have a direct effect on the decisions made by the organization. It involves comprise and negotiation as the primary roles played by the practitioner. The symmetric communication channel is effective in conflict resolution that involves the public and the organization (Deumes 2008, p. 138). The symmetric communication channel ensures that an organization strikes a balance between its interests and those of the public. The Influence of Public Relations Work in Society The public relations practice has the capacity to affect the society the communication channels established between the organization and the publics have the potential to influence the opinion of the public. Public relations practitioners have the required expertise to persuade and sometimes manipulate the opinion of the public (Dimitrov 2014, p. 64). In addition, the society relies on information it receives from public relations practitioners when making certain decisions concerning the products of a company. Public relations practice also intervenes when there is a cause of worry exhibited by the public towards the organization. For example, when a company’s product in the market presents adverse effects, the public relations practitioners should immediately design campaigns and disseminate information to the public concerning the stand of the organization and notifying the public to avoid using the products for some time. Notably, public relations practitioners can highlight risks and hazards to the public, a factor that promotes the level of trust between the organization and the publics (Fressoz 2007, p. 349). In other cases, public relations practitioners have the capacity to affect legislation. The public relations practitioners can indulge in rigorous campaigns in an effort to influence policy development. In many cases, public relations practitioners have endeavored to build coalitions, establishing campaigns and lobbying processes that can affect policy development. Such activities affect the society because the implementation of the policy may serve to solve social problems (Heath et al 2007, p. 45). In addition, public relations practitioners play critical social roles by promoting corporate social responsibility. They ensure that the companies they work for remain accountable. More specifically, public relations practitioners always ensure that companies do not lead to the degradation of environmental resources. Corporate social responsibility ensures that the organization promotes the interests of different stakeholders. In so doing, there are evident social impacts. In other cases, public relations practitioners may have adverse social effects if they manipulate the public. There has been an ongoing criticism of the public relations practice and the integrity of practitioners (Heath, Waymer, & Palenchar 2013, p. 277). Many people have the conviction that public relations practitioners may influence the public negatively with ulterior motives. In such cases, practitioners may mislead the public resulting in serious social problems. For example, public relations practitioners may mislead the public concerning the level of risk involved in consuming certain products. The misconception of risk may lead to the loss of lives in the end. Therefore, the public relations practice can have social impacts on any society. Worth noting is the fact that practitioners also play the role of integrating different cultures. Each organization has unique cultural values that define the organizational culture (Holmströmm 2005, p. 13). Practitioners strive to understand the different cultures of the public. In that way, practitioners seek to ensure that the organization can adopt the marketing and communications channels that match with the culture of the community. Unless this happens, it becomes extremely difficult for organizations to understand a community’s culture and strive to meet its needs. Becks Views on Risks and Uncertainty Ulrich Beck is one of the authors who described risk and uncertainty in the contemporary world. According to Beck, there is a salient need for organizations to understand the different risks such as the ecological and financial changes that are likely to emerge. Beck had the conviction that there is a world risk society comprising of different types of risks and uncertainties that may affect an organization. Beck addressed the ambivalence of risks and uncertainties. Notably, whereas many organizations seek to use and understand the potential risks, there is an increasing irony surrounding risk (Ihlen, Bartlett, & May 2011, p. 188). Risks will always emerge from factors that have been unidentified. Beck highlighted three critical aspects in understanding risks and uncertainties. The three aspects included new risks emerging from old dangers, the reuse of history, and consequences of manufactured uncertainties. However, it is becoming extremely difficult to assess potential risks and understand the uncertainties that govern the modern world. There are both global risks and local risks that may affect an organization’s performance. Public relations practitioners are tasked with the responsibility of communicating risks to human beings. Therefore, the public relations practice has the capacity to promote human development (Jones 2002, p. 59). Risk and Uncertainty as Key Public Relations Issues in the Contemporary Era It is unfortunate that in the past, practitioners have not recognized that risk communication is one of their critical roles. Whereas public relations denotes strategic communication channels established by organizations in an effort to maintain relationships with the public and get feedback, practitioners are yet to include risk communication in this role. Many practitioners have focused on improving the financial performance of organizations and promoting a positive reputation of companies. Many authors exploring the public relations field have limited themselves to similar aspects (Lhulier & Miller 2005, p. 247). It emerges that only a few authors have considered the potential contribution of public relations to the functionality of the society and human development. Without doubt, public relations have a critical role to play in promoting human development. Practitioners have to ensure that they can communicate shared meaning to the society providing them with relevant information that the publics can use in handling different types of risks or solving social problems. The shared meaning that practitioners should communicate to the publics should emanate from experts who develop ideologies. It is unfortunate that experts have developed shared meaning of ideas that can help the public address risks and uncertainties effectively, yet practitioners have not been communicating such information to the publics (Markon, Crowe, & Lemyre 2013, p. 329). There is a salient need for the practitioners to realize that they have a role to play in helping the public address different risks. In addition, public relations practitioners should help organizations understand how to undertake effective communication while facing uncertainties. Evidently, organizations face different types of uncertainties. There is an evident difference in definition between risk and uncertainty. Risk denotes uncertainties that can present negative consequences to the society. On the other hand, uncertainties define situations that make it impossible to define future outcomes. According to Beck mentioned above, societies have a preoccupation of handling risks in the contemporary era. Therefore, Beck highlighted that the contemporary era represents a risk society. Many organizations recognize the increasing uncertainties and risks in the modern world (McKie & Galloway 2007, p. 370). Therefore, they have sought to introduce management practices and policy-making procedures that promote high levels of predictability reducing the level of uncertainty involved. The increased predictability exhibited by modern management practices presents organizations with reliable platforms effective for decision-making. However, there is no doubt that the commitment towards the elimination of uncertainty has its basis on temporary grounds. For example, the 2008/2009 global financial crisis happened irrespectively of the fact that many organizations had spent a remarkable amount of money in eliminating uncertainties. It emerged that the world economies exhibit complex interdependencies making it difficult to eliminate uncertainties. The occurrence of the global financial crisis represented a predictable surprise. Analysts were able to recognize the factors that triggered the crisis. However, it was impossible for the same analysts to predict the occurrence of the crisis. The effects of the financial crises on the society were beyond description because the failed economies made life extremely difficult (Ormrod 2013, p. 238). The global financial crisis represents one of the occurrences that public relations could have intervened. Notably, practitioners did not have the capacity to present the crisis. However, they were in a position to help organizations handle the associated uncertainties. Worth noting is the fact that many organizations affected by the crisis had never communicated any form of uncertainty to their customers. Financial institutions had reassured their customers of a bright future without any uncertainties. However, the financial crisis introduced new realities for the customers. It emerged that such institutions were defined by different levels of uncertainty. Therefore, it is of critical importance for public relations practitioners to communicate a measure of uncertainty appropriately to the public (Palenchar & Heath 2006, p. 23). When there is communication, it becomes easier for communities to handle the resulting risks and uncertainties. Worth noting is the fact that issues that pose risks and uncertainties to organizations may have adverse effects on the society. Organizations rely on societies for labor and human resources. Therefore, organizations that face increased risks and uncertainties often introduce stress into the workplace. Many employees have described their workplaces as stressful. The risks and uncertainties push employees beyond their comfort zones compelling them to put in more hours and efforts. In other situations, employees may lack motivation, a factor that contributes to fatigue, insomnia, and headaches. Since such employees are members of the society, it becomes evident that organizational risks and uncertainties affect the greater society. Therefore, public relations practitioners should take charge in helping the society and organizations to handle risks and uncertainties properly. Notably, when the organizational environment of a company proves to be unpredictable, and leaders are unable to project into the future, then uncertainties exist (Palenchar & Motta 2008, p. 1). With such uncertainties, it becomes extremely difficult for the organization to develop response plans. The role of public relations practitioners is to help organizations reduce the perceived uncertainties. Usually, the management team in an organization may not have the relevant data or information that can be used in predicting future outcomes. Public relations come in and take up the responsibility of providing the critical information needed in understanding perceived risks. Therefore, practitioners need to help societies and organizations to have a sufficient amount of information that can help them control risk exposure. One of the roles that public relations practitioners play is ensuring that they scan the environment thoroughly in order to collect critical information that can help organizations understand uncertainties. However, practitioners should recognize that communicating the risk is an additional responsibility that they should also take up (Perko 2011, p. 389). A close analysis of the modern public relations practice reveals that there is an existing gap because practitioners do not indulge in issue and crisis communication. The only way to close the existing gap is by empowering practitioners to recognize the available opportunities for communicating risks to the public. Public relations training institutions should ensure that the groups of practitioners are well vast and the risk literate so that they can communicate risks to the public. The purpose of having risk literacy is to ensure that the practitioners understand the concept of risks and uncertainty and exhibit familiarity with processes of risk assessment and mitigation. Unless practitioners have risk literacy, they can achieve little in communicating risks to the public and to the organization. Risk literacy should allow practitioners to be able to communicate effectively to the public concerning the potential hazards, risks, crises, and the anxieties surrounding such events. Notably, risk communication requires the use of effective strategies that can convince the public and provide them with a basic understanding of the potential risks. Failure to carry out effective risk communication translates to an agitated public when they begin to face the realities of the risk (Schneider & Scherer 2015, p. 317). Notably, company operations have either a direct or an indirect effect on the environment. Some activities carried out by different organizations have been highlighted as potential contributors to climate change. According to Beck, there are many causes of climate change as evidence in the 21st century. It is the role of the public relations practitioners to help the public understand the scope of climate change and its causes. Organizations also face dilemmas in an effort to design business and corporate social responsibility strategies that promote environmental protection. Public relations practitioners should come in during such moments and communicate the risk involved in both the organization and the public. Practitioners cannot deny the fact that it is their role to collaborate with sources of relevant technical expertise in order to communicate the level of risk effectively. Public relations institutes should be keen to note that dealing with risks does not just involve the provision of information. Practitioners have to realize that there are numerous controversies surrounding risks governed by power issues that need proper addressing. However, it is only logical for practitioners to publicize the existing risks and uncertainties before embarking on the process of solving them (Semadeni, Hansmann, & Flüeler 2004, p. 755). On the side of the organization, practitioners need to establish platforms that can help organizations communicate risk information to the public before they can develop risk policies. Usually, the first step of communicating the risk is taken by organizations a measure of self-protection. For example, a pharmaceutical company whose products have been confirmed as contaminated and posing serious health effects requires the public relations practitioners to communicate the risk immediately to the public. The steps of establishing sources of contamination and policies of preventing future contamination only come later. If the public relations practitioners of such an organization were to take the relevant steps and communicate the risk involved, they would promote a positive reputation for the organization (Shin, Heath, & Lee 2011, p. 180). According to Beck, the risk society is advantageous to the public relations because practitioners can seize the evident opportunities of risk communication and benefit the organization immensely. Beck was keen to highlight that climate change presents the most critical issue that the globe must address urgently. Although the issue of climate change is surrounded by numerous controversies, organizations need to take an active stand in minimizing the factors that contribute to climate change. Public relations practitioners play a critical role in this sector. In the modern day, corporate social responsibility strategies have received emphasis as measures taken by organizations to promote environmental protection and reduce climate change. Practitioners can embark on risk information campaigns surrounding the issue of climate change (Walklate & Mythen 2006, p. 98). Notably, the public needs information concerning the factors that contribute to climate change as well as the potential mitigation strategies that can help the public address the issues related to climate change. Risks and uncertainties associated with climate change compel public relations practitioners to perceive issues on a global scale and develop a deeper understanding of the different social actors who can contribute positively. If practitioners would develop collaborations with the potential social actors, and develop proper understanding of the risks associated with climate change on a global platform, such efforts would positively affect the policy development (Willinsky 2000, p. 89). There is a salient need for practitioners to recognize the purpose of collaborating with different partners both within and without the organization in order to achieve effective risk communication. Practitioners in the modern day should recognize the primary function of public relations as being able to promote, empower, and build communities. In addition, public relations practitioners should engage in local level activities in an effort to build social capital. The practitioners can fulfill this role by developing risk-focused relations with community members in order to educate them about the potential risks and uncertainties. When the community members have a basic understanding of the potential risks, it becomes easier for them to participate actively in addressing the risk. The efforts of risk communication should begin with the local level and advance to the global level. Practitioners at different levels should give the relevant significance to risk communication as a priority in their roles. Practitioners can register positive social and cultural impacts by ensuring that communities understand the potential risks and mitigate them effectively. Risk literate practitioners are in a better position to develop partnerships at different levels in an effort to communicate risk effectively. Although such collaborations may increase the responsibilities of practitioners, they are still within their mandates of issue communication (Wood et al 2012, p. 610). Practitioners should be able to identify business strategies carried out by organizations that pose certain negative effects on the human population or on the environment. As mentioned at the start of this paper, practitioners protect the reputation of their organizations. Therefore, they should be actively involved in the definition of policies within the organization. Organizations should hire risk literate practitioners who can help their organization assess the level of risks associated with their policies. Only risk literate practitioners are able to determine how risk is perceived. Therefore, public relations practitioners have a critical role to play in the contemporary world. Their responsibilities vary from the food and drug industry to the energy industry, which are the industries posing high risks to the environment and to the human population, in the food and drug industry, public relations practitioners need to analyze the effect of the ingredients to the health of the population and eventually to the environment (Jones 2002, p. 62). The level of risk depends on the frequency of exposure as well as the health effects triggered by exposure. Therefore, public relations practitioners have been indulging in campaigns related to the safety of foods and drugs. In the energy industry, practitioners need to make the public aware of the potential environmental and health hazards presented by different energy sources. For example, the 21st century has seen the increase of nuclear plants across the globe. Although such plants have supplied reliable energy to some countries such as Japan, it is the role of public relations practitioners to communicate the adverse effects of nuclear energy to the public. With such knowledge, societies can be able to mitigate the effects of nuclear power effectively. In addition, public relations practitioners have contributed positively to the greenhouse effect. Practitioners have sought to ensure that waste disposal policies of their organizations provide environmental protection and sustainability. The practitioners continuously communicate the potential risks posed by some of the strategies that the companies adopt (Lhulier & Miller 2005, p. 242). Through effective risk communication, practitioners have been able to make a remarkable contribution to the protection of the environment and the promotion of human health. Notably, practitioners can intervene at different stages in a crisis. There are three stages of the interventions identified by the authors. The first stage is the pre-crisis stage, which presents practitioners with an opportunity to participate in preparedness of the crisis as well as its prevention. At this stage, public relations practitioners need to indulge in training, simulations, and a rigorous scanning of the environment in order to determine the most effective emergency response requirements. During the first stage, practitioners need to indulge in research in order to identify the perceptions of the public concerning the potential risks. The research should also identify potential responses from the public and determination of whether the public understand how the risk can be minimized. Experts have highlighted that the pre-crisis stage is the best for building social capital. If practitioners communicate the risk effectively, they develop a measure of trust between the organization and the public (Walklate & Mythen 2006, p. 70). Such trust is of critical importance to the success of the organization. Risk literate practitioners can help organizations present risks in the first stage. Notably, organizations need information from practitioners so that they can make relevant decisions and design mitigation measures. However, practitioners can achieve these establishing partnerships with other bodies that undertake risk related communication. In the second stage, when a real crisis emerges, practitioners should help both the organization and the public handle the risk effectively. If practitioners had prepared an organization effectively in the pre-crisis stage, the organization does not face a critical dilemma because it has mitigation plans in place. In addition, when the public understands the scope of the risk involved in the crisis, it becomes easier to handle the crisis. In the post-crisis stage, effective communication between the organization and the public leads to effective interactions in the future. Public relations practitioners restore the confidence of the public in an organization after a crisis, especially if the organization has involved the public in the resolution. Conclusion In conclusion, it is impossible to underestimate the roles played by public relations in the society. The importance of public relations has moved beyond the enhancing of the financial success of organizations. Public relations practitioners need to take more involving roles in addressing risk and uncertainty in the modern society. As mentioned above, practitioners can adopt different models of communication in designing risk communication strategies. There are numerous opportunities that practitioners can take advantage of and present benefits to the organizations and the public. In the contemporary era, there are numerous uncertainties and practitioners should take the challenge of indulging in risk communication, hence informing the public on how to handle different crises. The future of many organizations proves to be uncertain. With the looming dangers associated with climate change, the world also faces uncertainties (Lhulier & Miller 2005, p. 245). Although there is optimism that situations will get better, practitioners need to take up the responsibility of helping the organizations and the public understand the scope of risks and uncertainties and help them handle them effectively. Unlike in the 20th century, public relations practitioners have to play an active role in human development. Notably, the public relations practice should register a positive impact on the functionality of the society. Unless this happens, practitioners will have missed the point. Therefore, it is only logical for practitioners recognize the opportunities posed by the risk society and indulge in risk communication effectively. Evidently, the role of public relations practitioners has been greatly underestimated in the past. The criticality of the roles they play has only been perceived as the link they create between different publics and the organization. However, the 21st century introduces numerous risks and uncertainties that compel practitioners to take up new responsibilities. According to Beck, one of the authors who described fate and destiny in the modernity period, there are numerous risks and uncertainties surrounding modern organizations. Therefore, practitioners have to take up the responsibility of ensuring that organizations can handle risks in the most appropriate manner. Modern organizations face different issues that pose both risks and uncertainties. Some of the issues include identification of lucrative markets, competitive advantage, core competencies, necessary expenses, anticipating changes in future markets, understanding customer definition of value, employee empowerment, understanding customer perceptions and lifestyles, establishing critical processes, and other issues related to time management. Within the organization, practitioners should help the management establish proper systems for handling all these issues that may pose risks and uncertainties. The modern business front is becoming extremely competitive, a factor that may compel businesses to undertake radical changes. However, business cannot undertake radical changes without understanding the effect of such changes to the internal and external environments of the business (Palenchar & Heath 2007, p. 127). Therefore, such organizations expect public relations practitioners to provide reliable solutions and guidelines. 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