The Roles of Public Relations in Crisis Management - Essay Example

Topic: The Roles of Public Relations in Crisis Management Crisis management fundamentally is about crisis prevention which requires profound understanding of scenarios and nagging issues and strategizing response to resolve the pressing problem (Luer &Wang, 2004). It could be a social problem, a financial distress, a disaster affecting populace or a political dilemma affecting constituents. Experts posit that part of responding to a crisis is done by public relations. This paper will discuss the correlation of public relations in managing crisis. Understanding Public Relations Public Relation is significant part of management to sustain systematically an activity by gathering and influencing empathy from the people as its stakeholders (Felea, 2004). The aim of nurturing public relations is to develop rapport with the public and by making them understand the organization and what its doing (Felea, 2004). Experts in public relation use all typology of communication with the public, as represented by personalities who are imbued with institutional and organizational identity (Felea, 2004). This process is deemed significant to avoid or wane down the opposition of employer and employees, in case of labor dispute, or probably to reduce panic in the market in the case of financial crisis. In international relations, countries diplomatically develop public relations to ensure that social acceptability and to maintain social peace while engendering cooperation and collaboration on social policy or agenda (Felea, 2004). This is also true in market relations to ascertain efficiency on commercial firm’s services and to maintain connections with its clients while on business operation (Felea, 2004). Thus, in commerce, a company would use advertisements and other related propaganda to better its relations with the public, its “goods suppliers, services providers, labour suppliers, clients, competitors, public organisms (Felea, 2004, p. 1).” Dealing with the Media Media is an instrument or tool for public relations. Companies relate with media to promote their products and to explicate its business operation and its campaign or probably to promote their activities relating to corporate social responsibility. With globalization taking the market’s core, modern commerce necessitates media in social networking, including the explication of its definitional struggle in the interface of science and policy for the market. David (1999) for instance explicates the significant effort done my farming industry in explaining to the public cattle disease bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or mad cow. By doing so, the company is able to illuminate the processes they have undertaken to reduce the risks for their products. Thus, also persuade the public about how judgment is done on the emergence of this problem that might affect pasteurization of milk or the production of cow’s meat (David, 1999). The company is able to promote, communicate and assess the problem for policy response to diminish the impact of the problem to consumers (David, 1999). Indeed, by waning secrecy out and by using media for public relations, they are able to bring interfacing in commerce by focusing on the public in the wider operation of definitional struggles (David, 1999, p. 1). The media was also able to “focus on definitional struggles also sheds light on some current work on risk in social theory (p. 1).” It also discouraged theorists to predict risks as unavoidable concomitants of technological and cultural changes left grip of economic and social political quietism (David, 1999). Kalka & Krähling (2009) also illustrated how trade fairs needed media for extensive coverage and in multifaceted field to consider all various significant factors of trade fair in marketing and in the economy. Kalka et al. (2009) pointed the significance of cooperation with media professionals for public relations for balance and objective information sharing. Kalka et al. (2009) said that trade fairs work in partnership and are mutually reliant for effective marketing and optimization of information for commerce. Multimedia technology provided the impetus in spreading information for public consumption (Kalka et al., 2009). As tool for public relations, it’s an edge for competition and to reach consumers at home (Kalka et al., 2009). It also helps shape opinions as an instrument for transparency. With the advancement of information technology, websites and social networking e-sites made commerce a reality within households. Companies can immediately communicate its produce, its performance level, and share its competence in advancing their corporate social responsibility. Internet therefore is an open space for public relations too in a most rapid and affordable manner (Kalka et al., 2009). Moreover, being a research and publishing apparatus worldwide, internet and websites is an indispensable way in communicating with consumers, with the public and to authorities within the bureaucracy. Through it, businessmen can conduct public relations online to shape public opinion either in a bandwagon technique or by advancing their competencies (Kalka et al., 2009). As such, it can be inferred that media will not only be offering its product to online clientele but also shape perspectives on commerce, business, politics and economics. Beyond all these, it’s the aim of the company to gain trust with the public and its consumers by making media part of the strategy in bridging personal relations. This could help guarantee a sustainable and consistent partnership with stakeholders of economics. This doesn’t mean however that manager and business strategists replace personal relations with its stakeholders and clienteles (Kalka et al., 2009). Public relations at a personal level remained the most effective tool for communication because personal interactions can nurture emotional attachment well. NHS Way to Public Relations In an effort to be transparent in undertaking reform within the National Health Service, the latter permeated PRWeek, an online publication, to report on a survey on public opinion about their trust to the institution to pursue genuine reform in healthcare. The report was bared in a report titled Reputation Survey: NHS Reforms in poor health (Owens, 2012) at a time when public cry against the proposal of the government in the institution of reform within the healthcare system. Owen (2012), a media practitioner, pointed the public bias when only 13% among 2,000 respondents believed on NHS reform agenda. The report however explicated that the poor rating is attributed to marginalization of health bodies in major meetings. Owen (2012) further reported that while 40% wanted reform to be scrapped, but these are mostly men expressing skepticism to the program. Owen (2012) likewise pointed the frustration of the reform undertaken in previous year. Owen (2012) was quick to point that people wanted government to focus on communicating the elders to persuade them about how the reforms be undertaken. NHS has been working in the last decade to integrate information technology and to improve the proficiency of medical practitioners in all hospitals. Instituting changes was bit difficult when some internal structures affect the designation of professionals while others bellowed with uncertainties about the reform agenda’s requisites that they will comply about (Owen, 2012). The survey gave insight on people pulses and is quite a profound empirical evidence for government authorities and NHS managers to consider or to utilize as basis for strategic actions and interventions. The report further affirmed the media’s indispensable role in making the public understand how they are divided by their perceptions about NHS reform agenda. It was also able to narrow down who amongst its stakeholders should be consulted or persuaded more. Organization and Poor PR Beerworth (2005) pointed that an organization with bad public relation would likely be a result of the incapacity of an organization to quantify and measure its internal and external impacts. Let us cite the case of Costa Concordia, a luxury ship, which ran aground at Isola del Giglio, Italy on January 13 with 4,200 persons onboard, of which 3,200 were passengers (The Atlantic, 2012). There were six persons who died out of the accident while 14 were declared initially. Reports mentioned in the that the ship captain Francesco Schettino, was arrested of ship abandonment, manslaughter and negligence in sailing the ship to its point of destination. Atlanta (2012) further reported that the management were unable to conduct safety measure for lifeboat drills resulting to its “chaotic and frightening” (Atlanta, 2012, p. 1) evacuation of people from the boat. Beerworth (2005) stressed that those organizations with poor public relations are consequence of poor management performance, absence of principles, misguided visions, dissatisfaction of customers, obvious and poor communication with its stakeholders. Any organization or institution can be a prey to social stigma and may have losses if it’s unable to clarify to the public its corporate vision, mission and goals; consistent failure to realize promises and plans; and, if it’s unable to strengthen its human resource competence with poor services (Beerworth, 2012). Christensen (2011) stressed bad public relation when a company would bribe journalists in hope to get media promotion about facial aesthetics evolution. Indeed, an organization should establish good public relations to educate more broadly on its value and benefits, to develop standards for measuring performance, and to set realistic business expectations. Its statements and publication should depict truant situation and propose measures that will be vigorously undertaken as a resolution to specific case dealt by the organization. Conclusion Public relation is one of the many remedies to a crisis situation that intimidate the integrity or reputation of an organization (Gîrboveanu & Pavel, 2010). It is a discipline that takes care about the reputation to gather understanding, support and influence perception and behavior from the public or its clienteles. As observed in the annals of history, a number of public relations crises were done by expert relation officers, while there are also many instances when companies failed to rightly properly manage problems and internal crisis (Gîrboveanu et al., 2010). In dealing with it, they manage public responses in each distinct and unique situation, hence, must be a tailored response. Public relation is generally practiced by persons and organization within human environment to recognize or act upon the fact to refer their integrity, reputation and relationship with stakeholders (Centrer, Jackson, Smith, Frank, 2008). It has a systematized process and use that evaluates public attitudes and behaviors; harmonizes aims, regulations, and frameworks of an organization within the context of public interest; and perform program of actions to gather public understanding, acceptability and support (Gîrboveanu et al., 2010). It can only be practiced within the climate of democratic principle where every person valued self by expressing their responsibilities and opinions as stakeholder to an issue of public concern in a free exchange of ideas as a form of public consent. This is because crisis management thru public relations establishes mutual and beneficial relationships between an institution and the public where the achievement of success or failure rely on. Technically, it’s a role assumed by managers in managing an organization in nurturing public relations-- as a significant component of moral and ethical component of corporate leadership. All organization is vulnerable to crises. If done properly, public relations can prevent sad and critical situation from devastating damage in its business’s image and goodwill (Gîrboveanu et al., 2010). How an organization act on a crisis will determine its future. Companies face crises, thus, effective communication is a significant control in crisis situation. It is a corporate responsibility of any organization to accurately provide information on what is transpiring and its potential impact to the public, as well as, how the organization intends to resolve an issue (Broom, 2009). Doing so reduce panic, anxieties, unnecessary worries. A crisis manager therefore should be a good communicator and knows all typology of communicating—if that may require the use of media to popularize what action was undertaken to resolve a crisis. It is important that information is imparted with compassion, competence and confidence (Gîrboveanu et al., 2010); Joye , 1997). While crisis is unpredictable, managers must have appropriate foresight and thought about how to take care of an organization’s corporate reputation and needed dreadful alternative. Managers should therefore be prepared, good at gathering facts of the issue, and undertake quick action to minimize risks to public. Truth and objectivity must be uttered with care and sincerity without disregard to common sense. Assuming the responsibility as a crisis manager thru public relation must be attuned to demanded time so as not to wane business interests. With liberalization and less protectionist policies, the only way when a company’s lone asset is its reputation for business competitive edge. This is In today’s competitive market, reputation can be a company’s biggest asset, the thing that makes you stand out from the crowd and gives you a competitive edge. It’s giving an idea that the management is on top of every situation and ready to avert possibility of crisis by constantly reading the changes in the market and accurately deal potential threats with the public. References Christensen, Pia (2011). Poor practices from a Pharma Company’s PR Firm. Healthcare Communication News. Luer, Charlotte & Wang, Samuel, 2004."Crisis management for the financial services industry," Journal of Financial Transformation, Capco Institute, vol. 10, pages 18-10. Mihai Felea, 2004. "Communication through the Public Relations," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 6(16), pages 49-52, September. Kalka, Regine & Krähling, Sabrina, 2009."Multimedia based Public Relations in German Trade Fair Companies [Multimediale Public Relations bei Messegesellschaften]," Duesseldorf Working Papers in Applied Management and Economics fobe07, Duesseldorf University of Applied Sciences. Miller, David, 1999. "Risk, science and policy: definitional struggles, information management, the media and BSE," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 49(9), pages 1239-1255, November. Owens, John (2012). Reputation Survey: NHS Reforms in Poor Health. PRWeek, UK. Sorina-Raula Gîrboveanu & Silvia-Mihaela Pavel, 2010. "How To Manage A Public Relations Crisis," Annals of University of Craiova - Economic Sciences Series, University of Craiova, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, vol. 3(38), pages 12, May. The Atlantic, (2012). The Wreck of the Costa Concordia. http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2012/01/the-wreck-of-the-costa-concordia/100224/ Accessed: March 14, 2012. Gordon C. Joye 1997. ″Interpreting Definitions of Public Relations: Self Assessment and a Symbolic Interactionism-Based Alternative″, Public Relations Review no. 23, no. 1 (Spring 1997). Broom M. Glenn, 2009. Effective Public Relations, Person Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, 2009 Centrer Allen, Jackson Patrick, Smith Stacey, Stansberry R. Frank, 2008. Public Relations Practices: Managerial Case Studies and Problems, Pearson Prentice Hall, New Jersey. Read More