Public Relation Sector Feasibility Study on the Gulf Region - Research Paper Example

Public Relation Sector Feasibility Study on the Gulf Region of the affiliation Public Relation Sector Feasibility Study on the Gulf Region The growth of the public relations field has become essential for most corporations and industries in the way that communications and messages can be sent from the organization to the public. Many organizations use this particularly important art to improve their image in the public, through the relaying of important information to build a reputable record in the eyes of the public. On this platform, public relations aim at winning the understanding and gain the attention of the audience or target group of the organization. In this light, the discipline has grown over the years in the gulf region, being useful in sectors like charity and consultancy, where firms are seeking to build their image in the eyes of the public and make the most out of public relations. This report attempts to identify the correlation between the charity sector and public relation for the consultancy sector exemplifying their potential as a career option for practitioner using sector analysis. The charity sector Although the size of the public relations in the charitable sector is currently small in the Gulf region with 78 nonprofit organizations (Özbilgin & Healy, 2003, p. 23), there are notable trends that point out to the increasing size and the need for public relations in this sector. The current small size may be owed to the previous notions that undermined the role of public relations in charity. Many organizations relied on crude means of publicizing their communications, instead of employing professional services to cater for such needs (Benthall & Bellion-Jourdan, 2003, p. 34). However, the art of public relations has been popular in the last decade and is increasingly used by most organizations. The value of public relations in the sector is enormous and there is increasing need to build good relationships as well as foster cooperation with other players in the industry (Hitchins, 2006). In the Gulf region, charity organizations need to employ strategic public relations as a means through which they communicate their valuable information to the public to help them understand what the organization does, its missions and objectives. One of the major players in the industry is Charity PR, an organization geared towards popularizing the art of public relations in charity organizations, as well as addressing key challenges that have faced the sector in the last few years. The key stakeholders the run the charity sector in public relation include government through agencies, the nonprofits organizations, public benefit authorities (PBA) and private sectors. The nonprofit organization is the key player whose primary goal is to create an enabling environment to victims. The charity sector in the gulf region has experienced changes in the last few years, and various factors have influenced the course of events in the region. One of the most prominent trends is the continued use of social media as avenues to improve public relations. Charity organizations in the Gulf region have focused their efforts to use the social media networks to communicate with supporters, donors as well as well wishers who participate in their programs. Indeed, the social media has become a useful avenue, where the organizations can relay information, get feedback and suggestions from the public (Benthall & Bellion-Jourdan, 2003, p. 42). On the other hand, most notable charity organizations have embraced the idea of using ambassadors to promote their organizations and publicize their work. Indeed, various organizations involved in charity have used various musicians, footballers and other celebrities who they deem useful to elaborate their goals and stand for the values they hold dearly. Indeed, an imperative factor that has influenced the sector’s public relations in the gulf region has been the advent of technology and improvement in education (Özbilgin & Healy, 2003, p. 38). On this perspective, therefore, the countries in the gulf region have changed their strategies towards public relations, relying on technologically powered means to communicate to the public. Indeed, this has increased the coverage of people, as well as introduced faster means of communication through such platforms as blogs, web pages and many more. Education has also come a long way to influence the trend of public relations in charitable organizations based in the gulf region. The opening of colleges offering valuable education in the subject has revolutionized the art, increasing its demand and changing the platform on which the charity organizations operate. Using the SWOT analysis, the Strengths of such a program in public relations in the Arabian Gulf include the presence of skills and willing people who participate in the charitable organizations. In the weaknesses perspective, the constant political upheavals in countries in the expansive Middle East may distort the operations of the charity organizations, and therefore reduce the popularity of public relations. For the opportunities, the presence of adequate resources in the region implies that with the increasing popularity of public relations, there will be increased chances of advancement and growth in the field. The threats to charity public relations include unfavorable legislation or cultural affiliations in the Arab countries, which may hinder the operations and expansion of charity organizations, which are, ran mostly by women (Zubaida, 2010, p. 109). In this perspective, women form the largest stakeholders in public relation in charitable sector since they are very sensitive to the needs of the society (Esposito & Burgat, 2003, p. 55). Using the PESTLE analysis on the other hand, the Political conditions are slowly becoming favorable, making charity organizations thrive and increase their needed for strategic public relations. The Economic conditions are also favorable, mostly analyzing the good performance of the gulf countries in terms of their national income, which implies that they are a good breeding ground for public relations specialists. The Social conditions and attitudes towards charity organizations have lately changed for the better in the gulf countries, implying that there is chance of improvement and performance of public relations specialists wishing to venture into business in this particular place. Technologically, the region has made advances to increase its technological base, implying that most operations are handled technologically. This implies that given this framework, the practitioners can perform better and reap benefits by venturing into this market. On the Legal perspective, there has been a continued trend of better legislation being formulated to suit the existence of charity organizations, and to improve learning, which boosts the public relations practice. The ethical environment point implies that since the practice falls within the rubric of the faith and cultures of the people in the gulf region, may venture in the place will be a success. The public sector stay in a crucial position of need and therefore the public relation initiate new appeals and strategies in an attempt to increase charitable services to the community. On the other hand, the services and beliefs of this sector do not compromise the cultural and religious norms of the communities in this region, which explain the reason for its success. (Esposito & Burgat, 2003, p. 70). Key issues faced by the sector The sector has faced logistical challenges due to inadequate resources that undermine its extent of influence. Further, the sector has faced challenges caused by political upheavals and terrorist attacks in the gulf countries, which has challenged operations in the area (Benthall & Bellion-Jourdan, 2003, p. 10). Further, the charity organizations have experienced unfavorable legal legislation, and much is yet to be done to ensure there is a good environment for the sector to thrive (Noe & Noe, 2010, p. 27). Public relations in the consultancy sector in the gulf region In the recent years, public relation for consultancy sector has been pulling in record of revenues. To be specific, the public relations consultancy, experienced a rise in income from €18m in 1980 to €478m in 2010 (Zubaida, 2010, p. 167). Public relations with consultancy firms in the Middle East and the gulf region are developed and have over the years been influential in the success of most companies and organizations. On this platform, the last twenty years have been phenomenal, with many consultancy firms seeking the expertise of public relations agencies (Özbilgin & Healy, 2003, p. 33). In his light, the sector has continued to gain booms, which according to the International Public Relations Associations bills up to $ 100 million annually (Pearce, 2014, p. 20). Public relations are important for the consultancy, because their image is the main advertising arena to potential customers. In this light, consultancy agencies continue to demand for public relations, owing to the large impacts that have been experienced because of positive public relations. In this respect, consultancy firms in Dubai are the most advanced in public relations in the gulf region (Pearce, 2014, p. 22), mostly owed to its continued expansion of basic and primary sectors, which thrive with consultancy. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia comes in second, with developing trends towards employing more public relations in consultancy, as a way of beating the stiff competition posed by the emergence of new players in the industry (Esposito & Burgat, 2003, p. 79). Some of the notable players in the art of public relations to consultancy firms include ASDAA’A Burson-Marstellar, which is a developed organization offering professional public relations services in the Middle East, and has recently ventured to offer its wide range of services to consultancy firms in the industry. On the other hand, Grayling Northern Gulf is a public relations firm, operating in Qatar and offers various services to consultancy firms. Indeed, it has provided an avenue for firms inside and outside Qatar to seek professional services as well as deriving solutions to their public relations questions. The trends and factors that influence the sector are enormous, owing to the expansive nature in the contemporary world. On this platform, the public relations industry has been seen to deviate towards crisis communications services. In this platform, most clients in the gulf region are requiring professional services in public communications, especially in times of crisis and political upheavals such as the Arab Uprising that have faced the region in the recent past (Zubaida, 2010, p. 114). In addition, the application of public relations in the aspect of corporate social responsibility has been vital for most consultancy firms. In fact, it encourages good corporate behavior leads to transparency and authenticity. Indeed, this trend has shaped the course of public relations, with the major focus being focused on corporate social responsibility by the firms, evoking demand for public relations in this direction. Finally, there has been a trend towards diversification of a portfolio, where the public relations seek to spread their services to meet the needs of the growing firms in the industry. Such diversification has been made profound through services like reputation management as well as consultancy services in market entry, which were nonexistent in the last few days (Özbilgin & Healy, 2003, p. 26). To this end, many factors have influenced the art of public relations in the consultancy sector in this region. Indeed, the growing numbers of public relations agencies in the region have been pivotal in the growth of this sector. With the increased competition and creativity, as well as the growing demand for public relations services, the sector has continued to gain ground to adjust to these conditions and therefore enhancing a positive reputation within the community and industries that offers such services. Secondly, the growth of the industry has been influenced by geographical factors. The countries in the gulf region are closely linked with each other, and the growth of the sector in Dubai has inspired its development of the other nations like Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia (Pearce, 2014, p. 24). The key stakeholders in the consultancy, public relations include the governments of the nations in the region, as well as the firms and industry movers in the region. In addition, the complementary or support industries play a crucial role in determining the trends in the market. Another important stakeholder is PR consultancy, which offers intermediary services between the communities and the industries. The primary objective of the consultancy is to enhance a good reputation between the industries and the communities within this region (Rajab, 2009, p. 35). Using the SWOT tool of analysis, the industry has a key strength from the fact that it is growing, has government support and growing number of clients requiring the public relations services. The weakness of the public relations sector in the gulf region is the fact that political influence may change the course of the industry through stakes in some of the firms. However, the growing nature of the sector presents opportunities for expansion and growth in the region and especially in countries like Oman, whose public relations sector is still developing (Smith, 2011, p. 29). The threat to the growth of the sector in the gulf region is the entry of foreign firms in the market, which are giving problems for infancy firms to grow and attract the required clientele. Indeed, many international consultancy agencies, especially in the United States and Europe have sought to take advantage of the developing markets and thrived at the expense of the local firms. The international consultancy agencies have for decades established their roots in the Gulf region and the size of these agencies generate monopoly in the region. As a result, the local agencies eventually collapse due to intense competition generated by the international agencies. United State is the main stakeholder and relatively covers 48% of the public relations consultancy in the region (Özbilgin & Healy, 2003, p. 47). Using the PESTLE analysis, the political situation in the region has been a major driver towards the expansion of consultancy services in the region, due to positive government incentives for growth (Shehata, 2013, p. 56). Further, the economic situation in this region has fostered the growth of public relations in consultancy firms, especially due to the huge incomes from the sales of oil from the gulf region. The technology applied in consultancy firms to carry out their public relations has been vital for its development, as most firms use the latest imported technology in their operations like sourcing out for international clients. The legal perspectives have been encouraging, with the legislation favorable for the growth of consultancy agencies, and subsequently their public relations perspective (Özbilgin & Healy, 2003, p. 69). Laws and regulations formulated by legislators and relevant authorities have created an enabling environment for the sector to thrive thereby increasing opportunities. Some major issues facing public relations in consultancy include inadequate talent to harness the available potential in the region, as well as lack of experience to run this critical segment of the sector. In addition, the sector faces problems with the recognition of their services as C-level. This is an official communications function that has eluded most players in the industry, despite the growing nature of this sector. Career viability in the public relations of charity organizations Career prospects in the charity sector are promising and many organizations continue to seek for experts to fill these important positions (Özbilgin & Healy, 2003, p. 35). One advantage of working in this sector is that it improves the worker’s personal skills in communication and networking with partners and donors. Further, people working in this industry have chances of advancing their knowledge because of the flexible schedules provided for most public relations officials working for charity organizations. Workers in this sector can take the advantage of the less hierarchical organization structure by interacting with the management for career development purposes. On the other hand, in the charity sector, a worker can be assigned different projects, thereby leading to faster career development and more varied job responsibilities (Noe & Noe, 2010, p. 45). The main disadvantage for this sector is the limited chances to rise through the ranks since most of the organizations are currently undeveloped in their public relations (Benthall & Bellion-Jourdan, 2003, p. 67). This may lead to stagnation in the same position or with the same remuneration over time. On the other hand, working in charity sector can be frustrating due to unfavorable working environment provided in this sector. Most organizations require potential candidates to possess degree qualifications in relevant fields, as well as good interpersonal skills. They must possess good knowledge in IT skills as well as have clear spoken and written communication ability. A background, experience of more than three years in similar positions is an added advantage in order to beat the stiff competition by the many people seeking employment in the sector (Esposito, et.al 2003, p. 90). Career prospects in public relations for the consulting sector Careers in this sector are more demanding, owing to the developing nature of public relations in the Middle East. In this respect, the necessary requirements are stiffer and more specific compared to the charity sector. One advantage of working in this sector as a public relation agent is the chance to grow with the industry, and develop your skills to meet the high demand of skill. In addition, public relations agents have a high demand from the consulting firms, and their remunerations are indeed as high (Noe & Noe, 2010, p. 21). Indeed, working in public relation for the consultancy sector provides the worker with the opportunity to work with many interesting and important people including celebrities. Therefore, public relation under this sector is seen as a glamorous career. The sector employs effective motivational strategies such as higher pay thereby making working in the sector an exciting opportunity for public relations. The disadvantage of working in this sector is the fact that without constant refresher courses, seminars and workshops to update employee’s existing skills, one may end up jobless and are replaced by better individuals because the industry is still under constant growth and readjustments. The public relation in this sector generally works through only one person in the client organization or only a few people and therefore lacks internal line of communication. There are fewer chances for career development for workers in this sector. To be eligible for an employment in this sector, more than 7 years relevant experience in reputable organizations is needed, as well as a college degree in corporate public relations (Esposito, et.al 2003, p. 189). Prospective candidates must portray good mastery of communication skills, as well as networking using the social media platforms, blogs and podcasts (Özbilgin & Healy, 2003, p. 27). Recommendations It is plausible to note that the career prospects in the consultancy sector may be improved by research and training of the professionals. Indeed, the opportunities are enormous for many graduates due to the growth that is evident in this field. To this end, the sector has identified various strategies that aid to provide employee satisfaction through motivations such as higher pay and opportunities for career development. The local consultancy firms in the sector generate more opportunities for growth by providing outsourcing and training, thereby improving the value of its employees. On the other hand, the charity organizations’ public relations platform has developed in a progressive manner, which may provide opportunities for more people to enter the market in the near future. In addition, the charity sector is attractive to those workers who aim at developing their career. In this perspective, the sector functions like multinational corporations and therefore provide local workers with the chance to interact with external workers through subsidiary industries or outsourcing. Conclusion From the above analysis, one would prefer a job in the consultancy sector as a public relations specialist. In addition to developing skills in a corporate environment, such an experience would be vital for personal career development due to the high growth experienced in the sector compared to the charity sector. The strict professional requirements in the consultancy sector will contribute to personal achievement and competence, leading to better results compared to the charity segment. This is because the main objective of consultancy sector is to maximize its organizational outcome. They therefore require skilled candidates with higher education qualifications to perform this task. However, under charity segment, the organizations do not construct strict personal specifications. Therefore, public relation in consultancy segment interacts with other professionals and skilled workers, which is vital to career development. References Benthall, J., & Bellion-Jourdan, J. 2003. The charity crescent: Politics of aid in the Muslim world. London: I.B. Tauris. Esposito, J. L., & Burgat, F. 2003. Modernizing Islam: Religion in the public sphere in the Middle East and Europe. New Brunswick, N.J: Rutgers University Press. Hitchins, J. 2006, June 26. Behind The Spin: Why charity should begin in PR. Retrieved February 23, 2014, from http://publicsphere.typepad.com/behindthespin/2006/06/why_charity_sho.html Noe, R. A., & Noe, R. A. 2010. Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Özbilgin, M., & Healy, G. 2003. Middle Eastern careers in context. Bradford, England: Emerald. Pearce , J. 2014. Gulf PR Industry Booms. Retrieved February 23, 2014, from www.ipra.org/itl/04/2008/gulf-pr-industry-booms Rajab, A. A. 2009. Working in beauty consultancy. Abu Dhabi: The Centre. Shehata, S. S. 2013. Islamist politics in the Middle East: Movements and change. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Smith, J. N. 2011. A career in management consultancy. London: Management Consultancies Association. Zubaida, S. 2010. Beyond Islam: A new understanding of the Middle East. London: I.B. Tauris. Read More