Other major trends in today’s practice of PRTransparencyPublic demand transparency in light of recent scandals provide info upfront, clear and honest, in hope that you can build relationships when things go wrongAn ever-broadening social media toolboxAllow for direct communication lines to stakeholders, but also require constant monitoring direct!! Doesn’t have to go through any other channels, love the ability to directly communicate with the audienceIncreased emphasis on evaluationResearch techniques and technological developments mean more accurate understanding of impacts on bottom lineManaging the 24/7 news cycleNever-ending feedback and a constant desire for news from audiencesNew directions in mass mediaAdapting to changing media environment and lack of one “true” source for informationPreparation of materials for these new media sourcesOutsourcing to other PR firmsSpecific aspects of PR being outsourced even at those organizations that have in-house PR trend that you aren’t necessarily working for one thing, getting opinion from other sourcesThe importance of lifelong learningWe live in an age where it is easier and more difficult to stay current our phones allow us to always be informed on current issues/events, but at the same time there is so much info that having an overall understanding of product/industry is almost impossiblecant stay current on everything because of the bombarding of informationIncreases the need for specializationA Growing Professional PracticeProfessional organizations strive to educate and preserve the name of PRProvides guiding standards for the industryThe Public Relations Society of AmericaThe largest national PR organization in the worldThe Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA)The International Association of Business CommunicatorsThe second-largest organization of communication and PR professionalsThe International Public Relations AssociationA London-based global organizationProfessionalism, Licensing & AccreditationProfessionalismProfessional practitioners should have:A sense of independenceA sense of responsibility to society and public interests needs to be two-way communicationConcern for the competence and honor of the profession set the bar high so those that follow understand it is an ethical business, there is a lot of good that can be doneA higher loyalty to the profession than to an employerLicensingAdvocatesDefines PR, unifies curricula, unifies standards, protects clients, protects practitioners, raises practitioners’ credibility licensing is passing series of questions that you are an expert/competent in the field, advocates say PR should be licensed because….. (read above)OpponentsViolates 1st amendment, malpractice laws exist, states license but PR works nationally/internationally, ensures only minimum competence/ethics, increased credibility, not ensured, expensive to license people when they are already qualifiedIs there a way to license PR specialists internationally/same requirements?Accreditation“Certification” by professional organizationsless formal version of licensingPRSA and IABC offer accreditationSimilar to a master’s degree, it’s just a seal of approval from someone else besides your universityCHAPTER 4Importance of PR DepartmentsPR pros seen as strategic communication managers that bring upside to an organization:PR offers 184% ROI (return on investment)(International Association of Business Communicators)Many CEOs want communication that is strategic, research-based, and two-wayBut, their contributions can be constrainedOrganizational factors determine the role of PRLarge rather than small firms more likely to include PR in decision-makingSmall forms more likely to view PR as fulfilling only a technician roleProduce the documents we tell you to, you are here to produce things, you’re on production side, that is itPR DepartmentsManagement perceptions determine the role of PRDo top level management view PR as serving a journalist or technician function?Do top level management view PR as merely supporting marketing?Difference between a decision-making function and a tactical of production functionPR increasingly getting a seat at the decision-making table:60% of all corporate senior-level practitioners report either to the CEO or COO (Chief Operating Officer)View themselves as well-received by the C-Suite and welcome to voice opinions getting more say on the day to day basis vs. just fulfilling their production functionThe organization of PR DepartmentsOrganized by:Leader titlesReporting hierarchyTop bottom middleSize of departmentsLarge part of the organization or smaller aspectCommon divisions found in large corporations:Media relations, investor relations, consumer affairs, government relations, community relations, marketing communications, and employee communicationsDepartment functionsMedia relations: 97% (say they are involved in this)Crisis management: 96%Executive communication: 93%…….Issue ads: 54%Research and analytics: 49%Line and staff functionsLine manager:Delegates, sets goals, hires, influences others’ workStaff function:Little direct authorityIndirectly influence others’ work through suggestions, recommendations, adviceAccess to managementPR influence is linked to access to top managementRecommendations to management help in formulating policyLevels of influenceAdvisory: Management has no obligation to request or act on recommendationsPurely advisory practitioners are often ineffectiveCompulsory-advisory: Management is required to listen to PR’s perspective before actingConcurring authority: PR and others must agree on an actionPR practitioners speak out: important issues and resourcesImportant PR issuesGain a seat with decision makers (34%)Measure value of PR (28%)Communicate with diverse publics (17%)Reduce information clutter (15%)Enhance professional image (14%)Most valuable resourcesRelationships with others (46%)Professional experience (46%)Performance record (33%)Expertise (28%)Persuasive skills with top execs (25%)Reporting position (24%)Sources of frictionLegal:Differences on public statementsHuman resources:Differences regarding employee communicationsAdvertising:Competing for resourcesPhilosophical differencesWill it increase sales? Will it strengthen relationships?Marketing:Focusing on only one public: current or prospective customersFriction between law and PRLegal responsesSay nothing, cite legal sensitivity,