The strategic implications of PR: a preliminary survey

Abstract

The purpose of the following thesis is to elaborate on implications concerning the interrelation of PR and communication and an organization's strategic management. This is undertaken in two steps. First, a theoretical base is generated through literature research. In the second step the theoretical arguments are rechecked within a field research in companies. Starting with the literature part the work attempts, beyond the argumentation for a close connection between PR and strategic management to increase an organization's overall effectiveness, to come up with normative models which might be helpful to further the comprehension of, and support for, strategic PR and communication within organizations. The general implications on PR and communication as well as the models presented can serve to achieve this target. Moreover the concepts try to offer the PR practitioner normative tools to ease the analysis of an organization's most important publics - a prerequisite for the formulation of any company strategy. The models should help to detect communicational patterns and behaviour, expectations, needs, demands and wishes from an organization's environment. The field research part focuses on certain companies from differing sectors and their PR and communication principles and practices. By analysis of material provided by various companies and by questioning (questionnaire is appended) selected organizations the attempt is made to evaluate in how far the elaborated theoretical concepts are beneficial for practical PR work and the overall promotion of communication within organizations.