Public Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Public Relations - Essay Example Yet another source cites the ‘Institute of Public Relations’ which gives the definition as â€Å"Public Relations practice is the planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organization and its publics† (www.buildingbrands.com). The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines public relations as â€Å"The business of inducing the public to have understanding for and goodwill toward a person, firm, or institution; also: the degree of understanding and goodwill achieved†. (www.merriam-webster.com). The worded definitions of ‘public relations’ may be different but they invariably point in the same direction i.e. the establishment of the identity of an organization, person or society into the psyche of the general masses whereby they come to understand the basic tenets of the philosophy and the setup of that organization which enhances the mutual understanding between the two for any fruitful and meaningful exchanges. The definitions however are oriented towards the positive aspects of public relations as they are invariably considered to be an effort to establish goodwill and harmony between two groups and talk nothing of any negative aspects which the organization may have. Therefore the orientation of public relations of an organization is always aimed at highlighting the positive aspects. More positivity can be induced when both the merits and demerits of the organization are shared with the public to give them a true picture, in order to avoid misunderstandings later. The ‘harmonization of private and public policies’ which is the ultimate aim of public relations according to the PRSA can be achieved only if the facts are presented accurately, precisely and supported by easily comprehensible data. Organizations like government departments, hospitals, educational institutions, private companies, religious societies, etc. have a distinct