Role of Public relations – II
By: Er. Prabhat Kishore
Press relations are essentially a two-way operation. It is the link between the organisation and the press and vice-versa. On one hand, the organisation supplies information and news for publication, and initiates comments, articles and features, on the other hand, reports in the press show that the public thinks about it.
The best policy for an organisation is to take the press into confidence as possible, including such matters which are not to be published. The press in India is by and large, responsible and will respect this confidence. Shareholders from one of the business public, whose good will and support are of vital importance to the existence and success of any concern.
As far as the shareholders are concerned, the most important means of communications with them is the annual report. Apart from conformity with the legal requirements, it is the duty of every firm to see that the Annual Report provides information to shareholders in a simple and attractive manner. As D.L. Majumdar, a former secretary of the Company Law Administration Department, pointed out a few years ago ‘the requisite technical skill finds company balance-sheets crypt to grams which he is incapable of solving’.
Since, there is a limit to the popularising of the Annual Report because of legal as well as accounting constraints, business can, with profit adopt what many firms abroad and some firms in Bharat do, namely, issue information booklets to provide a picture of its operations in a manner that a non-technical adult can easily understand. A modern business firm is vast impersonal machinery in which a sense of belongings can be created by the adoption of some simple devices. For instance, a new investor can be welcomed into an organisation with a letter of welcome from the chairman and an informative booklet.
Apart from quality and the price of goods, customer relations have become a third important factor that influences, buying habits and creates a better image for the producers.
It should be remembered that, in our world of mass produces goods, in many cases, there is little intrinsic difference between branded product and another manufactured by modern firms employing modern machines and modern technologist. Therefore, a customer’s choice falls on a product whose personalities attracts him the more.
While this is basically a field for motivation researches, it can be said that the total personality or corporate image of firm as revealed through not only its products, advertising packaging and look of the products, but also its institutional advertising and other PR activities, help to win customers.
It is not possible to communicate with customer’s end masses except through advertising campaigns and the use of other sales media; a more effective way of dealing with them is through dealer relations. Dealer relations are, indeed a key element in any organisation’s PR programme. The dealer represents the manufacturer to the public and the community of which he is a part.
In India, where periodicals shortages of many products occur unscrupulous dealers have been responsible for bringing disrepute to a company by selling its products at inflated price. Therefore, not only must the dealer be educated to be strictly above board in all his dealings, but also to render after sales service whenever necessary, and provide customers with the information they seek. The dealer should be educated and aware of his social responsibilities through systematic training and educate and be given all possible help and support to sell products as quickly and effectively as possible.
Industrial relation has been described as an area where a social conscience is particularly necessary today when the clamorous demands of workers have to be reconciled with the not too plentiful resources of industry. It should not, however, be forgotten that in this area, PR will have to play its role unobtrusively and guardedly as it falls within the purview of the personnel department with better ideas and aids to communication in its efforts to bring about improved working conditions, grievance procedures, recruitment and promotional policies, employee training, recognition of exceptional course, PR runs topics, in addition to an Annual Report and provides printed and visual material to promote employee consciousness on such subjects as safety, savings, planned families and so on.
Profitability is another area where business should be able to communicate effectively with the public to stress its importance to be public besides stressing its importance in the economic growth of the country. In many minds, profitability and profiteering, corporate profits and private profits, etc. are practically synonymous.
But it is hardly necessary to point out that profitability and profits are legitimate indicators of the efficiency of a company, and corporate profits go not to fill the pockets of rich individuals but into government exchequers, to shareholders, the employees and are also ploughed back for expansion. It is a national need to get this concept accepted by the public for both the public and private sectors.
There are many examples like price maintenance, inflation capital formation, which need to be explained to the public in simple terms so that business policies and practices, corporately and individually are better understood by the public.
Business is the art of the possible at any given time, and business has to frame its thinking and attitudes within the parameters of national, social and economic objectives and goals. Therefore, there is an urgent need, at the highest level of management for sensitivity to political conditions, to socio-economic climate and to public opinion. When the public interest requires, business should not hesitate to communicate persuasively to influence the modification and change of public policy.
There are many areas where business can contribute to public policies through effective communication. In a democracy economic statesmanship for development and growth calls for collective contribution, and business must make a significant contribution by intelligent and imaginative communication.
Tasks ahead
In summing up, a number of tasks become clear. In the first place a business undertaking must conduct its operation in such a manner that it helps to serve itself and serve the society as well. Secondly, it must demonstrate its good faith and its sense so social responsibilities.
Thirdly, it must not only do good but also use all means at its command to publicise that it is doing so which implies that the business undertakings will have to become for more vocal than they are at present, in a planned and sustained manner.
(The author is a technocrat and educationist. He studied Journalism and Mass Communication at Patna University)
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