II. Public Relations as a Process

1. Public relations is a process – that is, a series of actions, changes, or functions that bring about a result. One popular way to describe the process, and to remember its components, is to use the RACE acronym, introduced by John Marston (The Nature of Public Relations). RACE means that PR activity consists of four key elements:

1) Research – What is the problem or situation?

2) Action (program planning) – What is going to be done about it?

3) Communication (execution) – How will the public be told?

4) Evaluation – Was the audience reached and what was the effect?

***************

2. Another approach is to think of the process as a never-ending cycle in which 6 components are links in a chain:

2

←<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Program assessment & adjustment <<<<<<<<<<<<<<←

↓ 3 4 5 6 1 ↑

Research & analysis >Policy formation>Programming>Communication>Feedback

• In the conceptualization of PR as a cyclical process, feedback ( = autience responce) leads to assessment of the program, which becomes an essential element in the development of another public relations project.

***************

3. The PR process also may be conceptualized in several steps as follows:

Level 1

1. PR personnel obtain insights into the problem from numerous sources.

2. PR personnel analyze these inputs and make recommendations to management.

3. Management makes policy and action decisions.

Level 2

4. PR personnel execute a program of action.

5. PR personnel evaluate the effectiveness of the action.

Step A consists of inputs that determine the nature and extent of the PR problem. These may include: (1) feedback from the public, (2) media reporting and editorial comment, (3) analysis of trend data, (4) other forms of research, personal experience, and government pressures and regulations.

Step B: (1) PR personnel assess these inputs (see Step A), (2) establish objectives and an agenda of activity, and (3) convey their recommendations to management. This is the adviser role of PR.

Step C: management makes its decision.

Step D: PR personnel execute the action through such means as news releases, publications, speeches, and community relations programs.

Step E: the effect of these efforts is measured by feedback from the same components that made up Step A.

This cycle is then repeated to solve related aspects of the problems that may require additional decision making and action.

Note that PR plays two distinct roles in this process, thus serving as

a “middle ground” or “linking agent”:

(1) on Level 1, PR interacts directly with external sources of information, including the public, media, and government, and relays these inputs to management along with recommendations;

(2) on Level 2, PR becomes the means through which management reaches the public with assorted messages.

******************************************************************