Public Relations and What It Means

There are many widely accepted definitions for what modern day PR is, Warnaby & Moss (2002) state that “Public relations is the art and social science of analyzing trends, predicting their consequences, counseling organisation leaders and implementing planned programs of action which will serve both the organization’s and the public interest.” This definition highlights several aspects that are important to a modern PR professional; trends, public interest & planned action. Modern public relations is always facing new challenges and trends as globalization and social media are constantly changing at a rapid pace and altering the perspective of the occupation. Both social media and globalization are bringing countries and audiences closer which is both an opportunity and a challenge for international and Australian professionals. It is therefore highly important for PR practitioners to be aware of the constant changing environment and what the public opinion is in regard to the client organisation and to always have a plan of action in place. (Opperman, 2012) This essay will discuss the new demands that PR is facing in the twenty first century, the importance of collaborating with other departments such as marketing, focus groups and an organisation’s reputation.
Globalization is not a new concept, as organisations grow and expand, the world becomes more connected and interdependent; countries are changing in terms of politics, technology & economics. As more organisations are becoming transnational, there is a greater need to communicate; social media is the direct connection between organisations and their target audiences. While these vast changes are occurring, they are also shaping the modern world of PR; on the one hand both social media and globalization are providing the profession with many growth opportunities and career furthering. But then on the other hand, both trends are making it that much harder for PR agents to for see changes and strategize for