Managing the Transition from Hierarchical to Network Organizational Structures
Introduction The emergence of the network-based organizational structures and a movement away from the hierarchical structures that were the hallmark of the earlier era presents its own set of challenges to Human Resource Managers (HRM) as well as Executive Leadership and Senior Management. The key aspect of the transition from hierarchy to network and from […]
Role of Employees in Crisis Management
The art of managing an emergency situation at the workplace through effective planning and quick action refers to crisis management. An unstable condition which leads to major disturbances at the workplace must be controlled immediately for effective functioning of the organization. Crisis Management helps the employees as well as organization to cope with difficult times […]
Fundamentals of Business Agility
Volatility is most likely to remain constant and so is change. The market turbulence has posed challenges to most businesses around the world. But it has also played an important role in the emergence of new and non-traditional businesses – businesses that know how to respond quickly to the changing environment; businesses that have ability […]
Key Factors in Effective Change Management
Successful organizations evolve at lightning speed for remaining competitive and gaining a winning edge across the industry. This can be fulfilled by building the adaptive mechanisms and proactively dealing with the environmental pressures and responding to the changing needs of the present times. By adopting a holistic approach, visionary leadership as well as support from […]
Decision Making: How much does Hierarchy Matter?
In the contemporary business world, many companies have layers and layers of hierarchy where decisions are made at the top and passed down to the rank and file employees. This gives rise to organizational structures that are vertically deep and horizontally broad with spans of control extending to several layers in both ways. It is […]
Public relations refers to the practice of enhancing an organization’s reputation in the eyes of public, stakeholders, employees, investors and all others associated with it. Public relations experts are specially hired by organizations who work hard towards maintaining brand image of organization.
Communication plays an essential role in effective public relations. Two way communication between both the parties is essential and information must flow in its desired form between the organization and public. The receiver must understand what the sender intends to communicate for an effective public relation. The receivers (public, target audience, stakeholders, employees, investors) must clearly understand the sender’s message. (organization in this case).
The message/information needs to create an impact in the minds of customers for an effective brand positioning. Communication needs to have a strong influence on the target audience for them to remain loyal towards the organization.
In public relations, the receivers play a crucial role than the sender. The sender (organization) must ensure that the receivers interpret the information correctly and also give necessary feedbacks and reviews. It is really essential for the sender to understand its target audience. Public relations experts must do extensive research and gather as much information as they can before planning any public relation activity. Public relation activities would go unnoticed if receivers to not understand it well. Public relation activities must be designed keeping in mind the benefits of the target audience for a better brand positioning.
Example
In cases of hospitals, public relation activities would ensure a smooth flow of information between the hospital authorities or management and the patients and their immediate family members or relatives. Public relations experts from a hospital in a rural area must plan and design their activities in the local language for receivers to interpret and respond well. If the hospital authorities interact in a language not understood by the patients, no real communication takes place and eventually the effect of public relation activities get nullified.
Further the needs of the target audience must be understood well. Remember public relation activities are designed to position an organization in the best light. This happens only when the target audiences are fully satisfied with its services/products. Understand what your target audiences expect from you to design public relations activities for the maximum and desired impact. Make sure your target audiences understand what you intend to communicate.
Let us understand the role of communication in public relations through a simple example.
Peter planned for a vacation with his family to an unexplored destination. He made sure he had map of the particular place which would help him with the directions and roads of the place.
What is the map doing in the above example ?
It is just guiding Peter about this new place. In other words, the map is communicating in an effective manner so that Peter does not get lost.
What if Peter does not understand the map ?
Communication is incomplete
What if Peter understands the map ?
This is a case of two way communication where Peter is able to interpret what the map intends to communicate. A simple example of two way communication.
Public relation experts must ensure:
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