PUBLIC RELATION'S DEFINITIONS

PUBLIC RELATION'S DEFINITIONS

1. Professors Lawrence W. Long and Vincent Hazleton:

   • “A communication function of management through which organizations adapt to, alter, or maintain their environment for the purpose of achieving organizational goals.” Their approach promotes the idea that public relations should also foster open, two-way communication and mutual understanding, with the idea that an organization—not just the target audience—changes its attitudes and behaviors in the process.

2. Newsletter PR News:

   • “Public relations is the management function which evaluates public attitudes, identifies the policies and procedures of an individual or an organization with the public interest, and plans and executes a program of action to earn public understanding and patience.”

3. One of the first major textbooks the field, Effective Public Relations by Scott Cutlip and Allen Center:

   • “Public relations is the management function that identifies, establishes, and maintains mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and the various publics on whom its success or failure depends.”

4. National and international public relations organizations, including the PRSA:

   • “Public relations is influencing behaviour to achieve objectives through the effective management of relationships and communications.” (British Institute of Public Relations, whose definition has also been adopted in a number of Commonwealth nations)