Theoretical basis for executing effective pr strategies
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Transcript of Theoretical basis for executing effective pr strategies
Theoretical Basis in Executing Effective PR Strategies
Bisi Olawuyi, Ph.D. Research and Strategy Unit
The Quadrant Company, Nigeria
“Any practice not grounded in sound theoretical foothold risks being referred
to as a profession” (Bisi Olawuyi)
The Core of our Profession
At the heart of PR functions lie the attempt to manage people’s perception
by influencing their opinion.Most PR programmes are designed to:
Persuade people to change their
opinion
Crystallize uninformed or undeveloped
opinions
Reinforce existing opinions
Theories...
Descriptive assumptions (Baran & Davis, 2003)
Parameters for making sense/understanding of the
social world and how it works.
explain or predict the way things work or happen. They present an understanding of
the relationship between various activities or events
Public Relations and Theories
‘One can think of many theories that apply to public relations but it is more difficult to think of a public relations theory (one that has not
been borrowed from another discipline) (James Grunig).
Why Theories in PR?
A PR practitioner requires a set of theories to use and refine in the
application of professional skill to the task of executing PR Strategies
Types of Theories
RELATIONSHIP •Systems Theory •Situational Theory
COGNITION AND BEHAVIOUR •Action Assembly Theory •Social Exchange Theory•Diffusion of Innovation Theory •Social Learning Theory
MASS COMMUNICATION •Uses and Gratification Theory •Agenda Setting theory •Gatekeeping Theory •Perception Theory
Relationship Theories: Systems Theory (1)
The interdependence of organisations with their
environment.
A kind of relationship that is based on mutual
respect, mutual understanding,
mutually-perceived importance and
commitment of both parties to the realisation
of the organisation’s goal(s) and aspirations without jeopardising
public interest.
PR practitioners can achieve this through:
Boundary Spanning and Dominant Coalition
Relationship Theories: Situational Theory (2)
Explains why certain PUBLICS are more important than the other on an ISSUE that affects
an organisation.
Its major proposition is that publics are situational. i.e, as
situation, problem, opportunity, or issue changes,
the publics also change.
This theory can be summarised by the Orwellian
saying that “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than the others”
Relationship and Conflict
Conflicts are inevitable The following are important in managing conflict:• -Separate the people from the problem• -Focus on interests, not positions• -Invent options for mutual gains (Win-win)• -Insist on objective criteria
THEORIES OF COGNITION AND BEHAVIOUR
Cognition deals with knowing Behaviour focuses on doing
Typically, PR practitioners try to persuade their publics to
know something or do something
Theories of Cognition and Behaviour-Action Assembly Theory (1)
Action Assembly Theory argues that “All behaviour is logical to the person doing
the behaviour (Lattimore, Baskin, Heiman, Toth & Van Laiven, 2004).
Before people’s behaviour can be understood, there is the need to first
understand how they think.
Theories of Cognition and Behaviour-Social Exchange Theory (2)
Individuals & groups choose strategies
based on perceived REWARDS and
COSTS.
People ALWAYS would want to keep their cost LOW and
rewards HIGH.
The use of economic permutation of Cost-Benefit ratio underlie the rationale behind people’s behaviour
Theories of Cognition and Behaviour-Diffusion of Innovation Theory (3)
Diffusion of Innovation holds that embracing new ideas
occurs in a process
People adopt an idea only after going through the following Five Stages:• Awareness-Exposure to an idea• Interest-Arouse the individual• Evaluation-Potential usefulness of the
idea• Trial-People try out the ideas on
others• Adoption-Acceptance
Theories of Cognition and Behaviour- Social Learning Theory (4)
Social Learning Theory highlights how individuals
process information
People model other people. i.e. people learn new
behaviours by observing others. We vicariously try out the behaviour
Theories of Cognition and Behaviour- Elaborated Likelihood Model (5)
People are
influenced by such
things as:
•Repetition•Highly
credible spokespersons
•Tangible records
Mass Communication Theories-Uses and Gratification Theory (1)
The theory presents the use of media in terms of the gratification of social or psychological needs of the individual such as information, personal identity, integration and social
interaction, entertainment.
A media user seeks out a media source that best fulfills his/her needs.
Mass Communication Theories-Agenda Setting Theory (2)
The media (mainly the news media) aren’t always successful at telling us what to think,
but they are quite successful at telling us what to think about (Maxwell McCombs and
Donald L. Shaw, 1972/1973)
The theory comes from a scientific perspective, because it predicts that if
people are exposed to the same media, they will place importance on the same issues.
It suggests that media content that people read, see, and listen to set the agendas for
society’s discussion and interaction
Mass Communication Theories: Gatekeeping Theory (3)
“Who are the people responsible for making decisions about what is news – and how do their
backgrounds, education, attitudes and beliefs influence these decisions? How do the individual
routine, organisational, extra-media and ideological constraints influence the daily work of journalists?” (Hanitzsch, Loffelholz, and Weaver,
2005 cited in Niblock and Machin 2007:187)
Gatekeeping Theory (Cont.)
...is about accessing or refusing access
(Watson, 2003, pg. 123)
Gatekeepers are empowered to
influence the quantity and composition of news flow through their decisions to
“cover, relay, or attend to some events and to reject others” (Ahern,
1984:217)
Decisions are made among other factors based on the media
owner's ideology, media routines, and
official sources including government
and corporate officials” (Kim, 2002).
CONNECTING THE DOTS…
Persuasion is the ultimate goal of all PR programmes.
In order to persuade, evidence that coincides
with people’s own beliefs, emotions, and expectations
should be cited.
Persuasive Strategies
Effective PR programmes always start with research – the FACTS
People can think, but they also respond to EMOTIONAL appeals
People respond to PERSONAL EXPERIENCES and stories
People want to know, “What’s in it for me?” - Appealing to “you”
Things aren’t always as they seem
Theory of Perception
Obtaining information through our
senses of hearing, sight,
taste, smell and touch
Interpretation of what we
take in through our senses
Perception is relative
The biases are due to
structural, learned, and attentional
issues
The Perceptual Process
Exposure Attention Perception Interpretation Retention Recall Action
“People only understand things in terms of their own experience……If you try to get your
ideas across to others without paying attention to what they have to say to you, you can forget
about the whole thing.” (Saul Alinsky)