| Abstract: |
Public relations practice strives to strike a balance in perception between an organization and its audiences or publics. Its major concern is the acceptability of the organization, its leadership, policies and products by the public. This study examines the development of public relations as a noble profession. The practice deals much with communications and influence in its engagements. The study is based on the Four-Way Models Theory of public relations developed by James Grunig and Todd Hunt in 1984. The theory provides an understanding of the various approaches to effective communication and how they affect the reputation as well as the relationships of an organization with its stakeholders. This theory, among others, is the result of persistent efforts by scholars and practitioners to standardize the public relations practice, first as a profession, and second, as an academic discipline. The study is a qualitative study based on the secondary sources of data. One of the findings of the study is that public relations practice started from the efforts of individuals whose efforts were geared toward the protection of the public image of leaders and organizations, their policies and products for the interest of stakeholders and the general public. Thus, the steady expansion of the profession up to the present age is the result of consistent collaborations by several practitioners in different climes over the years. Yet, in spite of the great feats already achieved by public relations as an evolving profession, the study concludes that public relations still faces many challenges, especially in this digitalized age of communication. |
