Public Relations

The term public relations may refer to a profession, a field of study, a set of organizational communication management practices, or the exercise of power relations by an organization in relation to society. Public relations is generally understood to be concerned with communication—specifically the production of messages designed to influence sensemaking processes. Through the production of particular messages, public relations professionals seek to fix preferred meanings for clients and overturn those that are disadvantageous. Public relations is also understood as a form of relationship management—a strategic practice that seeks to establish and manage relationships in ways that best serve clients. As a communicative and relational function, public relations is deployed to publicize and promote client agendas and interests while simultaneously seeking to safeguard those clients’ ...