Encroachment Theory

Encroachment in public relations practice and research refers to “the assignment of non-public relations professionals to manage the public relations function” (Lauzen, 1991, p. 245). It takes place “when top management hires, promotes or moves individuals laterally from some department and/or profession other than public relations into the public relations manager role” (Lauzen, 1992, p. 173). Encroachment is a serious problem to practitioners and academics when top management assigns the top public relations position to individuals with little or no training or experience in public relations and corporate communication. Because of what public relations can add to the planning and operations of an organization, its full impact can be lost if the person managing this function does not understand or appreciate what it brings to management decisions.

Three forms of encroachment have been identified: authority, structural, and functional. Authority encroachment involves assigning the wrong personnel to manage a public relations department or unit. Structural encroachment subordinates the public relations unit to other units in the organizational hierarchy. Functional encroachment occurs as other departments or units take on activities that expand into the traditional operational realm of public relations or communication management.

Two factors affect the extent to which authority encroachment takes place: (a) other units' involvement in “traditional” public relations functions and (b) the public relations practitioner's ability to serve in a managerial capacity. Units such as marketing, legal, investor relations, and fundraising may have a damaging impact on traditional public relations efforts because they deny some or much of the influence public relations can exert over corporate and communication policy. For example, Martha Lauzen observed that the more the marketing department becomes involved in traditional public relations areas, the more top management tends to fill the managerial positions of public relations departments with someone other than a senior person in the public relations unit. Thus public relations practitioners can reduce encroachment if they are primarily responsible for media relations, promotions and publicity, employee communication, and financial or shareholder relations.

In addition, public relations' authority in the organization is likely to decline when practitioners serve in a managerial capacity less frequently. To reduce encroachment, it is vital that public relations managers take responsibility and be accountable for the success or failure of the organization's public relations program. They need to be respected by others in management so that they truly are the organization's public relations expert. They must make communication policy decisions. Otherwise, the authority of the public relations function is likely to diminish.

A number of variables increase authority encroachment. High on the list of factors are gender, length of experience, and managerial competence. The increased number of women in public relations raises concern that the profession will be “feminized” and therefore marginalized by managements that “don't take women seriously.” Practitioners also need to know their discipline as well as the type of organization they serve. If they can't bring such knowledge to bear on increasing the organization's effectiveness, they are likely to suffer encroachment. The ability to resist encroachment increases as they become more experienced in public relations. Thus they advance the influence of their department if they continue their education and training. Public relations can also resist encroachment by being unique and generating its own budget resources, rather then depending on receiving a portion of another department's budget. This is especially important if it is going to resist the encroachment of marketing.

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