back to main page            Definition  

Later, as public relations matured, definitions began to include:

• The need for research, careful planning and thorough evaluation.
• A continuing, systematic process instead of a one-time or single activity.
• Multiple audiences or publics.
• Its role as an essential function of management.
• Public participation, mediation, conciliation, arbitration and accommodation as important tools. While it is easy to describe it in terms of function, what is the practice of public relations?

The Practice
In 1988, the governing body of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) formally adopted a definition of public relations that has become most accepted and widely used: "Public relations helps an organization and its publics adapt mutually to each other."

According to the PRSA, the essential functions of research, planning, communications dialogue and evaluation are implied. Key words are "organization" rather than the limiting implication of "company" or "business," and "publics" which recognizes that all organizations have multiple publics from which they must earn consent and support. 21