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)