Public relations has significant untapped potential to become more widely recognised and valued as a strategic management function. It is being held back by a disconnect between what it could contribute and how it is currently perceived and practiced.
My project argues that organisations are missing out on strategic value by underutilising public relations capabilities, especially in an era where stakeholder relationships, reputation and social license to operate are important business assets. It also suggests that public relations practitioners fall short of management expectation in terms of a clear expression of their value to an organisation and professional immaturity.
The research aims to provide both theoretical understanding and practical guidance for bridging this gap between the current reality and potential of public relations practice.
The central argument
The study argues that public relations should be recognised and operationalised as a management function rather than relegated to tactical communication activities.
Public relations suffers from an identity crisis – it’s trapped in an outdated view focused on media relations and tactical communication activities when it should be positioned as a strategic relationship management function that helps organisations navigate their stakeholder environment.
The shift from shareholder capitalism to stakeholder capitalism, evident in a shift towards environmental, social and governance (ESG) concerns, creates an opportunity for public relations to demonstrate its strategic value, since relationship and reputation management are exactly what organisations now need.
Barriers
Two main obstacles prevent this elevation:
- Definitional confusion – Even practitioners can’t agree on what public relations is or does
- Professional immaturity – Lack of standardised qualifications, limited management training, weak measurement practices
A solution framework
The study uses the Comparative Excellence Framework developed by the European Communication Monitor as its theoretical framework. It is both a diagnostic tool and roadmap for elevating public relations practice. This framework identifies six characteristics of excellent communication functions: talent, alignment, collaboration, listening, measurement and communication strategy.
Public relations and management 