Thursday, August 26, 2010

[Image_Management] Re: [prpoint] Debate: Public Affairs - Need for acquiring new skills

 

dear all

When I started the debate on Public Affairs (PA) last week, some of our members wrote to me to explain more about PA.  Fortunately Mr Narendra, our member and former Information Advisor to Indian Prime Minister has shared some of his views and experiences on PA (given below).  

As Mr Narendra explains,  PA, PD and PR are having different dimensions.  As communication professionals, we need to learn to deploy proper tool appropriately.

Now I find from the various websites that some of the Agencies like Perfect Relations,  Good Relations, Genesis, Vaishnavi, IPAN, Adfacotors, LIN Opinon, GreyCell PR, Avian Media, Edleman, Apcoworld have declared that they are also offering the Public Affairs Service.  

From Indian epics like Ramayana and Mahabarata, we find that Public Affairs tool was used, may be without using the jargon.  Now with the  globalisation and competition, probably PA is emerging in new form in India.

We have planned to focus on this theme 'Public Affairs' in our October 2010 issue with various examples. 

I will also be happy if those Agencies mentioned earlier , who have declared that they are offering PA services share their views and concepts for the benefit of the industry.

Recently one of the agencies was under attack for practising PA in an unethical manner.  Such unethical practises will erode the concept itself and send out wrong signal to the public.  I  appeal to the practising agencies,  to share their views as to how to practise PA and PD with more credibility.

Srinivasan
Prime Point
91766 50273

On Sat, Aug 21, 2010 at 5:34 PM, S. Narendra <sunarendra@gmail.com> wrote:
 

May I join in this debate?

PA fort Public Affairs, Public Diplomacy (PB) and PR often are mistakenly used interchangeably.Often PA converges on Lobbying.So long as PA keep itself to professional strategies and action and works above board,it can be separated from Lobbying that may invovle embedding,using blandishments and even bribery.Becasue of un ethical practices by lobbyists in Amerca, .US President Obama has taken steps to rein in Lobbying. 

Why 3 different disciplines are often clubbed  together  mainly is because all three are part of persuasion effort.In each  the persuasion effort has to have very different strategies.
PA in both scope and range of effort is wider than PR..PA has to understand and use system analysis for defining its universe of stakeholders,issues,and have long term objectives.For example, if PA is to be used  for making organized retail acceptable,it is not enough to persuade the government.The issues involved in organized retail need to be deeply studied and put in place customzed advocacy efforts,as a prelude to any communication efforts, so that misconceptions and apprehensions by infleuntial stakeholders( traditional retail,agriculturists, entire supply chain, politcial system( larger than government) is brought within a virtuous circle.All stakeholders must see  a stake in this issue and begin to argue for  and demand conducive laws,regulations and infrastructure.

When economic reforms were introduced in 1991,the Bomaby Club,main opposition, Left and even grass root rulign party leaders were unconvinced.The states where economic  activity actually takes place  were not in the loop.The then PM declared that opening up with be calibrated and keep pace with the absorption capacity  country's economci and political  system.He declared from DAVOs that India will follow the Buddhist 'middle path', that tis inclusive growth,safety net for The non metro,non English media was not in favour.A lot of thought and effort went into PA on behalf of economic liberalization.PR was not adeqaute for the purpose and had to be complemented.

India;s entry into WTO Copy right regime faced tremendous opposition.again PA was deployed..

s. Narendra


On 19 August 2010 01:08, Prime Point Srinivasan <prpoint@gmail.com> wrote:
 

hi all

Now after the scam involving a CEO of a PR firm  and the Ministers debated in Parliament,  Public Affairs by PR Agencies have come into focus.  Though I do not agree with the illegal and unethical methods followed by any Consultant in the name of Public Affairs, it has opened up a debate about the relevance of Public Affairs, as part of the strategies to be included in the corporate communication agenda.

In many of the developed countries Public Affairs is  accepted as part of the professional consultancies.  In India, it is still in a nascent stage.  I also find that many of the PR Agencies have started including Public Affairs as part of their services in their websites.  I am not sure how many of them have started implementing successfully. I am also not sure, how many of them have understood the concept in a correct manner.  

Public Affairs needs a different type of skills, including networking and  liaisoning.  The consultants should be competent to advise the client properly.  Slowly, the Government Departments and Agencies also will try to understand and accept the concept of Public Affairs as a professional service, as being practised at global level.   

However, I am happy that the agencies and consultants have started thinking about the diversification from the traditional media relations.  

I invite members to share their views.

Srinivasan
Moderator
91766 50273



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