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
hi allNow 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.SrinivasanModerator91766 50273
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