A comparative analysis of public relations models and roles adaptation patterns among practitioners in public and private sector: A case of Pakistan

Abstract

In this study, the landscape of public relations has been explored in terms of craft and professional practices in Pakistan. The theoretical lenses of models and roles are applied to reflect a comparative picture of the profession in public and private sector organizations. The professional structure and competence of public relations departments is examined by observing their relationship with the top management, their contribution to different functions including strategic planning and decision-making, their prestige within dominant coalition, their involvement with the activist groups and their expertise level and usage patterns of models and roles. This study is quantitative in method and survey instrument has been adopted. The data are collected from highest ranks public relations practitioners heading public relations departments in public and private sector organizations in Pakistan. The results of this study specified that PR professionals in Pakistan consume all four western models while performing their professional tasks. Press agentry model is the first choice of the PR professional while two-way symmetrical model is least consumed by PR professionals in Pakistan. Comparatively, one-way models are more practiced in public sector and two-way model are most practice in private sector. Media relation role is mostly employed and technician role is least employed by practitioners in Pakistan. Manager role is more adopted by private sector practitioners as compare to public sector practitioners in Pakistan. Technician role is more employed by public sector practitioners as compare to private sector practitioners in Pakistan. Interesting findings of this study was that private sector organizations in Pakistan give more importance and prestige to public relations function as compare to public sector organizations. PR departments in Pakistan are employing all four models to deal with the activist pressure as per their needs, requirements and expertise in each model usage. Two-way symmetrical model with medium effect rate is the most useful against involving activist groups.