ABSTRACT

Overview of Public Relations Public Relations, generally represented by the acronym PR, was borne out of the craving for good public image and better understanding. This makes the phenomenon at once poly-sectoral and trans-cultural because individuals, cultures, associations and institutions always aim at better relationship with the society in which they exist. Either as a field of study or management function, the reach of public relations is so wide that it has become a very popular multi-disciplinary activity. Notwithstanding that public relations has manifested in different ways over several centuries, defining it is not as straight-forward as it seems. That is to say that the task of establishing the meaning of public relations is fraught with contextual and interpretative complexities. As such, although the goal of each commentator remains the same, their opinions, extent of details and approaches, vary. This divergence of views on public relations cuts across different researchers and ‘schools of thought’ - including experts and Practitioners in the field