This article explores public relations effectiveness in public health institutions. First, the two major elements that comprise public relations effectiveness are discussed: reputation management and stakeholder relations. The factors that define effective reputation management are examined, as are the roles of issues and crisis management in building and maintaining reputation. The article also examines the major facets of stakeholder relations, including an inventory of stakeholder linkages and key audiences, such as the media. Finally, methods of evaluating public relations effectiveness at both the program level and the institutional level are explored.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AllenM. W. and CaillouetR. H. (1994). “Legitimate endeavors: Impression management strategies used by an organization in crisis.” Communication Monographs61: 44–62.
2.
BenoitWilliam L. (1997). “Image Repair Discourse and Crisis Communication,” 23Public Relations Review (2):177–186.
3.
BisslandJ. H. (1990). “Accountability Gap: Evaluation Practices Show Improvement,” 16Public Relations Review (2): 25–35.
4.
BroadWilliam J. (2002). “U.S. guide for mass smallpox vaccinations: Recipe with missing ingredients.” The New York Times (September 24): Final Edition, A1.
5.
BrooksBrian S., KennedyGeorge, MoenDaryl and RanlyDon (1992). News Writing and Reporting, 4th Edition. New York: St Martin's Press.
6.
BroomGlen M. and DozierDavid E. (1983). “An Overview: Evaluation Research in Public Relations.” 28Public Relations Review (3) 5–8.
7.
BroomGlen M., CaseyS. and RitcheyJ. (1997). “Toward a Concept and Theory of Organization-Public Relationships,” 9Journal of Public Relations Research83–98.
8.
Bureau of Labor Statistics (2000, February) “Public Relations Jobs Increasing Faster than Average for all Other occupations Through 2006,” US Department of Labor Report, www.bls.gov.
9.
CaroF. (Ed.). (1997). Readings in Evaluation Research. (2nd Ed.). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
10.
Commission on Public Relations Measurement and Evaluation (2003). Institute for Public Relations, www.instituteforpr.com.
11.
CoombsW. Timothy (1995). “Choosing the Right Words: The Development Guidelines for the Selection of the 'Appropriate'Crisis-Response Strategies,” Management Communication Quarterly8 (4): 447–476.
12.
CoombsW. Timothy and HolladayS. J. (1996). “Communication and Attributions in a Crisis: An Experimental Study in Crisis Communication,” Journal of Public Relations Research8 (4): 279–295.
13.
Council of Public Relations Firms (2003). Demonstrating the Value of Public Relations, A Workbook for Public Relations Executives. Booklet available: 100 Park Avenue, Suite 1600, New York, NY 10017.
14.
CowlettMary (2003). “Health Check—Mary Cowlett Examines How Sectoral Change Hit Pharma PR Firms in 2002,” PR Week (May 30): 11.
15.
CutlipScott, CenterAllen and BroomGlenn (1999). Effective Public Relations, 8th Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, Inc.
16.
DozierDavid M. (1985). “Planning and Evaluation in Public Relations Practice.” 11Public Relations Review (2): 17–25.
17.
DozierDavid M. (1990). “The Innovation of Research in Public Relations Practice: Review of a Program of Studies.” In GrunigL.A. & GrunigJ.E. (Eds.) Public Relations Research Annual (2): 3–28.
18.
DozierDavid M. and EhlingWilliam P., (1992). “Evaluation of Public Relations Programs: What the Literature Tells Us About Their Effects.” In GrunigJ. (Ed.), Excellence in Public Relations and Communications Management (pp. 159–184). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
19.
DruckmillerBrian. (1993). “Crises provide insights on image: Preparations necessary to protect goodwill when times turn bad.” 40Business Marketing (8): 40.
20.
EdgarTimothy, FreimuthVicki and HammondSharon L. (2003). “Lessons learned from the field on prevention and health campaigns.” In ThompsonTeresa L., DorseyAlicia M., MillerKatherine I. & ParrottRoxanne, (eds.). Handbook of Health Communication, (pp. 625–636). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
21.
EhlingWilliam P. (1992). “Estimating the Value of Public Relations and Communication to an Organization.” In GrunigJ. (Ed.), Excellence in Public Relations and Communications Management (pp. 617–638). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
22.
EsmanMilton J. (1972). “The elements of institution building.” In EatonJoseph W. (ed.). Institution Building and Development. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage: 19–40.
23.
FombrunCharles J. (1996). Reputation—Realizing Value From the Corporate Image. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
24.
FryerBronwyn (2001), “When No News is Good News.” Harvard Business Review (April): 79:4, p. 39–49.
25.
GellertGeorge A., . (1994). “A national survey of public health officers' interactions with the media.” Journal of the American Medical Association. 271 (April 27): 1285–1290.
26.
GrunigJames E. and HuntT. (1984). Managing Public Relations. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
27.
GrunigJames E., GrunigLarissa A., DozierDavid, EhlingWilliam, RepperF.C. and WhiteJ. (1991), “New Results Confirm Value of Communication and the Components of Excellent Public Relations.” Paper presented to the International Association of Business Communicators, Washington, DC.
28.
HarrisThomas L. (1997). Impulse Research Agency Survey. Los Angeles: Impulse Research Corporation.
29.
HolmesP. A. (1996, April 18). “Evaluation: What is More Important Than Who.” Inside PR, p. 2.
30.
HonLinda Childers (1998). “Demonstrating Effectiveness in Public Relations: Goals, Objectives, and Evaluation.” Journal of Public Relations Research10 (2): 103–135.
31.
HeathRobert L. (1997). Strategic Iissues Management: Organizations and Public Policy Challenges. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
32.
HoehnerC.M., BrennanL. K., BrownsonR. C., HandyS. L. and KillingsworthR. (2003). “Opportunities for integrating public health and urban planning approaches to promote active community environments.” 18American Journal of Public Health (1): 14–20.
33.
HolmesP.A. (1996). “Evaluation: What is More Important That Who.” Inside PR, (April 18): 2.
34.
HonLinda Childers (1998). “Demonstrating Effectiveness in Public Relations: Goals, Objectives, and Evaluation,” Journal of Public Relations Research10 (2): 103–135.
35.
HutchinsH.R. (2001). “A new order for public relations: Goodbye cost center, hello profit center.” In HeathRobert L. (Ed.) Handbook of Public Relations, (pp. 445–450). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
36.
LevinsIlyssa and RodgersColleen (1998). “Getting Good Ink: Measuring PR Effectiveness,” 18Pharmaceutical Executive (December): 12–15.
37.
LindenmannWalter K. (2003). “Public Relations Research for Planning and Evaluation,”Commission on Public Relations Measurement and Evaluation, www.instituteforpr.com.
38.
LowJonathon and KalafutPam C. (2002). Invisible Advantage: How Intangibles Are Driving Business Performance. New York: Perseus Publishing.
39.
MitchellT. (1996), “Coping With a Corporate Crisis.” Canadian Business Review13 (3): 17–20.
40.
MoyerA., GreenerS., BeauvaisJ. and SaloveyP. (1995). “Accuracy of health research reported in the popular press: Breast cancer and mammography.” Health Communication7:147–161.
“Proof Positive of PR's Worth: Survey Shows Budgets on the Rise,” (1998). PR News54 (March 30): 1–7.
43.
ShuchmanM. and WilkesM. S. (1997). “Medical scientists and health news reporting: A case of miscommunication.” Annals Of Internal Medicine126: 976–982.
44.
SolomonBrian (1999). Chemical and Biological Warfare. New York: H.W. Wilson Co.
45.
SpringstonJeffrey K. and LariscyRuth Ann Weaver (2004). “Public Health and the Media: Communicating in Routine and Emergency Environments.” Paper presented at the National Communication Association Conference, Public Relations Division, Chicago, IL.
46.
StacksDon W. (2003). “Dictionary of Public Relations Measurement and Research.”University of Miami. www.instituteforpr.com.
47.
The New York Times (2002). Ducking smallpox vaccinations. (December 22): Section 4, 10.
48.
LariscyWeaver, AnnRuth and SpringstonJeffrey K. (2003). “A National Survey of Public Information Officers in State Departments of Health.” Unpublished manuscript.
49.
WebsterP.J. (1990). “What's The Bottom Line?” Public Relations Journal46:18–21.
50.
WeinerM. (1995). “Put Client ‘Values’ Ahead of Newsclips When Measuring PR.” PR Services (March): 48.
51.
WeissC. H. (1972). Evaluation Research: Methods of Assessing Program Effectiveness. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
52.
WernerLawrence (1990, August). When Crisis Strikes Use a Message Action Plan. Public Relations Journal, pp. 30–35.
53.
WilcoxDennis, CameronGlen T., AultPhillip & AgeeWarren (2003). Public Relations Strategies and Tactics, 7th Edition. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
