Lattimore D., Baskin O., Heiman S.T., Toth E.L. Public Relations: The Profession and the Practice

4th Edition. — McGraw-Hill, 2012. — 432 p. — ISBN: 978-0-07-351205-1.Coverage of global markets, new technologies, multiculturalism, and the latest news about public relations in action make this dynamic text the cutting-edge choice for public relations courses. In a personal and jargon-free style, this text presents and explains the fundamental tools of public relations practice, providing a multi-disciplinary understanding of the emerging trends within the field, with spotlights on people and issues of interest to students.
The process of public relations continues to be grounded in the research, planning, action, and evaluation of the past, but many techniques of actually carrying out that process are being changed by technology. Surveys once done by interviewers door-to-door, or even by telephone, are more often done through the Internet today. The publics of public relations are still the major stakeholders for an organization whether they are employees, media, community members, consumers, or investors.
These critical changes in society and technology lend importance to the increasing emphasis in the management function of public relations. The practitioner may be a counselor in a public relations fi rm advising business and organizations on the important public relations positions and operations, or a vice president of a corporation sitting at the executive roundtable advising his or her peers of the consequences of some action. Practitioners are no longer mere technicians who shape and transmit messages from their organizations. They are professionals who manage the public relations function and build the relationships an organization has with its various constituencies. Public relations practitioners must possess the communication expertise and social sensitivity necessary to enable organizations to adapt to the changing environment.
Public relations professionals today must bring to their broadened role not only the traditional communication skills, but also the abilities to research and understand problems, to strategically plan public relations programs, to create effective messages using both the new social media as well as the traditional media, and to evaluate the effectiveness of these programs. The goal of this book is to provide you with an understanding of the principles underlying the practice of public relations while giving you a look at both the new communication opportunities and the trusted older tools for public relations practice. This we have tried to do within the historical context, the theoretical framework, and the legal and ethical foundation for the profession of public relations.
Organization of the Text.
This edition retains the four-part organization of earlier editions: the profession, the process, the publics, and the practice. Part 1 describes the current public relations situation, its historical roots, theories, and ethical and legal concerns. Part 2 examines the core issues of the process that underlie public relations, whereas part 3 focuses on the publics that are the object of these efforts. Finally, part 4 summarizes the practice of public relations and looks at the emerging trends of the profession. We believe that this structure truly refl ects the growth and development of public relations as an emerging profession.
Pedagogy.
Chapters have been updated, while the classic material has been retained. The content truly refl ects the direction of public relations in the 21st century.
Each chapter opens with a preview that engages the student in a real-life public relations situation.
Three appendixes provide practical guidelines for writing, speaking and video production.
Mini-cases in each chapter allow students to “see” public relations in action.
Spotlights in each chapter add material to enhance students’ understanding of the chapter’s concepts.
Numerous figures and tables explain and clarify concepts under discussion.
An integrating case study runs through each of the four chapters of part two to help pull together the process of public relations.
A case study at the end of each chapter provides opportunities for student discussion and interaction with the concepts in the chapter.
Each chapter includes end-of-chapter references.
Highlighted glossary terms in the text, and a complete end-of-book glossary, focus on terms that are particular to the profession.