WEEK 7

Chapter 7 - PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGEMENT IN ORGANISATIONS

From the Chapter 7 of Public Relations Management in organisations, a key point I took from the reading focuses on internal relations which revolves around sustaining a good relationship with your co-workers in the company. I was interested in reading more about this section as It would be a great chance for me know how to maintain a good relation with people I'm going to work with. As mentioned by Center et al (2008), Employees are important and satisfactory employee-employer relationships lead to higher productivity, fever errors and work stoppages, and less absenteeism.

Having a good relation with your workers or team member works not only in the company, even when students are working on a project. We do need to be on the same level as each other. We will be able to work together. This is where Organizational Behaviour (OB), a module we learnt last semester, comes in hand.

But definitely there will be issues that will bring a company down or falter which is explained on paged 212. An example would be through grapevine - an information transmission of information, gossip or rumours from person to person. Gossip and rumours have become something common in the real life. The reading shows us how having these channels of communication can destructive.

WEEK 6

Chapter 6 - THEORY AND PRACTICE ON THE JOB

Once we graduate from this course, we will definitely be on the scout for a job or some might continue their education path. Regardless the decision made, we will need to get a job in the near future. Thus on page 164 onwards in Chapter 6, will truly benefit each of us in many ways. It fill in the missing gaps of our knowledge regarding our future occupations. In addition it provides us information about the different types of roles a Public Relation Practitioners will be engaged.

I would like to highlight this paragraph from the chapter which I find interesting and important for each student in Bachelor of Communications.

" At the entry level, the corporate sector is looking for a formal qualification in public relations, good written and verbal interpersonal communication skills, graphic design, and computer literacy, including the ability to produce PowerPoint presentations. The career progression might then be into a specialist public relations position with some management responsibility in that specific area. The person in this position needs to demonstrate that they can produce annual activity plans and achieve successful outcomes inline with those plans. This person would also have a helicopter view that enables them to understand the context and operation environment."

After reading this section from the chapter, It creates an awareness of why we are learning Journalism, Media Productions and Audience Studies during this semester. All the subjects have a purpose and is interlinked with each other. With this, it helps to deepen the understanding of how a Public Relations practitioner has to be in the future thus this encourages and motives people to work harder for their goals. This helps individuals to prepare and strengthen themselves for the job they have a desire to take up.

In actual fact, the whole portion on public relations role in different types of organizations outlines the differences between each organizations as well as informs us about the different type of jobs we will be facing in the coming time. Personally, I have opened my mindset about being a PR.

In relation to the earlier chapter on the organizations, Chapter 6 calls attention to the challenges and pressures we will definitely face. I'm not going to jot down all the challenges but I'll just like to mention how it has allowed me to fully understand the job and the potential challenges i might face. It helps us to be aware of the possibilities. We will not be alarmed if it ever happens to us.

Week 5 ( 3 Feb )

Chapter 11. ENGAGING WITH THE MEDIA

I thought this point that was mentioned in today's lecture was very credible.

When looking at the new generation of consumers, reaching them through mass media is almost impossible.

Mass media would represent mediums like newspapers, radio or television.After I did my own survey among a few people, my results have turned out that 4 out of 5 people spend most or all of their time on the Internet. On the internet, you can spot them spending most of their time working or surfing the net for leisure – Facebook, Gaming, Surfing the internet aimlessly, Watching movies or Online chatting.

I have to admit, I am one of the million people who always spend most of their time or free time on the internet.

Half of my day is spent on the computer - doing work or watching movies.

For news, I gather my information through their online websites - http://www.straitstimes.com ( local news ) or http://news.bbc.co.uk/ ( International news) For me its fast, easy and efficient. At any point of the day, all I need to do it switch on the phone for free excess of internet or computer to get instant news. I hardly pick up the newspapers to read through not even for movie time slots. In addition I don't have to spend money on newspaper! Haha. I know I sound rather stingy with my green but save the trees!

But you cannot blame the new generation for ignoring the the mass media as the world is becoming more advanced in the technology field. More people are inventing new gadgets each year. An example is Apple who just launched their new product- iPad.

A clear illustration of the new generation being hi-tech.

I shall end off with a quote by a Confucius, Chinese philosopher. " Tell me and I'll forget,show me and I may remember. Involve me and I'll understand."