EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF PUBLIC RELATIONS FUNCTIONS IN DRIVING SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Abstract

This study explores the pivotal role of public relations (PR) in advancing development initiatives across both social and economic sectors. The importance of PR in shaping public perceptions, building strategic relationships and facilitating effective communication between organisations and their stakeholders is well-established. However, there remains a significant research gap in understanding the specific functions of PR in the context of development and its impact on achieving desired outcomes. The study addresses this gap by conducting a comparative analysis of PR functions and their contributions to development efforts. The primary objective is to unravel how PR strategies influence the success of development initiatives and to identify the key factors that contribute to their effectiveness. The study reviews various case studies and best practices from the developed and developing countries, focusing on common patterns, challenges and success factors that can inform future PR strategies in the development sector. The study is grounded in the Excellence Theory of Public Relations, adopting a library-based research method to analyse existing literature and empirical works. The findings show that under specific conditions, PR is most effective in driving social and economic development, while also offering practical recommendations for leveraging PR to enhance development outcomes. The study underscores the potential of PR as a strategic tool in development efforts, advocating for its integration into broader development strategies to foster sustainable growth. The research also contributes valuable insights for PR professionals, policymakers, and development practitioners, aiming to bridge the gap between PR practices and development studies. The study confirms PR’s strategic role in fostering social and economic development, emphasising stakeholder engagement and context-specific strategies. Cross-cultural PR effectiveness, digital PR’s impact and long-term measurement of PR’s development outcomes warrant deeper exploration to enhance its integration into sustainable growth frameworks.