The changing public relation landscape in Kenya : A case study of the banking sector

Abstract

Public relations is the practice 01' managing and the flow or information between an organization and its public. It is used to build rapport with employees, customers, investors, voters, or the general public: Almost any organization that has a stake in how it is portrayed in the public arena employs some level ofpublic relations. Outsourcing 01' services is a growing trend in the banking sector. It IS an innovative organizational tool lor PRo Many organizations and corporations expect to improve their PR function by commissioning part or all or their PR activities and to external consultancy. Organizations have turned to outsourcing service providers lor planning to eliminate much ofthe manpower, time and money associated with in-house. The broad objective of the study is to examine outsourcing practice in Kenya this was achieved by establishing the trend in PR outsourcing practice in Kenya, examining the factors that motivates companies to outsource, establishing how the need I()I" internal or external PR decision is reached and by exploring the working arrangements of PR outsourcing commercial bunks in Kenya. The study assumed the cross sectional survey design and a sample size of 80. Primary data and secondary data were collected using questionnaires and other secondary materials. Data collected was then analyzed based on descriptive statistics aile! the results presented using tables and ligures. 'CC The conclusion made from this study is that Public relatiol~is a very important tool in an organization as it helps in creating a good rapport with the targeted publics hence this makes it easier to achieve the targeted goals and policies. Most organizations out source the services as they are scalable and effective hence gives tile company time to concentrate on crucial areas as they save on manpower, time and money as compared with the in house option. Ilence the recommendations are that PR acts as u critical driver 1"01' increasing sales and fueling the overall corporate brand. Therefore great care must be taken when defining objectives, publics, selecting the media and techniques, planning a budget and assessing or the results. This will help in ensuring a good reputation, profitability and continued existence.