Playing the part

Abstract

Considers the various roles that public relations practitioners play and the implications of those roles for the status of public relations within the organisation. Within the context of local authorities in Scotland, considers the organisational constraints within which public relations practitioners operate and the extent to which the practitioner’s role is affected by the expectations of those within the organisation responsible for determining public relations policy. The results indicate that chief executives and politicians have very definite perceptions of public relations and expectations of practitioners and that even practitioners themselves have a limited view of the role that public relations can play in decision making within local authorities. This implies that they are not, nor likely to be, part of the dominant coalition, with consequent implications for the development of excellence in public relations.