Week 9- Strategy and Tactics- Public Relations in the battlefields.

Week 9

Strategy and Tactics- Public Relations in the battlefields.

Halo...Greetings lecturers and fellow classmates.....

Man’s obsession with power and their determination to have control over others, dates back to the pre historic times. To exert their willpower over women, cavemen tied them up and deprive them of food. News... Today they still tie the women up. Only difference is- it’s with a small and expensive wedding ring.

Strategies and tactics may have evolved since, but the motivation remains the same.

The Art of Warfare has found their influence in business management literature. Many Japanese companies make Sun Tzu, Art of War books a required reading for their key executives. Western businesspeople draw inspiration from Art of War for strategic directions in the competitive marketplace.

Strategy and tactics have been interchangeably used most of the time, and sometimes confused not just by students but by professionals. This has been reflected in numerous business literatures that I came across on the subject matter.

The readings mentioned that “strategy is the overarching plan that allows the public relations practitioner to help ensure that organisational goals and objectives are achieved”.

Meanwhile, tactics are the chosen types of activities needed to achieve the objectives – to implement the strategy.

I would be tempted to see strategy as the main recipe and tactics as the ingredients to achieve a delicious result. But this may not suit to the universal taste buds.

Regardless, I believe that strategy is not merely a collection of vision statements. My point of contention would be of the top down approach of strategy imposing its decision on tactical directions.

Where do we draw the line between what constitute strategy and tactics?

How do we ensure that strategy entity correspond to the tactic entity?

A military commander has to understand the disposition of tactical manoeuvres prior to the creation of a military strategy. Similarly, a chef has to appreciate the collision of different ingredients and spices before drawing up a recipe.

I would consider that the 'what' of objectives should go hand-in-hand with the 'how' of execution.

This week readings made me think about public relations practice in that the transformation of a public relations strategy into flesh, requires the deep understanding of existing tactics, its potential and their implications on the targeted audience. Strategy should not hibernate itself from the conscientious selection process of tactics.

Application of public relations strategy

Whilst the readings made clear the importance of strategy and laid out several tactical approaches, it fell short of analysing in detail, the joint application of strategies and tactics.

I refer to an academic article titled “Exploring strategy: what public relations strategy means in practice”. (ASIA PACIFIC PUBLIC RELATIONS JOURNAL)

I consider this article an excellent attachment for this week readings.

1. This article explores the application of strategy and provides an empirical base by examining the way practitioners operationalized strategy in public relations campaigns.

2. It brings to attention that contemporary definition of strategy perpetuates the traditional linear view of strategy in corporate communication as a logical sequential process, providing little more than a framework for public relations tactics”.

3. More importantly the article challenges the notion that good strategic planning equates to a good strategy.

Personally I felt that this article invites public relations practitioners to unearth a second level conceptualisation of strategy. It zooms into various components of strategy and place an emphasis on the application aspects of strategic planning. It reinforces the prospect of synergising the strategic component and the elements of tactics.

Tactics

The armoury of tactics meted out in the readings ranges from traditional envelope mail, glossy brochures; to a showcase of tactical vehicles of media relations, sponsorship, and community meetings.

Another area of discussion relates to new technology and message delivery. Information and communication technology has been a reoccurring focus in strategies and tactics, not just in public relations but other fields of study. Personally, I feel it is ill advised to disregard technological advancement as it is equally dense to be obsessed with it. Leveraging on this tool carries with it the same obligation and tactical considerations.

Of greater significance, I think that public relations practitioners should recognise the increase sophistication in thinking by the modern dwellers. The readings mentioned of an environment where its people suffer from information overload. The reaction has been “culture jamming” where people responded negatively to marketing advertisements through defacing public sites.

As such, practitioners should devise equally effective strategies and tactics to overcome this situation, in their attempts to influence the general population. I believe this may compel the practitioner to exercise a creative mixture on existing tactics or to exploit other forms of subtle influencing techniques.

I think the key points to remember from this week's readings were that the basis of a public relations strategy is invariably link to a transparent understanding of tactics. In addition, incorporating the application aspects in the strategy framework, facilitates a smooth implementation of a plan. The profound comprehension on the function of strategy and tactics may also pilot practitioners towards further innovative means to transmit their intended messages.

(838 words)