Public relations role still minimal in business activities
Public relations role still minimal in business activities
JAKARTA (JP): The role of public relations officers in
Indonesian business activities is still minimal, and they often
function as "firefighters" to cope with crises in companies, a
public relations analyst said.
"Our members often complain that they are called upon by the
management only when their companies are under threat or their
image is worsening," Teddy Kharsadi, the chairman of the Public
Relations Association of Indonesia, said yesterday.
He was speaking at a seminar on the role of Indonesian public
relations in strengthening the country's competitiveness through
a better image on the international stage. The seminar was
organized by Indonesia's German Alumni Association, the Public
Relations Association of Indonesia and the Jakarta Consulting
Group.
Teddy noted that such a condition was partly caused by the
fact that there were not many qualified public relations officers
that could convince the management on the important role of
public relations.
"The lack of qualified professionals is particularly felt at
the middle and senior levels," he said.
He said that public relations officers should not only be
assigned to cope with crises, but should pursue sustainable
promotion programs.
Management
To facilitate the job of public relations, A.B. Susanto, the
managing partner of the Jakarta Consulting Group, emphasized the
importance of raising the position of public relations officers
in the companies' managerial hierarchy.
Currently, he said, the positions of public relations chiefs
are mostly very low on the management ladder.
According to Susanto, public relations chiefs in the
industrial countries usually assume the positions of vice
presidents or directors.
"If we want to see the public relations department function
properly, their chiefs should have the positions of vice
presidents or directors so that they have easy access to all
kinds of information in the companies and can communicate them
wisely to the public," Susanto said.
Teddy, however, contended that the effectiveness of public
relations depends on the quality of the professionals. "It is
their quality and not their positions that help them a lot in the
public relations job," he said.
Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications Joop Ave
emphasized at the seminar the role of public relations officers
in helping win in international competition.
He said that amid the current process of globalization,
information -- which is very powerful -- flows very rapidly and
freely.
"It is the job of our public relations officers to handle the
information to the benefit of our country and companies," he
said.
He noted that the role of public relations was particularly
useful in handling crises, such as the July 27 rioting which had
slightly affected the Indonesian economy.
Joop cited the negative coverage of foreign media on the
riots. To counter this, he said that Indonesia should have an
international television network like CNN, which intensively
covered the riot last month.
"Such a television broadcaster can be set up by a consortium
of our electronic media here to counter the foreign media's
publicity about Indonesia on the international stage," he said.
The seminar was also addressed by the German Alumni
Association's chairman, Soni Harsono, who is also the state
minister of agrarian affairs; Matari Inc. president Kenneth I.
Sudarto; the Ministry of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications'
Secretary-General, Jonathan L. Parapak; the daily Republika's
chief editor, Parni Hadi; communication expert Alwi Dahlan; and
ALatief Corp. Vice President Rae Sita Supit Wachjo. (13)