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)