Public Relations in Social Media - Essay Example

Topic: Public Relation Public opinion is an outcome of social interactions and intercommunication of peoples. It need not be consensually derived but it has a certain persuasive appeal or force owing to the number of persons involved in shaping the idea, often derived from common experience or of a complex phenomenon that needs shared thoughts (Suo & Chen, 2008). This is an essay that will explore public opinion which found its powerful expression in social media and which later became an instrument that pool unspoken customers dissatisfaction as in the case of Vodafone which is severely criticized of poor service or of that case on controversial mobile phone hacking ,admittedly done by News of the World against murdered schoolgirls and those families of terror victims in London, which led its closure after 168 years of business operation and serving about 7.5 million readers (Adam, 2011). This will also address the following questions: 1. What has caused British public opinion to turn against Rupert Murdoch’s News International in such a spectacular fashion and how effective do you consider the company’s efforts at managing the crisis have been? Give reasons for your answer. What are the key lessons of this case for business in general? 2. According to Damian Carrington (2011), gaining public support is the key to successfully introduce novel technologies such as nuclear power and genetically modified food. Do you agree? Why or why not? What role should public relations play in this regard, bearing in mind the observation of George Monbiot (2011) that public distrust of corporations is partly due to perceptions of ‘industry spin’? 3. What light does the story of vodafail.com shed on public relations in the new era of social media? How can companies protect their reputations in the digital age? (Grunig and Hunt 1984) would be most appropriate to building public trust in new technologies. Public Opinions defined Opinions that are publicized or broadcasted can powerfully affect trade, public policy, and social relations. It can destroy or can reconstruct, depending on the ideation, framework, ideological influences, experiences, level of education, social precept, norms, needs, emotional causes, including idiosyncrasies. Human beings, considered as social animals, have their respective value-orientation, needs, emotions, abilities and personalities. Value-orientation refers to how a person attributes some importance to a subject or object of opinion. The latitude of discussion of an issue is widespread depending on the number of persons, stakeholders or persons that would be affected. Sociologists perceived that interactions are done at the macro level or at the micro level. The former cover technology, population, culture, economy and institution, the issues of which may affect their manner of responses and behaviors of interaction to sway social pressure to conform or to disagree. In matters where top-down level of interaction happen, there are many models which drive the shaping of opinions of an emerging issue. The micro level influences on the other hand, are those interactions among neighbors that may tackle common problems felt at home, of government or those happening within the community. Certainly in all of public opinion models, there are information flows perceived as topology in the formation of opinions. All of which operate within a homogenous social environment and with certain dynamisms, too. Customer Opinion and Social Media Corporations are suppose to deal public opinions through its customer care program or and by exhibiting competent leadership in corporate management which guarantee quality customer care and satisfaction. In fact, it is a foundational requirement for all commercial entities to be customer-focused if it has goals to sustain the business for long. Zamalova (2008) have always pointed that customer care is directly related to companys profitability. Intelligent consumers who are dissatisfied of services or of purchased products nowadays do not only spread sentiments of dissatisfaction in the neighborhood or to co-customers but have already find social networks and web pages as means to blow out discontent. Information can immediately gather social attention with far-reaching scale and uncontrollable magnitude. In similar context, this is what happened with Vodafone whose unsatisfied customer made a webpage where all of their complaints were jotted and which later on encouraged them to file a class suit to the detriment of the company. Business should therefore be fully manage with strong sensitivities to customer needs. Companies ought to have deep insight about how information technology can immediately group people who are sharing common sentiments to protect their rights and their welfares. The Murdoch Case To reckon, Murdoch relinquished its more-than-century old publication after proven guilty in a probed on the allegations that it hired investigators to hack mobile phones of school girls and of the families of those who died in a terror attack in London. The result of the investigation led management to decide for its closure and subsequent termination of its workers. The closure of the company was the best strategy it could muster because the business of a media institution is demanded to exercise business ethics and the observance of journalists’ Code of Ethics. While the right to access information is inherent in the enjoyment of the freedom of the press but hacking victims mobile phones to access information and communication is both a criminal and civil offense that is violating persons right to privacy. This is a direct affront not only to the person but also to the standard of moral values. Thus, it must be emphasized that business is not just motivated for profit but to keep its reputation and integrity free from illegal and immoral actions. A company ought to perform tasks in accordance to its vision, mission and goals. Such exclude the right to violate the private confines of respondents in the name of competition. It must be pointed that trust is basic in all business relations. Public Support for Policy Opinions, if pooled and if its gathering national attention, can move executives and legislators to discuss the issue thoroughly, conduct investigations and legislative inquiry. This is true to cases affecting national security, national policy and/or of issues that has international impacts. This refer to issues with macro level effects such as economic recession, wars, or that threatening case of Japans nuclear plants ailing condition (Monbiot,2011) after being disastrously hit by tsunami. People, scare or seriously disturbed with the situation, invest time to discuss debate or exchange possible resolution to save countries and peoples from disasters. Investigations can also be done to clarify how the crisis is being managed and to determine potential recourse of action. Such will also determine what more should be done by experts and governments to appease the public whose lives are situated directly and indirectly to dangerous zones. In this case, public opinions are also helpful as driver of change and action. It can also help gather more support especially if citizens are called to act on account of social accountability and responsibility to safeguard the succeeding generations. Vodafone and public trust Business management demand delivery of proficient and effective services and quality products. It also demanded that the company be true to its mission and must be sensitive to total customer care. However, in cases when a company desires to promote a business agenda or its services, it can make use of the different methods of public relations. These methods are (a) Press Agentry Model, (b) Public Information Model, (c) 2-Way Asymmetrical Model, (d) 2-Way Symmetrical Model (Sledzik, 2011). Press Agentry model was used in 19th century where companies create news by weaving into arts, fantasy and half-truths. This means that they provide half-truths or half-lies to manipulate consumer behaviors (Sledzik, 2011). This method of public relation is susceptible of criticisms. The succeeding millennium highlights Public Information Model to deal with customers. Accuracy of information and communication was one-way: company to customer. Information are distributed using brochures, press releases and webs (Sledzik, 2011). The 2-way asymmetrical model use scientific way of marketing where company use researched data to sell a product on the basis of its quality and effectiveness. Product and services in this model are sold to specific customers (Sledzik, 2011). Meanwhile, the 2-way symmetrical model use communication to relate to the public, to negotiate conflicts and promote mutual respect (Sledzik, 2011). In this model, public relation model is aimed at mediating, instead of persuading. It also attempts to reconcile all positions of the public to meet its needs and interests. However, it is of paramount concern that people be informed truthfully about an issue, a product or of a service. The millennium is increasingly complex and must be understood at a right context, perspective and of potential implications to enable them to become informed-decision-makers. Conclusion Communication, accuracy, ethics and discourses are imperatives in shaping public opinion and in nurturing public relation for a social cohesive society. Public opinions must be heard and responded with utmost sincerity because in mass media, the public are also its consumers as readers, and in business operations, they are the customers satiating for satisfaction (Grunig & Hunt, 2011). As people, they have the inherent right to be informed truthfully to elicit their positive response in business or in all daily affairs (Caraiani & Gyongyver, 2011). Moreover, it should be emphasized are intelligent customers or clients and are vigorously advocating for consumers rights and their freedom from possible corporate abuses (Jain & Mukand, 2003). Nowadays, the public are vocal of its opinions and discontent and with the advancement of information technology, they are more expressive of their insights and ideas in interactive platforms. Company must likewise and therefore, adhere to principles and business ethics in managing customers’ needs, extolling the fact that the public, as consumers, have the right to know and the right to redress from exploitation (Micewski & Troy, 2007) References Adam, Karla. Grieving relatives of British soldiers may also have been hacked. World. The Washington Post with Foreign Policy. http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/phone-hacking-scandal-is-biggest-pr-disaster-of-murdochs-career/2011/07/07/gIQALAKm2H_story.html. July 11, 2011. Accessed: August 15, 2011. Adam, Karla . News of the World says goodbye in last edition. World. 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