Practices and Challenges of Public Relations in Non for Profit Organizations: The Case of Ethiopian Red Cross Society
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Date
2020-07
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AAU
Abstract
Organizations with excellent public relations programs have been found to be successful in
achieving their goals (Grunig et al., 2002). This research assessed the practice and challenges of
public relations in non-profit organization with emphasis on the Ethiopian Red Cross Society.
The research studied what the status of public relations challenge and practices is in ERCS, how
ERCS utilizes professional PR strategies and principles in informing about its goals and
activities in order to create awareness, what challenges are faced in public relations at the case
organization and whether the PR professionals of Ethiopian Red Cross require sufficient
training in order to bring best practice in their organization. The research employed a mixed
research approach, wherein, questioner, in-depth interview, document analysis and observations
were used as data gathering instruments. The study used survey research method. With regard to
the sampling procedure; eighty internal stakeholders of ERCS were selected to fill the questioner
using random sampling techniques. The researcher has also conducted interviews with PRs
professionals who are working in ERCS with a total number of five participants. The interview
has been made to get additional information from the management and to cross check some
findings. The study showed that PRs is not considered as a core process, the PRs activity lacks a
systematic focused and institutionalized approach to PRs and that the model and practice of PRs
in ERCS focused on type of PRs model that is two way asymmetry model. The study
recommended that PRs programs of ERCS should be owned by employees at all level. Besides,
the PRs activities of the organization should be communicated both in digital media and the
mainstream media. Furthermore, ERCS needs to have well organized strategic communication
plan.
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Keywords
Public Relations, Non Commercial Organizations, Ethiopian Red Cross Society