Organizational reform and the location of public relations at the federal executive organs in Ethiopia: Challenges and prospects
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Date
2021-07
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AAU
Abstract
Organizational reform and the location of public relations at the federal executive
organs in Ethiopia: Challenges and prospects
Mengistu Lamaro
Addis Ababa University, May 2021
The federal executive organs in Ethiopia went through structural and functional reforms
aimed at making them fit to the socio-economic and political reforms in 2018. The impact
of this reform on the public relations sector at both central government and federal
executive organs did not get adequate attention. This study aimed to examine the impacts
of organizational reform on the public relations processes in the federal executive organs
of Ethiopia. The result of this study is supposed to inform the concerned parties about the
status quo of the PRs sector along with the existing challenges and thus initiate them to
respond accordingly. A quantitative research design was employed to conduct a
descriptive survey on the case at hand. Through a quantitative analysis of data collected
from different sources using a combination of instruments, the study found that the
organizational reform actions introduced in 2018 affected the roles and functions of PRs
in the federal executive organs more seriously than the structural location of the process.
Even though the national public relations sector leading organization was dissolved by
law, the public relations units remained at the usual location accountable and directly
reporting to the executive management of their respective organizations. However,
functionally, the public relations were pushed out of the decision making management
team, missed opportunities to access decisions they were supposed to inform the public on
timely manner. With some emerging issues and lacking of resources as well as enabling
environment which affect the day to day practices of the public relations functions,
therefore, the practitioners limited themselves to insignificant routines than core public
relations functions. In tackling the issues affecting their functioning, the public relations
practitioners should, therefore, have to stride further in practicing their functions in a
professional manner so that they can get recognition by the key stakeholders. Moreover,
the practitioners should focus on key public relations roles might help them get noticed
and sought after. The Press Secretariat department should resume the undergoing reform
initiatives, and support the public relations sector professionalism by fully implementing
the sector plans and programs handed over from the GCAO.
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Organizational reform and the location of public relations at the federal executive organs in Ethiopia: Challenges and prospects