An Investigation into the Role and Practice of Public Relations in Nation Branding using Cultural Heritage: The Case of Three Selected Government Institutions in Ethiopia
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Date
2020-11
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AAU
Abstract
Nation branding has become a popular trend in the current highly competitive economic realm. This is mainly because an increasing number of countries are engaging in branding themselves targeting to reap the fruits of having a good country image and reputation. A country‟s good image is a necessary prerequisite to attract investment, tourism and skilled man-power. Countries use their potential resources which makes them unique from other countries- be it their geographical location, technological advancement, cultural heritages and economic strength. For any nation branding
activity to become successful, building the necessary relationship between the country and its stakeholders is imperative. It is at this juncture that public relations posit as an essential component in creating a positive country image. Ethiopia, though blessed with a significant amount of cultural
heritages, seems lagging behind in this endeavor. This study intends to examine the country‟s efforts in branding itself using its cultural heritages, particularly its use of strategic public relations in branding activities. The research is meant to look into the systematic practice and the role of public
relations for branding a nation in the Ethiopian context by taking three relevant study sites- the Ministry of Culture and Tourism(MOCT), Tourism Ethiopia and, the Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage(ARCCH). Hence, the core objective of this research is to investigate the role and practice of public relations in nation branding using the cultural heritages of the country. The research utilizes a qualitative research approach in order to gather and analyze the data gained through the in-depth interview with key informants which were picked using purposive sampling technique. The data garnered through the in-depth interview with nine key informants were analyzed thematically. Moreover, documents relevant for the research, such as manuals and online materials, are also analyzed through document analysis. The findings of the research demonstrated that the organizations are in most cases, without the proper and scientific ways of practicing public
relations and the strategic ways of implementing public relations in nation branding activities. In this case, concerning the practice of public relations, findings in most cases do not correspond with the Excellence theory, which this study used as a theoretical framework to examine the practice of
public relations in these organizations. In this regard, except for the
empowerment of the public relations function in the dominant coalition, the organizations do not appear to have practiced some key tasks such as the integration of all communication functions under a single department,
identifying the role of the PR professional, and the specific PR model that the organization intends to adapt. As far as the PR strategy that these organizations follow when conducting nation branding functions, findings revealed that they are more engaged in image management than the relationship building approach which is the core junction of most PR activities. Finally, this research forwarded recommendations emphasizing on the best practices of public relations and PR strategies that augment nation branding programs.
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Keywords
Branding, Cultural Heritages