HALFF, Jurrien Gregor

Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University

Singapore Management UniversityInstitutional Knowledge at Singapore Management UniversityResearch Collection Lee Kong Chian School OfBusiness Lee Kong Chian School of Business1-2012Pushing the learning curve of public relations inAsiaJurrien Gregor HALFFSingapore Management University, gregorhalff@smu.edu.sgFollow this and additional works at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lkcsb_researchPart of the Business and Corporate Communications Commons, and the Marketing CommonsThis Report is brought to you for free and open access by the Lee Kong Chian School of Business at Institutional Knowledge at Singapore ManagementUniversity. It has been accepted for inclusion in Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business by an authorized administrator ofInstitutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University. For more information, please email libIR@smu.edu.sg.CitationHALFF, Jurrien Gregor. Pushing the learning curve of public relations in Asia. (2012). PublicAffairsAsia. Research Collection LeeKong Chian School Of Business.Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lkcsb_research/3394'ublication: PublicAffairsAsia.com (Issue 9) late: April 2011 deadline: Pushing the learning curve Pushing the learning curve By taking a page out of the MBA book, the PA and PR professions could develop by leaps and bounds in Asia in "public relationsn, you know that with editing of grammar and m unicators. Instead, talent is imported the communication profession has as their most frequent task. from abroad or from neighbowing a communication problem. It isn't B e i i  messengers, both in-house prokssions. Most managing directors that the standards have dropped to and agency communicators expect of large agency networks are urpatri- street level. Rather, there are no dear that social media will have the great- ates and many heads of corporate wm- boundaries d h i n g  the profession in est impact on their work during the munication have a backgound in mar kehng, sales or journalism. From Singapore to Thailand, "In an age obsessed with HOW can the commmication pto- from Indonesia to Hong Kong w symbols and i rnages, all fession ""E its standards and become ery industry association has written a management function? By talung professions have become a out of tk ,-hk down what it wants communicators to be (managers), to do (handle all better at messaging and was by a &1 ,.,, the symbols and messages of an organi- thus making the core 195, has become a v n i v d  m o u  sation) and to achieve (relationships ident'v of pub1 ic relations of management education with joint and reputation). ~n practice, however, hollower by the year" course requirements, best practices and communicators are mainly judged on internationally aoceptcd standards. In a their messaging skills. They are not next five years. Not surprisingly they first step, many more South East Asian expected to change an organisation's seldom said to be accountable for the universities should be encouraged by course, just its symbols - and mostly overall reputation of an organisation the professional d o n s  to o&r proud of it too. This leads straight to and revealed the profession's lack of courses in corporate communication. the street: In an age obsessed with standards: neither agencies nor in- More importantly, they need to symbols and images, all professions house departments regularly work coordinate their curriculum and cod- have become better at messaging and with a standardised planning process; ify its quality across the region and are thus making public relationsp core agency consultants seldom even use globe. Either IPRA or The Global identity hollower by the year. ~ol l ing surveys or target group r e  Alliice b r  hbl ic  Relations and A recent survey (participants 107) search in their dady work. Communication Management would by Sigapore Management Univer But communicators know how to be a suitable coordinator, if only uni- sity asked communicators (with an gow from mssenger to policymaker. versities and national PR associations average 12 years of PR+ence) in Most want to enhance their skills, would let them. Ten years from now, South East Asia what they do. In-house not just in social media and brand- the public relations profession should practitioners p r o w  to be messen- ing, but in management Planning launch a joint degree in communi- gem: their most h u e n t  activity ("at finance, kdership, corporate social cation management as a universally least three times a week") was keep- rcsponslbdity and crisis management standardised and credible brand ing others inZormed about the media were highest on their wisl-list The Admitt*, getting there will coverage ofthe organisation Secondly, rewards are great. Senior talent is in need lots of iurther touting, so Or- they consult - not decide - with their huge demand, so communicators chard Road and Ratchaprasong may management about public relations is- in topjobs earn around 70 per cent just be the right places to start sws. Equally telling were the actkities more than mid-level practitioners (in Dr.~HalffisAssodateRofessor that, though prompted, were missii Shanghai the incomes wen jump by i n t h e ~ a u r c h e d  -in ~ o m n u n i i  among the fresuent activities of in- more than 150 per cent). However, Management Rogra- at =ww= kmgemEd M i  nmw.business..smu. house communicators: they are neither with hardly any university courses edu@ccmnd&m- 7 w 3 

Pushing the learning curve of public relations in Asia

https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4393&amp;context=lkcsb_research

Pushing the learning curve of public relations in Asia

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Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University