PR as a Marketing Tool

Grunig and Grunig (1978) stated that the role of public relations in management and its value to an organization have been debated for at least 100 years. The debate has centered on the question of whether the role of public relations is to support marketing or whether it serves a broader social and political function. Hunter Hallahan (1992) discussed the various positions made in the debate to include six arrangements: 1. Celibate (only one of the functions exist), 2. Co-existent (the two functions operate independently), 3. Combative (the two functions are at odds), 4. Co-optive (one function usurps the other), 5. Coordinated (the two functions are independent but work closely together), 6. Combined (the two functions operate within a single unit). The purpose of this study focused on identifying the relationship between public relations and marketing and whether public relations is a marketing tool or otherwise. The qualitative research methodology was used in achieving the stated objectives.