Public Relations in Organizations in Student View: Accumulator of Management Tools or Formation of Partnership and Friendly Relations

Journal of Environmental Treatment Techniques

2020, Volume 8, Issue 4, Pages: 1326-1330

J. Environ. Treat. Tech.

ISSN: 2309-1185

Journal web link: http://www.jett.dormaj.com

https://doi.org/10.47277/JETT/8(4)1230

Public Relations in Organizations in Student View:

Accumulator of Management Tools or Formation

of Partnership and Friendly Relations

Vagiz G. Gimaliev , Alexey I. Prokopyev , Valentin P. Vershinin , Marina E. Ivanova ,

Gulfairuz G. Erkibaeva , Jhanna I. Aytuganova , Natalya S. Alexandrova

Department of Foreign Languages №2, Chuvash State University, Cheboksary, Russian Federation

Department of State and Legal Disciplines, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Moscow, Russian Federation

Department of Economics and Management, Moscow Psychological and Social University, Moscow, Russian Federation

Department of Pedagogy, Moscow Region State University, Moscow, Russian Federation

Department of World Languages, Khoja Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University, Turkestan, Kazakhstan.

Department of Foreign Languages, Kazan State Power Engineering University, Kazan, Russian Federation

Department of Pedagogy and Methods of Preschool and Primary Education, Vyatka State University, Kirov, Russian Federation

Received: 18/12/2020 Accepted: 19/03/2020 Published: 20/02/2020

Abstract

The relevance of this article is the need to study the students' understanding of public relations as a means of management. The

experience of countries with a developed social sphere shows that the use of public relations in the management of social work

institutions can improve the social status of social services, form a positive public opinion and, as a result, ensure the social effectiveness

of services provided. The purpose of the research is to analyze students' perceptions of the essence of public relations as a means of

managing social services in the external environment. Research methods: as a research method, we used a questionnaire survey, which

allows us to qualitatively investigate public relations in the organization through the eyes of students. Results of the research: the article

considers the students' views on the means of managing social services in the external environment, and reveals the role of public

relations in the management of social services in the external environment in the representation of students. The novelty and originality

of the research consists in the analysis of public relations as a means of management in the external environment in relation to the

activities of social protection institutions in the representation of students. It is revealed that, in the view of students, public relations

accumulate management tools and include: the use of various forms of communication aimed at identifying common views or interests

of different groups; they contribute to the formation of partnership and friendly relations between the social service, clients and the

General public; ensure the achievement of mutual understanding based on truth and full public awareness and, ultimately, form a positive

public opinion and a favorable image for the social service. The essential aspects, specific features, structural and functional features

and opportunities of public relations as a means of managing social services in the external environment are highlighted in the students'

view. It is determined that in the students' views, the management of the social service does not have a well-thought-out concept of

organizing public relations, which leads to ineffective management of the social service in the external environment and is used in social

work spontaneously. Practical significance: the data obtained in this work can be used in social psychology, Economics, advertising

psychology, management psychology, as well as for further theoretical development of this issue.

Keywords: Student youth, Public relations, Vision, Management

Introduction¹

into account and used. The external environment of a social

service is an environment that encompasses a large number of

different factors that, in one way or another, can affect the

functioning of the social service both in the current period and

in the future [2, 3]. Social service management in the external

environment is understood as the process of purposeful

influence of the management entity in the person of the

governing body or Manager on the object of management in the

person of the social service that provides social services, taking

into account external factors that affect the functioning of the

social service [4 – 9]. The assessment of environmental

components should be based on the allocation of funds (i.e.,

those components that the organization can use to achieve its

own goals) and conditions (components of the external

Currently, there are many tools and methods available in

the Arsenal of the social service Manager for planning,

organizing, motivating and controlling the internal

environment of the organization in response to external

changes. The only social service that can survive and function

effectively in a rapidly changing environment is one that will

adapt to the environment in time and possibly find ways to

influence it using special management tools [1]. Social service

as an open system cannot function fully without cooperation

and interaction with the external environment of the

organization, since the success of social service activities

depends on the forces of the external environment, which

determine the General rules of the game, so they must be taken

Corresponding author: Vagiz G. Gimaliev, PhD in Philology, Associate Professor of the Department of Foreign Languages №2,

Chuvash State University, Cheboksary, Russian Federation. E-mail: vagizgimaliev@mail.ru

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2020, Volume 8, Issue 4, Pages: 1326-1330

environment that the organization cannot use to achieve goals).

By ranking other social institutions surrounding the social

service (social movements, social institutions, state

institutions), the management of the social service will be able

to navigate in constantly changing situations that arise in the

external environment, and find optimal ways to achieve

organizational goals [10 -13]. Public relations is a management

tool that uses various forms of communication aimed at

identifying common views or interests of different groups,

promotes the formation of partnership and friendly relations

between the social service, clients and the General public,

ensures the achievement of mutual understanding based on

truth and full public awareness, and ultimately forms a positive

public opinion and a favorable image for the social service [14-

71% said that they knew about the organization of public

relations in the organization's activities, 81% were difficult to

answer, and 11% had no idea about public relations in the

organizations' activities.

Results

When answering a question: What, in Your opinion, is the

activities of public relations?, the answers were distributed as

follows: 62% of Humanities students indicated the formation of

a positive image of the center of social service of the institution

in the eyes of the public, 25% pointed to the propaganda

activities of social service centers and 13% to the advertising

social services. Among students of the faculty of Economics,

only 39% indicated the formation of a positive image of the

institution in the eyes of the public, 58% of respondents noted

the promotion of the social service center, and 3% of students

noted the advertising of social services as their main activity.

As you can see, the opinions of students of Humanities and

students of the faculty of Economics differ radically. This

indicates that these students have different information about

the management activities of social service centers’

administration.

9] Becoming a subject of management activity, having broad

economic independence in its production and economic

activities, the social service should form a management system

that could provide them with a sufficient degree of functioning

efficiency, competitiveness and a stable position in the market

of social services. This task is carried out by using appropriate

management tools in management practice [20-22].

Thus, in the management of social services, it is important

to take into account all the factors of the external environment

of the organization and build management strategies

accordingly [23-26]. If there is a change in the direct impact

factors, the social service can respond in two ways: either to

initiate a policy of active adaptation, or to implement a policy

of counteraction. The social service has to adapt its internal

variables - goals, tasks, structure, technology, organization

personnel, etc. - to the factors of indirect impact. Public

relations is a comprehensive tool for managing social services

in the external environment and actualizes all other

management tools, including social communication, image,

social partnership and positioning. In this regard, it is necessary

to describe the role of public relations in the management of

social services in the external environment in more detail.

The next question in the questionnaire was to find out what

areas of public relations work in the social service was

organized in. Respondents were asked to evaluate the activities

of the center's management in four areas: working with clients,

working with

a commercial structure, working with

government authorities, and working with the media. As an

additional option, respondents could indicate a different line of

work that they believed was taking place in their social service.

The answers were as follows. Speaking about working with

clients, Humanities students (81%) noted that this type of

activity was carried out regularly, only 9% of respondents

chose the option from time to time, and 10% found it difficult

to answer. According to students of the faculty of Economics,

working with clients was carried out regularly in 100% of

cases. Describing the work of the social service center with the

mass media, 39% of students of Humanities noted that it was

rarely carried out; the answer: it was carried out occasionally,

33% of respondents chose; 20% noted that work in this area

was carried out regularly; 8% found it difficult to answer. The

responses of students of the faculty of Economics were

distributed as follows: 37% found it difficult to answer; 19%

indicated that work in this area was carried out on a case-by-

case basis; 10% of respondents noted the answer - rarely, and

34% believed that work with the media was carried out

constantly. The respondents did not identify any other areas of

public relations. Summing up the above-mentioned, one can

sum up some results. Evaluating the work of the social service

center for public relations, the majority of students (89%)

identified such a direction as working with clients. A similar

picture could be seen when evaluating interaction with state

authorities and state structures. Evaluating the work with a

commercial structure, the majority of students said that such

activities were carried out in the social service center rarely

(48%) or not at all (52% of respondents). However, among

students of the Humanities, the percentage of those who found

it difficult to answer was quite large. This fact suggests that

students in the Humanities to a lesser extent had information

about this area of organization of public relations in social

service.

Materials and Methods

The study included a number of stages. At the first stage, a

survey of Humanities students and students studying at

economic faculties was conducted who were interning at the

center for social services in order to identify ideas about the

current state of using public relations as a means of managing

the center for social services of citizens. The sample was

targeted. When conducting a questionnaire survey, it was

assumed that the process of registration reveals the subjective

views, opinions and assessments of students, which are subject

to fluctuations, the effects of the survey conditions and other

circumstances. To minimize data distortion associated with

these factors, the survey was conducted in a short time.

The questionnaire included three sections. The first section

was devoted to introducing students to the concept of public

relations. The second section of the questionnaire included an

assessment of the practice of using the leading areas of public

relations when working with clients, commercial structures,

and media structures. The third section covered the issues of

public relations in working with sponsors. The fourth section

of the questionnaire concerned General information about the

Respondent.

In the pilot study, the following results were found.

To the question: Do you have any idea about public

relations in the management of the social service center? The

opinion of students was divided as follows: 61% of students of

Humanities answered in the affirmative, 23% of respondents

were confused with the answer, and 16% did not know what it

was. The answers of students studying at the faculty of

Economics are somewhat compared and distributed as follows:

Thus, speaking about the contacts of the social service

center with the media, the students unanimously noted that such

work, in their opinion, was carried out on a case-by-case basis.

The results obtained allow us to state that the work on public

relations in the social service center was narrowly focused,

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2020, Volume 8, Issue 4, Pages: 1326-1330

directly related to the main professional activities of employees

and the management apparatus.

clients and reference groups for clients is practically not carried

out, everything is limited to accepting applications for social

services. This situation is explained, first, by the lack of

personnel and the reluctance of people to contact the social

service. Specialists of the center are aimed primarily at meeting

the standards for the reception of citizens, completed cases

depending on the direction of work, while the heads of

structural divisions coordinate the work and monitor the

completion of cases. The next section of the survey concerned

the use of forms and methods of organizing public relations in

the management of social services. The results of the responses

showed that they were intermittent and haphazard, and most

employees were not aware of the possible use of forms and

methods of public relations. Feedback from the population was

provided, but mostly it was complaints or thanks and

congratulations on holidays. Managers of structural divisions

of social service centers were not well aware of the forms and

methods of organizing public relations and did not use them in

their practical activities. The next section of the interview

concerned working with a commercial structure. According to

the study, this work is being carried out, but it is at a low level.

Almost all respondents admit that the work with the

commercial structure is carried out, but it is unstable and not

clearly structured. As for the organization of public relations

with the mass media (radio, Newspapers, television), the

situation is somewhat different. Clarification of the nature of

interaction between social services and the media was not an

unimportant issue. Relations with the media are an essential

component of public relations. Public opinion is mainly formed

by what people read in the press, hear on the radio or see on

television, so cooperation with the media should be given

special attention. Work with the state structure is carried out

systematically, but it is not always possible to lobby the

interests of the social service. During the survey, we were

interested in the question: How does public relations affect the

activities of the social service? Is public relations a means of

managing social services in the external environment?

Respondents' opinions agreed that public relations really had a

positive impact on the work of the center. Therefore, the study

showed that Department managers considered it important to

organize public relations in social service centers, but

unfortunately, this activity in the management of social services

was poorly organized and was random. Thus, students'

perceptions of the work of public relations in social service

centers largely coincide with the opinion of the centers'

management.

The next section of the study was devoted to finding out

what forms of public relations organization were used, in the

opinion of students, in the management of social services in

each of the indicated areas. The results were distributed as

follows. When working with clients, 68% of Humanities

students noted holidays and special events, 21% of students

indicated articles in Newspapers and 11% found it difficult to

answer. The opinion of students of the faculty of Economics

was distributed as follows: 72% noted holiday and festive

events, 10% pointed to publications in Newspapers and 12%

were difficult to answer. Thus, the opinions of students on this

issue actually coincide. The study showed that working with

clients special attention was paid to working with real clients

(72%); the social service center paid attention to working with

potential clients, according to 21% of respondents, and 7% of

the surveyed Humanities students noted working with a

reference group for clients. The opinion of students of the

faculty of Economics was distributed as follows: 81% noted

working with real clients; 9% indicated working with potential

clients and 10% noted a reference group for clients.

In this regard, the students were asked: Does the social

service where they were trained have a special plan for

organizing public relations? Students' responses were

distributed as follows: 71% did not know about the existence

of such a plan; 17% of students believed that there was no such

plan; 12% believed that there was such a plan. The received

answers allowed us to state that there was no purposeful activity

on organizing public relations in the social service center,

where students were interned. To the question: How often is

information given to the press about the activities of the social

service in which they were trained? The respondents' opinions

were distributed as follows: the first place - the answer was not

given at all; the second place was taken by the answer: once a

year, the third place was taken by the answer: once every six

months. Answer - once every three months no one had chosen.

These responses indicated that in the students' views, the

management of the social service did not have a well-thought-

out concept of organizing public relations, which led to

ineffective management of the social service in the external

environment.

At the end of the survey, the respondents were asked to

evaluate the level of public relations organization in the social

service center where they had practice, in General. For this

purpose, we asked the respondents: what level do they think

was the use of forms and methods of public relations in the

work of the social service in which they were practiced? The

results of the responses were distributed as follows: students of

Humanities in the first place put the average level; the second

place was taken by the answer - high and low level was in third

place. Students of the faculty of Economics believed the same.

An important feature of properly organized PR is that this work

should be aimed not so much at short-term results, but at

achieving long-term goals.

Discussions

In modern conditions, public relations as a means of

managing social services in the external environment should be

aimed at fully explaining to the public the existing socio-

economic problems, creating a positive image of the institution

of social work, ensuring a favorable social atmosphere in the

external environment in society, for the implementation of the

social programs provided. It is clear from the research that the

majority of managers of the social service center believe that

the organization of public relations in the management of their

service is at an average level. Students also note that this is a

whole direction of management activity, which is not yet

widely studied and is used in social work spontaneously.

Therefore, some shortcomings in the work are obvious. In

particular, during the survey, the heads of structural

departments of the social service center expressed a number of

wishes and suggestions for improving this work: when

organizing public relations with clients, it is necessary to attract

potential clients and organize work with a reference group for

clients; for organizing public relations with sponsors, it is

The diversity of opinions of students who were interning in

social service centers required an assessment of the state of

public relations organization as a means of management in the

external environment by the administration of these centers.

We were interested in the management's opinion on how public

relations were used in the management of the social service

center, and how the management's activities in this area were

organized. In connection with the above-mentioned, a survey

was conducted between the Director of the social service center

and the heads of the center's departments. The sample was

constant by nature. The survey shows that the priority in public

relations is working with real clients. Work with potential

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2020, Volume 8, Issue 4, Pages: 1326-1330

important to focus on working with sponsors. Research is

needed to find a potential sponsor. It is necessary to determine

which characteristics of the event held in social service centers

correspond to the interests of potential sponsors. Working with

a sponsor means constant communication. The ultimate

aerobatics of working with a sponsor is when the sponsor is

involved in the work of the social service, is constantly

interested in what is happening, and becomes indifferent to all

subsequent events. It is quite difficult to find a sponsor willing

to pay for even part of the event. You must regularly send

emails to sponsors describing the event, conduct telephone

conversations, as well as organize personal meetings - the key

to establishing the necessary contacts. It is necessary to ensure

constant work with the media. To organize all this work,

respondents consider it necessary to allocate a staff unit that

will be engaged in organizing public relations in social service

centers. From the research conducted, it becomes clear that, in

the view of students, the social service tries to apply public

relations in its management activities; however, almost all

attention is paid to real clients of the social service, which

indicates a large share of the audience, which is not covered.

Competing interests

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that

would prejudice the impartiality of this scientific work.

Authors’ contribution

All authors of this study have a complete contribution for

data collection, data analyses and manuscript writing.

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