Public Relations in South America

1
Public Relations in South America

• Melvin L. Sharpe. APR, Fellow PRSA
• Ball State University
• Muncie, IN U.S.A.

2
Public Relations in South America

• Factors that have Influenced and that are
  Influencing Development

3
Historical Influences

• Portuguese/Spanish monarchies
• Catholic Church hierarchy
• Family social and business control

4
Cause and Effect

• Control from Spain and Portugal
• Result
• Development of large bureaucratic government
  systems
• Cultural pattern of corruption to protect
• local interests

5
Cause and Effect

• Catholic Church influence
• Prohibition against Usury
• Result
• Limited investment
• Dependence for charity
• Result
• Lack of nonprofit organizations
• Lack of supporting culture for nonprofits

6
Cause and Effect

• Family Control
• Result
• Nepotism in government
• Corruption in government
• Lack of responsibility for community
• Continued dominance of family ownership

7
Cause and Effect

• Other Influences
• Move toward democracy in 1800s
• Military governments in 1900s
• Development of electronic communication

8
Positive Developments in Public Relations

• Licensing of public relations
• Required university educational programs
• Growth and development of professional
• organizations
• Advancements in democracy particularly
• in the transparency of government

9
Continued Needs

• Holistic concept of public relations
• Check and balance relationship of public
  relations and journalism
• Decrease in economic dependence of government on
  news media
• Development of stockholder owned corporations

10
Continued Needs

• Social support of nonprofit organizations
• Skills development of students
• Greater ability of young people to
• access information globally

11
Cause of Continued Growth in Public Relations

• Advancements in communication
• Satellite communication
• Growth in Internet use
• Cable television growth

12
Cause of Continued Growth in Public Relations

• Advancements in democracy
• Open records laws
• Consumer movements
• Restrictions on lobbying
• Restrictions on political gifts
• Requirements for public reports on part
• of corporations

13
Cause of Continued Growth in Public Relations

• Growing Social Interdependence
• Economic / trade interdependence
• Environmental interdependence
• Population growth