Strategy,Planning and Scheduling

Like the author said, this chapter aims to make students aware of the necessity for public relations practioners to think and practise strategically in order to be relevant in today's organisation.

I think the most important part of this chapter is how to plan a public relations strategy. There are three major formats worth attention. one is the Alinta Gas - public affairs mission, the other two are the Zawawi - Johnston strategic public relation plan and Lester Potter's' ten - step strategic communication plan'.

This chapter makes me think more about the significance of making an effective strategic plan when comes to a real public relations practice. PR is a quite practical job, so sometimes we may neglect the necessity of the preparation part. Writing a strategic plan is definitely the most vital part of preparation. It includes at least ten steps from situation analysis, backgroud to budget and monitroting and evaluation. It is like an overall preview of the whole practice. and in my opinion, it to some extent decides whether the whole practice will successed or not.

Among all the ten steps, I figure that budgeting part should be valued more than we thought before as the author mentioned, 'no plan, no matter how strategic , can succeed without successful and efficient budgeting,.' In another word that budgeting is related to the direction, monitoring and control of organisational resources.

In conclusion, an effective public relations management depends on a successful combination of all of these elements.