M.Comm. / Professionele beroepe kan gesien word as beroepe wat deur persone beoefen word wat gekwalifiseerd is, in terme van parlimentere wetgewing en eksamen standaarde gestel deur regulerende liggame. Hierdie groepe beskou onafhanklikheid, objektiwiteit en waardigheid as van die belangrikste eienskappe wat die fondasie van hul beroepe norm. Vir 'n geruime tyd is clan geglo dat hierdie eienskappe die beste behou kon word deur 'n verbod op die verkryging van besigheid deur konvensionele kommersiele metodes. Hierdie verbod was gehandhaaf deur die instelling van rigiede gedragskodes en reels wat deur regulerende assosiasies en institute toegepas en gepolisieer is. 'n Verskeidenheid falctore soos dalende wins, verhoogde kompetisie en toenemende druk op owerheids instansies vir deregulering, het 'n hersiening van hierdie beginsels genoodsaak. Gedurende die afgelope dekade is Professionele Gedragskodes dwarsdeur die westerse wereld gewysig. Professionele beroepe het as gevolg daarvan begin om bemarking te gebruik om praktyke uit te bou. Suid-Afrika het stadig op hierdie druk gereageer. Hersiening was egter onvermydelik en teen 1991 was slegs die prokureurs professie (van al die themediese professies) onderhewig aan 'n volledige stel beperkende regulasies. Die nuwe vryheid het egter the gelei tot 'n astronomiese toename in die bemarking van professionele dienste nie. Dit was the nodig dat gedragskodes hersien moes word ten einde bemarking by professionele beroepe te kan toe pas nie. Beperkings was meestal geplaas op bemarkingsgereedskap, soos advertering, werwing en mededinging gebaseer op fooie.

M.Comm. (Business Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract.

The profession of public relations has suffered negative associations and connotations as far as its role and practice are concerned. Alongside these, there are theories put forward within the field suggesting ways that could be used to assist public relations practitioners to become more successful in serving their organisations, marketing their organisation’s corporate image as well as reversing public relations’ negative legacy which has long existed as suggested by Steyn and Puth. This treatise argues that the real situation of the practice of public relations, its roles and the successes of PR practitioners in marketing the corporate image of their organisation might differ from what theories proposed. Thus this study seeks and intends to correlate what has been theorized with current practice in the profession. In addition, this study reflects and corroborates public relations practitioners’ roles in marketing the corporate image of organisations within the proposed new strategic role and through the existing traditional roles as compared to theory. Finally, this study also helps establish required changes to the traditional roles of the practitioners with the aim of reflecting the current situations in the existing selected organisations. In order to achieve the objectives of this study, the views and perceptions of public relations practitioners and managers of selected organisations were examined through a survey by questionnaire. This data was then analysed to determine their roles in marketing the corporate image of organisations in terms of the new strategic role and through the existing traditional roles as compared to theory. The sample included public relations practitioners and chief executive officers of Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Holdings (Pty) Ltd , Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and Transnet National Ports Authority. The findings seem to support the hypotheses of the study in concluding that: The strategic roles identified in theory such as the solution around the myth and allegory of success in the practice and profession of public relations might not be realised in current practice, and Public relations practitioners’ effectiveness in marketing the corporate image of their organisations is affected by the way their roles are perceived within organisations. It is the hope of the researcher that, the findings of this investigation will set foundations for further research on the assessment and estimation of the practice of the public relations practitioners in marketing the corporate image of organisations.