Concise Analysis of an Existing International Public Relations Situation
Situation Threat/Opportunity
The disconnection of the United Kingdom from the European Union has resulted in negative repercussions as Britain tries to forge ways of buffering the implications and sustaining its economic stability. BBC News (2020) reports that 51.9% voted to leave, while 48.1% opted to remain. However, the UK is still bound by the EU rules as it struggles to also get through the transition stage (Edgington, 2020). The idea of the Prime minister being against the transition phase extension has triggered substantial critique (Barnes, 2020). The reason for this criticism is due to intensive international public relations issues due to the loss of benefits the public receives during the phase. Moreover, the services Britain continues to enjoy include unrestricted movement to and from the EU, freedom, and right to move and live in the EU and UK, as well as the trade existing between the two without extra charges or checks.
Menon (2020) describes the contemporary situation by comparing it to an invasive creeper that had already created firm roots within civic life. Therefore, the removal of this creeper tends to cause tremendous damage to all devolution projects tied to the EU membership expectation. In addition, the public relations (PR) industry is also greatly affected in case there are any restricted movements since the majority of labor resources are from the EU countries. Also, the reputation of Britain has been devalued since their withdrawal could be translated as xenophobic. As a result, such negative perceptions could reduce the value of their products and the tourism sector.
Moreover, with the contemporary pandemic of the Covid-19, the impact of the Brexit referendum is profoundly felt (Menon, 2020). In addition, the epidemic has triggered the urge to make sure such incidences are dealt with hastily to level up the economy. The virus has portrayed a paradigm that shows high degrees of inequalities within the UK. Menon (2020) argues that most impoverished parts have had a significant hit compared to the rest of the areas.
Overview of Strategies and Tactics Used or Applicable
Currently, the companies based in the UK need assistance in understanding how to cope with the transformations. Although the public relations sector might be facing shortages, they should be in a position to advise these organizations on how to move through the Brexit aftermath. The public relations department should consider the speed at which social media is gaining ground in place of conventional communication methods. From a different perspective, too, the referendum can be viewed as a chance of allowing the PR professionals to carry out their job. Besides, these individuals will not only act as a communication channel to corporates but also as a model for advocating social feedback. Businesses will be significantly affected by the transformation, though they should learn how to communicate and reach out to their consumers to avoid the negative impacts of the disconnection.
Measure of Success
One way of measuring success for the proposed solutions is through reviewing the impact of the responsibilities of the PR sector. The principal role of the PR is to link between industries and help them understand and overcome the contemporary fears and doubts existing with their clients. Besides, the professionals have the responsibility of improving the decision-making skills for the companies and enhancing the interaction of the organizations with the society. Therefore, these can be used as criteria for measuring success.
References
BBC News. (2020). EU Referendum. Retrieved from: https://www.bbc.com/news/politics/eu_referendum/results
Barnes, P. (2020, February 6). Brexit: What Happens Now? Retrieved from, BBC News: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-46393399
Menon, A. (2020, June 23). It’s been four years since the Brexit Vote: Everything and Nothing has Changed. Retrieved from, The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jun/23/four-years-brexit-vote-everything-nothing-changed-coronavirus
Edgington, T. (2020, July 1). Brexit: What is Transition Period? Retrieved from, BBC News: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-50838994