________________ advise top management to adopt certain programmes, which will add to their public image and ensure that negative publicity does not take place at all.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Public Relations department
Option (1) Publicity department — Incorrect. Publicity means getting news about the firm or its product into the media without paying for the space. It is one of the functions of the public relations department, not a department of its own. Advising top management on the public image (counselling) is another function of that same PR department.
Option (2) Promotion department — Incorrect. Promotion covers advertising, personal selling and sales promotion aimed at raising sales. It does not advise on building goodwill with the general public.
Option (3) Public Relations department — Correct. Public relations means managing the firm’s relations with all its publics: customers, shareholders, the government and society at large. The PR department watches public opinion, controls damage when bad news breaks, and advises top management to adopt programmes that improve the public image and keep negative publicity away.
Option (4) Personal Relations department — Incorrect. There is no such department in marketing. The word “personal” is only a look-alike of “public”.
NCERT (2026-27 Edition): “Public Relations … Most organisations, business or otherwise nowadays, have a separate department to manage public relations. They may also utilize the services of any outside public relations agency. Their main task is to disseminate information and build goodwill about the business. Concrete steps are to be taken to monitor the attitude of the general public and generate positive publicity. They are especially useful when there is negative publicity about the company or its products. At that time, the situation has to be tackled like an emergency to improve public image. The public relations department then has to do something drastic so that damage to company’s images is controlled and minimised. They also advise top management to adopt certain programmes which will add to their public image and ensure that negative publicity does not take place at all.” “Role of Public Relations … The public relations department performs five functions: |