ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the current situation of Japanese companies’ PR activities through the lens of the octagonal evaluation approach, which tries to look at PR activities from eight aspects, namely “collecting information,” “analyzing information,” “building strategy,” “creating information,” “transmitting information,” “building relationship,” “risk management,” and “PR organization.” The analysis in this chapter is based on data obtained through a series of studies by the author and his group. The study was to understand these eight aspects of PR activities. Survey research was conducted in 2016 with valid responses from 533 companies. The study reveals the current status and trends of corporate PR from eight aspects. The analysis in this chapter combines the current status of corporate PR activities and how the public views their activities. The revelation of the importance placed on internal communications and various stakeholders is a contribution the current study has made to PR academia. Another contribution is that the study allows for an industry-to-industry comparison.
