Articles
When my article titled: Public Relations to the Rescue - How the Arab World can work on its image - first appeared in the IHT/The Daily Star daily newspaper, I received a barrage of phone calls from friends and colleagues in Lebanon and the region supporting my recommendations while expressing doubt that the Arab World can ultimately rise to the challenges facing its credibility and proceed with a consorted campaign to clear its image in the US in particular and the West in general.
To many Arab states, getting their message across to the "West" seems close to a fairy tale and a far-fetched reality that is built on hopes and best wishes.
The world in the post 9/11 era has drifted in one direction that is mixed with greater anti-Arab and anti-Islamic sentiments. However, the efforts spent on the part of Arab states to combat such blatant generalization and "guilt by association" policies can be characterized as weak or non existent.
يبشر فصل الصيف الذي بدأت حرارته في الارتفاع بشكل ملحوظ لتصل إلى الأربعين درجة في الأيام القليلة الماضية، بموسم اصطياف تتناقله الأوساط الحكومية وبالأخص دولة رئيس مجلس الوزراء رفيق الحريري بأنه سوف يتعدى التوقعات. كلام الرئيس الحريري ردده في أكثر من مناسبة، ولكنه أكد عليه عند افتتاحه الجناح الغربي لمطار بيروت الدولي، متوقعا موسما سياحيا مثمرا ينتج عنه تدفق "مئات الألوف، بل الملايين" من السياح، وبخاصة من الدول الخليجية.
Having experienced one of the worst economic downturns Lebanon has ever faced in its modern history, I was able to observe the various tactics that firms and businesses resort to in order to survive such a situation and stay afloat.
A number of businesses closed down, while other long-standing industries were on the brink of bankruptcy, with what that entails in terms of laying off workers and worse yet, defaulting on their payments. Amidst the entire chaotic business environment, only a limited number of senior management and decision-makers chose to utilize the power of public relations in order to create awareness and strengthen the profile of their organizations and products among their target audiences.
In today's increasing corporate competitions for market share and the rapidly approaching challenges of globalization, the need to stay in the lead, not to mention in business, is the prime concern of all business managers and executives both in Lebanon and the Arab World in general.
To stay ahead of the competition, organizations in Lebanon need to address the various tools of business management, in its many forms and shapes, and especially the support of fully integrated public relations tactics.
لست هنا في صدد إضافة تحليل جديد للوضع الاقتصادي أو السياسي العام، فقد قيل فيه الكثير وامتلأت الصحف والمجلات وشاشات التلفاز الفضائية والأرضية بالرأي والرأي الآخر حول آثار وتداعيات الاعتداءات التي لحقت بالولايات المتحدة الأميركية في الحادي عشر من أيلول 2001، والتي قاربت سنتها الأولى..
While public relations remains one of the most misunderstood professions in the Middle East, the future of this fascinating discipline seems to take a turn toward enlightenment - even though the road to a full acceptance is yet to be mastered.
The misunderstanding and confusion of the discipline can, in some cases, lead to considerable image problems. When a passport control officer in one of the busiest airports in the region asked me about my profession, I hesitated for a moment before I said: "Public Relations." The officer nodded his head and asked with certainty: "So, which airport do you work in?" "Airport? No, sir. I think you misunderstood me. I meant I work in public relations and communications...You know, reputation management." The expression on the officer's face registered utter confusion.