Public relations by newly privatized businesses in Bosnia-Herzegovina

Public relations as a communication function is emerging as an important organizational process in many parts of the world. This paper examines the development of public relations in a transitional economy: Bosnia-Herzegovina. Data from 38 newly privatized organizations show the perceived potential for public relations as these organizations attempt to communicate with new publics and gain market share in a difficult business environment. The results suggest that Bosnian public relations managers understand public relations as a relationship building function but are constrained from fulfilling this function by the realities of a transitional economy.