IIMs debate again: PR or no PR

Does a top rung management school need a public relations (PR) agency?

In a trend that confirms the seriousness with which management schools are dealing with public relations, it is not just the second rung schools that are looking for communications professionals "� even the big brothers (Indian Institutes of Management and the Indian School of Business) havezstarted doing the same.

IIM Lucknow recently hired a PR agency along with other top schools like ISB, Hyderabad and MDI Gurgaon.

While most of the newer schools have looked at PR agencies to give them the initial push and recognition, the conventional wisdom was that the established schools do not need any publicity considering the quality of education and the A-list alumni.

However, decision makers in these institutes beg to differ. "A public relations agency is basically a facilitator between the information seeker and information giver. It is wrong to say that it is a means to create publicity for the institute," said an IIM-L official.

Amit Azad, Head - Operations & Finance, Finesse PR, which has represented three tier I management schools in the country agrees.

"The IIMs and other premier institutes are primarily focused on providing quality management education. Due to this, dissemination of information in a targeted way often takes a backseat. A PR agency is able to push the whole exercise better. We bring out of the box thinking to the table," said Azad.

All the other IIMs have an in-house dedicated PRO or an Information officer to deal with public relations.

However, not everyone is ready to buy this view. Interestingly, IIM-C had appointed a PR agency last year but decided not to renew the contract after the experiment didn't have the desired results.

"The management held a meeting last week to decide on whether we need a PR agency or an external body to represent our communication interests. But we decided not to renew the contract as we are once-bitten twice shy," said a senior professor at IIMC.

Officials from B-schools say that there is usually a conflict of ideas since the PR agency does not understand the issues in academics.

"It's not that IIMs are against hiring agencies since all of them are looking at international accreditation, establishing more global contacts and better brand recall value. But if we do hire an agency, what work do we give them on a regular basis?" asks a professor from IIM-B.

Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad (MICA) differs on this. The institute instead of hiring an agency has created a body called --The Interface -- which consists of a group of students who handle all the public relations, event management and co-ordination for the institute.

"Every institute should be represented by a student, who is the product of the quality of education, faculty involvement and activities, and therefore is best suited for the job, "said Atul Tandan, Director, MICA.

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THE LAST WORD
B-school students have their say

An institute is determined by its faculty and students; not just by how it loud-mouths itself in the media. If the institute is good enough, it will show by itself with the kind of quality activities it conducts and placements it has. A B-school is not a product; and a quality B-school will always find takers regardless of how much publicity it does ."

Rohit Vengurlekar, MMS Ist year,
Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies

Public relations and media visibility of the B-school, takes on prime importance with respect to three target groups: recruiters, academicians and prospective students. To attract, retain, and showcase the best in all three is the aim of any forward looking institute. A B-school should focus on its core competencies and outsource other activities. Hiring PR agencies is a sound management practice on the part of any B-school.

Ajay Chauhan, Class of 2008,
IIM Lucknow

The quality of any B-school is determined on the basis of its students, faculty, achievements of its alumni, and the recognition it enjoys in the corporate world. Involving PR agencies could mislead students into making wrong choices while choosing an institution for pursuing higher education.

Besides, PR agencies would intensify commercialisation in the already commercialised education system in India.

Urmi Keniya, MMS Ist year,
Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies