Porter’s Five Forces in Public Relations Public relations can be viewed as one of the most important departments of the organization. Initially, taken as an operational agency in the marketing department, public relations has increasingly gained relevance in the public forum and it is currently regarded as a strategic department which is related to the marketing department (Merkle 38). It is currently a department on its own. Porter’s five forces model can help guide the operations of the PR department in a demanding business environment. Taking into account each of the five forces, the PR department can employ a number of approaches. Competitive Rivalry In this case, the level of rivalry can be high or low. In case the level of competition is high, the PR must make use of different methods that might help differentiate the firm from others. The PR department, in collaboration with the marketing department, should devise ways that would give the firm a competitive edge in the market. This means that the department should strive to offer unique services that would differential the firm from competitors. This can be in form of a quick response to customers and always maintained interactivity with the buyers, even after the purchase is made in order to eliminate any possible post purchase dissonance (Kurtz 16). Even if the competition is low and the firm enjoys market leadership, the PR should continue devising new creative ideas that would help it maintain the market leadership. Power of Suppliers The power of suppliers is another issue that the firm should take into consideration. If the suppliers are few and they have a strong influence in the industry, the PR department will have a duty to ensure that the firm develops close relationships with them with the aim of ensuring that the supply is kept flowing steadily. This is because it may not be easy to move from one supplier to another. The PR, in conjunction with the procurement department, should develop positive relationships with suppliers to ensure continuous supply. Power of Buyers Buyers may have a strong or weak influence on the market. When the buyer is a large organization with a large purchasing power, it may have a strong influence on the market. In this case, the PR will have to establish liaisons with the marketing department to ensure that the firm positions itself in the market. In this case, the firm should prove that it is aimed at offering customers high quality services. In case the power of the buyer is relatively limited then it would still be advisable that the PR department maintains a positive outlook to ensure that the customers associate it with the best quality. Threats of Substitutes In some markets, some substitutes may be very close to the firms’ products. There is a risk that in case the firm does not perform the expected standards, it would be forced to close its operations due to the presence of substitutes. The PR in collaboration with the marketing department should develop value proposition that will make the company unique in the market. Threats of New Entrants When there is a threat of new entrants, the PR should ensure that the firm has a strong bond with th