Abstract:
Public relations are very important tool to facilitate the effort of CBE undergoing public attitude
and disseminate information to publics. The general objective of the study was assessing the
practice of public relations practitioners in creating service awareness and reputation of
commercial bank of Ethiopia. It identified the profession, practice, experience, awareness, role
and tools of public relations practitioners in CBE. It assessed whether the pr practitioners
practice their roles effectively to create service awareness of commercial bank of Ethiopia. The
study adopted case study design. The study used qualitative research approach and purposive
sampling method. The study employed in-depth interviews, focus group discussion and document
analysis to understand pr practices. The qualitative data and the document review, data analyses
were done using thematic analysis method. The result indicated that public relations are
powerful pivot to achieve effective communication between internal and external publics. Public
relations ensure consistency of message and flow of information that is communicated with aim
of CBE. The study mainly indicated that less attentions was paid to professional public relations
practice, poor understanding and misconception of profession; activities were not considered a
top management function. Lack of effective professional skill, unrelated field of study, lack of
human power, lack of adequate budget and absence of adequate capacity to building trainings
were main challenges of the practice in CBE. Therefore, the study recommended that to creating
effective service awareness and to sustain reputation of CBE, PR unit should recognized active
PR programs. Beside, CBE better to give due attention to public relations practice, top
management and practitioners should understand their strategic public relations activities.
