The Effectiveness of Public Relations in Building the Mental Image of the Baghdad Municipality – A Survey Study

Abstract

The following paper measures the effectiveness of public relations performance in the Municipality of Baghdad among its internal and external audiences. The researcher used a survey methodology and employed questionnaires and scales to collect data. The goal of the study is to identify the activities carried out by employees in the Public Relations Department of the Municipality of Baghdad to build a positive mental image, as well as to explore the communication activities provided by public relations practitioners within the municipality and their role in shaping the municipality’s mental image among the public. Additionally, the study aims to examine the key functions, methods, goals, and strategies followed by public relations in the Municipality of Baghdad to build its image.

            The researcher employed a survey methodology and used questionnaires and scales for data collection. The questionnaire was distributed to employees in the Public Relations and Media Department of the Municipality of Baghdad and the municipalities of Al-Mansour and Al-Sadr 2, with a total of 25 employees. The researcher also used a convenience sample and distributed the scale questionnaire to the audience of Al-Mansour and Al-Sadr 2 municipalities, who benefit from the services of the Municipality of Baghdad, with a total sample size of 384 individuals.

The research concluded several significant findings, including that public relations in the Municipality of Baghdad relies on scientific methods to build its mental image. Among the most important means and methods used to communicate with the public were social media platforms and the municipality’s website. The indicators measuring the levels of the mental image among the respondents revealed that the relative importance of the positive image was high