The Public Relations Handbook is a comprehensive and detailed introduction to the theories and practices of the public relations industry. It traces the history and development of public relations, explores ethical issues which affect the industry, examines its relationship with politics, lobbying organizations and journalism, assesses its professionalism and regulation and advises on training and entry into the profession.

The Public Relations Handbook combines theoretical and organizational frameworks for studying public relations with examples of how the industry works in practice. It draws on a range of promotional strategies and campaigns from businesses and consumer groups including Railtrack, Voice of the Listener and Viewer, Marks and Spencer, Guinness, the Prince's Trust, Esso, Action Cancer and the Metropolitan Police.

The Public Relations Handbook includes interviews with press officers and PR agents about their examples, press releases and illustrations from arange of campaigns from multinational corporations, local government, small businesses, and charities; specialist chapters on financial public relations, global PR, business ethics, on-line promotion and the challenges of new technology, and over twenty illustrations from recent PR campaigns.