Assertion (A): The Public Relations exercises seldom save a company in crises.

Reason (R): Public Relations exercises are dubious in nature.

(A) Both (A) and (R) are true.

(B) Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).

(C) (A) is true, but (R) is false.

(D) (A) is false, but (R) is true.

Correct Ans: (C)

Explanation:

Public relations (PR) is a crucial tool for managing a company’s image, especially during crises. However, PR exercises do not always guarantee success in saving a company facing serious reputational or financial troubles. Crises often involve multiple factors, such as legal issues, financial instability, or operational failures. PR alone cannot fix these problems if the company lacks a solid recovery strategy.

At the same time, PR is not dubious in nature. A well-planned PR strategy enhances transparency, reassures stakeholders, and rebuilds trust. Ethical PR practices help organizations communicate effectively and mitigate negative publicity. The problem arises when companies use misleading PR tactics or fail to back up their messages with real actions. In such cases, PR may appear deceptive or manipulative.

Thus, Assertion (A) is true because PR alone cannot always save a company in crisis. However, Reason (R) is false because PR exercises are not inherently dubious. Ethical and strategic PR plays a vital role in crisis management, but it must be supported by real actions and transparency to be effective.

Therefore, the correct answer is option (C).