As Arnold (2002) and Pritchard et.al. (2004) noted, one of the keys to success in public relations includes mentoring. Mentoring has been used among public relations practitioners to develop knowledge and skills and obtain career counseling. However, little work has been done to quantify the value practitioners ascribed to mentoring relationships.This study used Q methodology to examine feelings and thoughts of some of the top public relations mentors and proteges, attempting to fill that gap and quantify the value public relations professionals placed on mentoring relationships.The sample consisted of 20 public relations practitioners, ten mentors and ten proteges. Each sorted a sample of 48 Q statements containing positive and negative statements on four categories.The findings suggest that most public relations practitioners have quite positive feelings about mentoring; however, gender composition is still an issue in conflict. A mentor's experience, ability, and confidence are considered more when identifying a superior mentor. / Department of Journalism

This study explored the attitudes of public relations professionals regarding crisis communication strategies and discerned patterns of preferred crisis communication strategies through the use of Q Methodology. Using the strategies proposed by Benoit, Fink, Coombs and Lukaszewski as the basis for the concourse, a group of public relations practitioners with crisis experience were asked which crisis response strategy they preferred. Respondents fell into three factors. “Speedsters” focused on achieving a speedy response and building/maintaining the organization’s reputation during a crisis. “Character Builders” use compassion to build/maintain a favorable image and reputation. “Reactors” are focused not just on speeding up the process of resolving the crisis, but on reacting within one hour of the emergency. Coomb’s compassion strategy was favored by all three groups, but was valued most highly by the “Character Builders.” Implications for future research are discussed. / Department of Journalism

The purpose of this Q study was to learn the racial culture attitudes of public relations managers in charge of making decision for recruiting, hiring, communicating internally, managing clients.Twenty-one public relations managers from midwestern states: Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Indiana, and Missouri sorted Q statements according to their philosophical beliefs concerning racial diversity in the workplace. In analyzing the Q sorts, three viewpoints were revealed; Color Blind Managers, Politically Correct Managers, and Diversity Managers."Color Blind Managers" believed that everyone should be treated equally, with no special treatment or laws that would give more help to one race over another. "Politically Correct Managers" believed equal opportunity laws and policies were discriminatory and unfair; yet conformed to orthodox liberal opinions which were sensitive to racial causes. "Diversity Managers" understood the importance of incorporating diverse cultures into everyday decision-making and still felt equal opportunity laws were needed to help society become color blind.All three factors supported equal opportunity for all individuals, but the means to creating diversity and equal opportunities were different across the factors. / Department of Journalism

While many publications comment on successful relationships, it was necessary to specifically analyze the relationship between public relations practitioners and their clients. Using traits gathered in the literature review, the researcher prepared a Q study to identify, "Which relationship traits do agency representatives and client counterparts find most important?"Subjects included principals of agencies listed in the 2004 Indianapolis Business Journal's "Book of Lists," and their clients. Each respondent ranked the Q statements two times, once reflecting their own attitudes and another reflecting the attitudes of their counterpart.Of the twelve traits studied, eight were ranked as highly important to participants. Also, the researcher surmised that clients better understand their relationships, ranking three of five traits as highly important when assuming their counterparts' roles. In contrast, agency partners ranked two of the five traits that their counterparts found highly important. / Department of Journalism

This research examined at the influence of a public relations professional's personal faith on their professional ethical attitudes. The research question for this study stated: Does a public relations practitioner's religious faith directly influence their ethical practice?A Q-study was completed by forty-five public relations professionals. Data analysis yielded two factors the "God Centered" and the "Profession Driven". The God Centered participants mutually agreed upon statements that placed their faith in a central part of their professional career, and agreed they were accountable to God for their professional career. The second group that emerged were identified as Profession Driven, representing their association with professional based ethics. The respondents in this factor indicated that they strongly agree with the professional provisions suggested in the PRSA Code of Ethics 2000, placing an emphasis on honest counsel, loyalty, and fairness. The second factor viewpoint also strongly agreed that personal goals and values directly influenced their professional ethics.These two factors and the previous literature illustrated the influence of personal standards when making professional ethical decisions. / Department of Journalism

This study examined how the public relations function was perceived by top administrators as viewed by public relations directors (Phase 1), and how that perception compares with the "ideal" or preferred function as indicated by public relations within Indiana colleges and universities (Phase 2). Out of 46 possible subjects, 32 participated in a survey which represented a 70% response rate.After Q-Sorts have been tabulated, the researcher concluded that respondents from phase 1 were divided in their responses into two equal groups with no clear majority of response being represented consistently. On the other hand, phase 2 respondents showed strong conviction with a dominant majority of respondents showing consistency in their selection. / Department of Journalism

Dissertation Submitted in Fulfillment of the Requirements for the M-tech in Public Relations Management Department of Public Relations Management Faculty of Informatics and Design 2013 / This study aims to investigate the selected perceptions of Public Relations Practitioners about the Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa (PRISA) Namibia, in order to recommend to PRISA Namibia ways they can attract membership and gain support and recognition from PR practitioners. This research was conducted through in-depth interviews. The participants in this study were divided into three groups, namely, the members, nonmembers and the Chairperson (current and previous) of PRISA Namibia. A total of 10 participants were interviewed. The results of the study indicate that PR practitioners in Namibia know relatively little about PRISA Namibia activities in Namibia. Most of the Participants are frustrated with PRISA Namibia’s lack of visibility and accessibility. However, most members acknowledged that PRISA Namibia had, in the past, added immense value to their Public Relations (PR) careers. The recommendations of the study include: PRISA Namibia organising conferences or workshops on ethics; PRISA Namibia publishing an ethics booklet that can be used by PR students and professionals to illustrate how practitioners can practically adhere to PRISA code of ethics on a day to day basis; and PRISA Namibia creating social media pages on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

This study examined the perception of managers in the Institute of Public Administration (IPA), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as to the way public relations is practiced within Saudi Arabia based on a comparison with Grunig's four models of public relations. Out of a population of 38 directors and director generals, 30 participated in a personal interview for a 79 percent response rate.A Q-sort analysis revealed two perceptions of public relations performance in the Institute. Perceptions differed based on educational experience, and managerial levels. Top managers with Ph.Ds tended to view performance as related to Grunig's Press Agentry and One-Way Information models. Fewer level employees saw performance related to the Two-Way Asymmetrical and Symmetrical models. The researcher concluded that the more higher educated level managers had a better understanding of the reality of performance of public relations in IPA. Main attitudes from the sorts of the participants showing a significantly and different attitude in how directors generals and directors perceived public relations was being practiced in the IPA. The directors generals and directors strongly held different views concerning the practice of public relations in the IPA. / Department of Journalism

Archaeological fieldwork at the William Conner House Site, home of an early 19th century entrepreneur, was performed in 1990 by Ball State University. The house, listed in the National Register, was built in 1823, occupied until ca. 1916, restored in 1934, and has since functioned as a house museum. Although restoration disturbed portions of the site, substantial undisturbed remains were found to exist on-site. Archaeological testing yielded 26,000+ archaeological specimens and revealed 22 features, including a possible outbuilding, cobble walk, brick pad, fire pit, small refuse pit, and post holes/molds. Herein, the Conner House is described and the history of its usage is recounted. The archaeological research design and methods are explained. Results of investigation are presented. Socioeconomic status theory and indicators are identified, and the site is compared to other 19th century residential sites, socioeconomically. Conclusions are stated. Sites to which the Conner Site is compared are described in an appendix. A glossary is provided. / Department of Journalism