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This thesis sought to test the null hypothesis that stated: There is no difference in the perceptions of public opinion research firm specialists toward their client relationships with public relations practitioners as compared to practitioners in marketing and advertising.A mail survey was sent to 129 opinion firm member organizations of the Council of American Survey Research Organizations. A total of seventy-one responses were returned representing 54.3 percent of the population. Of the returned surveys, twenty-one respondents, or 29.5 percent, had conducted research for public relations, marketing, and advertising practitioners within the last year and were able to complete the questionnaire.The findings rejected the null hypothesis and indicated areas where perceptions differ. According to the surveyed researchers, their public relations practitioners fell short of marketing and advertising practitioners in understanding research methods, in possessing the necessary research skills needed to interpret statistical data, and in fully using the available services of opinion research firms.In addition, sixteen client/researcher characteristics were explored to focus on specific strengths and weaknesses, as seen by researchers, in relationships with public relations, marketing, and advertising clients. These characteristics explorations were used to create an ideal client/researcher relationship profile for comparison. This clearly found distinct differences in opinion researchers’ working relationships with each practitioner. To begin, while public opinion researchers thought understanding long-term project goals was the most important characteristic in an ideal client/researcher relationship, it was one of the least practiced characteristics by public relations practitioners. Similarly, researchers thought characteristics, including decisiveness regarding decisions, clear-cut objectives, understanding a study's limitations, and support from top management were very important in relationships. These same characteristics were not regularly practiced by the surveyed researchers' public relations clients. Concurrently, among those characteristics considered to be the least important by the respondents in an ideal client/researcher relationship, public relations practitioners most regularly practiced them. These include freedom allowed the researcher to carry out a study, enjoyment between client and researcher while working together, and simple approval procedures.Advertising clients fell dramatically behind the preferred ideal relationship in only two areas according to the surveyed respondents, involving candid communications between researcher and clear-cut objectives. Marketing practitioners did not deviate far from the ideal client/ researcher relationships according to opinion researchers. Overall, marketing practitioners are the preferred client.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- McMaster University, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 285-297). Also available via World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1945.

Thesis (M.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1945.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1969. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (PH. D.)--Columbia University, 1936. / Without thesis note. "Prepared under the auspices of the Columbia university Council for research in the social sciences." Includes bibliographical references and index.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Illinois State University, 1999. / Title from title page screen, viewed July 27, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Elizabeth Lugg (chair), James Martindale, James Palmer, Al Azinger. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 134-142) and abstract. Also available in print.

The several decades immediately preceding the writing of this study have seen increasing interest and criticism of public education on the part of the American people. This growth of interest in public education indicates a need for analysis of the nature and extent of popular concern so that it may be used as a positive force to improve the service of the public schools. If the best interests of the society for which public schools exist are to be served, heed must be taken of the interest and criticisms of reliable and sincere lay observers by the teachers and administrators who are responsible for the functioning of the public education system.

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