As (almost) everyone in the Australian public relations industry knows, there
are more women than men. On average, the numbers in Perth (and
nationally) favour women by slightly more than three to one. However, the
figures are alarmingly high, and, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics
figures, make PR one of the most female-intensive industries in Australia.
This growing imbalance may have long-term effects which have yet to be
identified. This thesis, however, seeks to consider the reasons for this
situation.
The research aims to:
1. Examine the reasons for the growth in numbers of women and
numerical decline of men within public relations in Perth,
Western Australia, by considering the development of public
relations and how it has impacted on the composition of the
profession.
2. Examine future trends within the profession for both women
and men and what an imbalance may mean.
Patterns in the data clearly show that women outnumber men by almost 3:1,
with statistics consistent across all groups surveyed. For example, in
government PR practitioners are 71 per cent female, while in private practice
(both nationally and in WA) it is 74 per cent. In WA charities the figure is 75
per cent. At the universities it varies between 72 and 87 per cent. This study
examines the reason for the imbalance and whether an imbalance is good.
Whether the industry (professional bodies, educators, students and
practitioners) is concerned is up to it.
This work provides the first study of the gender composition of the industry
in Australia. As such, it should be a valuable tool in a number of areas. Like
many initial studies, it raises just as many questions as answers, and it
provides pathways for future study. It should lead to a wider examination of
further issues. For example: does the predominance of women in PR in
university courses cause concern among male students, perhaps leading them
to question their continued participation? Do male students wonder whether
the female dominance of PR courses will lessen their chances of
employment. And what do practitioners think of an industry that is feminine?
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/217337 |
| Date | January 2006 |
| Creators | SMITH, Gregory Michael, gms@aapt.net.au |
| Publisher | Central Queensland University. |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | http://www.library.cqu.edu.au/cqulibrary/disclaimer.htm), Copyright Gregory Michael SMITH |
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