This study is based on the assumption that globalisation is an inevitable phenomenon, affecting all spheres of society, including public relations and higher education. The study identifies both integrating and disintegrating forces of globalisation, and argues that these forces imply different future scenarios for the global community, depending on the management of globalisation. The study points out the potential role of public relations in contributing to the management of globalisation, leading towards a constructive outcome. This potential contribution, however, brings new demands as far as competencies are concerned. This calls for changes in public relations education, in order to prepare future practitioners for the strategic skills and paradigm shift needed in a globalising context. These required changes form the focus of the study, and are applied to South African technikon-level public relations programmes. The purpose of the study is to determine the extent to which these programmes provide students with the competencies required in globalised public relations vocational contexts. In order to provide a framework, in terms of which public relations education at technikons could be analysed to reach this goal, a prescriptive generic Globalisation Model was developed for vocationally-oriented public relations education in global contexts. This model consists of a recommended curriculum, as well as recommendations pertaining to the functioning of public relations education departments in the context of globalisation. A prescriptive public relations education model, formulated by the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) and published in Gold Paper No. 7 of 1990, together with recommendations to facilitate globalisation in public relations practice and education, published in Gold Paper No. 12 of 1997 (together referred to as the IPRA Model), was used as a starting point for the development of a new model. The new model was developed based on: a critical literature review of the existing IPRA Model; a study of the impact of globalisation on higher education, and public relations practice and education; a theoretical perspective incorporating complex, dynamic systems, chaos theory, network thinking and the principles of a learning organisation; and a worldview which defines public relations as symmetric, idealistic, critical and managerial, and which emphasises relationship management as the primary tool of public relations. Public relations programmes at technikons were analysed by means of qualitative content analysis in terms of the new, generic Globalisation Model, to determine whether such programmes provide students with the competencies required in globalised public relations vocational contexts, as reflected in this model. The latter model was first adapted to the technikon context in terms of education requirements unique to the African, South African and technikon systems. The study concludes that the original IPRA Model is outdated in terms of globalisation, especially as far as the 1990 section is concerned, and recommends that IPRA prescribe a new model for the new millennium. It also indicates that the new Globalisation Model has validity as a recommended model for globalisation of vocationally-oriented public relations education, at least as far as technikons in South Africa are concerned. It consequently offers recommendations for further application of this model, at both a South African and international level. With regard to technikons, the study indicates that the standardised curriculum prescribed for public relations programmes offered by these institutions is outdated as far as technological, African, theoretical, research, social responsibility, financial and global perspectives to public relations are concerned. The study shows that, collectively, technikons have adapted this curriculum to incorporate recent local and global developments affecting public relations, but that deficiencies still exist, especially with regard to public relations, the Internet and other new technology, international public relations and a theoretical base for public relations. Deficiencies are also identified with regard to the approach followed by public relations education departments, in terms of the contribution of these departments to the globalisation of higher education, as well as globalisation in public relations practice and education. A number of recommendations are made to address the identified deficiencies. Recommendations are also made for further research. / Prof. S. Verwey
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:2343 |
| Date | 28 May 2008 |
| Creators | Ferreira, Elizabeth M. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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