This dissertation presents research into the public relations field in Australia,
including its background, design, results and recommendations. Research
investigated areas of convergence and divergence of ideas about public relations
practice between Australian practitioners and academics. The project was inspired
by a significant gap in the Australia-specific public relations literature, as there is
limited or no in-depth empirical investigation into notions of meaning, dimensions of
practice, professionalism, organisational power, and education, in the public relations
field in Australia.
While research has been conducted into how those outside the profession view
public relations, few have asked those within the industry (practitioners and
academics) about their understanding of public relations in Australia, nor compared
these findings to locate and analyse spaces of convergence and divergence of
meaning.
Inquiry was facilitated through the administration of two online questionnaires; one
targeted to those identifying as public relations practitioners, and the other for those
who identified as public relations academics. Each questionnaire comprised six
sections, and sought a mixture of in-depth qualitative and quantitative data on the
following areas:
o Meaning, scope and agreement of the term 'public relations'
o The dimensions of public relations
o Perceptions of public relations practice
o Perceptions of public relations scholarship
o Perceptions of public relations education
o Respondent demographics
As non-probability sampling was applied to this study, it is not possible to report a
response rate. That said, a total of 40 academic and 107 practitioner responses
were received and comprise the data set. Administration of the questionnaires
generated a significant amount of both qualitative and quantitative data.
The results were diverse and intriguing, leading to a number of specific
recommendations and suggestions for further research. For example, the study
found that:
o There exists a gap between respondent definitions of the term 'public
relations' and respondent reports of public relations practice;
o Both public relations academics and practitioners underestimate the
professional practice of their practitioner colleagues;
o While most practitioners see academics as adding value to the public
relations field, a considerable proportion do not, yet findings indicate that
academics may not be as out of touch as practitioners imagine;
o Both public relations academics and practitioners conceive notions of
professionalism in the same manner; and
o Both groups identify writing and interpersonal skills as the most valuable skills
for a public relations practitioner to possess, and both groups also prioritise
knowledge of public relations specific theory and principles. Practitioners
also prioritise the need for greater attention to general business practices in
public relations education, while academics determine a need for greater
emphasis of ethical standards and research competence.
This research project closes with a number of direct recommendations and areas for
further inquiry. Among these, it is suggested, for example, that academics become
mindful of underestimating professional practice as doing so may perpetuate
negative images of the field. Rather, academics should be encouraged to seek out
opportunities for collaboration with practitioners. Dialogue between academics and
practitioners can enhance accurate understanding of, not only the dimensions of
practice, but also the value of academia, in the field. Via these, and the other key
lessons and recommendations, the findings and results of this research project have
dramatically furthered efforts to map the landscape of public relations in Australia.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/258928 |
| Date | January 2008 |
| Creators | Byrne, Katrana Helen, n/a |
| Publisher | University of Canberra. Professional Communication |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | ), Copyright Katrana Helen Byrne |
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