2010 - Public Relations Society of America

factors that impact the development and implementation of Web-based public
relations strategies and tactics.
The findings of this study provide a glimpse into practitioner perspectives of the
role that public relations professionals play in managing Web-based public relations
initiatives, and how internal organizational factors influence externally focused Webbased
public relations efforts. The next section describes the research design.
Research Design
Perceptions of organizational factors impacting use of Kent and Taylor’s (1998,
2002) Internet principles via Web sites and new media tools were assessed via Webbased
survey research. The highly structured multipart questions were divided into 2
parts: 1) perceived ease and ability of managing Web-based initiatives, and, 2) perceived
organizational support of Web initiatives.
E-mail invitations to participate were disseminated to a purposive sample of
college and university communication professionals affiliated with the Council for
Support and Advancement of Education (CASE)―the largest professional organization
serving communications and advancement professionals at more than 3,400 colleges,
universities, independent elementary and secondary schools, and educational associates
in 61 countries around the world (retrieved May 13, 2009, from
http://www.case.org/container.cfm?CONTAINERID=40&CRUMB=2&NAVID=54).
In an effort to strategically reach communication professionals that are involved
with the management and development of the college/university Web sites and new
media tools, the invitation was sent to a convenient sample of CASE members enrolled in
the Communications Professional listserv. Although, 1,626 CASE members were
enrolled in the listserv, not all were involved in management and development of Webbased
public relations tools; 159 started the survey and 81 completed the survey (5% of
the total listserv population and 51% of those that responded). Because respondents were
provided the option to skip questions or exit the survey, response rates to individual
questions varied.
The respondents were asked what title best describes their position at the
college/university. Of the 63 participants that responded, 43% serve as directors (n = 27),
17% as managers (n = 11), 9% as executive directors (n = 6), 8% as assistant directors,
5% as vice presidents (n = 3), and 2% as technicians (n = 1). Sixteen percent of the
respondents selected “other,” and specified the following positions: Web/graphic
designer, director within a school, communications staff, new media specialist, assistant
vice president, staff writer/public relations assistant, senior director, communications
specialist, and Web content editor (n = 10).
Regarding types of colleges/universities that they serve at, of the 63 participants
that responded, nearly 29% indicated public university (n = 17), 27% private 4-year
colleges (n = 16), 20% private university (n = 12), nearly 14% public 4-year colleges (n =
8), and 10% indicated public 2-year colleges (n = 6). Nearly 7% indicated “other,” and
specified the following types of schools: independent school in New England,
independent academy, independent school, and public 4-year medical school (n = 4).
RQ1 asked whether public relations practitioners are able to effectively manage Webbased
initiatives. Recall, this question was answered by assessing practitioners’
responsibilities and the perceived levels of ease that practitioners experience managing
Web-based initiatives. The next section reports the findings.
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