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ather than rank in order of perceived importance.
In so doing, a ranking of the results
will surface through participants’ answers.
From the survey, it is clear that rhetorical
approaches to public relations are still regarded
highly in the research agenda.
Ethics in PR practice
This is considered to be the most important
subject for research. In the words of an academic,
‘Ethics underpins the practice being
implemented, which in turn, has repercussions
for other concerns in PR such as professional
skills levels, the image of PR and gender
issues.’ In support of this statement, a practitioner
working in public affairs observed how
ethics are ‘key to the development of business
without slurs of sleaze . . . key to how politicians
and officials act on most issues . . . key
to running a successful and profitable business
– or it all falls apart!’ Emerging areas for
research in ethics and public relations are: the
effects of corporate governance and corporate
social responsibility, as their enforcement has
many implications for public relations practice
worldwide.
Professional skills in public relations
This is the second most important topic
since the skills that are required to manage
public relations are undergoing constant and
dramatic change. The growth of the worldwide
web and the effects of a globalized economy
have resulted in new communication
channels, target groups and techniques. PR
professionals have to meet up with these
challenges if they are to remain competitive,
especially since management consultancies,
law practices and accountancy firms have
begun to wander into the territory of traditional
public relations by offering auditing
services in management areas such as organizational
change management and risk issues
management (Roberts, 2000). Again, the
overwhelming response from participants is
that public relations is recognized as a management
function, but it now remains for
public relations to carve a more tangible role
for itself within its managerial function.
The image of public relations
For this subject, comments centred on the
negative connotations of ‘PR’. An academic
reported that it ‘is a particularly worrying area
as business/public perception has been damaged
by the spin vs. substance debate’.
Concern is not unfounded and it has been
suggested that the best way forward would be
to research into the professionalization of
public relations practice as improving standards
in the quality of service delivery and
practitioner development would increase the
credibility of public relations.
An educator commented, ‘In thirty-five
years, I have always heard the same complaint:
Public Relations has to work on its own
public relations.’ Indeed, the poor reputation
of reputation managers is an ironic note that
demands further study.
The impact of media content
In the White and Blamphin’s study, the main
area for research into this topic was in the
impact of specific media content, such as the
effects of documentaries on public opinion;
and there was the call for a summary of the
relevant research findings.
© 2004 Sandra Oliver for editorial matter and selection;
individual chapters, the contributors