Public Relations Research Priorities International Delphi study by Dr Tom Watson, Bournemouth University, UK

Objectives New benchmarks on PR research priorities – 10 years since last study Common agenda brings academics and practitioners closer together Gives researched basis to bids for funding

Delphi study Survey method that uses “experts” Expert = oracle = Delphi Developed in 1950s by RAND Corporation in US Seeks consensus for a range of ideas Used in PR academic research since late 1970s – McElreath (1980, 1989, 1994), White & Blamphin (1994), Synnott & McKie (1997)

Why a Delphi study? Comparability and consistency “Group communication process designed to obtain a consensus of opinion from a group of experts” (Hung, Altschuld & Lee 2008, p.191). Purpose of a Delphi study is “not to discover all the answers, but to start a discussion on where a field is now and where it should be going” (Wakefield in Moss & Verčič, 2000, p.195) Appropriate to widely dispersed group of experts (Wakefield 2000)

Method Piloted topics on blog, DummySpitDummySpit Blog open to anyone Topics chosen 26 PR research topics ed to experts in six continents Similar numbers of academics, practitioners and professional bodies Invited to participate Almost equal gender balance

Process Blog pilot refined topics; added two extra Three rounds of discussion followed, each aimed at ranking topics; identifying RQs High level of participation –44 invited; 31 accepted (70.45%) –R1: 87.1% of acceptances –R2: 77.4% –R3: 51.6%

Priorities – Top 5 1 Public relations’ role in contributing to strategic decision-making, strategy development and efficient operation of organisations 2 The value that public relations creates for organisations through building social capital and managing key relationships 3 The measurement and evaluation of public relations both offline and online 4 Public relations as a fundamental management function 5 Professional skills in public relations; analysis of the industry’s need for education

Priorities Research into standards of performance among PR professionals; the licensing of practitioners 7 Management of corporate reputation; measurement of reputation 8 Ethics in public relations 9 Integration of public relations with other communication functions; the scope of public relations practice; discipline boundaries 10 Management of relationships

Priorities Understanding of public relations 12 The impact of technology on public relations practice and theory 13 The role of PR in community/social responsibility programmes 14 International issues in public relations; intercultural public relations

Comments Differences between blog and expert responses to PR research topicsblog –Impact of technology #1 on blog but #12 on Delphi study –Integration of PR #3 on blog but #9 on study Evaluation, however, #2 on blog and #3 in study Blogger interest dropped quickly – instant gratification?

Changes from earlier studies: IN Only ‘management of relationships’ is wholly new ‘Measurement and evaluation of public relations’ is highly ranked by all three at first, first and third ‘Impact of technology on public relations practice and theory’ is much lower now than a decade ago Other topics in the Top Ten from all three studies are –‘professional skills in public relations; analysis of the industry’s need for education’, –‘research into standards of performance among PR professionals’ –‘integration of public relations with other communication functions’; –‘international issues in public relations; intercultural public relations’ is at a similar lowly ranking to 1994 in the UK, although it was higher in Synnott and McKie (1997)’s international study

Changes from previous studies – OUT White and Blamphin (1994): Definition of public relations Strategic planning of public relations Image of public relations Impact of media content Gender issues in public relations practice Feature of the market for public relations practice Synnott and McKie 1997 The development of models for PR research and techniques such as news content analysis, consumer trend forecasting, issues monitoring and tracking techniques, benchmarking, continuous monitoring, frame analysis, public decision-making models, etc

Priority for evaluation Notable that measurement and evaluation, sometimes expressed as ‘proof’ or ‘value’, appears in several highly ranked topics, as well as the dedicated topic, ‘the measurement and evaluation of public relations both offline and online’

Later … Published results on blog – Second highest viewing; Series had 1500 hitsblog More study needed on use of blogs and wikis as research tools Primarily a developed world view – replicate for Africa?