Week 11

Our last blog focuses on the use of research in the input, output and outcome phases of a public relations campaign or program. Research should be undertaken at all stages of a campaign including before, during and after the completion of the final stages. Hence, research should be the first and last activity in a campaign.

I think the key points to remember from this week’s readings are:
1) Research should be an ongoing activity and is essential to successful public relations endeavours, especially plans, campaigns and strategies.
2) The use of research determines whether a practitioner is acting as a professional or a technician. And essentially, its use positions public relations ‘as a purposive, goal-directed, and problem solving management function’ (Broom and Dozier 1990: 12).
3) Time, money and the availability of human resources are the main factors influencing the type and depth of the research to be undertaken. As is deciding the actual substance of the research.
4) Practitioners should be aware that there is such a thing as too much research. This will lead to wasting valuable time and money for a limited or unrequired result.
5) It is necessary to set clearly defined goals and objectives for the research to be effective.
6) In put research can show what problems or opportunities exist, what the perceptions and beliefs of the publics are, and what tools or methods of communication would be most effective in aiding the organisation to reach its objectives or goals with those publics. Therefore, input research helps with informing strategies and planning.
7) Output research looks into the delivery of messages which can help to ‘fine-tune’ the campaign as it is in progress to be able to achieve greater success with the outcomes.
8) Outcome research indicates the level of success or failure of the strategy and shows how effective the planning and communication have been. The information gathered at this stage can be valuable during the input phase of the next campaign. In order to do this to maximise its benefits, evaluation criteria must be set up at the start of the campaign.
9) Amongst all this, the public relations practitioner must determine the methodologies to be used when conducting this research. It can be formal or informal, qualitative or quantitative, and using primary or secondary research. Within all this many different techniques may be employed.
10) Formal research is characterised by scientific procedures, methodologies and analysis (Leeds, 1997:5). While informal research has no agreed rules or procedures, and is cheaper and more immediate than formal research, however, it is also highly subjective.
11) Qualitative research is interpretive and in-depth (Eliot Eisner in Leedy 1997) and is descriptive and informative. Quantitative research uses ‘verification-based methods’ (Caywood 1997:43) and is generally described as confirmatory research.
12) Research techniques vary greatly including surveys which can be conducted via mail (low response rate, hence should include an ‘incentive’); telephone (diverse range of people reachable, but requires them to be prepared to talk); face-to-face (approximately 80-85% response rate according to Babbie, 1995); and internet (speedy responses but the quality of responses are questionable).
13) Other research techniques include in-depth interviews, focus groups, ethnographic studies (observing different groups in urban, suburban or cultural settings), case studies, analysis of existing data, media monitoring, testimonials and Advertising value equivalents or AVEs (placing a value on the media coverage by calculating what the space would have cost in advertising terms).

I learnt more about public relations theory and practice in that the style of research a public relations practitioner undertakes is dependant on many things including their objectives and the environment in which the program operates. There are many different ways and methodologies to collect the data or information needed. No matter how good the research is, I think the most important thing is how you use the information you have gathered. Research can therefore be used as a tool in building and managing successful public relations activities.

This week I commented Nicole Magripilis' blog.


References
1)Chapters 6 – Research and Evaluation in Public relations: theory and practice / edited by Jane Johnston and Clara Zawawi. Crows Nest, N.S.W. Allen & Unwin, 2004. 2nd ed.