Week 4 Readings- PR Research

Reading- Public Relations Research

This chapter explains the importance of PR research to ensure the effectiveness of PR practices. Research in itself is a large component and may exhaust many resources such as budget and time. Hence there is a tendency for PR practitioners to overlook research and jump straight into the actual practices. We shall evaluate the importance and also understand the limitations of research.

In the reading, conducting research ensures that sufficient information is retrieved to help in the planning, implementation and evaluation processes. Furthermore, it creates a better understanding of the issues involved and also helps to monitor if the result matches the desired outcome. This is particularly important as research will act as a good checkpoint for PR practices. A stop-check-evaluate act serves well in ensuring that the PR practice do not deviate too much and stays on track. Research also helps in PR practitioners to be well informed of the context and issues they base their practices on. This gives the practitioners confidence to carry out their planned actions and ensure effective PR. Only with sufficient knowledge will practitioners follow through their programmes without much glitch or hiccups.

Conversely, the main issues that lie with PR research are insufficient budgets and sampling size. As stated in the reading, there is sometimes pressure to spend the money on programme activities rather than research. This is true as research generally takes up a large chunk of our allocated timeline. Hence there is a tendency for practitioners to rush into action without proper planning and research. However such a scenario may worsen the situation if the PR practices results in a far from desired outcome. I personally feel that sufficient time, money and other resources should be consciously set aside for PR practices.

The other issue is the sampling size of the research. I believe this varies from one programme to another. It depends largely on the market condition and the targeted audience that the PR practitioners want to reach out to. To save time and money, the sample size and population should be well mapped out before conducting the research. It is usually said that a specific target audience and minimal but sufficient sampling size will help to save the cost of the survey done. All in all, research remains an important component for effective PR and practitioners should discover ways to overcomes its limitations and constraints.

-Andy