So many areas are priorities for research but I have to highlight the impact of social media and PR’s integration with other departments:

1. The measurement and evaluation of public relations, both offline and online
2. Integration of PR with other communication functions; the scope of PR practice; discipline boundaries
3. Political communication and advocacy (lobbying)
4. The expectations of users of public relations; The client: consultancy/adviser interface
5. Research into standards of performance among PR professionals; the licensing of practitioners
6. Quality of public relations services
7. The place of “word-of-mouth” and buzz marketing in public relations practice
8. Management of corporate reputation; measurement of reputation
Hope I am not too late!

Cheers,

Michael

Since September I have been studying for the MSc in public relations at Stirling University and I would like to say that I am very pleased to see someone carrying out such extensive research as I have realised that there is a severe lack of it being carried out in certain areas.

The two areas I am most interested in are detailed below.

In my opinion more research must be done with regards to the influence of technology on PR practice and whether or not students should still be taught the traditional theories.

Secondly, I believe that more research has to be conducted regarding PR education. I am a firm believer in all education and I think that in order for the industry to be taken seriously as a profession then eductaion should be taken more seriously. One of my class mates has recently had a very bad experience at an interview for one of the top consuiltancies, the recruitment agency basically rubbished his Masters degree and said that they wouldn’t recruit people with such an eductaional background. This cannot be good for the industry and its future.

Good luck with your research.

Deborah

I hope I don’t show myself as hopelessly out of touch after being focused on my own special topic for so long, but here are my ten (without cheating and seeing what others have written!)in no particular order of ranking:

Strategic planning of public relations programmes;
Quality of public relations services;
The measurement and evaluation of public relations, both offline and online;
Client understanding of public relations strategy and tactics;
Management of relationships – stakeholder appraoches, negotiation and conflict resolution;
The impact of technology on public relations practice and theory;
The expectations of users of public relatons – the client, consultancy/adviser interface;
The place of word-of-mouth and buzz marketing in public relations practice;
Crisis management and communications , issues management;
Political communication and advocacy (lobbying).

I would not be as proscriptive as Jon. I think we will need to identify the nature and elements of relationships in changing values and the values associated with developing relationships.

The answers to these two subjects offers fundemental insights into all the others.

coming from India where we’re witnessing a boom, i’d look for results on the following:

#1 – Professional skills in PR; Analysis of the industry’s need for education (ESPECIALLY COZ WE’RE FACING A HUGE TALENT CRUNCH!)

- Client understanding of public relations strategy and tactics
- Strategic planning of public relations programmes
- Integration of PR with other communication functions;
- The measurement and evaluation of public relations, both offline and online
- Research into standards of performance among PR professionals; the licensing of practitioners
- Management of relationships; stakeholder approaches; negotiation and conflict resolution
- The impact of technology on public relations practice and theory
- Ethics in public relations
- Management of corporate reputation; measurement of reputation
- Political communication and advocacy (lobbying)

Cheers,
Christopher

Sorry I’ve taken awhile to answer this, but really want to help you out if possible. So here goes–my 10 choices from your list, in rank order to what I feel are the most important:
1. Quality of public relations services
2. The measurement and evaluation of PR, both offline and online (and particularly online)
3. International issues in PR (of course)
4. The impact of technology
5. Client (including internal organisational management) understanding of PR practices
6. Integration of PR with other communication (and other organisational)functions (I think encroachment is an increasingly major problem for the PR field, and we have no one to blame but ourselves)
7. The role of PR in community/social responsibility programmes
8. The ethics of PR
9. Management of corporate reputation
10. Crisis/issues management

Hope these help, Tom! This is good work you’re doing. Please keep it up.

Rob

From my daily browse of ukpress.org, where account execs, freelancers et al ping out their cries for help, I am amazed at the incredible lack of knowledge from individuals who have clearly won the confidence of their clients – somehow! So: quality of public relations services and research into standards of performance across PR professionals: the licensing of practitioners would get my vote.

Flora

The impact of technology on public relations practice and theory