International Issues in PR: Researching Research and Prioritizing Priorities

For which topic were research priorities identified?

public relations

In which location was the research priority setting conducted?

Africa; Asia; Australia

Why was it conducted at all?

Agreeing with McElreath's (1993) claims that the "body of knowledge in public relations is not static" and that "there are many more questions than answers" (p. 297). This study builds on his own earlier work to extend beyond the United States; to ask more questions and to point toward provisional answers.

What was the objective?

to establish a research agenda of priority issues for public relations practitioners internationally

What was the outcome?

a ranking list of 10 research questions

How long did the research prioritization take?

No information provided.

Which methods were used to identify research priorities?

Delphi

How were the priorities for research identified exactly?

Step 1: Delphi round 1: participants were asked to rate each research question in relation to importance and nominate any additional research issues. Step 2: Delphi round 2: list of 77 research questions, participants were asked to rank questions within the overarching 6 categories. Step 3: Delphi round 3: participants were asked to re-rank top 10 questions in the 6 categories based on round 2 rankings

Which stakeholders took part?

Public relations practitioners and academics from corporate, government, and consultancy organizations. Delphi round 1: 47 participants. Delphi round 2: 37 participants. Delphi round 3: 37 participants.

How were stakeholders recruited?

Participants were identified through professional association networks and membership lists.

Were stakeholders actively involved or did they just participate?

Stakeholders were mere participants of the research prioritization process; they were not actively involved in the process.