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Public Relations Dissertation Topics (26 Examples) For Research

Mark Aug 15, 2021 Aug 16, 2021 Public Relations No Comments

Public relation is a practice of deliberately managing the spread of information between the organization and the public. The ability of a company to relate to the public has an impact on its reputation and position. We have listed down some of the most impressive public relations dissertation topics that you can practice on. The […]

Public relation is a practice of deliberately managing the spread of information between the organization and the public. The ability of a company to relate to the public has an impact on its reputation and position. We have listed down some of the most impressive public relations dissertation topics that you can practice on.

A list Of Public Relations Dissertation Topics

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119 Public Relations Topics

If you are writing a paper on public relations, you will need to explore the dynamic world of communication, reputation management, and strategic messaging. On this page, we’ve gathered an outstanding compilation of public relations topics that you can use for an essay, research paper, or project. With the help of our PR topics, you could reveal how public relations shape the perception of organizations in the public eye.

🏆 Best Public Relations Essay Topics

• 📰 Interesting Public Relation Topics

🎓 Catchy PR Topics

💡 simple public relations research topics, ❓ questions for a public relations research.

• Public Relations Theories and Models
• Public Relations, Marketing, and Advertising
• Public Relations in the Hair and Beauty Sector
• Coca-Cola Light: Public Relations and Marketing
• Lululemon Athletica Company’s Public Relations
• The Art of Persuasion and Public Relations
• Alibaba Group’s Public Relations and Responsibility

📰 10 Interesting Public Relation Topics

• Role of Women in Public Relations Public relations attract a significant number of women since it is necessary for specialists to work well in teams and empathize with and listen to their clients.
• Effective Public Relations in the Fashion Industry The influence of public relations on other aspects of marketing, as well as on the perception and attitude of potential buyers to the promoted product.
• What Is the Role of Rhetoric in Public Relations Practice? In public relations, rhetoric helps PR managers and administrators to appeal to the emotions of the target audience and their internal feelings.
• Role of Public Relations Staff in a Sports Organization This paper highlights this very function and role of a PR staff in managing a crisis in a sports organization through his skills in effective communication and modern media management.
• Optus Company: Organizational Public Relations Problem This report presents an analysis of the organizational PR problem of the company “Optus” based on media articles that followed particular “crisis” situations providing recommendations on managing those issues.
• What Is Public Relations? As a PR professional, I expect to play an active role in monitoring public opinion over specific issues that affect the organization or client that I represent.
• ABC Company’s Public Relations: Strategic Plan The strategic public relations plan seeks to help ABC Company to develop a close relationship with various strategic stakeholders.
• Public Relations: Preparing for a Job Preparing for a job in public relations requires developing and mastering skills related to public relations. In particular, soft skills present one of the top requirements.
• Commercial Law: Sprod v Public Relations Oriented Security In Sprod v Public Relations Oriented Security, the plaintiff was found lying in a pool of blood at the northern side of the Great Western Highway at St Marys.
• The 2008 Beijing Olympics: Public Relations Issues Advertisement China did during and at the close of the Olympics was a life-changing that was able to convince the entire world that things were not as earlier thought.
• Public Relations Campaign A public relations campaign’s objectives, target audience, organization’s goals, and required communication medium must all be defined in a complete Media Plan.
• Corporate Communications and Public Relations Corporate communications involve both internal and external information that the company’s management addresses to its employees, target audiences, and partners.
• Public Relations from Religious Perspective The field of public relations is an excellent illustration of how utilizing your faith to direct your professional actions may produce more moral and useful outcomes.
• Emerging Technologies in Public Relations The work reveals that PR experts are presently utilizing emerging technologies to complete their research works successfully and maximize productivity.
• Race and Gender in Public Relations The project evaluates the role of gender and race diversity in the field of public relations by exploring the experience of women and black people in building their careers.
• Alcohol and Drug Foundation’s Public Relations The campaign conducted by Alcohol and Drug Foundation is a vivid example of how the theories and practices of PR can help alter people’s behavior.
• Measuring Public Relations and Advertising Efforts Advertising programs should be measured primarily by the organization’s internal experts. It is because “advertising is one of the main ways companies generate business”.
• Cyber and Public Relations in an Organization The paper states that public relations professionals are essential to an organization. Modern technology has introduced digital corporate PR.
• Public Relations in Organizations: Article Response Communication affects all aspects of an organization including management, public relations, marketing and political communication, technical communication.
• Sea Shepherd: Public Relations Proposal The proposal suggests the alternatives the Sea Shepherd organization can adopt in responding to future accusations or when effectively wants to communicate to its publics.
• Larry Summers’s Public Relations Advisor: Case Study This paper will analyze and discuss the final decision on whether to fire or hire Summers, which rests with the Harvard Board.
• DM Public Relations’ Business Proposal to Agency-net DM Public Relations will assist Agency-net in emphasizing the Strategic Thinking Process. This is not the same as strategic planning.
• Race and Gender in Public Relations Field This capstone paper examines the impact of race and gender diversity on building careers in the sphere of public relations.
• Healthcare Marketing and Public Relations This paper discusses the marketing strategy of health care, including dealing with the negative reviews and managing long-term mutually beneficial relations.
• Chess Girls DC Organization’s Public Relations The key challenge encountered by Chess Girls DC is the lack of constant funding that creates a shortage of coaches and equipment for appropriate training.
• Hospital’s Image Recovery and Public Relations In the long-term perspective, it will be significant to concentrate on the employees’ performance and the conditions to recreate the image of the hospital.
• Public Relations and Photography Public relations are usually related to broadcasting, publicizing, photography, and promoting. The experts require time and talent to advance relations with mass media.
• The Public Relations Practices of Tesla Motors
• Public Relations and Other Corporate Functions
• The Public Relations Industry
• Science, Technology, and Public Relations
• Public Relations Ethics Code Ethical
• Southeast Asia Tourism and Public Relations Problems
• New Media and Public Relations Practice
• Health Care Public Relations
• Public Relations Professionals Are Strategic Communicators
• Difference Between Marketing and Public Relations
• Hypothetical Public Relations Campaign
• Education and Public Relations Within the United States
• Big Business Affects Public Relations Ethics
• Global Public Relations and Multicultural World
• The Public Relations Firm of the Lake Anna Nuclear Power Plant
• Grunig and Hunt’s Four Models of Public Relations
• DIX and Eaton Public Relations Firm
• Toyota Solara Public Relations Plan
• Relationship Between Politics and Public Relations
• The Burson-marsteller Public Relations Scandal
• Public Relations and Relationship Marketing
• The Subjectivity and Objectivity of Public Relations
• Crisis Management and Public Relations Strategies
• Public Relations and University Entrepreneurship
• The Role and Importance of Public Relations at Non-Governmental Organizations
• Global Public Relations Trends
• The Many Different Functions in the Field of Public Relations
• Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations
• Advertising and Public Relations in America
• Effective Internal Public Relations
• The Role and Importance of Public Relations in the University Environment
• Journalism, Advertising, and Public Relations
• The Relationship Between Public Relations Professionals and Journalism
• The Differences Between Public Relations and Marketing
• Understanding the Activities, Methods, and Importance of Public Relations
• The Role and Importance of Public Relations in a Company
• Successful and Unsuccessful Spin Doctoring Case in Public Relations
• Toyota’s Accelerator and Public Relations Crisis
• Propaganda and the Public Relations Industry
• Internal Public Relations Action Plan
• Public Relations Between Healthcare Organization Crisis
• Advertising and Public Relations in the United States
• Public Relations and the European Constitution for Greece
• Historical and Contemporary Figures in Public Relations
• Public Relations and Professionalism
• Internal Public Relations Action Plan at Burt’s Bees Inc.
• Effective Public Relations for Your Business World
• Social Media and Public Relations
• Science and Public Relations
• Public Relations Contemporary Approaches
• Connection Between Public Relations and Public Option
• International and Intercultural Public Relations
• The Demand for Public Relations Specialists
• Public Relations Campaign for New York Animal Rescue Shelter
• The Societal and Organizational Functions of Public Relations
• Public Relations and Organizational Listening
• Skills Needed for the Public Relations Profession
• Transmedia Marketing and Re-invention of Public Relations
• The Public Relations Practitioner as Cultural Intermediary
• Media and Public Relations Campaigns
• Why Public Relations Professionals Should Use Facebook?
• What Are the Common Tools of Public Relations?
• What Models of Public Relations and Communication Are There?
• What Are Postmodern Values in Public Relations?
• What Guidelines for Measuring Relationships in Public Relations Are There?
• What Are the Definition, Dimensions, and Domain of Public Relations?
• What Is the Relationship Between Culture and Public Relations?
• How Do Diversity Issues Influence Public Relations?
• Is Using Social Media “Good” for the Public Relations Profession?
• How Did the Evolution of the Manager Role in Public Relations Practice Go?
• What Does Excellence Theory in Public Relations Mean?
• What Is the Organization of the Public Relations Function?
• What Are Perceptions of Public Relations Education?
• What Are Critical Perspectives on Public Relations?
• How Feminist Values Are Changing Public Relations?
• What Are the Differences Between Public Relations and Corporate Social Responsibility?
• What Is the Effect of Worldviews on Public Relations Theory and Practice?
• What Is the Paradigm Struggle in Public Relations?
• What Is the Role of Theory in Public Relations?
• How Public Relations Practitioners Actually Are Using Social Media?
• What Are the Ethical Obligations of Public Relations?
• What Is the Key to Successful Public Relations and Corporate Communication?
• What Cultural Values Influence American Public Relations Practitioners?
• Why Civil Society Is Considered as a Rhetorical Public Relations Process?
• What the Public Thinks About Public Relations?

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StudyCorgi . 2022. "119 Public Relations Topics." March 1, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/public-relations-essay-topics/.

These essay examples and topics on Public Relations were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on June 24, 2024 .

144 Public Relations Essay Topics & Examples

Looking for inspiring public relations topics? This field is really worth exploring!

• 🔝 Top 10 PR Topics
• 🏆 Best PR Essay Examples
• 🕵 Current PR Topics to Research

👍 Interesting PR Topics to Write About

• 🔥 Hot PR Assignment Topics
• 🎓 Controversial PR Research Topics

❓ Public Relations Discussion Questions

In your public relations essay, you might want to focus on mass communication or media relations. Corporate PR is another current public relations assignment topic. In this article, we’ve gathered hot PR topics that will be suitable for essays, research papers, presentations, theses, and other projects. A collection of public relations essay examples is a nice bonus!

🔝 Top 10 Public Relations Topics

• Public relations in business
• History of public relations
• Crisis management in political public relations
• Public relations in non-governmental field
• Ethical issues of public relations
• Public relations and advertising: compare and contrast
• Social media marketing as one of the key PR tactics
• Audience targeting as a PR technique
• Public relations campaign: the main stages
• Classification of the publics in PR

🏆 Best Public Relations Essay Examples

• The Coca Cola Public Relations: PR Strategy and Examples — Case Study Example The Coca Cola Company is an international firm based in the United States and is one of the leading manufacturers of soft drinks and other related products.
• Discussion on Grunig and Hunt’s Public Relations Model In regard to this model, Grunig and Hunt propose that communication is two-way between the organization and the public. In these models, the writers present communication to the public and the organization and therefore the […]
• Four Models of Public Relations So, the use of the press agentry model can be considered the most harmful when applied with the purpose of gaining money whereas the application of a two-way symmetric model is considered to be the […]
• Public Relations and its importance in Modern Society Public relations is the procedure of checking the flow of information between an institution and its community. This became a success and thus led to creation of awareness to the Americans of the influence that […]
• The Coca-Cola Company’s Public Relations The Coca-Cola Company uses paid, earned, shared, and owned media to advertise its products to its customers to increase its sales.
• Model of Excellence Theory in Public Relations Department For the public relations department, establishing good relationship with the clients and people associated with the company is most important and more important is the way to retain this relationship.
• Public Relations and Their Functions One of the common scenarios with organizations is the characteristic of any organization trying to influence the general public hence the public relations initiatives help the organization to develop a good understanding of the organization […]
• Toyota Company’s Public Relations and Marketing The recall crisis has led to the development of a negative perception and public image of Toyota Company. The internal society within the Toyota Company forms the first and most important stakeholders in this campaign.
• McDonalds-Public Relations Practice in Global Contexts Like other retail organizations, McDonald’s believed that they have a social and moral responsibility for the people around the world to produce a positive impact to the stakeholders although the bottom line is the concern […]
• Effects of Public Relations in the United Arab Emirates Arguments made in the essay will support the premise that public relations are equally important in the strategic positioning of countries on both the global and regional levels.
• Burke’s Pentad: Public Relations, Social Theory, and Rhetoric On the example of one of Jeff Wall’s photographs, it is illustrated how the motivation of an actor in this paradigm can be described in different ways in terms of the viewer’s focus.
• Fire and emergency public relations management The video publications are significant in the provision of information to the public and employees as well as educating the fire service employees on issues concerning fire and emergency management.
• Public Relations However, it is important to understand that balancing the company’s need and those of the customer is a crucial step, and any strategy used by the company in the marketing process must be guided by […]
• Public Relations in Healthcare and Their Features Practically, healthcare PR has many objectives, the most vital of which are the improvement of the quality of care, the establishment of a good reputation, and the reduction of cost of care.
• Public Relations Campaign To understand the problem at hand, it is important to give a brief overview of the project and the need to launch the campaign.
• Public Relations Strategies and Tactics The process of communication involves the sender encoding the message and sending it through a medium to the receiver, who is required to decode the message. The practitioners in this case are the senders of […]
• Rex Harlow as a Historical Figure in Public Relations Rex Harlow is considered one of the most influential pioneers in the history of public relations. Harlow’s involvement in the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce and experience in publication provoked a public relations interest.
• “Public Relations – Strategies and Tactics” by Wilcox A public relations practitioner of a company is supposed to identify the strategy with whom the company should have relationships. The department of public relations should assure the clients that Evergreen flooring system is committed […]
• Advertising, Publicity, and Public Relations Publicity is the act of drawing the attention of the media in order to improve the visibility of a brand, product or a company in the public. Second, publicity is cost-effective and provides a lot […]
• Public relations and sales promotion It will analyze them based on the regularity of the chosen strategy, the target audience which covers the customers, the potential customers and the community and also PR and its impact.
• Public Relations Strategy and Campaigns The main aim of the strategy is to build a viable relationship between a company and its target audience. The main goal of the strategy was to increase the sales of soda globally.

🕵 Current Public Relations Topics to Research

• Public Relations Practice Improvement by Public Opinion In order to understand how this happens, it is necessary to define a public opinion, examine its connections to public relations, describe what improvements in public relations mean, and explain the ways in which understanding […]
• How Does Internal Public Relations Impact the Employee Productivity and Loyalty in Saudi Arabia? This study therefore intends to synthesize the issue of internal public relations and how it impacts the productivity and loyalty of employees in Saudi Arabia.
• Public Relations and Crisis Management Link The significance of developing a CMP lies in the fact that it aids in the process of collecting the necessary information to deal with the crisis.
• Public Relations in Not-For-Profit Organisations In the context of non-profit organisations, PR departments can be viewed as semi-autonomous systems that can make their independent decisions with regard to the type of information that should be shared with the public. It […]
• The Airbnb Firm’s New Public Relations Campaign As a result of this, the company is available in a majority of the countries in the world, which gives it an advantage over local entities.
• Public Relations Issues in the Music Industry TikTok is at the top of the funnel, and the issue with content-based marketing is that it diverts attention from the artists and interaction with their profiles.
• Henry Booth House’s Marketing and Public Relations The identified elements of a well-developed marketing and public relations plan are consistent with the current trends in business and marketing.
• Public Relations Campaign for Hewlett-Packard’s Recycling Program in Britain Part of the activities of this program is the sensitization of consumers on e-waste and the recycling of computers and their components.
• Public Relations Plan and Implementation Strategies The goal of the training will be to ensure the team develops the confidence to sell the brand to the consumers.
• Zappos Corporation Public Relations Zappos is one of the corporations that have handled the issue of public relations well in the past. Being a company that was in the limelight, it needed a way to give back to the […]
• Framing: Social Media and Public Relations Notably, the media echoed the impact of the government’s behavior on increasing students’ tuition fees, citing that it would limit the students’ ability to pay the debts amidst the prevailing economic problems.
• Walmart: New Perspectives on International Public Relations Walmart is one of the largest multinational corporations, which uses its public relations in order to establish its brand and influence public opinion regarding the company.
• Careers in Marketing, Branding & Public Relations Among the competencies of marketing, a specialist is the way of presentation of the product, the methods of informing the target audience about it, and collecting and analyzing the data for evaluating the success of […]
• Public Relations Plan: Toyota In particular, the most significant among the dilemmas that have currently emerged around Toyota is in serious allegations on the level of quality of automobiles, produced by the company.
• Chemco Crisis Resolution and Public Relations In the real estate case mentioned in the case study, it is fundamental to note that the real estate company is in a crisis hence the need to resolve the conflict.
• Public Relations Representative Possible Strategies If Erickson decides to come to the governor, he will have to announce a request to stop the fertilizer production in order to clarify the circumstances and to address problem-solving methods.
• Public Relations Agencies in Business Development As for the opinions of the heavyweight people and organizations on the agency, they seem to be undivided, and this is a result of the hard work of public relations specialists from Iris PR.
• Ethics in Public Relations in Three Big Companies Lastly, Facebook claims it enlisted the help of the PR company to verify people’s negative attitudes towards the inclusion of their Facebook data in Google’s Social Circles.
• Public Relations: The Four Models This is because the three models involve use of a reciprocal communication method that enables corporations to understand the public’s worries while enabling the public to appreciate the firm as a well meaning entity.
• Public Relations Campaign Harbour Town Rural Council Green Gift group; why are the locals against or in support of the plan; what are the issues in conflict between the locals and the council, the green Gift and the council, the locals and […]
• The Role of Journalists and Public Relations Professionals in Information Sphere Hurst et al noted that journalists are usually concerned with the interests of the public and that they use the media to communicate to the public but for the public relation officers they usually release […]
• Public Relations. Press Release of J.Sanisbury It is precisely for gaining a larger market share and serving more customers, that JS has launched its money-saving and discount voucher schemes, off the counter to add value to client purchases and offer a […]
• Public Relations Law in Australia Defamation cases in Australia are said to be too expensive in terms of time, reputation and money. Defamation cases in Australia are said to be too expensive in terms of time, reputation and money.
• Public Relations and Integrated Marketing Communications in Organization Under the globalization regime, with the availability of a wide variety of tools for marketing communication to cater to a diverse target segment located in geographically diverse regions across the globe, an integrated approach is […]
• What the Public Thinks About Public Relations? Public relations is one of the marketing communications disciplines, best thought of as an arsenal of weapons employed to induce adoption of an advocacy position, trial or purchase of a product or service, and assent […]
• Public Relations Efforts Evaluation Taking into account the objectives of the rideshare week, it is necessary to emphasize, that the increase of participants may be defined either using the registration data of Ohio Rideshare, or arranging surveys and questionnaires […]
• Public Relations: a Method to Organize and Boost Sales In any business situation, the public relations role is to harmonize the internal and external workings of an organization. To enhance the corporate image of the organization and boost the sales of the products and […]
• Aramco Company’s Public Relations Department Considering this, the establishment of a public relations department in Aramco is important, and the present report aims to demonstrate why the launch of such a unit can provide the company with advantages in dealing […]
• Public Relations and Sponsorships: Emirates Airlines and the NFL in 2020 Super Bowl Super Bowl is often held in the first week of February and it involves the winners of the National and American Football Conferences.
• Obesity: Public Relations Campaign It will aid in educating youths about the dangers of childhood obesity and the factors that expose them to the condition.
• Australian Volunteers International: Public Relations The intention of this proposal is to endorse a conservation volunteer campaign that is aimed at reducing the pollution levels in China, which is among the countries that have high levels of environmental degradation in […]
• Public Relations Plan Implementation The interview is to be properly developed, the questions are to be directed at understanding why people still refuse to use the services of the company and to buy their products rather than search for […]
• Sunrise Ltd.’s Public Relations Management In the aspect of the power of buyers, it is clear that Sunrise Ltd.is under threat, considering the value of the houses that are traded to the real estate clients.
• Canadian Public Relations and Management Functions The functions within this specific field of study can make or break a particular person or corporation since it has been noted that the perception of the general public towards a particular entity can result […]
• Public Relations in Canada and the United States Practicing public relations in Canada and the United States has both differences and similarities in terms of educational orientation, required skills, and constructs involved in communication and public relations integration.
• Augmented Reality in Public Relations Domain The rationale behind this suggestion has to do with the fact that the integration of AR into the very philosophy of PR is fully consistent with the most fundamental principles of the human brain’s functioning.
• Public Relations: Ethics, Technology, Communication The study addresses the problem of ethics in public relations by proving that it is a global issue and is implemented worldwide.
• Public Relations and Marketing History: The Stages of Development and Progress It is reasonable to review the literature on this subject matter to get a better understanding of the stages of development and progress that was shown over the years.
• Press Secretary Profession in Public Relations This study aims to research the history of the public relations industry and to examine the effects of government regulations, the internet, and the international community on the industry.
• The Online Public Relations Concept Organizational transparency can be measured by identifying the degree to which it shares the information and to which it allows contact with people who can provide this information.
• E-Newsletters: Online Public Relations Further, the emergence of the internet has provided a wide variety of approaches that organizations can use to reach their customers and potential users of their products in the market.
• Job Advert for a Public Relations Manager This paper, therefore, addresses the implications of the operational gap and provides a memo to a hiring manager to solve the issue.

🔥 Hot Public Relations Assignment Topics

• Excellent Public Relations: Organizational Factors The chapter supports the view that PR is not only to be appreciated and valued by the C-suite but the representatives of PR departments should also be present in the dominant coalition.
• Public Relations: Media Tools and Communication Technology The central goal of transparency is it to ensure that all the critical information about the company is available to consumers, and it helps to increase the level of trust.
• Etisalat’s Entrepreneurial Decisions and Public Relations The full title of the company is Emirates Telecommunications Corporation, its headquarters are situated in the UAE, and, at the moment, it appears to provide more than a half of all the telecommunication, mobile, and […]
• Wind Future Company’s Public Relations Plan In support of Windy City Council marketing objectives and community relations, the following objectives of its PR plans are: To increase the council’s recognition and credibility.
• Photography Company’s Public Relations Campaign The accomplishment of each aim will be performed following the specificity of the targeted audience that is supposed to be composed of the middle-class population of the Seattle Area. In the meantime, they expect that […]
• Public Relations and Cultural Intermediation The significance of PR studies as such is both theoretical and practical; as for the narrow topic of the study, the primary importance of recognising PR as a cultural mediator, in the view of Edwards, […]
• Effective Writing Skills in Public Relations Writing Same as writing style, the length of a public relations writing is determined by the nature of the message in terms of content, and the need for an in-depth explanation.
• Public Relations in the United Arab Emirates The Middle East Public Relations Association is a not-for-profit establishment with the sole prerogative of securing the welfares of the public relations industry in the region.
• Public Relations: Omnicom Group Website Analysis It is also involved in the control of the flow of information from the client to the media or the public.
• Breast Cancer Public Relations Campaign Audiences It is clear that the breast cancer campaign will target at women in their 30-40s as this is one of the most vulnerable categories of women as they often pay little attention to the […]
• Apple and Samsung Companies Virtual Public Relations According to Gregory, a website is like an ambassador of the firm to the world, and the impression it gives will be assumed to be the real image of the firm it represents.
• Public Relations and the Big Brother Legislation The current developments in technology that have warranted the development of the internet has reduced the amount of money invested in communication as well as increased the number of people that are communicated to and […]
• Solving Ethical Dilemmas in Public Relations In the case study, the main problem arises from the client’s deceit concerning the independent nature of the scientist testing the products in a bid to ensure a favorable public image of the products to […]
• Strategic Communication in Public Relations Slogans, staged events, and being the first to reach the public and using a sustained approach to saturate the public with campaign messages are old tricks that have passed on from the informal forms of […]
• Public Relations and Customer Loyalty When a firm has a strong brand image in the market, the perception of the public would always be influenced positively towards the firm, and this will increase loyalty of the customers towards the firm.
• Importance of Public Relations and Relationship Marketing The study also intends to incorporate relationship marketing theory to further the understanding of how the organization can manage to achieve the desired goal in a manner that would be convincing to all the stakeholders […]
• Public Relations Theory And Campaign These tools assist in conveying a message to the public, and in return, the public begin to act according to the influence of the communication.
• A Public Relations Campaign Plan In the USA, for example, there have been complaints regarding increased healthcare costs, a lack of stringent rules to guide people, especially the young, on proper usage of prescribed drugs, inability to take care of […]
• Effectiveness of Public Relations & Relationship Marketing to the Successful Promotion of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games To conclude, it is evident from the assessment that public relations and relationship marketing are effective to the successful promotion of international events.
• The Effectiveness of Public Relations and Relationship Marketing to the Successful Promotion of Winbeldon Championships This is referred to as the relationship marketing and is aimed at achieving the objective of creating customer loyalty for products offered by the company, interaction between the company and the market it serves, and […]
• Public Relations and Relationship Marketing in Business Organisations One of the factors behind this dynamism is the change in the means of communication, the rate of dissemination of information and the advancement of technology.

🎓 Controversial Public Relations Research Topics

• Essential Foundations of the Public Relations According to Curtin and Gaither, there exists four main criticisms of the paradigm of the public relations: “the definition of public relations as a management function; the reliance on functional, transmission models of communication; the […]
• Public Relations Campaign Strategy: Newlandia Education Foundation The aim of communication campaign among people in these regions will be to enhance public awareness of NEF activities, increase public participation in activities of NEF, outline the various ways donations and support for NEF […]
• Propaganda, Persuasion and Public Relations For example in the case of the Australia’s cancellation of the Fuel Watch program Senator Xenaphon utilized propaganda stating that Fuel Watch was not an effective means of helping consumers stating the need to tackle […]
• Strategic Planning for Public Relations BP oil’s public relations team had to work round the clock to disseminate information, answer questions and win the hearts and minds of the people closest to the site of the accident.
• Public Relations Plan – New Startup Company The revitalization of the image of the company will be helpful in attracting customers and improving the performance of the company. The chief objective of the company is to restore the image of the company […]
• 2011 NBA Lockout: Public Relations Failure The NBA strike began on the 1st of July, 2011 and is still in effect until the time when the NBA owners and the National Basketball Players Association will make a deal.
• The Effectiveness of Public Relations and Relationship Marketing to the Successful Promotion of an International Event Due to the size and the caliber of the fair, the event attracts world renowned media houses such as BBC, The Telegraph, The Times, among others.
• Regent College Public Relations This includes the definition of the problem, the definition of the audience, identification of the communication avenues and finally employing the best tactics and strategies to ensure that the project is successful.
• Public Relations and Ethical Decisions Basing the discussion on the fact that public relations and ethics include “the client good that is served by professionals public relations, and the principle ordering the theoretical ground of public relations the public pledge […]
• The Effectiveness of Public Relations and Relationship Marketing Unlike the firms in the industries that deal with tangible goods, the firms in the service industry highly depend on their relationships with the customers in order to survive in the market.
• Public Relations and Relationship Marketing The organizers of the 2011 Mobile Research conference should consider using public relations and relationship marketing in order to ensure that the event promotion is successful.
• Impact of Social Media on Public Relations Practice Many organizations in the modern world have employed PR personnel to improve the company image and products to the public in a bid to improve the reputation and performance of the firm.
• Social Media and Public Relations In addition, Wikipedia has streamlined the process of information delivery on the internet because it allows individuals to add or delete unwanted information. The media has been accused of bias in almost every instance it […]
• Career Path Paper in Public Relations For an individual to successfully acquire a job opportunity in the field of public relation, the specifications depend on the level of the job.
• The History of Public Relations The intention of these drives was to cultivate a favourable image in the eyes of the public and especially to the consumers and to the society in general.
• Public Relations Plan for Regent’s College In Regent’s College case, the primary objective is to increase the visibility of the school to the public, as well as raise the profile of the institute.
• Integrating Public Relations in Market Communication The objective of the public relations campaign was to communicate the value of Dawn to the customers as being a strong dishwasher.
• What Kinds of Objectives Can Be Accomplished Through Public Relations Research?
• What Are the Practical, Ethical, and Legal Implications of Astroturfing for Public Relations Practitioners Under Current Australian Law?
• What Are the Standard Tools of Public Relations?
• What Is Secondary Research in Public Relations?
• How Can the Dairy Farmers Use Public Relations Coursework?
• How Has the Public Relations Changed Over the Past Decade?
• Is Public Relations More Important than Marketing?
• What Are the Weakness of Public Relations?
• What Are the Types of Public Relations?
• What Is the Main Aim of Public Relations?
• What Are Public Relations Doing in a ‘Place’ Like Place Marketing?
• Why Should Public Relations Professionals Use Facebook?
• What Are Public Relations Research and Evaluation?
• Public Relations: What Does This Job Entail?
• How Do Luxury Fashion Brands Centralize Public Relations?
• How Companies Use Public Relations to Launch New Products and Lessen the Effects of a Crisis?
• What Is the Difference between Marketing and PR?
• What Does a Career in Public Relations Look Like?
• What Comes First Marketing or PR?
• What Is the Difference between Journalism and Public Relations?
• How Psychoanalysis Changed Society With Consumerism and Public Relations?
• Did the Board Cover Any Guidelines Be a Public Relations Policy?
• How Do Public Relations Programs Work?
• What Are the Functions of Public Relations?
• What Are the Three Dominant Approaches in Public Relations Research?
• What Is Research in Public Relations and Advertising?
• Why Honesty and Ethics Are Crucial for Public Relations?
• How Can Teachers Motivate Students to Study Theoretical Modules in Public Relations?
• How Can Public Relations Communications Theory Help Us Understand the Role of New Media?
• How Gender Issues Affect Income in Public Relations?
• Broadcasting Paper Topics
• Communication Research Ideas
• Corporate Communication Questions
• Bureaucracy Paper Topics
• Crisis Communication Essay Ideas
• Dispute Resolution Questions
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• Chicago (A-D)
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Public Relations Dissertation Topics

Pr and social media dissertation topics, public relations in practice, future of public relations.

The public relations have moved their focus from traditional media such as print and radio to online, and especially to social media platforms from Facebook and Twitter to the latest favourite, Instagram. The key reason for this shift is the exponential rise in the consumption of social media by people. This section explores how the PR landscape is changing as a result of this and how it needs to adapt in order to become influential on these social media platforms.

• To study the changes in public relations campaigns on social media as compared to traditional media.
• To analyse the key factors for evaluating campaign success of online Public Relations on Instagram and Facebook.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of influencers as a public relations tool on social media platforms.
• A case study to evaluate how influencers built their own brand using social media as a PR tool.
• To decipher the ROI for social media PR campaigns.
• To determine the marketing and PR skills required by the new professionals in conducting successful PR campaign using social media.
• To derive key determinants of crisis and reputation management on social media.
• To study how mobile-based consumption of social media is affecting the PR activities of major brands.
• Rise of social media based public relations: A case study of UAE/Saudi Arabia/Qatar (any Middle Eastern country).
• Paid PR: How can SMEs (small and medium enterprises) achieve brand penetration on social media using paid PR?

This section deals with the challenges faced by the PR industry today as well as the challenges it needs to overcome or the areas in which it can create a real impact in a society and the role it can play in achieving this.

• A case study to understand if public relations is still a male-dominated profession and what needs to be done to promote gender equality.
• A study to analyse the extent of participation of a PR professional in creating marketing and branding strategy.
• A study to evaluate if the digital media shift of the PR by major brands reduced the inequality and increased inclusivity of people.
• To study the impact of public relations campaigns on the perceived service quality of hospitality businesses.
• To understand the effectiveness of traditional media, mainly television as a PR tool in 21st Century.
• A study of brands that have failed to switch their PR to digital and social media and suffered their brand reputation and identity.
• To evaluate the lack of effectiveness and determinants of failure of UK government regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

The move from print and television to digital happened a few years ago and changed the dimensions of public relations for ever. Now, with the pandemic, and the need to work from home, there has been an unprecedented rise in the OTT platforms such as Netflix, Amazon, Disney Plus and so on. These platforms are now considered to be the future of PR. This section explores research topic relating to this exciting new PR opportunity.

• Are the OTT platforms the latest PR tools? A case of Netflix and how it can be used as a PR tool.
• The case of how Hotstar, a local OTT platform, changed PR landscape in India.
• How online platform users are creating ‘fake news’ and damaging the reputation of brands.
• The role of digital PR in impacting political decision making and elections: Case of US elections of 2016 and 2020.
• To determine the use of social media as a political tool by political parties in the US and UK.
• To evaluate the steps taken by digital platforms to stop fake news that can damage reputation, incite violence, or create a false narrative: A case study of Twitter.
• A study to understand the role big data can play in shaping the future public relations campaigns.
• An explorative study to understand if public relations using digital media have lost moral and ethical values.
• To study the measurement of engagement in public relations campaigns online.
• To evaluate the ‘grey areas’ in digital PR and evaluate their impact on public perception of brands.
• To understand how the best brands are using PR mix to maximize the engagement with their target markets: A case study of Nike.
• What will be the future of public relations after pandemic and fake news? An explorative study.
• To explore the role of digital media platforms in bringing social change by using them as public relations tools.

Choosing a dissertation topic: PR is practical, contribute to the body of knowledge

Here are 20 topics bridging academia and practice that would make the basis of excellent dissertations for media and public relation students.

I led a lecture on dissertation topics for Media and Public Relations Masters students at Newcastle University last week. It’s my fourth-year teaching at the university as a Visiting Professor.

During the session we explored how to choose a desertion topic, explored 20 areas of modern practice, and discussed how to land expert interviews. Here’s the presentation deck.

PR is inherently practical. A dissertation is an opportunity to explore a topic that will set you up for a job once you graduate.

Avoid popularist topics, that’s easy, go deep in a niche. The best dissertation projects are original and contribute to the professional body of knowledge.

Here are the areas that I recommend to students as a start point.

Societal issues and public relations

What’s your purpose?

Building a post-Brexit vision for Britain and the EU

Digital divide: digital isn’t democratic

Weaponised media

The role of public relations in modern organisations

The shift to the social organization

Recognition as a management disciple

The only way is ethics

Working internationally

Characterising the UK public relations profession

Business is booming

Back to the future of PR

Shifts in agency land

Representing the public

Exploring the modern media landscape

Who influences you?

Peak social media

Storytelling: tell me story

Voice is hot public relations tech

Skills to get on and get ahead

March of the machines

Basic skills: coding versus writing

Listening to conversations

Measurement and management

The development of the profession

We ended the session with a discussion about finding expert interviews. It’s one of the most challenging aspects of the dissertation process and is the subject of a previous blog post . Seek out people based on expertise, invest time in your pitch, and be realistic about your expectations.

If you’re a student studying PR I hope that you’ll find this presentation deck and blog post useful. If you’re a teacher or practitioner please let me know if you think I’ve missed anything.

Thanks to my colleague Ramona Slusarczyk for her feedback and support while I was preparing this lecture.

Letter from London: hold bad news for Monday

Fake news report picks easy target in facebook.

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Public Relations Dissertation Topics

Public relations has shifted its emphasis away from traditional media outlets such as print and radio and toward online platforms, most notably social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as everyone’s new favourite, Instagram. The exponential growth of social media usage is largely responsible for this shift. As a result, the public relations landscape is evolving, and public relations professionals must adapt in order to remain relevant on social media platforms.

Editingarsenal  has compiled a list of some of the most popular and common dissertation topics from a variety of academic disciplines, so you can pick and choose what to write about. If you need  dissertation editing assistance  , don’t hesitate to contact one of our qualified and experienced editors and proofreaders.

Public Relations in Practice Topics

• A case study to ascertain whether public relations remains a male-dominated field and to determine what can be done to advance gender equality.
• A study was conducted to determine the extent to which a public relations professional contributes to the development of a marketing and branding strategy.
• Investigate whether large corporations’ PR shift away from traditional media has resulted in a reduction in inequality and an increase in people’s sense of inclusion.
• Examine how public relations campaigns affect how customers perceive the service quality of a hospitality company.
• Traditional media, primarily television, is an effective public relations tool in the twenty-first century.
• Study of brands that failed to transition their public relations efforts to digital and social media and consequently harmed their brand’s reputation and identity.
• To determine the UK government’s ineffectiveness and the reasons for its failure to respond effectively to the COVID-19 pandemic

Social Media and Public Relations

• Study the differences between traditional and social media public relations campaigns.
• To evaluate the success of online Public Relations campaigns using Instagram and Facebook’s key performance indicators.
• To determine whether or not influencers are an effective public relations tool on social media.
• In this case study, we’ll look at how influencers used social media to build their own brands as a PR tool.
• To determine the return on investment (ROI) for public relations campaigns conducted through social media.
• To identify the marketing and PR skills new professionals will need to run a successful social media PR campaign.
• To identify the most important determinants of crisis and reputation management on social networks.
• To investigate how major brand PR activities are impacted by mobile-based social media consumption.
• UAE/Saudi Arabia/Qatar experience with social media-based PR is being studied (any Middle Eastern country).
• Paid Public Relations: How can small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) use paid public relations to penetrate social media?

Future of Public Relations Topics

• In terms of public relations tools, are over-the-top (OTT) platforms new? An example of how Netflix can be used as a public relations tool.
• The story of how a local OTT platform, Hotstar, changed India’s PR landscape.
• Fake news is created by online platform users, and it damages brands’ reputations.
• In the 2016 and 2020 US elections, digital PR played an important role in influencing political decision-making and elections.
• The use of social media by US and UK political parties as a political tool will be examined.
• A case study of Twitter’s efforts to combat fake news that can harm reputations, incite violence, or create a false narrative.
• Research into the role that large amounts of data can have on the design of future public relations campaigns is needed.
• An investigation to find out if public relations using digital media has lost its moral and ethical values.
• To investigate how well public relations campaigns engage their target audiences when conducted online.
• An assessment of digital PR’s “grey areas” to see how they affect consumer perception of brands.
• To learn how the most successful brands use a combination of PR tactics to engage their target audiences, read on. Nike as a test case.
• What will become of public relations in the wake of the pandemic and the spread of false information? A look into the possibilities.
• Using digital media platforms as public relations tools, investigate the role they can play in fostering social change.

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Public relations (PR) refers to the art of maintaining a strategic communication process and relationships between an enterprise and its clients or a state and its public. Public relations is crucial for business development and smooth functioning. In academics, it's now a significant part of the literature. Therefore, students must find quality public relations dissertation topics to stand unique in their research modules.

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Most researched public relations thesis topics, top research topics in public relations, the vital role of public relations in shaping a positive business image.

Public Relations (PR) is indispensable for businesses, playing a pivotal role in shaping a positive public image. Through strategic communication, PR builds credibility, fosters trust, and enhances brand reputation. By effectively managing relationships with stakeholders, addressing crises, and supporting marketing efforts, PR contributes significantly to overall business success and sustainability.

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Public Relations Research Library

About institute for public relations research.

Public relations research can serve to define not only what we know, but also what we don’t. The Institute for Public Relations supports PR research, and makes this knowledge widely available to practitioners, educators, researchers and the clients they serve.

The Institute’s public relations research program is guided by the Institute for Public Relations Research Fellows, the Board of Trustees, by various Institute Commissions and by colleagues in the academic and professional communities. All of our published PR research is available free through this website.

IPR RESEARCH PROGRAM

The Institute for Public Relations pursues an aggressive agenda of research studies and peer-reviewed white papers that demonstrate the value of public relations. IPR focuses on research that matters, delivering knowledge that ultimately helps business management to achieve their goals through more effective public relations. IPR has sponsored or published more than 500 studies and papers since its founding, such as the recently published paper, Using Public Relations to Drive Business Results.

Research published by IPR is read by a diverse global audience of public relations practitioners, academics, students, and colleagues working in client companies.

IPR funds high-quality research on topics relevant to current practice and in public relations education. Research results of IPR-supported studies are published on this website. Also, results appear as IPR white papers and/or as conference presentations, and subsequently as articles in journals, scholarly publications and books.

In addition to results from sponsored research, IPR solicits and reviews high-quality submissions from academics, graduate students and practitioners whether or not the original research was supported by IPR. If accepted for review, submissions of research results, white papers, case studies and similar research-based work is considered by IPR Research Fellows, by members of the IPR Commission on Public Relations Measurement and Evaluation or by ad hoc committees of scholars and practitioners who may recommend the materials be published by IPR.

Behavioral Insights Research Center

The Behavioral Insights Research Center’s (BIRC) mission is to conduct research on the factors that influence attitude and behavioral change to enable effective communication. BIRC can help professionals understanding how and why people think and behave the way they do in this ever-changing business environment.

IPR Signature Studies

These studies are composed of IPR’s best-in-class research, gold standard papers and other signature research that exemplify IPR’s mission of bringing relevant research to the public relations practice.

IPR Measurement Commission

The Institute for Public Relations Measurement Commission develops and promotes standards and best practices for research, measurement, and analytics that contribute to ethical, strategic, and effective public relations.

Organizational Communication Research Center

IPR’s Organizational Communication Research Center (OCRC) is your comprehensive source for game-changing employee communication research, best practices and measures. If you want to learn more about engaging employees, building trust and improving communication climate, this is the place.

Research Journal

of The Institute for Public Relations

Digital Media Research Center

IPR’s Digital Media Research Center is a comprehensive source for information about the social science of social media, best practices, measures and benchmarking. If you want to learn more about social media and how it is impacting the field of public relations, this is the place.

Research Library

This research library is a database of all the public relations research conducted by the Institute for Public Relations and its coalitions and commissions as well as research highlighted from other respected public relations publications.

Dr. Tina McCorkindale

Institute for Public Relations

Stacey Jones

Mark Kaplan

The Mosaic Company

Mubadala Development Company

Margery Kraus

APCO Worldwide

Kenneth Makovsky

Oscar Suris

Wells Fargo & Company

Rainer Mathes

PRIME Research International DEL: Mark Weiner

Linda Rutherford

Southwest Airlines

Dr. Juan-Carlos Molleda

University of Florida

Adele Ambrose

Frank Ovaitt

President & CEO Emeritus

Public Relations Research Paper Topics

• Consensus-Oriented Public Relations
• Co-Orientation Model of Public Relations
• Cultural Topoi in Public Relations
• Determination Theory in Public Relations
• Excellence Theory in Public Relations
• Intercultural Public Relations
• Intereffication Approach in Public Relations
• Media Influence on Public Relations
• Organization–Public Relationships
• Professionalization of Public Relations
• Public Affairs
• Public Diplomacy
• Public Relations Ethics
• Public Relations Evaluation
• Public Relations Field Dynamics
• Public Relations Planning
• Public Relations Roles
• Rhetorical Theory of Public Relations
• Situational Theory of Publics

Nature and Image of Public Relations

In the opinion of some, public relations can be defined as the art of stealthy manipulation of public opinion, of the opinions of consumers and of politicians. As viewed by some, it consists of spinning the truth to the selfish interest of some organization or interest, issue advocate, person, or viewpoint – usually to the disadvantage of others.

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In contrast, public relations has equally been seen as a  professional practice and academic discipline  dedicated to spreading rational and trustworthy information from and about an organization in order to open up the organization and its practices for those who are interested. At the same time, public relations is also seen as a professional practice and academic discipline dedicated to fostering effective two-way communication between some organization or entity, such as an industry, and persons whose opinions can make or break the future success of the sponsor. Some discussants of the nature of public relations, for example in South Africa, New Zealand, and the USA, have advocated that instead of focusing on fostering sham relationships, senior practitioners are first of all the consciences of their employers. They know better than other disciplines the moral standards by which their employers are judged. They advocate that first the organization must be good before it can be effective in its communication efforts. The core goal of public relations is then not so much to open the organization or produce good relationships as to help the organization to produce quality and acceptable strategic decisions.

Practitioners recognize both that the  challenge of ethics  is broad and that the devil is in the detail. Each strategic decision as well as each word that is spread can pose ethical challenges and, consequently, needs to be discussed in terms of its consequences for the well-being of the organization, of its publics, and of society at large. The first step in public relations is to create sound management policy that deserves the fruits of good will, as John W. Hill, the co-founding principal of Hill & Knowlton, argued in the mid1900s. At the time of his retirement in the late 1960s, his firm was the largest in the world. “Public confidence in the corporation as an institution must be earned and deserved. ‘Smart publicity’ will never replace sound management policies and acts in building a solid foundation of good will,” he rightly claimed (Hill 1958, 163).

History of Public Relations

To many, modern public relations was born in the USA at the end of the nineteenth century. That may be so for the naming of this phenomenon but not for the practice itself. World history in general and European history in particular offer many instances of what can be termed evidence of public relations practice, if not by that name. In Europe, public relations as practice has a long history (see for an overview, van Ruler & Vercic 2004). The period of the Enlightenment, as developed in the eighteenth century in France and Germany, strongly influenced the evaluation and practice of public relations in many European countries. In the eighteenth century, science and knowledge were no longer seen as being relevant only for the elite, but had to be diffused. One of the countries that were the first to institutionalize this concept as a practice was the Netherlands. The means for the diffusion of knowledge became known as “voorlichting,” which is a literal Dutch translation of “enlightenment.”

In the Netherlands  the concept of “voorlichting” soon developed into institutionalized “giving full information to all people to enable them to mature and emancipate.” Already in the mid-nineteenth century, the administration as well as civil society organizations started to introduce “voorlichters,” specialists who traveled around to give information about health, good farming, housekeeping, sexuality, politics, etc. At the same time, the elite remained skeptical about this full enlightenment of ordinary people. That is why most of the time “voorlichting” was also used to show people how to conduct themselves as good citizens/subordinates and to control their behavior. When industrialization became a fact (late 1800s), industries started to provide information about themselves to the press as well as to the general public. The first official press departments originated in the early 1900s. The government soon followed. Dutch journalists, however, preferred to keep direct access to administrators and politicians. Thanks to the strong “pillarization” (denominational  segregation ) of the society, with each pillar using its own media and therefore its own political contacts, their lobby was successful for a long time and the governmental public relations departments were forced to aim their press releases at foreign journalists only.

Directly after World War II public relations became an established part of company life. The Dutch claim to have established the first national public relations association, in early 1946. There was an enormous growth in the area during the 1980s, when US management approaches became the vogue.

In  Germany  also, public relations has a long history, based on the concept of “Öffentlichkeitsarbeit,” which can be translated as “work for the public sphere.” According to Bentele (1997), the first press offices engaged in politics and economics as well as in communities, associations, and organizations originated in the early 1900s. Alfred Krupp, founder of the steel company Krupp, established the first press department in a private company in 1870. The duty of this department was to read all newspapers that were considered important to the firm and at the same time to write articles, brochures, and “correspondences” in order to advertise products and the firm as a whole. As in the Netherlands, a characteristic feature of this first period is that public relations was used both to inform and to manipulate.

During the Weimar Republic (1918–1933), new social conditions arose such as the parliamentary, democratic state and an economically independent and active press; the media, no longer directed or controlled by the state, gave a boost to the growth of public relations. After the National Socialists came to power, the conditions of public relations changed abruptly. In sharp contrast with the Weimar period, the media were now controlled and manipulated by the party. After the end of World War II in 1945, not only did public relations have to redefine itself under the new conditions of a parliamentary democracy, it also had to dissociate itself from (Nazi) propaganda. The US influence on West German society was widely felt in the development of postwar public relations: besides new German advertising and public relations agencies, branches of US agencies started to settle in Germany (and in many other European countries), and today research in public relations has been established in several German-speaking universities in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Similar distancing occurred among US practitioners, who rejected the connection between propaganda and public relations even though they had initially embraced the connection and cut their professional teeth on propaganda efforts in support of both world wars.

Another country with early maturation of public relations is the  United Kingdom . L’Etang (2004) placed the beginning of public relations in Britain in the 1920s. Emphasis focused especially on the role of local government, which contributed to public relations ideology and key concepts of professionalism. These articulated a strong public service ethos, laying the foundation of the (now Chartered) Institute of Public Relations, which was established in 1948. It all started with an emphasis on public service rather than on business activities being the roots of public relations in the UK (as well as in most of the Scandinavian countries and in Northern Ireland). Today, public relations seems more oriented toward propaganda and control, even within governmental departments.

Public relations is big business  all over Europe , in the western as well as the eastern European countries. In most countries US agencies as well as US scholars have dominated the development, except for the German-speaking countries, Scandinavia, and France. In most of the eastern Europe countries public relations could only begin to flourish after the fall of the Soviet Regime in 1989. In all these countries public relations is growing rapidly and many universities provide bachelor’s as well as master’s degrees in public relations (often, however, named communication management or corporate communication). There is yet hardly any theory building in these countries and the practice has to lean on German, French, and Anglo-American approaches. Despite the US influence, robust innovations and new directions are being explored that may add important refinements to the understanding and practice of public relations internationally.

United States of America

Modern public relations in the United States started in the mid-nineteenth century. Its rise paralleled the mass media’s growth, which allowed mass-produced publicity and promotion, as well as the sort of issues management that resulted from the efforts of the robber barons to craft the public policy that was needed to support a mass production society. The practice in the USA has been dominated by public relations agencies, such as Hill & Knowlton, Burson-Marsteller, and Porter Novelli, as well as the public relations departments of major corporations. It has also been a valued tool of activism and the management of government agencies. Scott Cutlip (1994) has written in depth on the history of public relations agencies in the United States. In Cutlip’s opinion, the beginnings of modern public relations are found in the  American Revolution , which brought the struggle for power between the patrician-led patriots and the commercial-propertied Tories – as well as indicting the British monarch for conditions that had become insufferable in the minds of leading colonial radicals. The twentieth-century developments in this field are directly tied to the power struggles evoked by the political reform movements led by master politicians from Theodore Roosevelt to Bill Clinton. These movements reflected strong tides of protest against entrenched power groups.

As a profession, the public relations vocation began with the establishment of the Publicity Bureau in Boston on the eve of the twentieth century and grew into large organizations. Starting with the rise of powerful monopolies, the concentration of wealth and power, and the rough-shod tactics of the robber barons in exploiting human labor and the nation’s resources, contemporary public relations emerged out of the melee of the opposing forces in this period of the nation’s rapid growth and emergence from isolationism into an imperial power, most of all for promotional and propagandistic reasons, Cutlip (1994) said. Efforts to refine the practice produced an interest in reshaping the profession as public affairs and issues management.

Although not the first pioneer in public relations, Ivy Lee remains today one of the most influential who helped define and build public relations. As a former journalist, he issued his  Declaration of principles  of public relations, which were, over time, to have a profound influence on the evolution of press agentry into publicity and of publicity into public relations. In an era of “the public be damned,” his declaration accentuated the positive right of the public to know:

—–This is not a secret press bureau. All our work is done in the open. We aim to supply news. This is not an advertising agency; if you think any of our matter ought properly to go to your business office, do not use it. Our matter is accurate. Further details on any subject treated will be supplied promptly, and any editor will be assisted most cheerfully in verifying directly any statement of fact . . . In brief, our plan is frankly, and openly, on behalf of business concerns and public institutions, to supply the press and public of the United States prompt and accurate information concerning subjects which it is of value and interest to the public to know about. (Cutlip 1994, 45)

Also famous worldwide is Edward Bernays, who defined public relations as propaganda and the engineering of consent in the early 1900s.

Other Parts of the World

In other parts of the world public relations has been a timeless craft and now is a growing field. As on other continents, the practice of public relations in Asia can be traced back for over a thousand years, ever since emperors realized the importance of public opinion and building harmonious relationships with people.

The use of modern public relations started in the 1970s. In China, for example, public relations became popular after President Deng Xiaoping’s decision to open China to the west. The popularity of the TV series  Miss Public Relations  in the late 1980s and early 1990s colored the perception of public relations among the Chinese, as the Chinese public relations scholars Flora Hung and Regina Chen detailed in Sriramesh (2004), where the development of public relations in Asia is described. The TV show, which showed young women hosting guests at expensive hotels, led most Chinese to think that public relations professionals were only involved in guest relations. In recent years, as multinational companies established a foothold in the country, Chinese practitioners and scholars wanted to incorporate western perspectives of public relations practice. The fundamental question was how to apply the western concept of public relations – brought in by young scholars who had studied in the United States – in a Chinese context. With the unique characteristic in Chinese culture of maintaining harmonious relationships with people, relationships are more critical and require more distinct obligations in China than in the west, Hung and Chen claim. That is why public relations in Asian countries can best be seen as a combination of western (USA-oriented) approaches and the so-called personal influence approach.

We cannot give here a full picture of the development of public relations in the world. We encourage our readers to familiarize themselves with overviews of public relations on the different continents, as well as  The global public relations handbook  (Sriramesh & Vercic 2003), the  Encyclopedia of public relations  (Heath 2005b), and articles in  Public Relations Review  on the development of public relations in specific countries, for example in Latin America and Africa.

Public Relations Research

The scholarly literature on public relations features one  generic principle  of public relations: It is the function that communicates for each organization and helps its management to favorably position the organization to earn the favor of targeted markets, audiences, publics, and society at large. This, however, is accomplished in different ways and guided by different theories. These theories define the different approaches to public relations, as can be found in the literature of the discipline. Some scholars seek one general theory of public relations. Perhaps it is to be seen as a proof of the effort to achieve the maturity of the discipline that so many perspectives exist and are challenged by so many researchers. Each perspective offers a unique and important contribution to theory building and valuable strategies to guide and foster ethical practice. For more details than can be provided here on theories and perspectives, see Bentele et al. (2005) (only in German), Botan and Hazleton (2006), Hansen-Horn and Neff (2007), Heath (2001b), and many other handbooks, as well as the  Encyclopedia of public relations  (Heath 2005b).

The Information Model

The information model of public relations focuses on the dissemination of information, which targets groups to inform (enlighten) them about the plans of the organization and the decisions made. In the former Soviet countries in Europe, one of the major topics is the education of the organization as well as the public to practice this information model, instead of the propagandistic persuasion model of the Soviet regime (Tampere 2003).

The information model is rooted in classical mass communication theories, such as the two-step flow of information (and the multi-step flow), the diffusion of innovations theory, the knowledge gap theory, the uses-and-gratifications approach, and information processing theories. Successful public relations in this approach engages in informing the right people at the right time about the plans and decisions of the organization, but most people are not easy to reach directly, and the most widely used channels to inform key, targeted members of the public and society at large are consequently the mass media. Thus, informational communication management is primarily broadcasting management.

The Persuasion Model

The persuasion model of public relations focuses on the persuasion of target groups to accept the organization’s view on relevant issues, and is also known as the corporate communication approach (van Riel & Fombrun 2007). The basis for this approach stems from Bernays’s theory of public relations as propaganda (for an overview of his ideas, see Cutlip 1994), and the expanded introduction of a psychological approach to mass communication instead of a sociological one in the study of public relations, which give this model wings. The key aspect of these theories is the seeking of control through the assumptions of asymmetrical propaganda.

John Hill (1963, 6) offered tried and true advice for practitioners to be cautious about how they seek to persuade: “It functions in the dissemination of information and facts when non-controversial matters are involved. But when controversy exists, public relations may become the advocate before the bar of public opinion, seeking to win support through interpretation of facts and the power of persuasion.” Whether such communication options on matters of controversy are propaganda or rhetoric can be examined by the extent to which the message is manipulated to obscure enlightened choice or framed to maximize it. Hill realized that propaganda could not be the rationale for public relations, but knew that organizations could not and should not avoid engaging in controversy, which starts with information and includes the interpretation of that information and the application of it to make informed and enlightened decisions.

Receiving and processing the message (which is key in the information model) is not enough here; the targeted public must also be convinced there is a predefined meaning for the situation rather than one that emerges through dialogue. Successful public relations, by this logic, means “ convinced publics,”  or ensuring a positive image is held by important target groups. Since it is difficult to convince people, research is thought to be important for discovering what the publics will accept. Persuasive public relations is therefore primarily  impression management . Defined by both means and ends, persuasion can corrupt public relations if it presumes only to advantage the source and to control the judgments and actions of a targeted public.

The Critical Model

Habermas (1962) claimed that the development of public relations and advertising changed open democratic discourse into a non-critical force of acclamation of the powerful elite. In light of this view, critical models of public relations have been developed, with a main tradition in the United Kingdom. Cottle (2003) edited a volume with different critical approaches (see also Davis 2002). Critical approaches to public relations are rooted in symbolic interactionism, the cultural approach of Stuart Hall, the sociology of news production, and social drama theory.

As in the persuasion model, public relations is seen as a persuasive power, tough not from the angle of the benefit of the organization, but from the angle of the benefit to (or deficit from) society as a whole. What may be successful public relations for the organization is not necessarily successful (or even detrimental) for society, these scholars argue. Critical perspectives will call public relations impression management or spinning.

The Two-Way-Symmetry Model

Grunig et al. (2002) offered a critical view, but not so much from a societal perspective as from a strategic management perspective based on the logics of systems theory. They call the scientific persuasion model an asymmetrical approach to public relations that presumes that to solve a relationship problem a key public has only to alter its view to conform to that preferred by the organization. Grunig et al. prefer a two-way-symmetrical model, in which relationships are built and maintained through interaction. The essence of the interaction is to understand the concerns of a public through research, make those concerns known to management, and seek appropriate changes in management policy. The aim of the relationship is the creation of consensus on important issues to avoid conflict and assure cooperation, for the sake of the publics as well as of the organization itself.

To accomplish this outcome, it is important to focus on communication processes not toward publics or target groups, but between interdependent parties. The premise is that communication between parties will lead to a  balance of interests . Another premise is that parties are willing to act as involved and rational citizens instead of selfish consumers and producers. Theoretically this approach is rooted in balance theories of communication, e.g., co-orientation models. In this approach, successful communication management is seen as negotiating with the publics for an acceptable meaning of issues, which is a matter of balancing the give and take. By this logic, two-way-symmetrical public relations is primarily negotiation management.

The Interpersonal Model

Most public relations theories are closely associated with mass communication. As early as 1984, Ferguson promoted the use of interorganizational and interpersonal relationship as the focus in public relations theory. Yet, in most public relations literature, relationships are conceptualized for the most part as interactions between groups (“publics”) rather than individuals, Toth (2007) claimed.

Sallot was one of the first scholars to explore the rich interconnectedness of public relations practice and theory and interpersonal communication (IPC) theory in several presentations (see for an overview Sallot, 2005). Only recently (see, e.g., Botan & Hazleton 2006) have researchers started to apply IPC theory in a comprehensive manner to public relations and practice. The central logic of public relations theory derived from IPC theory is that relationship quality counts and that the quality of what is done by relational partners can increase or decrease the harmony between the partners.  Harmonious relationships  lead from and to an incentive to cooperate and support, to distribute resources that are available in the relationship. Disharmony results from qualitatively inferior relationships that give participants a motive to sanction relational partners.

Another typical interpersonal approach to public relations is the  interpersonal influence model , developed in Asia (Sriramesh 2004) in order to feature the importance of interorganizational and interpersonal relationships in Asian countries. It is critical in this approach to make efforts to cultivate interorganizational and interpersonal relationships by exchanging gifts, favors, and hospitality and do this in an ethical manner. In this approach, successful public relations is most of all people management.

The Reflective Model

The reflective model of public relations (called communication management) is trying to integrate many of the leading perspectives on public relations. Dialogue is an important strategy to develop trust, but it is rather naïve to believe that it is an answer to all mistrust (van Ruler & Vercic 2005). First of all, it is impossible to engage all publics, let alone public opinion, in this dialogue; second, in most cases interests are fuzzy or conflicting. That is why managers use all kinds of strategies, including manipulation of frames (persuasion), in order to earn the favor of publics and get things done. The constraint on this manipulation is public legitimacy, which, because of increased public counteraction, has become increasingly necessary for business to survive.

The reflective model differentiates between the societal/institutional and the economic/ administrative roles each organization plays in its public relations. The  economic role  is concerned with the meso- (group) and micro- (interpersonal) level of communication among members of the organization, and between the organization and its publics in order to become legitimate in the eyes of specific publics. The  societal role  is concerned with the macro-level of societal legitimization. Public relations is concerned with the reproduction of the underlying principles that enable organizations to emerge, develop, and prosper. Living in an organizational society, these organizational challenges are communicatively enacted.

This model also differentiates between the organization as organization and as institution. The reflective model looks at the organization as an empirical realization of an institution in society, and the organizational dimension is subordinate to the institutional dimension when it comes to survival. That is why public relations is empirically working in and through the social construction of public identity. In this approach, public relations is primarily concerned with public legitimatization, and in order to get public license to operate, it focuses on public opinion (the public sphere) as a quantity as well as a quality. The institutional dimension of an organization triggers the reflective model of public relations, while the organizational dimension triggers the existing models, now seen as strategies of the reflective model (van Ruler & Vercic 2005).

The primary concerns of public relations from a reflective approach are an organization’s inclusiveness and preservation of the “license to operate.” As marketing is viewing organization from a market view, reflective communication management is viewing organization from a societal or public view. The basic question in this approach to communication management lies in the empirical definition of what is seen as legitimate.

The Rhetorical Model

The rhetorical model builds on what has been called the rhetorical heritage reaching back to treatises central to the humanities, crafted by Plato, Aristotle, Isocrates, Quintilian, and many others, including more recently the work of Kenneth Burke and Chaim Perelman. This body of literature continues to be a robust part of the standard curriculum of welleducated persons and vital to the democratic spirit of countries around the world (Heath 2001a, 2007).

The essence of the rhetorical model at its best is to know the strategies and forces that lead to co-created meaning, collaborative decision-making, and identification. It can also be applied to evil ends using offensive means. Enriched by reflective management and guided by the commitment to demonstrate cases through fact, weigh the values central to each case, and seek to recommend the wisest policy, public relations can apply the rhetorical heritage to increase the likelihood that interested markets, audiences, and publics can make enlightened choices as stakeholders and stakeseekers.

The essence of rhetoric is  statement and counter-statement . It is advisory, invitational, and propositional, with as its basic paradigm a thoughtful contest between choices. At its best, it can lead to enlightenment and wise choice. At its worse, it obscures, obfuscates, and centers on ad hominem dispute that ultimately may be damaging (Ihlen 2002).

Thus, the theory and practice of public relations as relying on the rhetorical heritage arm it better to engage in discourse as the rationale for individual and collective decisionmaking in society. This approach allows insights into how meaning is crafted, how ideas are enlivened and framed, and the rich connections between the meanings of the actions of companies and those of other organizations, which are also part of the meaning they create, as well as yield to, in the fostering of harmonious and mutually beneficial relationships. In these endeavors, character counts, a theme that continues to be central to the rhetorical heritage. Not only does the character of the organization speaking add to or detract from the impact its opinions and information have, but the kinds of statements made, the care for the interests of others, and the efforts to achieve enlightenment and reveal good character add to the reputation of the organization.

In more current terms, the rhetorical model presumes that society is created for the collective management of risks. Each individual and organization is conjoined in this arrangement. Dialogue is the rationale for bringing information to bear on risks, but the evaluation of such information is not centered in one body, but institutionalized for the collective good of all members of the society.

The Future of Public Relations

The major work of Sriramesh and Vercic (2003),  The global public relations handbook , shows that the democratization of the world, especially in the latter half of the twentieth century, goes hand in hand with an enormous growth of public relations all over the world, as well as the necessity of viewing public relations on a global scale. The rapid expansion of new communication technologies such as satellite television and the Internet has increased the dissemination of information about products, services, and lifestyles around much of the world, Sriramesh and Vercic  claim. Coupled with the freedom that accompanies democratization, the result has been a significant increase in the global demand for products and services, as well as of global suppliers who can meet this demand.

As a result, countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle-East, eastern Europe, and Latin America have already become, or will soon become, major centers of manufacturing as well as consumption, requiring the organizations of these countries to trade and communicate with a global audience. The  formation of multinational trading blocks  has also contributed to shrinking the global market, thereby increasing organizational activities among and between trading blocks. These factors, Sriramesh and Vercic claim, have contributed to a significant spurt in global communication, placing public relations practitioners at the forefront of managing the relationships among people of varied nations and cultures on behalf of organizations of all types. For professionals to engage in strategic public relations management in a global setting, it is essential that they have knowledge of globalization and competencies in multicultural communication.

The major works of Heath (2001b) and Botan and Hazleton (2006) show how robust the discourse on public relations theory and practice has become. From the 1970s, when much of the discourse on the topic existed in a few textbooks, professional trade publications, and the emerging  Public Relations Review , the discipline has grown steadily. The breadth and depth of analysis have increased. The discipline is slowly becoming less derivative and more original in its theory building. It continues to seek to make critical and practical advances that have pedagogical and real-world application.

Last but certainly not least, globalization and the necessity of corporate social responsibility will urge public relations to rethink its ethical devices and its position in the organization as well as in society. The question is how public relations, with such a tarnished image, can grow steadily into a professional and academic discipline by realizing its potential for making society more fully functional.

References:

• Bentele, G. (1997). PR-Historiographie und funktional-integrative Schichtung: Ein neuer Ansatz zur PR-Geschichtsschreibung [PR historiography and functional-integral stratification: A new approach to PR historiography]. In P. Szyska (ed.),  Auf der Suche nach Identität: PR-Geschichte als Theoriebaustein [The quest for identity: PR history as theoretical constituent]. Berlin: Vistas, pp. 137–169.
• Bentele, G., Fröhlich, R., & Szyska, P. (eds.) (2005).  Handbuch der Public Relations: Wissenschaftliche Grundlagen und berufliches Handeln [Handbook of public relations: Scientific perspectives and professional action]. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften.
• Botan, C. H., & Hazleton, V. (eds.) (2006).  Public relations theory II . Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
• Cottle, S. (ed.) (2003).  News, public relations and power . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• Cutlip, S. C. (1994).  The unseen power: Public relations – a history . Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
• Cutlip, S. C., Center, A. H., & Broom, G. M. (2000).  Effective public relations . Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
• Davis, A. (2002).  Public relations democracy: Public relations, politics, and the mass media in Britain . Manchester and New York: Manchester University Press.
• Ferguson, M. A. (1984). Building theory in public relations: Interorganizational relationships as a public relations paradigm. Paper presented to the Public Relations Division at the annual meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, Gainesville, FL.
• Grunig, L. A., Grunig, J. E., & Dozier, D. M. (2002).  Excellent public relations and effective organizations: A study of communication management in three countries . Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
• Habermas, J. (1962).  Strukturwandel der Öffentlichkeit: Untersuchungen zu einer Kategorie der bürgerlichen Gesellschaft [Change of the structure of the public sphere: Investigation into a category of citizen’s society]. Darmstadt: Luchterhand.
• Hansen-Horn, T. L., & Neff, B. D. (eds.) (2007).  Public relations: From theory to practice . Boston: Pearson.
• Heath, R. L. (2001a). A rhetorical enactment rationale for public relations: The good organization communicating well. In R. L. Heath (ed.),  Handbook of public relations . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, pp. 31–50.
• Heath, R. L. (ed.) (2001b).  Handbook of public relations . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• Heath, R. (2005a). Antecedents of modern public relations. In R. L. Heath (ed.),  Encyclopedia of public relations . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, pp. 32–37.
• Heath, R.L. (ed.) (2005b).  Encyclopedia of public relations . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• Heath, R. L. (2007). Rhetorical theory, public relations, and meaning: Giving voice to ideas. In T. L. Hansen-Horn & B. D. Neff (eds.),  Public relations: From theory to practice . Boston: Pearson, pp. 208–226.
• Hill, J. W. (1958).  Corporate public relations: Arm of modern management . New York: Harper.
• Hill, J. W. (1963).  The making of a public relations man . New York: David McKay.
• Ihlen, Ø. (2002). Rhetoric and resources: Notes for a new approach to public relations and issues management.  Journal of Public Affairs , 2(4), 259–269.
• L’Etang, J. (2004).  Public relations in Britain: A history of professional practice in the 20th century . Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
• Riel, C. B. M. van, & Fombrun, C. J. (2007).  Essentials of corporate communication . London and New York: Routledge.
• Ruler, B. van, & Vercic, D. (eds.) (2004).  Public relations and communication management in Europe . Berlin and New York: Mouton de Gruyter.
• Ruler, B. van, & Vercic, D. (2005). Reflective communication management: Future ways for public relations research. In P. J. Kalbfleisch (ed.),  Communication yearbook 29 . Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, pp. 239–274.
• Sallot, L. M. (2005). Interpersonal communication theory. In R. L. Heath (ed.),  Encyclopedia of public relations . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, pp. 442–444.
• Sriramesh, K. (ed.) (2004).  Public relations in Asia: An anthology . Singapore: Thompson Learning.
• Sriramesh, K., & Vercic, D. (eds.) (2003).  The global public relations handbook: Theory, research, and practice . Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
• Tampere, K. (2003).  Public relations in a transition society 1989–2002: Using a stakeholder approach in organizational communications and relations analyses . Jyväskylä: University of Jyväskylä.
• Toth, E. L. (2007). Creating public relations through interpersonal communication: A review essay. Paper presented to the Public Relations Division at the annual convention of the International Communication Association, San Francisco, May.

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Public Relations Dissertation

Public relations.

In society, in all platforms of work and life, the application of public relation as a job as well as a term is considerably significant. Similarly, the importance of public relations as a vital form of communication cannot be neglected. The core purpose of public relation is to generate concrete public image through a communication model. Thus, the whole country obtains a positive image as a tourist destination and this aspect of public relation is the most beneficial for the tourism industry.

The period of economic recession turns the attention of various countries towards the promotion of travel and tourism industry. A new marketing approached was devised to attract more and more tourists for a specific destination. Obviously, tourists travel to a familiar tourist destination, in this regard; the modern perspective of tourism marketing plays a vital role. Nonetheless, the application of marketing tactics, techniques, and knowledge fortify the foundation for portraying an attractive picture of a specific tourist destination, which helps to motivate tourists and develop comparative advantages.

Marketing mix is an inseparable part of promotion, which facilitates marketing for the growth of the destination. Likewise, in the promotional mix, public relation underpins the several weak spot of the tourism business. Clearly, public relation is an arresting and consistent approach depicting the product and pulls the attention of guests towards a specific destination through a gaining and competent method.

However, despite understanding the impressive importance of public relation, no mandatory attention has been put forth, at national and international level, by the present and past researchers. Moreover, in tourism about public relation very brief material is available, which is comprised of very few articles and manuals. In addition, no authentic textbook or scientific publication has been written regarding the importance of public relation in tourism. Nevertheless, more emphasis has been given to marketing in tourism; thus, public relation has been treated as a segment of promotion and marketing.

The public relation theorists and the marketing theorists have a contradiction between them regarding the status of public relation as a branch of marketing or as an individual separate subject. The public relation theorists think that owing to the public relation’s large scope it should be treated as separate subject. The American public relation researchers have given this classification of marketing tools.

The current paper has been organized in the following manners:

• Introduction
• Basic theoretical postulates about marketing of a tourist destination and its relation with the communication of the market
• Public relations
• The utilization of media in public relation for travel and tourism exposure

Public Relations Definitions

BIPR (The British Institute of Public Relations) describes public relations as maintaining common consideration between an organization and its publics through purposeful organized and continue endeavor for establishment is public relations. According to the definition, public relation is not a random activity instead; it is designed and structured on considerations of an organization and its publics. Thus, public relation is comprised of outcomes, analysis, expectations, considerations, attention and research.

To start just the plan is not sufficient a continued endeavor is mandatory. The purpose of plan must be achieved logically. However, when circumstances are not favorable such as poor economy, volatile politics and similar aspects the target becomes more difficult.

PRSA (The Public Relations Society of America) defines public relations, as the purpose of public relations is to develop and generate common motives among institutions and groups.

The book “Effective Public Relations” is measured the bible of public relations in America. It is written by Cutlip, Center and Broom (1985) describes public relations as, public relations is a function of management that maintains, recognizes and institutes common advantageous attachments between an organization and its publics, obviously, the success of an organization depends on publics. Conversely, most of the organizations never feel that their success depends on the common association with publics. If the organizations neglects the fact of importance of its publics they cannot grasp the real success in business.

In his book, Frank Jefkins (1993), a British author explains public relations, to obtain goals related to common concerns public relation provides planned communication between an organization and publics inwardly and outwardly. This definition depicts a two-way communication inward and outward between publics and organization underpin through common purposes.

Variation In Public Relations

Nowadays, the approach of public relation has transformed significantly and has various functions. International Public Relations Association, which was founded in London in 1950, these Public Relations are comprised of organized, resolute and continued working through maintaining and establishing common consideration between an organization and its surroundings and the surroundings of an organization is public (www. Ipra.org).

In the language of tourism, the description and parameters of public relations and its meaning have been defined as “in tourism the perception of public relations points towards all the functions implemented a tourism offer, for generating, in the public a positive opinion regarding all the functions, services, targets of the work, and work. Thus, public relation is an organized, pre-planned and mindful function that can affect the public pertinently (Senečić and Vukonić, 1997).

Moreover, it is important to recognize public relations as a different form of communication while describing the concept of public relations.

Public relation has been often classified under marketing through marketing and marketing communications theorists (Kotler, Bowen and Makens, 2001); however, public relations theorists (Cutlip, Center and Broom, 2003) observe it as a different management category. In any circumstances, on marketing process the effect of public relations cannot be denied.

In addition, there is a wrong perception about public relation that it is always classified in the group of advertising, publicity and media relations.

According to Deuschi (2007) who defines public relations, it is a function of management, which utilizes mutual communication and works to facilitate the public with the purpose to affect the opinion of the public; moreover, its purpose is to obtain concern and recognition for the organization.

The Association Of Marketing And Public Relations

Conversely, marketing is considered as a function of management, which directs and organizes all the activities of business by engaging the evaluation of the requirements of the customers and, thus, transforming buying power into a concrete demand for a specific product. Thereby, make it possible for the consumer to have it, thence, accumulating profit and obtaining different goals of business (Weber and Boranić, 2000).

However, without public relations marketing process cannot be perceived. Both the functions are very arresting for the growth of business and only their inter-connectivity make it real excellent outcomes for business.

Mostly marketing, communication, and marketing approaches have various kinds of public relations. The only dissimilarity is the targeted public as public is communicated directly. Nonetheless, the target public can vary according to the activity.

Specifically, for the current paper the author has chosen an outline from the most common kinds of public relations regarding tourism. They have been devised and separated by Black (2003) into fundamental categories, and this is comprehensively encircling all the important detail related to the target public within tourism destination scenario. They have been mentioned below:

• Internal public relations
• Association with state administration and government
• Domestic public relations and community associations
• Consumer attachments and international public relations
• Publicity and media relations

The Principles of Malvin Sharp

A deep understanding of public opinion is necessary for a public relations practitioner. The understanding helps him/her to comprehend the variation of public opinion, he/she can recognize opinion leaders who have formal and informal opinion and he/she can develop a relation with them through particular messages. For maintaining favorable public opinion, Melvin Sharp (2000) devised the following principles to guide organizations:

• Although technology is accountable for the segmentation of current society, yet it can be implemented to access publics.
• For both external and internal publics the management of an organization’s communication is mandatory to make sure precise and appropriate comment because transformation, adaptation and adjustment are necessary for durability.
• According to law and social rights all stakeholders have the right to have all the information regarding decisions, which can affect directly or indirectly them; thus, accurate information should be provided for the welfare of all.
• The opinions and attitudes of the public, in complete operational atmosphere, is the base of social and economic strength of an organization.

Critical Elements of Public Relations

Wilcox, Ault and Agee (1998) have recognized seven practical and critical elements of public relations. These are very helpful in monitoring public opinion in public relations:

• Advisory committees: The committee is inclusive of prominent citizens to offer advice regarding policies, public relations programming and concepts.
• Staff meetings: To impart knowledge and experience through sharing the obtained knowledge of informal research through staff meetings is a good practice.
• Sampling/polling: For the organization and its policies a deliberate and organized research regarding the attitudes and interests of public is polling.
• Telephone calls and letters: After tracking the patterns that might be helpful for essential changes in company policies this genuine source emerges.
• Media reports: These can be obtained after monitoring the media for editorials, OP-Ed pages, and letters to the editor and through news stories.
• Field reports: Sales people, customers and various patrons submit complements, suggestions, questions and complaints, which can be achieved through field reports.
• Personal contact: Friends, company employees, customers, opinion leaders, consultants, and business associates are the people that can be accessed easily through a phone call or by obtaining an appointment.

Destination Marketing and Public Relations

In destination marketing and in promotion of tourism, the author of this paper has researched extensively and has discovered that public relation is a noticeable segment for promotion of tourism, which influences directly all the functions of travel and tourism. Moreover, community tourism organizations and national tourism organizations during organizations of marketing management of destination can take advantage of public relation for making an effective strategy.

Conclusively, the importance of public relation is undeniable, in this regard; the following hypotheses have been tested:

• The application of public relation is not in the right direction
• Public relation has a separate identity and is different from advertising
• For promotion of a tourist destination regarding destination marketing it is very helpful

The clarification of the concept is necessary prior to describe the demand of public relations within the parameters of tourist destination marketing. Marketing of traditional product is considerably dissimilar from marketing in tourism. In the features of supply and demand, this vital variation is hidden. Tourism is a type of service according to Mill and Morrison (1985), “What is sold is a non-material experience, and not material goods, which may be tested before use“(Cited Moutinho, 2005).

For the application of marketing in tourism, two methods are implemented. (1) For utilizing and establishing marketing as a foundation of business guiding principle for individual companies are accumulating advantages/profits through tourism market; (2) in utilizing and establishing as supporting force to business strategy, which is at the scale of an individual unit provides a fundamental approach regarding placements of organization through tourism (Senečić and Vukonić, 1997).

Stakeholders and Public Relations

According to the association with the organization, not many efforts have been made to recognize stakeholders, specifically, in public relations literature. Nonetheless, some segmentations of stakeholders are very simple such as internal and external publics. The best efforts to recognize all stakeholders through the public relations literature were made by Grunig and Hunt (1984) in their linkage model. To recognize relationship’s of stakeholders with an organization this model has four linkages normative linkages, diffused linkages, functional linkages, and enabling linkages.

The relationship between public relations, stakeholders theory and stakeholders management provide guidance in recognizing publics and important stakeholders. However, it is critical to know how much attention should be given to each stakeholder or how much they deserve.

Moreover, usually, public and stakeholders’ terms are implied as they are same but this is a vague concept. In the public relations and different literature of mass media public is recognized according to their association with the message while stakeholders are recognizes in business literature in line with their association to an organization (Winn, 2001).

The most popular definition of stakeholders is Freeman’s definition who states that if a person or groups of persons is affected by any action of an organization or they can affect the performance of an organization are called stakeholders (Freeman, 1984).

Media, Tourism and Public Relations

According to the freedictionary mass media represents the ways of communication that can easily access to great number of people quickly. The mass media means may be radio, magazines, newspapers television etc. To observe behavior, perceptions, beliefs and values of people sociologists study mass media. For instance, mass media impart knowledge about social evils and dangers such as young people learn how and with whom to have sexual relations because it may be dangerous due to the fear of AIDS. Mass media has immense power; it can turn loyalty of people against and in favor of political leaders. Several movements in the history are the contribution of mass media (chegg).

Inventors and modern technologies have made the media of current age inseparable part of human lives. The significance of media is undeniable and the impact of media on human lives is long lasting.

Television is the most common source of media. It is an important part of every household. Children of current age cannot live without watching cartoons and their favorite programs. They watch television without tiring for hours. These impressions of television screens become their friends and dreams. When they grow up and start going to schools their eyes catch the images of magazines and popular newspapers. Some of the images remain commit to their memories for years and some efface very soon.

The topic of media is very interesting and one can read it and define it for hours. There are several hot topics that attract the audience, obviously, everybody has a different taste and interest; therefore, people choose specific newspapers and magazines for their study. The dissimilar interests of people are politics, showbiz, sports and many more. The subject of media is very intricate and it has perceptible distinctions according to country, culture and politics.

Tourism is fragmented and intricate industry; it has several dimensions, which perform their roles in hotel chains, tour operators and air carriers. Therefore, smaller organizations at regional and local standards and national organizations have to solve their issues regarding planning, promotion and research at the national standards (Moutinho, 2005).

Certainly, the tourist destination marketing as an activity of business and philosophy of modern business attach the destination product to the market and, which occurs at two occasions: at the level of the organizer’s offer and at the destination altitude. In the present paper, the stress will be given on the destination altitude as the activities of marketing are, usually performed, at a lower level, by tourism organizations and by national tourism organizations.

In the marketing process, the most significant aspects are communication with the market. Kesic (2003) there are two fundamental approaches of communication:

• Mass communication
• Mutual communication

Mass communication is related to the media just as a liaison within the process of communication and it is generally points towards mass communication. According to Meler (1999), the promotional activities can be segregated into classified large groups.

• Fundamental promotional activities such as publicity, public relations, personal selling, sales promotions, and advertising.
• Derivative promotional activities such as “word of mouth” advertising, customer services, packaging, and designing.

The most liable bodies are community tourism organizations when at the destination level the communication/promotional mix and its function is considered. However, when the promotional activities are related to other countries, it would becomes the liability of the regional organizations and national tourism organizations along with local organizations because they are familiarized the domestic market and community.

In practice, the tourism workers implement all type of the communication or promotional mix. Nevertheless, most of the researchers and authors suggest that the utilization of public relations, promotions, personal selling and advertising are the fundamental of promotional mix and they are enough for the purpose.

When an organization utilizes editorial, stories, interviews and different kinds of writing material to promote a specific service or product to inform the public; it implements publicity. Through media coverage a product or service is highlighted. Definitely, this is the most vital and cost curtailing method to attract public.

The implication of publicity in travel and tourism is very common. It guides and motivates travelers and provokes them to choose one travel destination over another travel destination. Moreover, it is not just like paid advertisement instead it is an unpaid proposal. The characteristics of publicity are to provide information regarding a specific product or service. An effective publicity leads the customer to bookings and enquires.

The word media has countless meanings. It covers a variety of niches such as radio, television, internet, newspapers, magazines etc. Apart from common media after the arrival of Web 2, which is known as social media that is also an effective media for publicity? However, to select right media for the product promotion requires research and understanding of the market. It is the first important step to promote any product among customers. The organization or related staff has to identify the most popular media for the promotion of their product.

After the launching of the product publicity thorough any medium, the organization has to view the advertisement and judge its audience reaction regarding the product. This approach helps to recognize any flaw in the ad because mistakes can be made. Moreover, the organization recognizes the uniqueness or commonness of their product and it also identifies whether the selected medium can reach to the targeted audience or not.

During a survey regarding the assessment of the impact of social and other medium of publicity that are being implemented in the practices of public relations it was revealed that each year the medium are increasing. For some businesses, Facebook is considered the most significant social media in all public relations and communication endeavors apart from video sharing sites such as podcasts, electronic forums, blogs, YouTube, search engine marketing and Twitter. For organizing and managing an organization’s social media communication and blogs, public relations or communication is consistently the most important function of an organization.

In this regard, marketing is considered second, obviously. In addition, according to the practitioners of social media and other types of medium of publicity are incessantly improving their precision in truth telling, honesty, trust and credibility. Furthermore, the practitioners have observed that the new media serving effectively as a regulator regarding traditional news media and is influencing organizational and corporate culture clearness, which is enhancing a ethical and translucent culture. In addition, the people of public relations are spending more time in social media and blogging in an average workday. They are spending almost 35% of their working time in social media activities.

Social Media

 Some people still define the social media and other medium of communication similarly, though they are transforming into new approach. For any person social media is a method to include changes or improvement, assessment and commentary, via online provide and get real-time feedback, and publish digital creative content (Mark Dykeman, 2008). According to Joe Marchese (2007), there is a visible difference between traditional media per se television, radio, magazines, newspapers and social media. Although social media is not the media itself, yet it provides surrounding of conversation, consumption, distribution and discovery of the media. However, both the media have the capability to access to small as well as large audience. Nonetheless, a significant difference is cost difference of both the media, the traditional medium’s production cost is higher than the social media production cost. The social media only requires access to computer and the art of selecting and communicating with the audience.

According to the Pew Research Center (2005, 2008 & 2012), in 2008, for the first time in history people started to read news through online sources instead of traditional mass media. The American tendency of viewing information online exhibits that the trend is transforming; however, it is not surprising, for instance, now Americans subscribe newspapers only on Sunday and all other days of the week they read online.

In 1995, only 10% adult Americans were utilizing the web service; however, in 2009, 80% Americans are taking advantage of internet (Pew, 2005, 2008, 2012). In addition, the University of Southern California and its Center for the Digital Future state that the figures of Americans who are using internet are 82% (2010).According to the search results of Pew 57% of Americans have laptops and 88% have cell phones. Nevertheless, income, education, and age are the provoking factors for the utilization of internet. Moreover, in the mentioned demographic classification, recently, great increase of utilization of internet has been observed. For instance, Americans over the age of 65 almost half of them are utilizing internet 86% of them are very active and have contacts through email and 34% of them have social networks interactions. Furthermore, the younger generation is more active regarding the implementation of new technologies as compare to the older generation. The new generation use internet for specific purposes such as downloading movies, songs and books (Pew, 2005, 2008, 2012).

The most significant advantage in the internet promotion is its easy measurement because websites record the data of visitors’ quantity, their staying duration and can calculate the clicking rates. This specific feature helps the companies to assess the efficiency of the advertising campaign and what further improvement can be done for enhancement (Arkantos, 2007).

Another advantage of online promotion and marketing is its limitless boundaries; obviously, the geography cannot affect its strength and the organization can reach every customer globally. Moreover, the cost of local publicity would be greater than global publicity (UNWTO, 2005 p. 54). Thus, even local companies can reach global customers.

However, Akantos (2007) considers that online marketing has some disadvantages. Though small companies have advantage in promotion of their products through online, yet with low budget, they cannot imagine to invest in huge expensive online advertising campaigns, for instance, they cannot invest in cost per click campaign.

Moreover, the remoteness between consumers and companies makes things suspicious and worse. It is difficult to believe a product or a service, specifically, which has virtual existence. Thus, first to find reliable consumers and companies is necessary. Arkantos (2007) also considers geographical distance between seller and buyer a problem for business. Furthermore, due to countless offers and limitless information the consumer becomes reluctant in making decisions because he/she becomes confuse (UNWTO, 2005 p. 54).

Moreover, not all the people have access to internet; likewise, some of them do not have even computers. Thereby, to reach them through internet is not possible. In addition, there are people who do not use internet, for instance, the population of France is 60 million, yet juts 29 million people utilize the facility of internet (Veille info Tourism, 2007). Kotler and Bliemel (2001 p. 1212) claim that not for all products and services the online marketing is feasible. There are numerous services and products, which may not be promoted or sold through web.

However, Solis, (2011 p. 21) does not agree with other researchers. According to him, any service or device, which gets the help of internet to take advantages of conversation, is social media. Similarly, Wright and Hinson (2012) in their annual studies have observed the utilization of social media. They reveal in their findings that for public relations social media has brought positive changes, the new transforming technology has provided the power to organized communication with inner and outer audiences and, thus, facilitates the professionals. Therefore, social media has become important for various organizations and for public relations its significance cannot be neglected.

The Role of Engagement in Public Relations and Social Media

The word engagement has various meanings; however, its relation with public relations is obvious. The public relations practitioners convey engagement as a contact with any organization or conversation that helps in developing associations. The core focus of Solis’s book is engagement he thinks that one way communication is less important than two-way communication or dialogue; moreover, he emphasis the engagement of organization otherwise he suggests the organization should wind up its business (Solis, 2011, p. 2). Li and Bernoff (2008) also mentioned in their research about engagement and its relation with “conversation” and “talk.” However, Paine who wrote a book about measurement could not mention engagement in detail. Nonetheless, she accepts its significance and she describes the term of management as a number of retweets, number of comments in a blog, and numbers of visits of a visitor on a specific site.

Solis describes the arresting position of engagement. With stakeholders, it is a two-way conversation where, simultaneously, listening and engagement work together through conversation by social media platforms and this process is the responsibility of all the stakeholders. Moreover, he decries completely the obsolete conception that only one department has the responsibility of organizing and looking after the social media. However, in his book, Solis only focused Facebook and Twitter while he completely unnoticed the podcasts, blogs and Flickr. The important parts of engagement are conversation between an organization and community (Solis, 2011).

He considers that without helpful exchange, collaboration, insight and substance conversation is useless because it does not offer mutual satisfaction (Solis, 2011, p. 23). Interestingly, this important aspect is usually infringed in social media. For the benefit of engagement beyond keeping in view common satisfaction or helpfulness of their stakeholders, organizations usually take in worthless posts on their social media. In the chapter of “Rules of Engagement” Solis (2011) describes the method for engagement. Moreover, to guide foster engagement he highlights the significance of developing policies.

The meanings of public relations are diversifying and have various shades such as recruitment campaign, political communication, propaganda, publicity etc. The Association of American Railroads first implemented the term of public relations, in 1897 (Cameron, Wilcox, Reber and Shin 2008, p.66). Nonetheless, in the scenario of communication activities the term is older than 1897 (Cameron al., 2008, p. 63). However, Newsom, Turk and Kruckberg (2007, p. 25) state that in the United States, public relations began in 1600-1799.

According to Newsom et al. (2007, p.25), states that from the beginning of civilized history some of public relations’ functions have been experienced. The experience was felt through different form of mass media such as newspaper in the 19 th century, through radio in the early 20 th century, and through television in the 1950s and for public relations campaigns it improved the opportunities. Moreover, different approaches of communication were practiced before the arrival and growth of the media market and for the conductions of public relations campaigns, the early practitioners of public relations have implemented these.

The most influential methods to develop a brand is public relations. During 2012, for the amplification of regional marketing campaigns of Tourism Calgary public relations have been implemented powerfully.

In communicating of the refreshed brand, public relations activities are vital because they enhance awareness and finally improve the sales. To have people listen the specific message through the positive headlines is the most reliable and quickest approach. In creative campaign finishing the key to understand behaviors through public relations is important as it recognizes the actual drivers of behavioral transformation.

In the current study, the impact of public relations and media has been studied extensively. Moreover, the contrast of mass media and social medai has been conducted. The importance of public relations and media is undeniable for the development of travel and tourism. Organizations related to travel and tourism can take advantages of such studies, which guide them to identify correct medium for publicity.

Arkantos Consulting, (2007). Le marketing d’affiliation ou Google AdSense ?

British Institute of Public relations (BIPR)

Cameron G, Wilcox D, Reber B and Shin J-H, (2008), Public relations today –managing competition and conflict, Pearson, Boston.

Cutlip, S.M., Center, A.H. and Broom, G.M. (1985),  Effective Public Relations, 6th ed., Englewood Cliffs, NJ

Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff (2008): Groundswell: Harvard Business Press

Dykeman, M. (2008). How do you define social media?”

Freeman, R. E. (1984). Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach. Boston: Pitman Publishing

Grunig, J. & Hunt, T . (1984) Managing Public Relations. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

IFIA: Dr. Farag Moussa: Role of Mass Media and Communication in Improving the General Environment for inventive and Creative Activity

Jefkins, F. (1993). Planned Press and Public Relations. London: Blackie Academic and Professional.

Kesić, T. (2003) Integrirana marketinška komunikacija . Zagreb.

Kotler, P. And Bliemel F., 2001. Marketing Management 10th. edition, Stuttgart: Schäffer- Poesvhel Verlag

Marchese, J. (2007). Defining social media. Viewed from:

Meler, M. (1999). Marketing . Osijek: Sveučilište Josipa Jurja Strossmayera u Osijeku, Ekonomski fakultet.

Moutinho, L. (2005). Strateški menadžment u turizmu . Zagreb: Masmedia.

MILL, R.C. And A.M. MORRISON (1985), The Tourism System: an introductory text, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Melvin L. Sharpe (2000) Developing a behavioral paradigm for the performance of public relations, PRR 26(3), 345-362.

Newsom D, Turk V J, and Kruckberg D, (2007), This is PR – the realities of publicrelations,9 th ed Thomson, Belmont, CA

Pew Research Center (2005). Internet and American life project.

Pew Research Center (2008). Key news audiences now blend online and traditional sources.

Pew Research Center (2012). Digital Differences: A Report of the Pew Internet & American Life Project.

Senečić, J., B. Vukonić. (1997). Marketing u turizmu . Zagreb: Mikrorad d.o.o.

Solis Brian (2011): The End of Business as Usual: Rewire the Way You Work to Succeed in the Consumer Revolution.

University of Southern California (2011). 2011 Digital future report.

UNWTO, (2005) World overview and tourism topics. Madrid: UNWTO.

UNWTO 1999, Marketing tourism destinations online: strategies for the information age. Madrid: UNWTO.

Veille Info Tourisme Canada, 2007. – Web 2.0, vous n’avez pas fini d’en entendre parler!

Wilcox,  D.,  Ault,  P.  and  Agee,  W.  (1998).  Public  Relations:  Strategies  and  Tactics.   New  York:  Addison – Wesley Educational Publishers

Winn, M.I. 2001. “Building Stakeholder Theory with a Decision Modeling Methodology,” Business & Society, 40: 133-166.

Wright, Donald K. & Hinson, Michelle D. (2012). Examining how social and emerging media have been used in public relations between 2006 and 2012: A longitudinal analysis. Public Relations Journal, 6(4), 1-42.

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Diplomacy Dissertation Topics Ideas

Published by Owen Ingram at January 5th, 2023 , Revised On March 24, 2023

Diplomacy dissertation is an interesting and important academic pursuit, especially given the current global climate. The ability to navigate potentially challenging international relationships is an invaluable skill for anyone in public service or those looking to work in international relations. This research requires students to identify a specific area of diplomacy and then build their understanding of relevant concepts and theories through rigorous analysis.

The topics for a diplomacy dissertation can vary widely, depending on the interests and abilities of the student. For example, those interested in global politics may want to explore themes such as military interventions, humanitarian aid, or foreign policy decisions.

For those more focused on economics, topics such as trade agreements or economic sanctions could be explored. There are also interesting questions related to law that could be addressed by delving into diplomatic immunity or international criminal law.

When Should a Student Choose a Diplomacy Dissertation Topic?

When it comes to choosing a dissertation topic for a diplomacy major, the possibilities are nearly endless. So, of course, it can be overwhelming to make such an important decision. It is essential to consider what type of research you want to conduct and what kind of project you want to work on to help narrow down your choices and make the process easier.

Some students prefer a more theoretical approach, focusing on international relations theory or how different countries interact diplomatically with one another. Others may be more interested in researching specific historical events that shaped global events or policies implemented due to diplomatic efforts. Answering these questions will help you identify the topics best suited for your dissertation project.

Once you have identified potential dissertation topics that fit your interests, doing primary research on each option is essential.

List of Diplomacy Dissertation Topics

• Conceptualising equidistant diplomacy in international relations: the case of Singapore
• The role of public diplomacy in international relations in the full process of globalisation
• Introduction: Commercial diplomacy and international business: merging international business and international relations
• Democracy and diplomacy: The impact of domestic politics in US foreign policy, 1789-1994
• Diplomacy, domestic politics, and the US-India nuclear agreement
• Diplomatic practices, domestic fields, and the international system: Explaining France’s France’s shift on nuclear nonproliferation
• Germany at Maastricht: diplomacy and domestic politics
• Japanese foreign policy on climate change: Diplomacy and domestic politics
• Streaming diplomacy: Netflix’s domestic politics and foreign policy
• Domestic politics, international bargaining and China’s territorial disputes
• Revisiting pipeline politics and diplomacy: from energy security to domestic politics explanations
• China’s diplomacy: Theory and practice
• Who “won” Libya? The force-diplomacy debate and its implications for theory and policy
• Diplomacy theory and practice in Islam
• International security in practice: the politics of NATO-Russia diplomacy
• Conspiracy theories as a Russian public diplomacy Tool: The case of Russia Today (RT)
• Teaching diplomacy by other means: Using an outside-of-class simulation to teach international relations theory
• Naval diplomacy—a theoretical approach
• China’s strategic partnership diplomacy
• Rising star: China’s new security diplomacy
• China diplomacy, 1914-1918
• China’s oil diplomacy in Africa
• Beyond diplomacy? UK relations with China since 1997
• The concept of ”community of common destiny in China’s diplomacy: Meaning, motives and implications
• Social media and public diplomacy: A comparative analysis of the digital diplomatic strategies of the EU, US and Japan in China
• Diplomacy and War at NATO: The secretary general and military action after the cold war
• The gulf conflict, 1990-1991: Diplomacy and war in the new world order.

What is the Importance of Choosing the Right Diplomacy Dissertation Topic?

Choosing the right topic for your diplomacy dissertation can be difficult. However, selecting an appropriate research question is essential for producing meaningful and engaging work. When choosing the most suitable topic, you need to consider several factors: its relevance in today’s world, how much data and literature are available as support, and whether or not it is something that interests you.

A good diplomacy dissertation topic should tick all these boxes; it should allow you to explore a relevant issue from multiple angles and express your opinion within the context of current affairs.

This will ensure that your research has value beyond the academic setting by providing important insights into real-world challenges and helping inform future policymaking decisions. Moreover, if your chosen subject matter genuinely excites you, this enthusiasm will shine through in your finished product – improving its overall impact even further.

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ResearchProspect writers can send several custom topic ideas to your email address. Once you have chosen a topic that suits your needs and interests, you can order for our dissertation outline service which will include a brief introduction to the topic, research questions , literature review , methodology , expected results , and conclusion . The dissertation outline will enable you to review the quality of our work before placing the order for our full dissertation writing service!

FAQ’s About Diplomacy Dissertation Ideas

Can i use these topics for my dissertation.

Yes, you can use these topics for your dissertation. Though, other students might have used these topics.

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Yes, we do provide customised and unique dissertation topics. To place an order , visit our website.

Can you make a research proposal on my selected topic?

Yes, we can make a research proposal on your selected topic. You can check out our website for more information about our proposal writing services or order a research proposal topic.

When to choose the diplomacy dissertation topic?

It is important to choose diplomacy dissertation topics at the outset of the dissertation whenever it is assigned. It takes a great deal of time to research a dissertation, so you will save a lot of hassle if you choose a topic ahead of time.

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Catch On The Best Public Relations Dissertation Topics Ideas

Home » Ideas » Business Dissertation Topics » Catch On The Best Public Relations Dissertation Topics Ideas

• Updated: December 7, 2023

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In the ever-changing field of public relations, choosing a compelling dissertation topic is essential to both academic achievement and professional standing. The relationship between online platforms and public relations is becoming more and more important as the digital world changes. Writing an engaging dissertation requires a deep comprehension of current issues, new problems, and creative solutions in this field. 

This procedure can be streamlined by utilizing the knowledge of Online Dissertation Help Services , which can offer priceless advice and assistance. The range of possible themes is enormous and always growing, whether investigating the effectiveness of social media campaigns, examining crisis communication in the digital era, or investigating online stakeholder engagement tactics. 

List Of Public Relations Dissertation Topics In UK

Numerous fascinating paths await investigation in the field of public relations dissertation topics in the UK, providing abundant chances for both academic study and real-world application. Future scholars in the discipline can set out to explore the complexities of contemporary public relations strategies in the context of Britain. Examining how social media platforms are changing the way UK-based companies shape their public relations strategy and connect with stakeholders is one potential line of inquiry. 

As an alternative, researchers could focus on how crisis communication affects brand reputation in the particular socio-political environment of the United Kingdom. Analyzing notable case studies and new developments can help us understand the interplay between digital transformation and conventional public relations techniques, as well as the efficacy of modern public relations campaigns. Furthermore, investigating how sustainability concepts are incorporated into public relations frameworks provides an understanding of how UK companies manage environmental issues without sacrificing brand integrity. 

The impact of cultural diversity on public relations messaging and the effects of Brexit on public relations tactics and industry dynamics in the UK are two more fascinating subjects. We are prepared to help you choose an interesting topic that is in line with your academic goals by drawing on our experience with business dissertation topics . All you need is to fill the form on this page. Whether your focus is on strategic communications in the UK, stakeholder engagement, or creative public relations tactics, our committed staff will be there to support you every step of the way.

1. Social Media’s Impact on Crisis Communication

Social media has altered organisational crisis communication techniques. This research investigates how these organisations use social media during times of crisis. Its primary goal is to understand the impact of social media on crisis management and reputation management. By examining quick responses, public opinion evaluation, crisis management tactics, and the role of influencers, the research aims to provide information on how organisations can navigate and use the internet throughout problems to safeguard their public image while communicating openly with stakeholders.

• To investigate case studies of crisis administration in the social media age.
• To assess the effectiveness of online emergency response tactics.
• To determine standards of excellence for crisis reputation management through social media.

2. Public Relations and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

This dissertation looks at how corporate social responsibility (CSR) and public relations (PR) collaborate to shape a company’s image and reputation. It looks into how public relations techniques are used to advertise and spread CSR activities, as well as the effect they have upon users’ perceptions of firms’ ethical and social responsibilities.

• To investigate the CSR communication strategies of organisations.
• Determine the influence of CSR messaging on public perception and brand image.
• Develop guidelines for effective CSR communication through public relations channels.

3. The Role of Government Public Relations in the Online Environment

Government agencies have implemented digital platforms to engage with residents. This study examines the evolution of government public relations (PR) in the digital age, with the purpose of assessing how successfully digital PR supports transparency and trust in government-citizen interactions. By examining digital communication practises, it hopes to provide insights for enhancing government-citizen relations and encouraging responsibility in modern governance.

• To investigate digital government public relations practises, such as social networking sites and a web-based campaigns
• To assess the public’s view of the government’s communication initiatives.
• To create ways to improve citizen-government involvement and openness.

4. Public Relations’ Role in Political Campaigns

Public relations (PR) can aid in the shaping of political narratives and the impact of public opinion. This study investigates how public relations strategies effect political campaigns. Its purpose is to understand how public relations affects the efficacy of political marketing and its function in shaping voter behaviour. By researching political communication, public relations, crisis management, and candidate branding, this study attempts to offer an understanding of how PR practises effect political settings and electoral outcomes.

• To evaluate case studies of public relations campaigns in elections for politics.
• To determine the efficacy of communications, media relations, and image management in political public relations.
• To find out the primary factors that impact voter decisions in regards to public relations activities.

5. Public Relations Ethical Issues

Practitioners of public relations (PR) frequently face ethical quandaries. This dissertation investigates various ethical quandaries in the area and how experts deal with them. Its primary goal is to investigate the ethical issues and decision-making processes used by public relations practitioners in their daily job. This study tries to offer ideas and suggestions for those working in PR to uphold the highest standards of ethics and integrity in their practise by analysing instances, rules of ethics, relationships with stakeholders, and their effect on reputation.

• To analyse real-world situations of ethical quandaries in public relations
• To create ethical norms and frameworks for public relations practitioners.
• To assess the impact of ethical public relations practises on organisational reputation and confidence among stakeholders.

6. Communication on the Global Crisis and Cultural Sensitivity

During crises, global organisations frequently face the issue of negotiating cultural differences. This research looks at how cultural sensitivity affects crisis communication in a global context. It seeks to assess the impact of cultural sensitivity on successful global crisis communications and reputation management. This study tries to provide insights into how organisations might retain openness and trust across varied cultural contexts during times of crisis by analysing cultural nuances, intercultural interaction techniques, and their effect on stakeholder perceptions.

• To examine case studies of worldwide crisis management failures and cultural gaffes.
• To create rules for cultural sensitivity in crisis communication.
• To assess the international reputational effects of culturally appropriate crisis responses.

7. Public Relations and Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing has evolved as an effective public relations (PR) tactic. This study investigates the impact of influencers on public relations techniques. It intends to investigate the use of influencer marketing in public relations initiatives and the effects on brand reputation. This study intends to provide knowledge about how PR professionals could effectively employ influencers to increase brand reputation and outreach by analysing influencer choice, message alignment, engagement techniques, and the consequent impact on public perception.

• To assess the effectiveness of influencer marketing strategies.
• To create tactics for identifying and collaborating with PR influencers.
• To determine the influencer collaboration’s impact on company visibility and reputation.

8. Crisis Management and Health Communication

During public health crises, successful health outreach is critical. This dissertation looks into the function of public relations (PR) in medical crisis management, specifically in the healthcare industry. Its fundamental purpose is to know how public relations methods shape communication about crises during healthcare catastrophes. This study aims to provide ideas and suggestions for healthcare organisations and professionals attempting to navigate and interact effectively throughout public health crises by analysing crisis management tactics, involvement of stakeholders, dissemination of information, and their effect on public perceptions.

• To examine health-crisis communication tactics, especially those used during pandemics.
• Assess public impressions of healthcare organisations’ crisis reactions; and
• To create standards to guide successful health crisis communications through public relations.

9. Employee Engagement and Internal Communication

Employee engagement and organisational culture cannot exist without effective internal communication. The purpose of this research is to investigate the impact of internal public relations (PR) on staff morale and performance. Its primary goal is to assess how public relations techniques promote internal interaction, participation, and retention within organisations. This study tries to provide an understanding of how organisations can use public relations to promote a happy and productive atmosphere at work by analysing internal communication, worker input mechanisms, communication between leaders, and its effect on job satisfaction and productivity.

• To examine organisational internal communication practises.
• To assess the connection between internal public relations activities and employee satisfaction.
• To create strategies for improving internal communication practises in order to increase employee engagement.

10. Consumer Perception and Brand Storytelling

Brand storytelling has emerged as an important component of public relations (PR) and marketing approaches. This study investigates how brand tales influence consumer impressions. Its primary goal is to investigate how public relations-driven brand storytelling changes customer views and builds brand loyalty. The investigation intends to provide insights into how organisations may effectively utilise narrative in order to engage their audience and develop enduring relationships by analysing storytelling approaches, emotional engagement, authenticity of brands, and their effects on consumer behaviour. In a competitive environment, understanding this relationship is critical for improving consumer trust and consumer loyalty.

• To examine organisational brand storytelling techniques.
• To assess customer reactions to brand storylines in advertising and public relations efforts.
• To establish standards for telling great brand tales.

11. Crisis Communication in a Post-Fake-News World

During a crisis, misinformation may be a formidable foe. This dissertation investigates how public relations professionals counteract misleading information and deception. Its primary goal is to evaluate the tactics and tools used by public relations practitioners to effectively battle misinformation and maintain trust. This study aims to give insights and recommendations for public relations professionals seeking to navigate and reduce the negative effects of misperception during crises by researching crisis communication methods, media monitoring, verification of facts, and stakeholder involvement.

• To investigate instances of disinformation and fake news in crisis circumstances.
• To assess the success of public relations strategies in dispelling misinformation and rebuilding trust.
• To create best practises for dealing with misinformation in crisis communications.

12. Communication about Environmental Sustainability

Environmental sustainability is becoming increasingly important. This study looks into how organisations communicate about their environmental initiatives and affect stakeholders. Its main purpose is to investigate the function of public relations (PR) in effectively delivering sustainable development messages and building environmentally friendly business identities. The research being conducted aims to offer information on how organisations can leverage PR to demonstrate their dedication to sustainability and promote beneficial interactions with environmentally aware consumers and stakeholders by analysing the reporting of sustainability, environmentally friendly advertising techniques, involvement of stakeholders, and the resulting impact on brand reputation.

• To evaluate environmental communication techniques and campaigns for sustainability.
• To assess the impact of environmental messaging on consumer behaviour and loyalty.
• To create criteria for efficient environmental communication through public relations.

13. Brand Image and Celebrity Endorsements

In public relations (PR) and advertising, celebrity endorsements are common. This dissertation investigates the impact of celebrity endorsements on company image and consumer sentiments. Its major goal is to assess the impact of celebrity endorsements on brand perceptions and buying decisions. This study intends to provide insights into how organisations may employ celebrity endorsements to boost the perception of their company and connect with customers by analysing celebrity selection, narrative alignment, customer confidence, and their impact on brand loyalty.

• To examine celebrity endorsement programmes and the effects they have on brand reputation.
• To assess customer reactions to endorsements from celebrities in various businesses.
• To create policies and procedures for choosing and handling endorsements from famous people for advertising for brands.

14. E-commerce Online Reputation Management

E-commerce enterprises rely heavily on their internet reputation. This research looks at how public relations (PR) methods can help with online reputation management in the e-commerce industry. Its primary goal is to assess the function of public relations in establishing and safeguarding online image for e-commerce firms. This study intends to provide an understanding of how e-commerce enterprises may effectively employ public relations to create and maintain a positive online image by analysing crisis communications, feedback from clients, social media interaction, and their impact on brand trust and consumer loyalty.

• To examine e-commerce enterprises’ online reputation management tactics and technologies.
• To assess the influence of online image on trust among customers and buying decisions.
• To come up with methods for proactive online reputation management and restoration.

15. Political Public Relations and Populism

Political public relations (PR) faces considerable hurdles as a result of populist movements. This study looks into the tactics used by political public relations practitioners when navigating the challenging terrain of populism. Its main goal is to understand the role of public relations in generating political stories and influencing voter views in a setting of populist campaigns. This study tries to provide perspectives on how public relations may successfully react to and shape the political conversation in the era of populism by analysing message tactics, management of crises, media relations, and their effect on public opinion.

• To examine political public relations campaigns in populist situations.
• To assess the efficacy of message, media relations, and image management in combating or leveraging populism.
• To identify significant characteristics which impact voter decisions in populist circumstances in response to public relations initiatives.

16. Investor Relations and Financial Communication.

For public companies, effective financial communication is critical. This dissertation investigates how public relations (PR) affects stock market performance and adds to investor relations. Its primary goal is to look into the function of public relations in efficiently communicating financial information, instilling investor confidence, and contributing to stock market performance. The study seeks to offer information and suggestions for public companies looking to leverage PR to improve their relationships with investors and drive positive stock market outcomes by analysing investor communications, financial statements, management of crises, and the effects on stock performance.

• To examine publicly traded firms’ financial communication techniques.
• To assess the influence of economic messaging on shareholder sentiment and stock performance.
• To create standards for effective financial communication and stock performance.

17. Sports Public Relations and Athlete Branding

Athlete branding has emerged as an important aspect of sports public relations (PR). This study dives at how public relations methods shape sports brands and endorsements. Its main goal is to understand how public relations experts build athlete brands and maximise endorsements for athletes and sports organisations. This study intends to provide insights into how public relations can effectively support athlete and sports organisation success in the competitive sports market by analysing athlete management of reputation, endorsement deals, media relations, and their impact on brand value and sports business growth.

• To examine sports public relations efforts and athlete branding tactics.
• To assess the impact of endorsements from athletes on customer behaviour and team performance.
• To create best practises for athlete marketing and public relations in the sports business.

18. Education Public Relations and School Community Relations /h2>

Effective public relations (PR) is of the utmost importance for educational institutions. This research investigates how public relations tactics create school-community connections and assist students in succeeding. Its primary purpose is to evaluate the effectiveness of media relations in boosting educational outcomes by encouraging community engagement and interaction. Through analysing methods for communicating, involvement of stakeholders, crisis management, and their impact on student performance, this study aims to provide insights and recommendations for educational institutions looking for ways to enhance their image, establish beneficial relationships with community members, and support student achievement.

• To investigate educational public relations practises such as school communication and community participation.
• To evaluate the benefits of school-community interaction on student success and family involvement.
• To develop successful education public relations strategies to strengthen school-community partnerships.

19. Marketing and Public Relations for Tourism Destinations

Tourism locations need to implement efficient communications and marketing strategies (PR). The paper looks into how public relations affects tourist perceptions and choice of destination. Its main goal is to comprehend how public relations techniques aid in the marketing of destinations and impact tourist behaviour. This study aims to provide a comprehension of how destinations can successfully use public relations to attract visitors, improve their image, and ultimately contribute to the tourism sector’s achievement through analysis of destination branding, crisis communication, involvement of stakeholders, and the impact on tourist decision-making.

• To investigate destination public relations initiatives and communication methods.
• To determine the effect of destination public relations campaigns on tourist numbers and satisfaction.
• To develop guidelines for effective tourism PR and marketing strategies.

20. Humanitarian Public Relations and Crisis Response

Humanitarian organisations are crucial in disaster relief. This study investigates the public relations (PR) strategies employed by humanitarian agencies during disasters. Its primary purpose is to assess the effectiveness of public relations in raising understanding, mobilising resources, and supporting catastrophe victims. This research attempts to provide a knowledge of how humanitarian organisation might utilise public relations in order to maximise their effectiveness during times of crisis by evaluating crisis communication, fund-raising initiatives, publicity methods, and their impact on public assistance and relief activities.

• Investigate the public relations strategies and communication strategies of humanitarian organisation during disasters.
• To assess the impact of humanitarian public relations on charitable giving, volunteers, and disaster response.
• To develop standards of excellence for humanitarian public relations and crisis management.

Catch On The Best Public Relations Dissertation Topics Ideas. (2024, May 3). Retrieved from DissertationHelpServices website: https://dissertationhelpservices.uk/public-relations-dissertation-topics/.

Catch On The Best Public Relations Dissertation Topics Ideas. (2024, May 3). DissertationHelpServices. https://dissertationhelpservices.uk/public-relations-dissertation-topics/

Works Cited

“Catch On The Best Public Relations Dissertation Topics Ideas.” DissertationHelpServices, 3 May. 2024, dissertationhelpservices.uk/public-relations-dissertation-topics/.

Bibliography

DissertationHelpServices. “Catch On The Best Public Relations Dissertation Topics Ideas,” May 3, 2024. https://dissertationhelpservices.uk/public-relations-dissertation-topics/.

“Catch On The Best Public Relations Dissertation Topics Ideas.” 2024. DissertationHelpServices. May 3, 2024. https://dissertationhelpservices.uk/public-relations-dissertation-topics/.

Reference list

DissertationHelpServices. (2024). Catch On The Best Public Relations Dissertation Topics Ideas. [online] Available at: https://dissertationhelpservices.uk/public-relations-dissertation-topics/.

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