Public Relations Research

It is easy to neglect the importance of research, using excuses such as being time consuming and expensive. However, with relevant research input, the results can generate a tremendous amount of insight into the topic which we would have otherwise overlook. Hence, I totally agree with the author's view that failure due to the lack of research is unacceptable.

There are two general form of research, namely qualitative and quantitative research. As much as it is important to do research, it is equally important to choose the correct research methods. Because by doing so, PR practitioners will save precious time and money that has been put into it, and will also be able to generate feedback that would be relevant to the studies. While both methods have their pros and cons, I feel that in most cases qualitative research method would serve as a better research tool as it allows the interviewees to offer feedback and opinions that the surveyor might have overlooked. That said, quantitative research method would be able to gauge the general attitude of the public better.

One useful suggestion that I have learnt in the chapter is the three quick steps towards thinking like a public relations professional, which is
1. Understanding the problem, issue or opportunity
2. Framing the research questions
3. Designing the research activity

The example that has been given offers a systematic approach to generating relevant questions for the research. Without asking the right questions, the results gathered would be deemed useless to the findings as it would not help the PR professional understand the subject better. By applying the steps suggested, I would able to thinking more logically and pose questions which are relevant.