Perceptions of professionalism: practitioner reflections on the state of Australian public relations

This paper highlights Australian public relations practitioners? perceptions of the current state of their profession, based on a study conducted in late 2007/early 2008. Approximately half the respondents were non-members of the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA), indicating that the re...

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Main Authors: Wolf, Katharina, De Bussy, Nigel
Format: Journal Article
Published: Deakin University Australia 2008
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/34007
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author Wolf, Katharina
De Bussy, Nigel
author_facet Wolf, Katharina
De Bussy, Nigel
author_sort Wolf, Katharina
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description This paper highlights Australian public relations practitioners? perceptions of the current state of their profession, based on a study conducted in late 2007/early 2008. Approximately half the respondents were non-members of the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA), indicating that the representativeness of the peak professional body remains at best questionable. This has implications for standards of practice, compliance with codes of ethics (Bowen, 2007) and, ultimately, the professionalisation of the field. Despite global efforts by professional associations to develop the public relations body of knowledge, enforce higher ethical standards, and encourage certification and accreditation ? the three defining characteristics of a profession (Cutlip, Center, & Broom, 2006; Grunig & Hunt, 1984) ? research results indicate that public relations in Australia continues to be regarded as a ?semi-profession? (Dozier, 1992). Despite seeing some improvements, respondents reported a continued need to educate employers, management and the general public about the roles and responsibilities of public relations. Concerns were also raised about the ability of professional bodies ? specifically the PRIA - to handle ethical issues and misconduct, in order to protect the standing and reputation of the field.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-340072018-10-18T06:46:50Z Perceptions of professionalism: practitioner reflections on the state of Australian public relations Wolf, Katharina De Bussy, Nigel Standards of practice Public Relations Institute of Australia Public relations practitioners? perceptions Codes of ethics This paper highlights Australian public relations practitioners? perceptions of the current state of their profession, based on a study conducted in late 2007/early 2008. Approximately half the respondents were non-members of the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA), indicating that the representativeness of the peak professional body remains at best questionable. This has implications for standards of practice, compliance with codes of ethics (Bowen, 2007) and, ultimately, the professionalisation of the field. Despite global efforts by professional associations to develop the public relations body of knowledge, enforce higher ethical standards, and encourage certification and accreditation ? the three defining characteristics of a profession (Cutlip, Center, & Broom, 2006; Grunig & Hunt, 1984) ? research results indicate that public relations in Australia continues to be regarded as a ?semi-profession? (Dozier, 1992). Despite seeing some improvements, respondents reported a continued need to educate employers, management and the general public about the roles and responsibilities of public relations. Concerns were also raised about the ability of professional bodies ? specifically the PRIA - to handle ethical issues and misconduct, in order to protect the standing and reputation of the field. 2008 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/34007 Deakin University Australia fulltext
spellingShingle Standards of practice
Public Relations Institute of Australia
Public relations
practitioners? perceptions
Codes of ethics
Wolf, Katharina
De Bussy, Nigel
Perceptions of professionalism: practitioner reflections on the state of Australian public relations
title Perceptions of professionalism: practitioner reflections on the state of Australian public relations
title_full Perceptions of professionalism: practitioner reflections on the state of Australian public relations
title_fullStr Perceptions of professionalism: practitioner reflections on the state of Australian public relations
title_full_unstemmed Perceptions of professionalism: practitioner reflections on the state of Australian public relations
title_short Perceptions of professionalism: practitioner reflections on the state of Australian public relations
title_sort perceptions of professionalism: practitioner reflections on the state of australian public relations
topic Standards of practice
Public Relations Institute of Australia
Public relations
practitioners? perceptions
Codes of ethics
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/34007