Assessment of the Role of Public Relations Practitioners in Corporate Organisations in Ghana

Abstract

The study examined the roles of public relations practitioners in Ghanaian organizations. It further explored the specific activities performed by public relations managers and technicians as well as factors that influenced role enactment among practitioners in organizations. The study was conducted within the framework of the role theory. Thirteen Ghanaian public relations practitioners and members of the Institute of Public Relations (IPR) were purposively sampled to take part in the study. Using a qualitative methodology and in-depth interviews as the method for data gathering, the study found that more public relations practitioners played managerial roles than technician roles in organizations. However, it was also observed that all practitioners performed elements of both managerial and technician functions. Findings from the study suggested that factors such as academic qualification, years of work experience, performance or competence, size of public relations department and organizational policy and strategy influenced the roles that public relations practitioners played in organizations. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that the overlap in the activities performed by managers and technicians should encourage Ghanaian practitioners to improve on their skill sets to help them fit into work environments that require that public relations practitioners perform activities that are characteristic of both roles.