Communication Commons^™

Professional Sports Teams And Fan Relations: A Public Relations Case Study Of The 1998-99 Philadelphia Eagles Football Team, Laura Elizabeth Litrenta

Theses and Dissertations

In professional sports, the field of public relations helps organizations foster positive relationships with their fans. But, when teams suffer losing seasons, recording more losses than wins, these relationships become strained.

The purpose of this study was to reveal how losing seasons affect the bond between professional sports teams and their fans. The results encourage sports relations practitioners to recognize fan needs and develop techniques that can help organizations maintain a more positive relationship with their fans during a losing season.

To examine the relationship between a professional sports team and its fans, this researcher traced the performance of the …

E-Mail Privacy In The Workplace: Is It A Public Relations Concern?, Charles H. Harrison

Theses and Dissertations

This study determined that many, perhaps most, public relations executives do not consider real or potential clashes between employers and employees over the use of organization E-mail systems for personal communication to be their concern.

The drafting of organization E-mail policy and its communication to employees seem to be the primary concerns of management information systems (MIS), human resources executives and legal counsel. When such policies result in misunderstanding and discontent among employees, human resources executives are more likely than public relations executives to seek solutions. Both public relations and human resources executives addressed the thesis question through a focus …

Intranets Vs. Printed Publications As Effective Employee Communication Tools, Paula S. Hoffman

Theses and Dissertations

Intranets, driven by time and cost-efficiencies, recently emerged as a major corporate communication tool. However, do employees want their company news delivered via an Intranet or do they prefer reading traditional printed publications?

This study's purpose is to determine employees' preferences and constraints concerning Intranet internal news delivery and content. These findings will guide communication managers in delivering effective Intranet content, design and programming.

This study surveyed 100 employees in a self-select method from the Philadelphia area who read company news on an Intranet for at least six months. The survey probed attitude and behavior toward reading an Intranet vs. …

A Student's Guide To The History Of Public Relations And An Inquiry Into The Use Of Public Relations History In The Classroom, Christine Dunnington

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compile a PR student-friendly history of public relations, as well as learn how several university PR programs include public relations history in their curriculum. Literary research and interviews provided the information required for this study. Most universities teach public relations history within an introductory course, providing a historical background for the methods used by practitioners today. Discussions with professors found that most would like to have the resources to go into greater detail about the roots of this relatively young profession.

Producing Award-Winning Publications, Jacob Christian Farbman

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis provides research findings on what design elements public relations professionals use to produce award-winning publications. Professionals in the workforce who use desktop publishing software to produce publications can use these findings as a reference guide. A survey was conducted of 15 public relations professionals who have won national awards for either their newsletters or brochures. These professionals belonged to one of the following public relations associations: the International Association of Business Communicators, the National School Public Relations Association or the Public Relations Society of America. Respondents were found to use serif typefaces for body copy, sans serif typefaces …

Communicating Through Photographs: A Guide For Public Relations Professionals, Carol Ann Desimine

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of preparing this guide was to create a resource for public relations professionals to refer to when faced with the task of placing photographs in publications. The assumption is that most public relations professionals are not trained to think visually, partly because their education is focused on writing and virtually ignores aesthetics. Since readership surveys find that people prefer photographs over the written word, and that pictures capture attention quicker than headlines, it is essential that public relations people know how to use visuals to enhance a message. The primary research methods of this study were examination of …

A Comparative Study Of Recruitment And Enrollment Practices In Colleges And Universities Using Integrated Marketing Communications, Alisa L. Hogan

Theses and Dissertations

A study was conducted to determine if using an integrated marketing communications (IMC) approach to college and university recruitment and enrollment helps institutions better achieve their enrollment goals.

This study involved a review of related research, in-depth interviews with education-specific marketing consulting firms, and admissions and marketing professionals at various institutions of higher learning. Primary research involved a 14-item self-administered questionnaire mailed to selected four-year colleges and universities across the country. The questionnaire asked institution executives familiarity and general institutional marketing questions, marketing activity questions, use of IMC, opinion inquiries and demographics.

Mean scores through coded responses, frequencies and percentages …

The Effective Use Of Billboards As A Communications Tool, Donna M. Lithgow

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify guidelines for communicators to use as a reference when designing an outdoor campaign.

Secondary research provided information on properly designing and using billboards as a communications tool. This information included studies on billboards, research on color and design, and statistics relating to the outdoor industry.

The author compiled a list of agencies who won OBIE awards between 1994 and 1998. These awards are given to agencies annually by the Outdoor Advertising Association of America to recognize outstanding billboard campaigns. These agencies are among the best in outdoor communication throughout the United States …

The Importance Of Morale In The Workplace, Allison Rohner

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis studies the impact of morale on productivity and the bottom line. Research shows companies with high morale generate higher profits, greater productivity and happier employees.

Thousands of organizations and companies have problems with morale, but few have found ways to solve them. This thesis identifies conditions that lead to higher morale. The thesis examines morale programs at top companies and looks at a variety of different studies.

The research indicates that employees need to feel their efforts create positive social changes. Companies can contribute to charities or they can create programs to show the company's impact on the …

The Efficacy Of Community Policing: A Community Relations Case Study Of Gloucester County, New Jersey Patrol Officers And Residents, Ian J. Finnimore

Theses and Dissertations

Community Policing has become a driving management strategy in many police departments throughout the United States. Police officers are being asked to form long-lasting relationships with community members so both publics can more easily work together to solve community and crime issues This study's purpose was to determine the efficacy of community policing as it relates to both patrol officers and residents to determine what public relations skills may assist future community policing initiatives. A patrol officer survey was designed and distributed to 24 municipal police departments. 394 surveys were delivered with 199 usable respondents. Officers were asked to give …

Reviving The Image: Communicating The Benefits Of Labor Unions, Kathleen Mulholland

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study is to show that unions need to communicate the purpose they serve in society to revive their tarnished image. The results show through quantitative and qualitative analysis that although some studies show the public approval rating of unions has increased, a negative image still exists.

To determine the type of message the mass media is sending to the public about unions, a content analysis was performed on articles written by the Washington Post about four national strikes. Twelve individual in-depth interviews were conducted using six union and six nonunion participants to gather detailed information concerning …

Public Relations Practitioners Versus The Media: The Analysis Of Standards, Stephen A. Kandik

Theses and Dissertations

This study determined how both the media and public relations practitioners perceived professional standards in the public relations field and how these perceptions could be changed. This study required the use of abstracting systems, the Internet, databases, journals and periodicals, in-depth interviews and e-mail surveys. Five in-depth interviews with journalists along with five in-depth interviews with public relations practitioners provided the information needed to create the survey instrument. Both journalists and public relations practitioners provided 99 responses to the survey. Data analysis included t-tests and a factor analysis. The study proved that the media view the professional standards within the …

Review Of Current Newsletter Literature With Today's Novice Publisher In Mind, Tobias Bruhn

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to develop a comprehensive overview of current newsletter literature with the needs of novice publishers in mind. Just like any large organization or publishing house, first-time publishers use newsletters to communicate with their employees, club or church members, or customers.

However, in this booming industry, first-time publishers not only compete against each other, but also professional publishers with far greater resources and capabilities. No wonder that publishers go in and out of business on a daily basis. Therefore, this thesis limited the information to selected components of the newsletter production process appropriate for novice …

Changing The Image Of Vocational Education, Laura Timberman

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to (1) determine existing opinions of vocational education and (2) identify steps to be taken by vocational schools to improve image problems and to attract students.

A written survey was sent to the 21 New Jersey public vocational school superintendents. Twenty responses were received.

The results of the study indicate that the term "vocational" indeed carries a stigma. The leading association for vocational education recently underwent a name change. Many vocational schools are following suit, changing their names to eliminate the word "vocational."

The study also addressed the new courses being taught at vocational …

Family-Of-Origin Distress And Intimacy In Later-Life Couples, Paul James Birch

Theses and Dissertations

Married couples aged 55-98 were surveyed regarding their perceptions of family-of-origin distress, their affective communication and problem solving communication skills, and their emotional intimacy. Two 2-way ANOVAs were performed with husbands' (model 1) and wives' (model 2) emotional intimacy scores as dependent measures and family-of-origin distress scores as the independent measures. Then both models were re-analyzed with affective communication and problem solving communication entered as co-variates. Results suggested that for both husbands and wives, emotional intimacy was affected by family-of-origin distress. Additionally, intimacy was affected by the distress in their spouses' family-of-origin in both models. Post-hoc analyses suggested that as …

The Influence Of Religiosity In The Construction Of Meaning From Advertising Messages Intended To Promote Lifestyle Values, Lillian Billing

Theses and Dissertations

Religiosity has largely been ignored by consumer research as a factor in the negotiation of meaning from magazine advertisements containing lifestyle messages. A meaning based study was undertaken to seek to identify its presence and emergence within a religious audience. A qualitative methodology employing in-depth, phenomenological interviewing was designed. Six members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, three men and three women, were invited to give their interpretations, thoughts, and feelings towards four magazine advertisements. A second in-depth phenomenological interview was conducted with each participant to provide individual lifeworld contexts. Analysis employed a previously tested conceptual construct, …

Media Selection In The Air Force Environment: How Communications Requirements Influence Effectiveness As An Outcome Of Media Choice, David L. Hillman

Theses and Dissertations

Over the past two decades, great interest has been given to the research of media choice within organizations. However, there is still confusion over which factors influence media choice. This study examined the effectiveness of five media under different conditions in an effort to better understand which factors impact media choice. Through the examination of several theories on communication and media choice, a theoretical model was created to determine if effectiveness is an outcome of media choice. To test the proposed model, a 54 scenario policy capturing instrument was developed and distributed. Results from the study support the theory that …

Identity And Image: A Miss America Case Study, Melissa C. Connell

Theses and Dissertations

Through brochure copy and other communication channels, such as electronic media, organizations strive to effectively echo the company's beliefs, attitudes and values. Target audiences perceive the company in certain ways based on this media projection. Sometimes the image a company believes it has established is far different from the one the public sees.

As organizations aim to achieve this identity/image alliance, critics assert that the Miss America Organization has failed to meet the stated standards. In recent years, the Miss America Organization has received criticism from former contestants, politicians, feminist groups and some of its 80 million viewers for its …

Universities And Their Communities: What Fosters Positive Town-Gown Relations?, Nicole M. Spagnolia

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to decipher what solutions and approaches have worked in solving conflicts between colleges and their communities and make the information available to other schools.

A review of research related to this study was conducted in conjunction with in-depth interviews with college relations personnel from various institutions. The information gathered was then used to conduct primary research in the form of a mail survey.

The mail survey was sent to 400 college relations personnel from across the country. The survey was used to discover what conflicts colleges are experiencing with their communities and how they …

A Study Of The Measurable Benefits Of "Content" Web Sites For Companies In The Sports Collectibles Industry, Brian S. Cahill

Theses and Dissertations

Many public relations professionals have used the internet to feature information on "content" web sites. These sites, which companies were spending thousands of dollars per year to create and maintain, were not used for commerce, but for marketing and public relations use.

This study examined the measurable benefits of "content" web sites of companies in one industry, the sports collectibles industry. All companies in this industry were included in this study. This study used the sports collectibles industry as a microcosm of all companies which were using "content" web sites.

Through a mail survey, data were collected to reveal the …

Motivational Functions Of Volunteerism: Similarities And Differences Between Low & High Risk Communities, Deborah L. Cole

Theses and Dissertations

A functional approach provides a framework for identifying psychological and behavioral aspects associated with decision-making, experiences, and consequences. The functional approach to volunteerism suggests that different people, or sub-populations, may actually be motivated to serve based upon individual and varying personal, social, and psychological functions. The purpose of the study was to investigate any motivational differences or similarities between adults living in high at-risk and low at-risk communities with regard to volunteerism.

High and low at-risk communities were identified by the seven community at-risk indicators suggested by the Carnegie Council on Adolescents. Those communities with three or less indicators were …

The Study Of Methods Used By Public Relations Firms To Assist In Attracting And Maintaining Clients, Donna M. Field

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the methods that public relations firms use to do public relations for themselves to attract new clients and to maintain existing clients. The author researched and analyzed whether public relations firms do public relations for their respective firms, the methods used, as well as the reasons why or why not.

A survey was sent to 60 public relations firms belonging to Pinnacle Worldwide, Inc., an international corporation of independent public relations firms with offices in major cities throughout the United States and the world. Forty-seven responses were received.

The results of the …

What Employees Want To Know During Times Of Organizational Change, Stacy Smith Napolitano

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine what issues or topics are most important to employees during times of organizational change. It is important for managers to effectively communicate these issues, especially in today's changing business world.

The author conducted this research by surveying employees at organizations going through major change. The respondents were selected randomly from employee lists at each organization. The sample size was 315. The data was collected through inter-office mail at each location and sent to the author, who tabulated it using the Microsoft Access computer program. The results were tabulated by overall results, gender, …

Establishment Of Public Relations Programs In New Jersey Public Schools, Liberty Delgado Harshaw

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to determine effectiveness of public relations methods through use in a centralized, decentralized or coordinated plan. Survey research of public schools in New Jersey studied the following areas:

1. Superintendent training in public relations
2. Establishment of policies
3. Type of programs - centralized, decentralized, or coordinated - and reasons why used
4. Methods of communication used
5. Success of public relations program
6. Feedback methods used to evaluate effectiveness of programs
7. If no PR program existed, reasons why and intentions for implementation of future programs.

The survey was mailed to the superintendents of 594 operating public school districts in …

A Context Analysis Of Same-Company Advertisements In Gay And Lesbian Publications Compared With Mainstream Publications, Sharon Ann Follmer Miken

Theses and Dissertations

In a content analysis, this study reviewed and analyzed advertising placed by national corporations in lesbian and gay magazines. The presumption was that the homosexual population is a viable niche that is being targeted by corporations with a segmented marketing approach. The purpose was to determine if these companies changed the content of these ads in any way to address the needs of the gay consumer.

The two most prominent national magazines that serve the lesbian and gay population in the United States are The Advocate and Out. From these two magazines was drawn a universe of national corporations that …

A Content Analysis Of New Jersey Law Firms' World Wide Web Site Home Pages, Karen Kaufman

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the content of New Jersey law firm home pages on their World Wide Web sites in order to compare and contrast selected variables.

Previous studies and information on legal Web site presence on the World Wide Web was researched.

Fifteen Web sites were studied to compile an initial list of variables. The variables were adjusted based on research of the law firms and browsers' opinions. Twenty-nine variables were selected.

Major Web sites researched were the National Law Journal, the Indiana University School of Law, and the American Bar Association. None led to …

How Are Hospitals Disseminating Their Patient Confidentiality Policies To Their Employees?, Sally Sapega

Theses and Dissertations

Depending on a patient's illness, as many as 100 health professionals and administrative personnel may have access to the hospital record, all with a legitimate reason. Many people are understandably concerned about confidentiality because of the range of information in medical records that is often necessary to ensure an accurate diagnosis and successful treatment -- including very personal information about a person's physical, mental, and sometimes even emotional well-being. This thesis examined how 20 Delaware Valley hospitals communicate their patient confidentiality policies to their employees. The survey specifically asked the channels through which their confidentiality policies are communicated (i.e. training …

A Study Of The Correlation Between Internal Communication Programs And Employee Morale, Gary L. Brown

Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzed the relationship between internal communication programs and employee morale. Fifty-three communication professionals were contacted to determine:

• whether their company had an internal communication policy
• whether supervisory staff were trained to communicate effectively
• whether supervisory staff were held accountable for communicating with their subordinates
• the perceived benefits to internal communication programs.

Telephone interviews and mailed surveys yielded the following major conclusions:

• Ninety-five percent of the respondents felt there is a direct correlation between internal communication and employee morale.
• Five percent of the respondents felt there is an indirect correlation between internal communication and employee morale.
• Seventy-seven percent of …

Comparing The Effectiveness Of Video New Releases And Written News Releases, Art Keegan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if Video News Releases (VNRs) are more effective than written news releases in offering reportable news to television newsroom decision-makers. To answer this question, 45 television newsroom decision-makers from 13 states and the District of Columbia were surveyed. The survey was conducted over the telephone and presented nine questions to decision-makers regarding their usage and storage of VNRs and written news releases. Decision-makers were identified as television news personnel knowledgeable in the usage rate and storage length of VNRs and written news releases.

The study analyzed the responses of all the newsroom …

The Public Relation Firm's Perception Of The Internet's Effect On Its Growth And Profits, Tina Blasberg

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to learn if the public relations firm believed that using the Internet had a recognizable effect on its growth and profits. The study attempted to show that if the public relations firm saw that its net profits increased, client base grew, and, as a result, employees' paychecks increased, then it perceived that using the Internet had a positive effect on its growth and profits.

The sample originally selected consisted of 317 United States public relations firms, a sample which consisted of small and large firms ranging from 10 employees up to 100 employees. A …