Public Relations and Advertising Commons^™

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 …

A Fund Raiser's Guide For Gaining Access To Corporate Givers, Patricia L. Pfleger

Theses and Dissertations

This project identified, through both primary and secondary research, techniques for local United Way organizations to effectively gain access to key executives at mid-size corporations. The secondary research found that the trend in corporate giving is to demand much more recognition for philanthropy. Many corporations are combining charitable donations with their marketing efforts to target present or future customers.

Primary research was conducted using mail questionnaires, which were sent to fund raisers and corporate givers, listing possible techniques for making contact with corporate givers. A list of recommended techniques for fund raisers to use was then compiled.

Recommendations for fund …

A Study Of The Viability Of African American Adoption Recruitment Videotapes As A Promotional Tool For The One Church, One Child Of Pennsylvania, Incorporated Recruitment Campaign, Renee B. Gettys

Theses and Dissertations

Recognizing the enormous number of African American children in foster care in Pennsylvania, members of the Pennsylvania African American clergy, led by Reverend William B. Moore and the Honorable John F. White, Jr., Secretary of Public Welfare met with Governor Robert Casey in 1987.

This successful meeting resulted in the development of the One Church, One Child of Pennsylvania, Incorporated in 1987. The program is a branch of the national One Church, One Child organization, founded by Father George Clements in Chicago, 1970.

One Church, One Child of PA, Inc. is a non profit corporation in partnership with the Department …

Guide To Web Site Promotion: How Companies Can Draw More Qualified Traffic To Their World Wide Web Sites, Donald L. Dunnington

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compile techniques available to public relations practitioners to promote World Wide Web sites to a targeted business-to-business audience, Without an active promotion program, using a variety of online and offline media, companies are unlikely to draw sufficient qualified traffic to their web sites to justify the cost of a site. Web technology is changing so fast, and content and usage are growing so quickly, that the only way to keep up is through use of online resources. Finding the resources specifically focused on web site promotion can be daunting, however, without guidance as …

A Study Of Empowered Employees At Two Sears, Roebuck And Company Department Stores, Wellington Watts

Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzed and compared the results of two surveys. The first survey of 40 empowered employees was conducted at the Sears department store in Deptford, New Jersey. The second survey of 40 empowered employees was conducted at the Sears department store in Alexandria, Virginia.

Both surveys tried to determine if being empowered helped employees feel valued by the company. The surveys also tried to determine if being empowered helped employees improve customer service and if managers upheld their obligations to let employees solve customer problems.

The survey results showed that empowered employees at both stores felt they were better …

Telecommuting (And Its Effect On Productivity And Morale), Shown M. Swangin-Horton

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the type of effect telecommuting would have on employee morale and productivity. The sample population consisted of one hundred companies and corporations from seven eastern states.

The study indicates that telecommuting had a positive effect on respondents, as their morale and productivity increased. However, some expressed concern about resentment from on site employees and resistance from management regarding the program.

The researcher concluded that with economic, social and environmental concerns, telecommuting can be considered a feasible work solution.

A Study Of Political Campaign Communication Tactics, Janine M. Aruanno

Theses and Dissertations

This study identified issues and campaign elements important to registered voters in Atlantic County during the 1995 general election. In addition, it measured the importance of issues versus party affiliation and character.

The researcher surveyed 197 registered voters in New Jersey's second legislative district. The survey queried voters about their campaign and candidate preferences in the race for the New Jersey State Assembly.

The study determined the importance of several campaign elements: channels, messages, party affiliation and voting records, Additionally, the research showed which issues sparked interest in voters.

Finally, the research determined that party affiliation and effective campaigning are …

The Impact Of Intranets On College And University Public Relations Professionals, Daniel Murphy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to determine the impact of intranets with regard to the future job responsibilities and functions of public relations professionals in the field of higher education.

The hypothesis of this paper was that as more and more colleges and universities begin embracing intranets as a communication tool, the issue of information management will arise. The question of who or what department will be responsible for the information that is placed on an educational institution's intranet will be consistent and problematic.

College and university public relations professionals need to be aware of the problems, opportunities, changes …

Interdisciplinary Public Relations: A Curriculum For Undergraduate Study At Oakwood College, Patrice Thomas Conwell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to create a public relations curriculum for undergraduate study to prepare students as effective practitioners and communicators in the 21st century.

Public relations education has changed over the years to meet the needs and trends of the industry, and today is no exception. The continued rise of Integrated Marketing Communications, and the desire to strengthen the counseling and management functions of public relations make it necessary to evaluate undergraduate curricula to ensure students are being properly prepared to enter the workforce.

The undergraduate curricula of 11 schools were analyzed and compared for subject matter …

Seashore Tourism Brochures And Advertising: Characteristics Of Effectiveness, Andrew Cripps

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the visual design elements that contribute to the effectiveness of seashore tourism brochures and print advertising.

For the first part of the study, the researcher interviewed seven tourism communications professionals for resorts from Cape Cod, Mass., to Virginia Beach, Va. The researcher asked them to indicate the most effective elements in the following categories: brochure format, color tones, overall tone, use of text, style of text, use of photos and the elements within those photographs.

The researcher also conducted a survey of a non-random sample of 31 potential seashore resort visitors. The …

An Assessment Of The Sister Cities International Program As An International Public Relations Entity, Laura A. Mitchell

Theses and Dissertations

Going global is the business perspective for the 21st century. Unfortunately, global perspective from American business and organization is limited. With the world shrinking at an astonishing pace, organizations need to find their communication channels to their international publics.

The purpose of this study was to learn if the techniques used in the Sister Cities International Program are effective for international public relations. The findings of this study would prove helpful to international public relations professionals in planning their own programs based on the effectiveness of the Sister Cities Program.

Five cities were evaluated based on their activities, public relations …

A Case Study To Evaluate The Strategies And Techniques Used By The Cooper Foundation And Radio Station Wxtu, 92.5 Fm, To Coordinate And Conduct The First Annual Wxtu Cooper Kids Radiothon Broadcast, January 24 And 25, 1997, Randi Woerner

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the strategies and techniques used by The Cooper Foundation and radio station WXTU, 92.5 FM, to coordinate and conduct the first annual WXTU Cooper Kids Radiothon broadcast, January 24 and 25, 1997.

To start the evaluation process, a telephone survey was carried out by the author. To produce a +/- 8% margin of error, at the 95% confidence level, the author conducted 150 telephone surveys of donors who called-in pledges during the 1997 Radiothon. The systematic random sample method was used to draw names from the master list of 1100 Radiothon donors. …

A Survey Of The 1997 Whitesbog Preservation Trust Membership To Determine Motivational Factors That Successfully Encouraged Members To Join Or Renew Membership In Whitesbog Preservation Trust, Patricia L. Frasier

Theses and Dissertations

A survey was conducted to determine what factors successfully motivated members to join or renew membership in the Whitesbog Preservation Trust (a.k.a. the Trust). The survey was sent to 127 members who responded to the 1997 annual membership letter sent in December 1996. Of the 127 members who received the survey, 70 responded.

The survey asked respondents to identify the Seasonal Series event or other factor(s) that motivated them to become or renew membership in the Trust. The survey also included a section on demographics for the purpose of analyzing the data. The statistical analysis of the survey was done …

A Study Of Selected Hebrew High Schools In Cherry Hill, New Jersey To Determine How They Confront The Problem Of Assimilation In The American Jewish Community, Linda Friedman

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the goals and curricula of two supplementary Hebrew high schools and questions whether they changed their focus after the release of the 1990 Council of Jewish Federations' National Jewish Population Survey, which cited a 52% rate of intermarriage since 1985. The study investigates the synagogues' response to the reported 52% rate of intermarriage, as well as the response of the south Jersey Jewish community as a whole. It probes successful strategies for synagogues and their staff to increase the retention rate of their post bar/bat mitzvah students, through their confirmation.

By means of interviews with rabbis, principals, …

Creating Effective Employee Newsletters, Linda M. Blair

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose was to produce a source of information and procedures for readers to create and maintain a high quality employee newsletter. Today it is difficult for companies, both small and large, to maintain good communication between management and employees. Lack of and poor communication are major problems in the workplace. It is necessary for companies to create and maintain a timely and well written newsletter to inform, communicate, recognize and motivate employees. The primary research performed for this study included a completed questionnaire from twenty professionals who had won an award in their professional society and five other noted …

A Case Study Of The Restoration Of College Athletic Programs And Academic Image, Edward P. Callinan

Theses and Dissertations

The study was designed to show that public relations is an integral part of a college's athletic program.

The researcher conducted questionnaires and solicited interviews of 15 individuals from three different institutions The three chosen schools were Fordham University, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Those interviewed from each school included the coach of the selected team, the public relations director, an athlete of the selected team, student government president, and professor.

This study proved that public relations is necessary to restore a college athletic team's image. It also found that division affiliation, the language the …

The Relationship Among Sports Reporters, Coaches And Sports Information Directors Regarding Student-Athlete Interviews, Scott Ronaghan

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis sought to determine if sports information directors were preparing their student athletes for media interviews. The author surveyed SIDs and student athletes from 30 different ECAC institutions sponsoring men's basketball. Also surveyed were newspaper reporters who cover the respective schools. A major portion of the survey involved the amount of media training SIDs conduct for their student-athletes.

Two-thirds of the 18 SIDs said they trained their student athletes for interviews. The most common technique SIDs used was one-on-one meetings with the student athletes. Representing the team in a positive light was the most Common subject stressed to the …

A Study Of The Presence Of Bias In Reporting On The Socially Sensitive Issue Of Abortion, Benjamin E. Martin

Theses and Dissertations

In a content analysis of news articles and a survey of newspaper editors, this study determined if bias in print media can be detected through the content of news writing.

For the content analysis, news articles dealing with abortion were taken from the New York Times and the Washington Post. The articles, which appeared between Oct. 5 and Nov. 5, 1996, are straight news stories and do not include editorial or opinion articles. Coders were given a series of ten questions to answer for each article. For the survey, editors in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania were surveyed …

The Effects Of Print Advertising Campaigns On Consumers' Attitudes Towards Physician Primary Care Practices Affiliated With Jefferson Health System, Maryann Lobianco

Theses and Dissertations

Due to managed care, the recent, rapid changes in healthcare forced hospitals to form health systems by joining with other hospitals and individual physician practices. As these health systems form, the competition for patients increases as does the need to keep consumers abreast of the changes within the forming health systems.

As a result, both health systems and physician practices launched advertising campaigns to reach these consumers. These campaigns must be tested for their effectiveness.

Two major healthcare competitors, Jefferson Health System and Main Line Health System, recently affiliated and formed Great Valley Health, which is a physician primary care …