AN ASSESSMENT OF RESEARCH USAGE IN PUBLIC RELATIONS PRACTICE BY UYO-BASED PUBLIC RELATIONS PRACTITIONERS

Research is a creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of humans, culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new application for the furtherance of Public relations and its practice. The role of research is essential to any public relations (PR) effort. Until recently, this aspect of public relations practice suffered from what has been described as a lack of measurable outcomes. This study sought to ascertain the extent to which public relations professionals have used research as a tool in their practice. It made use of a quantitative research method involving questionnaire as an instrument for data gathering. The population for this study were public relations practitioners registered under the Nigerian Institute for Public Relations , Akwa Ibom Chapter, however the sample size was drawn from only practitioners based in the state capital. Findings of the study reveals that several challenges were highlighted as factors hindering the usage of research in Public Relations Practice by Uyo-based practitioners. e.g. funding, client's expectation, management ignorance, lack of co-operation from colleagues and other stakeholders, and the time consuming nature of research in itself.