4

Contents

ABSTRACT . 2

LIST OF TABLES 9

LIST OF FIGURES . 11

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . 14

STATEMENT OF ORIGINAL AUTHORSHIP 15

1 INTRODUCTION 16

BACKGROUND TO THE RESEARCH 17

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 22

Summary of Learning Outcomes 23

JUSTIFICATION FOR THE RESEARCH . 25

METHODOLOGY 28

The learning journey 30

DEFINITIONS . 38

DELIMITATIONS OF SCOPE AND KEY ASSUMPTIONS 40

SUMMARY . 40

2 RESEARCH ISSUES (LITERATURE REVIEW) . 42

INTRODUCTION . 42

OTHER DISCIPLINES 42

IMMEDIATE DISCIPLINE – PR LITERATURE . 42

SOCIALISATION . 49

SOCIETAL CHANGE . 61

FEMININITY AND MASCULINITY (MALE/FEMALE VALUES/TRAITS) 69

STEREOTYPING . 72

BRAIN FUNCTION 77

GENDER DIFFERENCES 82

MORE WORK OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN .101

CONCLUSION .103

3 METHODOLOGY .105

INTRODUCTION .105

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JUSTIFICATION FOR THE PARADIGM AND METHODOLOGY 107

INSTRUMENT DESIGN 110

LIMITATIONS .115

SUMMARY .116

4 STATISTICS 118

a. The PRIA (State and Federal bodies) .118

b. National practitioners 118

c. Perth-based PR practices .119

d. State Government PR Departments .119

e. Registered charities (non, or not-for profit) .119

f. Perth universities .120

CONCLUSION .127

5 SURVEYS .128

5.1 SURVEY OF PR PROFESSIONALS 128

5.1.1 Sex 129

5.1.2 Education .130

5.1.3 Industry sector .131

5.1.4 Type of PR practised .132

5.1.5 Years in PR 134

5.1.6 Main role in PR .134

5.1.7 Level of employment/experience 136

5.1.8 Salary .136

5.1.9 Hours worked 137

5.1.10 PR as a career .138

5.1.11 Aspects of PR interest .139

5.1.12 Preferred workplace .141

5.1.13 Building client rapport 142

5.1.14 Male/female work differences .142

5.1.15 Impact of gender on work performance .143

5.1.16 Imbalance .144

5.1.17 Should there be a balanced (gender) workforce? .145

5.1.18 Effects of imbalance on industry 146

5.1.19 Ethical concerns 146

5.1.20 Confidence .146

5.2 ADDITIONAL MATERIAL .147

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5.2.1 Common themes .147

5.2.2 Female skills/traits 148

5.2.3 Qualities .149

5.2.4 Age 150

5.2.5 Drawbacks .150

5.2.6 Historical aspects 151

5.2.7 Image and perception of PR .152

5.2.8 General concerns 153

5.2.9 Would they do it again? 154

5.3 STUDENT SURVEYS .155

5.3.1 Perceptions of PR 156

5.3.2 Forging a career .156

5.3.3. How students view PR as a subject .157

5.3.4 Perceptions of teaching .160

5.3.5 Technician roles 160

5.3.6 Imbalance .161

5.3.7 Pay discrepancies 161

5.3.8 Socio-economic group .162

5.3.9 Traits 162

5.3.10 Type of student in PR 162

5.3.11 Favourite (school) subject 163

5.3.12 Influence on PR study .163

5.3.13 People’s views of PR .163

5.3.14 Is PR ‘fuzzy’? .164

5.4 SECOND STUDENT SURVEY 164

5.4.1 Gender and university breakdown .164

5.4.2 Gender and socio-economic group 165

5.4.3 Personal traits .166

5.4.4 Subject at school 170

5.4.5 Influence to study PR 172

5.4.6 Gender and the way people view PR 173

5.4.7 Gender and preferred work situation .174

5.4.8 Is PR ‘fuzzy’ in its logic? 175

5.4.9 Students’ (pre-study) perception about PR 176

5.4.10 Does perception of PR influence students to study it? 176

5.5 COMMON (SURVEY) QUESTIONS 177

5.5.1 PR sector specialisation/interest 177

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5.5.2 Areas of interest .179

5.5.3 Preferred workplace (sector) 181

5.5.4 Influence of gender 182

5.5.5 Awareness of imbalance .183

5.5.6 Ability to build rapport .185

5.5.7 Qualities of PR practitioners 186

5.5.8 Reasons for entering and working within PR 186

5.5.9 Career barriers 190

5.5.10 Suitability for PR .191

5.6 CONCLUSIONS 192

6 FOCUS GROUPS AND INTERVIEWS 193

6.1 STUDENT FOCUS GROUPS .193

6.1.1 Focus group 1, ECU .193

6.1.2 Student interviews 193

6.2 PROFESSIONALS’ FOCUS GROUP AND INTERVIEWS .196

6.2.1 Focus group – professionals .196

6.2.2 Professionals’ interviews 197

6.3 CONCLUSIONS 202

7 SUMMARY 203

8 CONCLUSIONS 206

8.3 CONCLUSIONS FROM STUDENT SURVEYS 215

8.4 RECOMMENDATIONS AND OBSERVATIONS 218

BIBLIOGRAPHY .232

ANNEXES 241

INTERVIEW 1, PH, 21 November .324

INTERVIEW 2, IW, 22 November 326

INTERVIEW 3, AH, 30 November 2005 .327

INTERVIEW 4 KS, 6 December 2005 .329

INTERVIEW 5, Dan Edelman, 8 February 2006 .330

INTERVIEW 6, MR, 22 March 2006 .331

INTERVIEW 7: JW, 22 March 2006 .331

INTERVIEW 1: LS, 24 November 2005 334

INTERVIEW 3: EP, 7 December 2005 336

INTERVIEW 4: SW, 16 December 2005 .338

INTERVIEW 5: ZM, 11 JANUARY 2006 339

INTERVIEW 6: FM, 16 December 2005 .340

INTERVIEW 7: SD, 6 February 2006 .342

INTERVIEW 8: Leigh, 15 April 2006 343

Journal articles .345

Industry magazine articles .345

Third-person articles 34