Metrics in the bigger picture

Pinpointing the development of evaluation

 
It has long been argued that public relations cannot be adequately, if ever measured and evaluated.  This comes in part from the profession’s evolution from journalism and a focus on publicity. It also stems in part from practitioners who are averse to numbers and unaware of the process of evaluating.  Add to this a place in the business world’s pecking order that clearly devalues public relations as ‘free publicity.’ Today’s public relations practitioner needs to understand that part of any public relations programme involves a process whereby results can be related to general business outcomes.

Don W. Stacks

Don W. Stacks is professor and director of the Public Relations Program in the School of Communication at the University of Miami, USA, and has been a communications consultant for over 30 years. His areas of expertise include organisational systems assessment, sociological/psychological organisational analysis, media relations, internal organisational communications, and leadership. He has written or co-authored seven books and more than 150 scholarly articles on communications. The Public Relations Society of America named him Outstanding Educator in 2003.