The current status of public relations in Africa

Abstract

The European Public Relations Education and Research Association (EUPRERA) initiated the European Body of knowledge Project (referred to as EBOK hereafter) in 1998 in order to share ideas on public relations in different European countries. The purpose of this project was firstly to compile a bibliography of European public relations literature and secondly a Delphi study was conducted in order to understand the current practice and theory of European public relations. Furthermore the authors wanted to contribute to the development of a global public relations body of knowledge (Van Ruler, Vercic, Butschi & Flodin, 2000:2). It is thus important to conduct research in the field of public relations in order to describe (looking at processes, situations or phenomenon’s), explain (why something happens and what the causes and effects are) and predict (what will happen if we do or do not do something) the current state. Each of these types of research methods will increase the understanding of people, society and the world (Pavlik, 1987:15).