홍보학 및 홍보업계에 대한 홍보 전공자들과 비전공자들의 인식 연구 장안리

Abstract

<Objectives> The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions held by public relations majors and non-majors on public relations studies and the industry in Korea. <Methods> This study used content analysis and in-depth interview methods. <Results> Focus group interviews with 37 participants revealed that PR majors perceived PR to be the same as advertising and promotion prior to taking PR courses, but after taking PR courses, they found it to be a more comprehensive and valuable discipline, albeit rigid. Regarding the industry, PR majors perceived it as too meticulous, allowing no room for mistakes yet providing a work environment conducive to child-rearing, and having a low success-ceiling. They were also found to perceive the industry to be ethically challenging with an unequal power dynamic between practitioners and journalists. Finally, the majors were found to perceive PR practitioners as having PR pride. For the non-majors, the findings show that they perceived PR to be about promotion and that people aiming to pursue it as a career need creativity; furthermore, they were found to perceive the PR industry to be manipulative, narrow, and never in power (PR practitioners). The findings of in-depth interviews elucidate the ways in which PR majors and potential majors perceive public relations in Korea. In terms of a content analysis of 35 universities with public relations programs, the findings show that the programs’ average ratio of PR to advertising courses is 1:1.6. <Conclusions> The study offers ways to strengthen PR programs and suggests ways to change the negative perception of PR to a more positive one to better communicate PR to larger constituents.