African Communication Research: Public Relations Research in Africa

African Communication Research is a peer reviewed journal which seeks to help bring African communication researchers into dialogue and debate about their common efforts with the aim to strengthen African theories and methods around communication for development. It is published three times a year by the Faculty of Social Sciences and Communications at St. Augustine University of Tanzania, Mwanza, Tanzania.

The focus of this issue is on Public Relations Research in Africa. It includes the following contributions:

Review article:
African public relations and the mainstream of global practice - by Eno Akpabio
Abstract: "This article takes issue with portrayals of public relations practice and research in Africa as being at a primitive stage. The review of research presented here shows that there is a wide range of research taking up all major issues of public relations in the continent. For example, just as public relations research in the West has moved towards relationship building, Africa has developed its own perspective in this approach. The article traces the beginnings and historical development of public relations practice and research in Africa and shows some of the areas of particular originality in theory and research on public relations in Africa. The article concludes with suggestions for needed areas of research in the African context."

Current research in public relations: A critique and questioning of global trends - by Donn J. Tilson
Abstract: "The present article offers a critical and strongly questioning analysis of seven major world-wide trends in public relations teaching and research: (1)the questionable ethics of much public relations practice in dealing with the world economic crisis of 2008-2010; (2)the strong shift towards emphasis on the use of the "new media" connected with the Internet in research, teaching and textbooks; (3)the questionable shifts to emphasis on marketing in public relations; (4)the increased questioning of US dominance of public relations theory; (5)the emergence of perspectives from Latin America and Asia, but the continued absence of Africa in these discussions; (6)the increased interest in ethics and corporate social responsibility; and (7)the strong interest in religious perspectives in public relations theory."

Do public relations in Africa use research? A comparison of public and private organizations in Ghana - by Kwesi Aggrey
Abstract: "Research in public relations is not only for determining the theoretical boundaries of the discipline, but also for helping practitioners design and evaluate effective public relations strategies. Most scholars (Grunig, 1992; Cutlip et al, 2006; Austin and Pinkleton, 2001) allude to this fact. Cutlip et al (2006) and Lindenmann (2003) also emphasise a clear line of distinction between public relations as practiced in the government/public sector and the business/private sector. Private and public enterprises in Ghana are known to be quite different in the orientation of their organization and management, and these differences are likely also to influence their public relations practice as a whole and their use of research."

The role of “conspicuous consumption” and advertising in upward social mobility in Uganda - by John B. Munyabibi Tumisiime
Abstract: "Many studies have shown that people seeking upward social mobility use conspicuous consumption to communicate an image of attractive social identity to significant others. This study of the life histories of twenty middle-class youth in Kampala, Uganda, who are active in cycling and soccer sports clubs, shows that they do choose clothing, equipment and other forms of consumption to gain social acceptance. Conspicuous consumption, however, forms part of other strategies of upward mobility such as education and personal discipline. Middle-class youth in Kampala admit to being influenced by advertising in their consumption, but most learn to resist advertising to fit their financial resources. Media use, however, is important for getting the social knowledge and skills necessary for upward social mobility."

The continued dominance of international news agencies in Nigerian news agencies in Nigerian newspapers: Comparing coverage of 2008 elections in America and Ghana - by Ralph Akinfeleye, Ifeoma T. Amobi, Innocent E. Okoye, and Oloruntola Sunday
Abstract: "This article provides evidence that the dominance of international newsflows by nations of the North continues in spite of policy proposals for a New World Information and Communication Order. Efforts to increase flow of information between African nations and between Africa and other emerging democracies have so far had limited success. Evidence confirming this conclusion is drawn from the case study by the authors comparing the frequency of newspaper coverage of the 2008 American elections and the coverage of the Ghanaian elections in three major newspapers in Nigeria. The study found that of the total number of news items on the two elections in the newspapers, 92.27 per cent dealt with the elections of the USA while only 7.72 per cent dealt with the elections of the neighboring country of Ghana. The authors conclude that this confirms Galtung’s structural imperialism thesis and the argument that the international news agencies such as Reuters, Associated Press, Agence France Presse and the satellite TV news networks continue to control international news flow."