An exploration of public relation practitioners’ use of PR tools to communicate with their external customers and associated challenges: Agaro town public sectors in Focus

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the tools that are used by the government public relations department practitioners and the challenges they encountered while using standard PR tools. Descriptive research design was used using both quantitative and qualitative research approaches with data collected from a sample of public relations practitioners from governmental organizations in Agaro Town, western Ethiopia. Samples were selected based on simple random sampling and questionnaire was the principal data collection instrument. Following the return of the questionnaire, the data was entered into SPSS software version 21, and the quantitative data was analyzed using percentages, frequency, mean, and standard deviations. The qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings of the study revealed that PR practitioners have adopted different media in reaching the external audience. They also partnered with the media to disseminate information, through community relationship programs and communicated the corporate social responsibilities of employees’. The findings revealed that political diffusion is affecting the practices of PR in the town; extreme media and public scrutiny; lack of managerial support for PR practitioners; and lack of training for PR practitioners about customers’ satisfaction, among other things were challenges investigated. Based on the major findings, the researchers recommended that the government should spare adequate attention to help the PR practitioners use the right tools in the right place. The practitioners also should improve their commitment level to the customers’ base service so that they satisfy their public.