| Summary: | Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. === The following work gives an overview about the current situation of online-PR and
develops a best-practice guide for corporate communication on the internet. The
scope of online-PR as covered in this research project encompasses PR tools
shaped through the technology of the internet - from communication applications to
applications for the distribution and sharing of information - which are used in the
communication between an organization and its stakeholders.
After giving an introduction into the objectives and methods of PR, the differences
between traditional and online-PR are described. This first chapter is followed by an
introduction into the online communication ecosphere where the different kinds of
communication and information distribution platforms on the internet are described.
The third chapter analyses devices, software applications and standards relevant to
online-PR. Following this summary a best-practice guide is developed to help PR
practitioners in optimizing online-PR efforts using the described tools (e.g. email
newsletter, weblogs).
The empirical part of the work consists of a survey in which PR practitioners were
asked to disclose their current knowledge and application of online-PR and to give
their opinion about future trends in online-PR. The results of the observations were
analysed and a comparison was drawn between the best-practices and their practical
application. This work closes with a summary of the results, a conclusion and a view
into the future.
There were two main findings identified in the theoretical analysis as well as through
the empirical observations: First the PR environment is becoming increasingly
complex and faster through the emergence of internet technology and the only way
for PR practitioners to keep up with this development lies in the utilization of
sophisticated and internet-based means of communication. The second finding was
that internet innovations are reshaping the traditional media environment and the way
news is created and thereby making online-PR essential in reaching and influencing
company's stakeholders effectively and efficiently.
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