Practices, Approaches And Tools Used In Measurement And Evaluation Of Public Relations In Selected Kenyan Parastatals

Purpose: The main purpose of the study was to establish the practices, approaches and tools used in measurement and evaluation of public relations in selected Kenyan parastatals. Methodology: The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional survey. The target population for the study comprised of 187 parastatals with 119,689 employees. Purposive sampling was used. The sample size was forty-seven (47) employees of public relations departments and six (6) senior PR officers who are working in the three selected parastatals, totalling to fifty-three (53).The study used both questionnaires and interviews. Quantitative data was interpreted using descriptive statistics including frequencies and percentages. Qualitative data in this study was analyzed, recurrent themes identified, and patterns of relationship that exist among data-groups searched manually and were used to augment the quantitative data. Percentages and tabulations of variables were used to present data analysis in tables, bar graphs and pie charts. The data was analyzed by a data analysis software called Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22 software. Results: The study findings indicated that evaluation practices are yet to be embedded as a critical component in most public relations work. With a sizable proportion of practitioners in the sample suggesting they evaluate infrequently, the need or value of evaluation has yet to be firmly established. AVEs and gut feeling are the leading tools of measurement and evaluation and a significant number of respondents did not use measurement and evaluation to demonstrate performance of the department. Most respondents also reported using media monitoring as a tool. Social media monitoring, website tools and media content analysis were least used. Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: The study recommends that organizations should strive to increase the education level of practitioners, particularly in relation to research and communication theories and models, as well as management, through both professional development (short courses) and postgraduate education.