This article is closely related to the continuation of the research project ‘Market analysis of PR agency services’ relevant to the pioneering and nationwide study of the entire public relations (PR) agency sector in our country. The project is conducted by Exacto’s research team in cooperation with the Faculty of Journalism, Information and Bibliology at University of Warsaw, Maria Sklodowska-Curie University in Lublin, and the Association of Public Relations Agencies. In the first part of the project (from November 2020 to July 2021), we have prepared a research operative that provides the opportunity for further analysis of the different methodological approaches.

The 934-entity operative was based on the compilation of the many available data sources along with their cross-checking and processing. During the desk research work, ‘a categorization key dedicated to the agency database was developed, which made it possible to systematize knowledge about the PR agency market in Poland. The survey was population-based among all PR agencies in Poland, and one of its results was the preparation of the country’s first complete list of such entities based on the definition criteria developed’ (Tworzydło & Szuba, 2022). The research shows that the statistical agency has been in the market for nearly 10 years. Nevertheless, in the surveyed population, as many as 200 entities have been in operation for less than 5 years. An interesting conclusion drawn from the project is that 7% of the agencies are affiliated with a domestic sector organization for PR firms (the Association of Public Relations Agencies and The Polish Public Relations Consultancies Association). In the surveyed group, 85% of all agencies have the number 70.21.Z listed within their Polish Classification of Activities (PKD) codes, meaning human relations (PR) and communications. However, 532 companies (57%) indicate them as the main ones. These results formed the basis not only for an extensive analysis of the sector, but also for identifying other distinguishing parameters (Polish Press Agency, 2022).

Thus, for the first time in the history of the Polish PR industry, we made an analysis to identify the key areas from the industry’s point of view, with a special focus on one sector, which is PR agencies. The sector has not been diagnosed before in such scope as was undertaken by the researchers who coauthored this article. This research has become the basis not only for drawing conclusions in the above area, but also for guiding further research that can be undertaken by scientific research teams.

The premise of the next stages of the ongoing research is to further analyse the collected data and use them, among other things, in the context of ways of communicating and perceiving the essence of PR in relation to the theory of the linguistic picture of the world (LPW¹). Such formulated assumptions also became the main goal of the activities carried out in the creation of this article.

Methodology of the Study

In this study, the quantitative-corpus analysis methodology was used. The fundamental theoretical assumption behind both quantitative-corpus analysis and all discourse analysis (using both quantitative and qualitative methods) is the belief that a relatively uniform distinguishable image of a given social object/fact/phenomenon is deposited in the language used by representatives of a given social group (speakers of a given language, or, as in the research presented here, a narrower group, such as a professional group) (Berger & Luckmann, 2020) in the communication strategies, metaphors, and more broadly, the discursive strategies this group uses. In this case, the analysed group is PR professionals and, more specifically, pertaining to selected communication strategies implemented by them in the context of self-description² of their professional activities.

Thus, the basis of the present research is the assumption that the language of a given social group (in this case, PR professionals) is a specific way of organizing social reality by the representatives of this group; it expresses a certain attitude to this reality, experience, a set of judgments and norms, and even a worldview (Mańczyk, 1982).

The basis of the methodology used here is, as mentioned, the methodological achievements of corpus linguistics and the lexicometric approach to language and discourse analysis (corpus-assisted discourse studies). The essence of this approach is the use of quantitative methods and computer tools (in this case, the Provalis software package) to reconstruct the linguistic worldview of the studied objects, the carriers and manifestations of which form a dedicated corpus of verbal expressions. Trying to explicitly define corpus linguistics is problematic; it basically deals with the principles and practice of using corpora in the study of language (Pawłowski, 2003; Stefanowitsch, 2020) with the tools of information technology (Sinclair, 1991). Corpus linguistics uses large collections of texts (corpora), which are selected according to established analytical principles and categories. Thus, actual language patterns are analysed. This approach draws on the apparatus of mathematical and statistical research, while the assignment of statistical analysis and the use of quantitative methods to study linguistic phenomena make it possible to isolate statistical groups in this matter for further analysis. According to Pawlowski (2001, 2003), the empirical and quantitative nature of the regularities under study implies the measurability and/or quantification of certain features of language.

The extracted corpora were subjected to quantitative-corpus analysis (Gries, 2014)³, conducted with the use of the Provalis tool⁴. In addition to the references to the LPW and the analysis of the frequency of lexemes, in the presentation of the methodological concept, it is worth noting the specificity of the agencies that were included in the two isolated text corpora (K1, name targeting the area of communication/PR and K2, no targeting in the name) (Stasiuk-Krajewska & Ulidis, 2018). For this purpose, statistical analysis was carried out in the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software based on cross-tabulations and the procedure for comparing averages. The results were tested for statistical significance (using nonparametric Mann–Whitney U tests for the two comparison groups and chi-square cross-tabulations). This provided a statistical picture of the research sample (Apanowicz, 2002) of 415 agencies, which were classified into the K1 and K2 corpora (a significant differentiating factor from the perspective of the entire article).

Profile of the Surveyed PR Agencies

The initial assumption of significant communication differences between K1 corpus agencies and K2 corpus agencies was confirmed by the data presented below. Agencies classified as K1 corpus are characterized by:

• a greater number of tabs on the website (the main menu is more fragmented, the internet user has more choices), as the average for K1 was 5.80 versus 5.40 in K2 (p = 0.049);
• a more detailed offer, as 82% of the websites include additional information beyond indicating just the name of the service/area of operation. In contrast, for K2, the above percentage was 73%, which suggests the generality of the offer (p = 0.040);
• a more PR–oriented self-description. The content on websites significantly more often includes terms indicating that the company sees itself through the prism of PR, for example, ‘we are a public relations agency’, ‘we have been operating in the PR services market since’. In the K1 corpus, 87% of such cases were observed, while in K2, the percentage for such positioning was twice as low (p < 0.001);

The activities in the possession of other communication tools (in addition to the website), through which the company can present content to the wider environment, are shown in Figure 1. In general, it can be seen that agencies from the K2 corpus are slightly more likely to have profiles on the analysed sites, although the results of statistical tests were not significant (p > 0.05).

In addition to the communication factors listed above, it is also worth noting the selected factors of a demographic-market nature. Agencies from the K1 corpus are almost twice as likely to operate as sole proprietorships. This legal form is found among 43% of agencies from K1 and 25% from K2 (p = 0.005). Also, agencies with lexemes related to communication and/or PR in their name are significantly more likely to have the PKD code 70.21.Z—meaning interpersonal relations (PR) and communication—86% versus 75% in K2, indicating logical consistency in the way the company is organized and named. There are also significant differences in accessibility to financial statements (which correlates with legal form), as it is easier to find this type of information for agencies in the K2 corpus (p < 0.001), for example, 52% of K2 companies have posted information for 2019, while in the K1 corpus, it was 38%. Meanwhile, the two compared corpora obtained similar statistics when it came to duration of operation in the market, frequency of membership in a sector organization, and location of the company’s headquarters in a given province (the lack of significant differences is evidenced by p > 0.05).

The above data indicate that companies in the K1 corpus, therefore, those that refer in their name to communications/PR conduct more elaborate and detailed communications as well as consistently and unambiguously locate their self-description in the area of PR—not only in the name, but also in the more elaborate self-presentation texts on websites and even in the PKD codes.

Analysis of Text Corpora

We analysed text corpora, created from textual materials taken from the websites of PR agencies. These were texts posted in the ‘About Us’ tab or in tabs with similar specificity and communication function, where PR companies put information about their business profile and what they consider to be their strengths, specificity, and differentiator in the market. The similar function of the texts determines the similarities in the way communication is carried out on the agency–environment line and methodologically legitimizes the comparison of these texts. For the purposes of the study, we used the database of the Exacto agency, which owns a systematically updated database of PR companies and conducts periodic research projects on the environment of PR professionals in Poland (Polish Press Agency, 2022).

The motivation for such constructed corpora (based on tabs containing references to the identity, mission, vision, or profile of the companies) was the assumption that such texts most fully represent the self-construction (self-description) of the agency in the context of offering PR services (Stasiuk-Krajewska, 2012). As mentioned, these are texts that present both the agency’s offerings (thus indicating the defining framework, scope of categories, and PR competencies) and also name what distinguishes the agency, by its own declaration, in the market. It is also important to indicate why its offerings are attractive and/or of high quality (thus, agencies point to the qualities constructed as desirable characteristics of professional PR).

The analysis included two text corpora of these agencies that met the input criteria. First, at the time of the study, they had a functioning company website, and second, the site had an ‘about us’ or functionally related tab. Agencies that only have a social media profile were not included, as it was considered that the medium of communication (in this case, Facebook) models the content posted there in a specific way, so texts from there cannot be considered equivalent to those from websites. The final unit of analysis was 415 companies—or 44% of the total PR agency database in Poland. The stated assumptions imply the need to infer only within agencies with higher information potential. This is an important observation, which also points to the underdeveloped communications background of a significant number of Polish PR firms, since as many as 56% of such entities do not meet the two above-mentioned input criteria—that is, they do not have the final basic tool for acquiring potential clients online⁵.

Following this, the corpus was divided into two distinct segments (Table 1). The first was created based on texts that come from the websites of agencies that have the word communication or PR in their names (K1). The other—on the basis of texts from the websites of agencies that do not have the above-mentioned words in their names (K2). Since the study focused on communicative reality (the construction of social reality or the LPW), it was assumed that the communicative factor of the agency’s name was also worth considering as a differentiating criterion. It was assumed that the decision to include the terms communication or public relations in the name could correlate with the different self-description and linguistic construction of PR, as well as condition differences in the way the agency was organized. These assumptions have been partially confirmed.

The K1 corpus was based on texts from 167 functioning websites. The K2 corpus, on the other hand, was based on texts present on 248 eligible websites. Among the texts that made it into the corpus⁶, those appearing in the tab under the name ‘About Us’ dominated, although such a tab name was more often present in the K1 corpus (as much as 24% points of difference). As can be clearly seen, PR agencies that directly include the lexeme communication/PR in their name are more likely to pay attention to self-construction in the context of offering PR services, and thus provide a greater volume of knowledge through the company’s website to the environment. This conclusion supports earlier statements about greater communication commitment and greater awareness of the importance of rich and relevant communication among agencies in the K1 corpus.

In addition, K2 proved to be a less informative corpus, as evidenced by a lower average of words (six fewer words) and characters (25 fewer on average). On the other hand, the more common corpus was by far K2 (60%), meaning that fewer specialized lexemes appeared in this corpus, or those explicitly targeting the agency’s communications and PR area, although it would seem that such an arrangement could be an element of competitive advantage and a nod to the classical approach to PR. Meanwhile, research has confirmed that emphasizing, using linguistic means, a particular specialization is not a dominant phenomenon. Presumably, it will increasingly disappear over time, bearing in mind, for example, the tendency of PR companies to build the image of a full-service agency. Following this, the corpus was divided into two distinct segments (Table 1).

No title⁷ – from table 1
function⁸ – from table 1

The data already presented above show significant differences in the linguistic construction of PR in the two groups of agencies. As it seems, K2 included texts that can be considered a bit more diverse, individualized, and ‘creative’. Despite the fact that the percentage of texts with titles classified in the ‘other’ category (the last row of the table) is comparable for both corpora, the very collection that these texts form is more homogeneous in the case of K1. In addition, the K1 corpus is characterized by the occurrence of more standard titles like ‘About Us’, as well as duplication of the company’s own name. In the case of K2, on average one in five texts did not have a title, although this group of companies compensates for this lack most often with visual communication (photos, graphics, or videos). It is also worth noting that in this corpus (K2), as soon as the user enters the site, short texts appear to attract the attention of the internet user, often correlated with the image. This type of feature should also be considered as a manifestation of the desire for a certain unconventionality in communication, and therefore, a kind of ambiguity in terms of self-description, avoiding placement within a particular professional field, in this case, the field of PR.

The lexical structure of the K1 corpus—which included texts from the websites of agencies that use the term public relations, PR, or communications in their names—made it possible to observe a more strongly developed pro-client approach. It is also visible in the K2 body, but occurs at a lower intensity (Figure 2).

Lexical structure of K1 and K2 – most frequent lexemes (in %)⁹

As can be seen, the lexeme with the highest frequency in K1 is the lexeme client (1.39%). This clearly indicates communication in relation to the needs of the recipient, to the client, and the client’s expectations of the agency. Therefore, this is communication based on relationship building, which is further reinforced by the high frequency of the lexeme our (our company, our agency, our services, our offer)—communication of the offer is therefore based on building a relationship between ‘us’ (the agency) and ‘you’ (clients)—0.95%. In addition, PR is seen here as a team activity, with the agencies signalling at the same time a high level of involvement in the activities carried out, identifying with them (this is also the function of the pronoun our). PR is therefore defined by a kind of activism (action and involvement), rather than, for example, analysis or research (high frequency of the lexemes action—1.01% and work—0.83%).

The lexeme company (0.96%) also ranks high in the K1 corpus. Combined with the position of the lexeme client, this indicates that PR activities are rather located in the arena of narrowly defined market activities. To put it another way—it refers to PR as an activity aimed primarily at commercial clients—lexemes that could indicate a different approach, such as organization (0.49%), group (0.18%) or institution (0.13%), are placed low. PR agencies are companies that work for other companies constructed in the market paradigm as clients. All this is clearly located in the field of business (a lexeme, by the way, also with a relatively high frequency—0.51%).

The data presented above also clearly indicate that PR is understood essentially as communication, which is strategic in nature and implemented in a project model. This communication should be effective, while the most significant competitive advantage in the self-description of agencies from the K1 corpus is, as most often emphasized, experience—0.68% (note that this is not, for example, innovation, which, after all, one could easily imagine). This makes the PR industry appear rather reserved, not to say conservative. On the other hand, it is not surprising that experience is an important value for professionals working, generally speaking, on credibility and trust.

It is worth noting the high frequency of the set of adjectives in the highest grade (most—0.82%); agencies like to brag directly, incorporating the language of (self) promotion and direct persuasion into their self-descriptions. In the context of the expected competencies of PR industry professionals, this conclusion may be somewhat disturbing. Categories such as media (0.75%) and marketing (0.51%) also ranked high. Overall, the 20 most frequent lexemes account for 15.21% of the total K1 corpus, while for K2, the rate was slightly lower—13.35%. In addition, in both corpora, the most frequently occurring lexemes were comparable, for example, places 1–4 were distributed in the same way.

In the case of the K2 corpus (generated from texts posted on the websites of agencies that do not have the terms PR, PR, or communication in their names), some of the observations that were made about the K1 corpus remain valid. An essential part of the linguistic worldview is the construction of the relationship between the agency and the client, it is still important to act and work for clients. Looking for common denominators, it can be seen that agencies continue to communicate themselves as teams that identify strongly with what they do (here, additionally, there is a high frequency of the form we are—0.51%¹⁰), aiming to establish a close relationship with the client. We still find a lot of direct self-presentation and a lot of declarativeness in the texts. PR activities also at K2 are clearly located in the market sector, defined as a project and strategic activity, the quality of which is guaranteed by the experience of those who carry them out (in this case, the agency and/or its employees).

Besides the many similarities between the K1 and K2, there are also noteworthy differences. The table 2 shows a comparison of the results of the analysis of the two corpora. It includes a summary of only those lexemes for which the frequency clearly—by the terms of the presented study—differs by at least ± 0.15% points in the intergroup cross-section. The gradation used (in order from the largest to the smallest difference) allowed us to observe more than a dozen interesting cases (Table 2).

First of all, it is worth noting that the data presented confirm the assumption made as the basis for separating the corpora according to the criteria of presence (K1) or absence (K2) of the public relations/PR and/or communication categories in the name. It is clear that agencies from the K1 corpus consistently, in their self-description, refer to the above-mentioned categories. In particular, the frequency of the terms public relations and PR is significantly higher here (both if we treat them as separate categories and when we decide to add up their frequency value). In the latter aspect, the results are 1.60% for K1 versus 0.95% in K2. In addition, with regard to the K1 corpus, a link to media relations—still a key sphere of PR agency activity (Tworzydło et al., 2020)—is more strongly outlined. This is confirmed by frequency differences occurring with the lexeme effect (in the context of measuring PR effectiveness), journalism (in the context of a professional group and the role of the media in the work of PR professionals), effective (in the context of communication activities carried out or crisis management), or communication (in the context of the exchange and flow of information on the agency–media line). It is also necessary to emphasize the high frequency of lexemes media (analogy: with the media, in the media, media relations, etc.) in the K1 corpus. It is evident that defining PR by building and maintaining relationships with the media (journalists) and carrying out activities of a journalistic nature are still a very strong trend in the industry. Similarly, the presence of the lexeme event should be interpreted as indicating an important area of PR activity/competence.

At the same time, the frequency of the lexemes marketing and advertising is noticeably lower for agencies in the first corpus, which may indicate a higher degree of specialization in the field of PR and a higher awareness regarding the differences between PR and marketing or advertising (or, more precisely, the lack of validity of equating these concepts). The category of image, traditionally used in defining or specifying (including colloquially) the concept of PR, also appears somewhat more frequently in K1. As it seems, the higher presence in this corpus of the lexeme relations (deviation 0.12) should be similarly interpreted. Also absent from the K1 corpus (among the first 20 ‘frequency leaders’) is the lexeme brand, which already appears in the 12th place in the K2 corpus.

Interestingly, agencies from the K1 corpus—that is, let us recall, those more clearly located in the PR field—communicate themselves in a more ‘marketing’ way, so to speak: persuasively, through far-reaching promises, while being less specific. Here we can clearly see a higher frequency of lexemes from the most- group (0.32% points higher value), but also other lexemes such as all (0.11), wide (0.12), or possible (0.22) on the one hand; good (0.14) or excellent (0.10) on the other¹¹. What emerges from this type of communication is, first, the construction of PR as a field that is very broad and imprecisely defined, and second, PR agencies and professionals as such, who tend to raise great expectations among their clients by making many ambitious but unspecific promises. Needless to say, such a linguistic construction is not beneficial to the field of PR¹².

Agencies more strongly attributed to the field of PR (K1 corpus) also communicate more clearly through the promise of the effectiveness of their actions (lexemes effect, effective, and success). It is worth noting that this very effectiveness (for the three aforementioned lexemes, there is a difference of 0.5% points of advantage in favour of K1), as opposed, for example, to creativity or creation/creator (present, after all, in the K2 corpus), also says a lot about how ‘good’ PR is perceived. In the K1 corpus, the tendency to refer to commitment (the lexeme work) is also slightly stronger. You can also see a shift away from the (still obviously very important) customer category towards the organization category¹³.

The comparative analysis presented above also indicates that the narratives from the K1 corpus make more reference to authority and professional knowledge (obviously the lexemes knowledge/we know, but also the aforementioned specialist). It is also worth noting the slightly higher frequency of the lexeme ethics (0.09 points), which is practically absent in K2 (0.01%).

Summary

Separating the two text corpora according to the criterion of naming PR agencies, followed by a quantitative-corpus analysis, allowed us to observe differences in the communication self-description of PR agencies in Poland. Differences were also revealed in the website communication techniques used by agencies whose names belong to separate corpus (such as the number of tabs on the website or the detailing of the offer). The lexical analysis of the corpora also made it possible to identify those elements that—in the eyes of market practitioners—are considered important for professional PR.

Corpus one is formed by agency names that contain the word communication and/or public relations/PR. Agencies whose names have entered this corpus are characterized by a greater number of tabs on their websites and more detailed communication of their offerings. However, from the point of view of self-description, it seems more significant that these agencies, in line with the assumption of locating themselves more clearly and unambiguously in the professional PR field, communicate in a more standardized and at the same time elaborate way—they use more words for less images. Their communication more often refers directly to the category of PR and to those areas traditionally considered constitutive for PR (media relations or event organization). It is therefore, so to speak, a more conservative communication, referring to the traditionally indicated techniques and areas of PR.

Agencies that do not have communication and/or public relations/PR elements in their name create their self-description as more diverse and creative, less textual, and more visual. Much more often, they refer to the categories of marketing and advertising or brand. In this corpus, there is a slightly greater tendency to ‘experiment’ in terms of titles, as indicated by the presence of the ‘other’ category with completely nonstandard ideas for titles of the texts of the type analysed. The above conclusion is also confirmed by some difference in the length of the texts depending on the corpus—in K2, the texts are slightly shorter. In addition, the K2 corpus more strongly aggregates solutions from scopes traditionally not included in PR, such as marketing and branding.

The lexical analysis of the two corpora also indicated some similarities between them, which can be considered relevant to the self-description of the PR industry in Poland. The self-description constructs the company mainly in relation to the customer and considers efficiency and strategic thinking as the essential qualities of good PR and experience and teamwork as competitive advantages in the industry.

The quantitative-corpus analysis thus identified two, significantly different, self-constructions of PR companies operating on the Polish market.

Given the number of websites (and therefore market entities) whose content constituted both corpora (167 for K1 and 248 for K2), there is a reasonable assumption that, over time, PR agencies will increasingly move away from the use of the lexemes communication and public relations in their name, as such a tendency definitely dominates the analysed material. This is related to the challenges currently being faced by the entire PR industry in Poland. The key is the competition from other disciplines/areas, such as the aforementioned marketing, advertising, or branding, as well as the increasing tendency to carry out PR activities with a company’s own resources rather than by external specialized agencies or, finally, the growing importance of new communication technologies (Tworzydło et al., 2022). In addition, the agency market is changing rapidly, resulting, among other things, in the desire to be a full-service agency, or at least to present its activities in this way (on a self-declaration basis), and regardless of its competence, human resources, as well as the proportion in the implementation of projects with its own resources and those where it becomes necessary to rely on outsourcing (Szuba, 2022). Therefore, the authors speculate that the K1 corpus will fade in the agency sector structure, mainly by the fact that new companies will not want to position themselves exclusively as agencies strictly dedicated to the PR field, and will be more interested in building a 360 agency image. Therefore, it is necessary to repeat the study and see what the structural arrangement of the corpora will be, such as at the end of the second decade of the 21st century. It is also worth considering how this change translates into the colloquial understanding and scientific definition of PR as a professional community¹⁴, and consequently, what will be the key competencies of the PR professional of the future.

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Public relation (PR) agencies1 are professional entities that provide consulting services, support clients and help them influence the opinions, attitudes and behaviours of the addressees of these activities. This entails taking responsibility for one’s actions towards customers, employees, the profession and society as a whole (Barlik, Hope, Olędzki & Wojcik, 2020). The tasks that are most often commissioned to PR agencies include the analysis of the initial state of the studied entity’s image, a critical assessment of its communication strategy, the control of conducted PR activities and, finally, the strengthening of these activities (Wojcik, 2005). Besides, agencies often take over some of the tasks that are within the scope of interest of economic entities, but which cannot be carried out due to, for example, limited human resources. They are able to flexibly respond to the market changes and to take immediate reactions, which is particularly important in the context of anti-crisis measures. For many companies, they are a beneficial form of support for ongoing activities. Particularly in the context of human resources, which, in case you hire your own team, make it necessary to manage the entire process, from hiring to leaves, working hours, etc. In the case of hiring a PR agency, the problems indicated above are basically non-existent, and the company is held accountable for the tasks it performs. Hence, the arguments above can influence the intense beneficial changes in the PR market, especially in the context of the agency sector. It is obvious, however, that although there are benefits in hiring a PR agency, there are also problems, such as the inability to access significant, confidential data that companies possess and thus limited knowledge of the topics that are then needed to be discussed and advised to clients. However, despite the significant drawbacks, the benefits arising from cooperation between the identified groups of entities seem to outweigh the problems.

PR agencies offer two categories of services. First, there are less complicated, even technical tasks, dedicated to achieving goals of mainly operational nature, such as digital PR, media relations, organisation of press conferences, briefings and other events, as well as production of information materials. Secondly, there are highly specialised services, i.e. services that require very broad knowledge, experience and adequate qualifications from employees. In this case, we are talking, for example, about services related to crisis preparation and management, research and broadly understood analytics, as well as investor relations. Research using cluster analysis indicates that an agency’s service offering may be based on, among other things, digital or crisis specialisation (where strategic consulting plays a key role) (Szuba, 2022). Especially in the latter case, PR agencies are required to have knowledge resources and staff that can meet requirements that not only are specific but, above all, are based on multidisciplinary knowledge in areas, such as, for example, economics, psychology, finance, marketing or management.

PR agencies are entities that are based on two key values: trust and ethics. In both cases, we are talking about the specific DNA of a PR agency. Only when they occur simultaneously can we talk about building the expected relationships. Trust and ethics are strongly correlated.

Trust, truth and transparency are in fact fundamental values in PR activities (Hope, 2013). Without trust, it is unlikely that one will have a positive opinion of the entity and a good relationship with it. Neither is trust possible without credibility (Wojcik, 2005). Ethics itself, on the other hand, is the quintessence of the activities undertaken by PR agencies, their foundation. However, some of them seem to ignore the value that comes from taking action based on ethical behaviour, which has been confirmed by research in the industry conducted over the years (Raport, 2020). Ultimately, lack of ethics, or being too loose on the subject, amplifies the risks and causes crises (Tworzydło, 2020). The consequence is image perturbation and even total reputation discredit. Crises can disrupt or destroy reputation and therefore require actions related to professional guidance through these events (Kończak & Bylicki, 2018).

The issues considered in the article concern the PR agency sector, which is clearly changing or, more precisely, professionalising. Although it is still noticeable that young, inexperienced people, seeing their chance in PR , enter the industry, the relationship between the agency and the client is based more and more on the experience of the people. It also results from the cycle of life and development of the industry, as >3 decades have passed since the first PR agency in Poland was established2 and a statistical agency can boast a 10-year history of functioning on the Polish PR market (as of 2022).

In times of crises that have affected the global economy, caused firstly by coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) and secondly as a consequence of the war initiated by Russia in Ukraine, cost-cutting is and will be noticeable. Times of crises always cause companies to undertake changes in their operations, including cost optimisation. Looking for savings in difficult times, companies reduce expenses particularly on communication with the environment — promotion and PR (Żbikowska, 2009). Reduction strategies are therefore a component that has become a permanent feature of the service provided to clients who seek support from PR agencies. Consequently, cost reduction is a constantly increasing challenge that is faced by agency managers (Tworzydło, Szuba & Życzyński, 2020).

Methodology of the Study

The PR agencies sector in Poland is a special research area, as it has not been fully examined so far. So far, there have been no research projects that provide even a rough picture of the sector more broadly than a presentation of the performance of the largest players in the market. There was no attempt to holistically look at the industry through the perspective of just agencies. Even in previous years, any action in this area was limited to labour market issues or presentation of numbers without real, accurate research supported by correct methodology (Żbikowska, 2009). It was not until a team led by the authors of this publication undertook deep analyses and calculations that ultimately it became possible to describe the market and identify the variables that particularly differentiate it.3 The research conducted from 2020 to 2021 has not only determined the size of the market but also indicated the directions of change that can realistically occur. PR agencies are a specific category of entities that significantly stand out on the PR market, not only in Poland. It is a fundamental part of the communication-advisory ecosystem (Tworzydło, Szuba & Życzyński, 2019). Setting up such an entity is not too complicated. It can be considered that the entry threshold in terms of knowledge and financial resources causes a number of people to set up entities, calling them PR agencies. It is only when they collide with economic reality that some of these entities are shut down (especially sole proprietorships).

The key purpose of the study was to evaluate the market of PR agencies in Poland, including the determination of its potential according to key parameters. such as the number of entities, the type of activity, the legal form, the territorial distribution and the financial indicators. The research was conducted using desk research4 based on available operators and own datasets, such as lists of PR agencies (e.g. Association of Public Relations Agencies, the Polish Public Relations Consultancies Association, PRoto, Newsline, publicrelations.pl), industry reports, data from the Central Statistical Office, data commercially shared by entities specialising in providing business information in a digital form (e.g. Bisnode), financial statements available in the financial documents viewer (https://ekrs.ms.gov.pl), data from PR agencies’ websites, own data of the Exacto research and strategic analysis team. Desk research as research conducted 'from behind the desk’ is based on reviewing and verifying secondary data, which classifies the technique within non-reactive research (Makowska, 2013). Babbie (2004) points out that its use has a number of benefits, including that long-term processes can be analysed and there is no influence of the researcher on the object of study.

An important part of the whole process was the compilation of sources, their peer review and processing. Based on the above, a categorisation key dedicated to the agency database was developed, which allowed to systematise knowledge about the PR agencies market in Poland. The study had a population-based character among all PR agencies in Poland, and one of its results was the creation of the first-in-the-country complete list of such entities on the basis of the developed definition criteria. Among the selected research problems posed at the stage of conceptualisation and development of research methodology were the following:

• to determine the approximate number of PR agencies operating in Poland
• analysis of the intensity of occurrence of PR service providers in specific regions
• evaluation of the correctness of the entity’s identification as an agency in the context of the attributes assigned to itself, e.g. Polish Classification of Activities (Polish: Polska Klasyfikacja Działalności or PKD) number 70.21Z (interpersonal relations, PR and communications)
• defining the scope of tasks undertaken by PR agencies located in Poland, e.g. leading task specialisation
• analysis of PR agencies’ names in terms of frequency of key phrases appearing, i.e. communication, PR, public relations
• developing Poland’s first sampling frame of PR agencies, which includes the most up-to-date data on the agencies market based on established criteria for the PR agencies segment
• evaluation of PR agencies’ potential in selected areas related to their functioning, e.g. in the context of their membership in industry organisations or the value of their share capital
• comparison of available Central Statistical Office (CSO) (Polish: GUS) data within the entities assigned to PKD 70.21Z with the developed sampling frame (only PR agencies).

The method applied in the study allowed the development of a sampling frame, based on which statistical calculations and further data mining were conducted. Analysis of records of available data sources on PR agencies in Poland was performed. The purpose of the analysis was, among others, to determine the exact number of PR agencies, to check what is the dominant type of their activity, their history, legal form, territorial distribution and the way they present their service offer to trace the financial indicators of PR companies and to determine what percentage of agencies directly position themselves as companies based on PR services. The collected data also include an extensive package of contact indicators, allowing quick communication with particular agencies. Collecting the agency database itself was a long-term process, divided into several stages, as follows:

• collecting and aggregating available market data from companies that provide services directly related to PR activities or declare such task specialisation (mainly by PKD codes);
• verifying the logical consistency and completeness of the data and verifying that the data are up to date. In cases where it could not be determined in any way whether the companies were actually operating in the market were rejected at this stage. This is why companies without any contact details, such as phone number, website, e-mail, entry in the National Court Register, no mention on the Internet about their functioning or representation by specific PR specialists (mainly leaders), were removed from the database.
• assigning agencies to achieved 2019 financial indicators from reports (e.g. assets, earnings, revenues, current liquidity, equity, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) or return on capital).

Based on the three steps above, 934 companies were selected, which can be analysed in different configurations, such as selecting agencies that have websites and further reviewing how they communicate with the public.

Sampling Frame

A PR agency is described by several key parameters. First of all, it should be noted that these entities conduct activities classified as taskrelated PR, assuming that this is the main area of the entities’ activity. Second, a PR agency operates within an organised structure that allows it to conduct projects of different levels of complexity while using a range of techniques and tools in response to clients’ communication needs. Finally, a PR agency is an entity that employs permanent staff and conducts advisory and expert activities in image and relationship building at the management level and operational activities at lower levels of corporate management (Tworzydło, Szuba & Życzyński, 2019, p. 9-10). Staff size is also an important factor, as it is unreasonable to consider a strictly oneperson operation as a PR agency.

For the purposes of the research used in this publication, this definition was expanded to include practical, measurable and easily assessed elements. Due to the fact that a modern PR agency must be present in the virtual space, it was decided that having a website where it is possible to verify the profile of the entity’s activity, e.g. on the basis of an offer of services, realisations and experts, is indispensable. It was concluded that the element that allows to include a given entity in the database forming the research frame is the possession of the PKD 70.21.Z entry or the prefix in the name of the company indicating PR, e.g. communication (communication)/PR/public relations. Another helpful element in defining the type of entity is information concerning the agency’s leader (one can check its professional status), membership in international PR network groups or the duration of its operation on the market. It was assumed that all companies that function within the framework of industry organisations such as the Association of Public Relations Agencies or the Polish Public Relations Consultancies Association are considered PR agencies, as they are a kind of 'top players’ of the whole industry. For the preliminary analysis, we also used analytical documents such as the 2019 financial statements.

There is no universal methodology to determine whether a company can be considered a PR agency. With this in mind, a case-by-case verification approach was required in the analysis. The PR sector is dispersed in terms of the quality of its services, and thus its constituent entities have different business profiles. For the authors of the study, the key sources of information were websites, social media profiles and available data from industry organisations, as well as experience gained from many years of research on the agencies sector in Poland. Based on this, it is possible to verify whether we are dealing with a PR agency and what are the specialisations of this entity. Furthermore, other sources were taken into account, including data generated by the companies themselves and made available to the public, i.e. type of business activity in terms of PKD and company name.

PR Agencies — Initial Situation in Numbers

On the basis of the conducted research, it was shown that 934 companies in Poland (as of 2021) can be called PR agencies. More than half of them are from Masovia, and almost every fourth is a one-person company (in terms of legal form). In the authors’ opinion, 212 entities (23% of the total) can be called an experienced agency, as they meet all the criteria adopted by the researchers as differentiating elements. These included an active website, positioning of the company as a PR agency, the PKD number 70.21.Z, meaning interpersonal relations (PR and communications), positioning and visibility of the agency’s leader on the web and a duration of no less than 5 years of active operation on the market (Figure 1).

The research shows that >58% of the entities defined as PR agencies operate in Mazowsze (region of Poland) and that is where the centre of advisory and communication services is located, which results, for example, from the number of large companies and corporations. Quite a large group of entities providing specialised communication consulting services is also located in the Małopolska (77), Dolnośląskie (71) and Wielkopolska (65) regions of Poland. The smallest number of PR agencies is located in Lubelskie (5) and Lubuskie (4) (regions of Poland).

Source: Own elaboration based on research

The research found that there are 934 PR agencies on the Polish market. The vast majority of them are limited liability companies (62%). On average, every fourth agency operates as a sole proprietorship, and the remaining 13% of entities establish other forms of partnerships (e.g. civil, general and, the most numerous in this group, limited partnerships). It is worth mentioning that 69% of the agencies in the sampling frame have a company website (Table 1).

The statistical agency from the survey frame has been operating in the market for nearly 10 years (average: 9.8 years). However, as many as 200 entities have been in the industry for <5 years. Only 7% of agencies are affiliated with one of the industry organisations such as the Association of Public Relations Agencies (SAPR) or the Polish Public Relations Consultancies Association (ZFPR). This may result from a lack of need for involvement, a lack of desire to engage in social activities or a lack of familiarity with the activities undertaken by the mentioned associations of entities that form the PR industry. The criteria for becoming a member of Polish associations (SAPR or ZFPR) are also gaining in importance (Table 2).

On the basis of the conducted analysis, it was found out that 85% of all the agencies have the number 70.21.Z entered within their PKD codes, meaning interpersonal relations (PR) and communication. However, 'only’ 532 companies (57%) indicate this code as the main PKD. The research confirmed the scale of the problem faced by Polish PR, namely the lack of a clear distinction between a factual PR agency and entities providing various quality services qualified as PR activities. This is indicated by the difference between the two previously discussed rates (and we are talking about almost 28 percentage points). It is also noteworthy that only onethird of the agencies send a message via their website that they are a PR agency (in 32.9% of cases, the phrase 'we are a PR agency’ etc. appears) (Table 3).

The optionality in defining activity codes is also a problem. On average, one in eight agencies does not provide this information. Another challenge is the influence of competing disciplines and their intermingling. This is evidenced by the fact that as many as 15% of agencies — defined by the researchers as PR agencies — position themselves more as an advertising agency (code: 73.11.Z). The surveyed entities less frequently emphasise the connection with the event-and-technology industry.

Based on the analysis of available financial reports for 2019, we can determine the potential and dynamics of changes occurring in the agency market. An in-depth analysis of financial data from nearly 400 PR agencies revealed, among other things, the following:

• Actual net revenue from the services of the indicated 400 agencies (which report their financial data) in the pre-COVID year (2019) amounted to nearly 846 million net.
• The profit generated by these agencies was 54 million, with one in three companies (on average) reporting a loss for 2019 (120 out of 386 companies).
• The total value of equity capital of all PR agencies (for which financial data were available) amounted to PLN 188 million, and their estimated market value ranged from PLN 400-500 million.

Subsequently, we used the obtained data and, based on statistical methods, we were able to estimate the values of financial ratios of the entire PR agencies sector in 2019. The strategic purpose of the research project was to develop Poland’s first PR agency sampling frame, which would include the most up-to-date data regarding their characteristics and market condition. Besides this, the net revenue from the services sale for 2019 was also estimated. Calculations were based on actual data obtained for 384 agencies, which in their reports declared a total revenue of PLN 846 million. For the remaining 550 agencies, which either do not have a National Court Register (Krajowy Rejestr Sądowy or KRS) number or their financial statements are not available for inspection, we used estimation based on the median value of revenue (calculated on the basis of financial data of entities reporting their revenue — the median amounted to PLN 503,000). Then, the median value was multiplied by the number of 'non-reporting’ agencies and summed with the data extracted from the financial reports. The estimate equals PLN1 billion 123 million. This is the approximate value of the PR market in Poland in 2019. This is mainly due to the fact that 2020 (the year in which the study was conducted) was a pandemic (COVID-19) year and agencies did not post up-to-date financial reports in time or they were 'impaired’ by the global crisis. Estimated net profit of the surveyed agencies amounted to PLN 63 million, while the estimated market value of PR agencies in Poland counted as total assets amounted in the examined year to PLN 563 million.

In this research, it was assumed that the company website is the communication showcase of the agency. In this context, it is worth noting that more than two-thirds of the surveyed entities have their own website (69%), while its correct operation was found in 59% of cases. The difference is due to the fact that at some of the companies, the website was not working or was under reconstruction. An analysis of the websites’ content showed that the vast majority of companies present their services in detail. On the websites, there is a description of each activity along with a portfolio presentation and a list and visualisation of completed projects. Less often do agencies choose to introduce their staff (if they do, there is a bio of the leader/key experts on the site). The communication portrait of PR agencies should be complemented with the information that 28% of the surveyed entities maintain an official profile on LinkedIn and 32.8% on Facebook. In the meantime, 202 agencies have each of the discussed communication channels (their own website and company accounts — LinkedIn and Facebook).

Prospects for Change in the Market of PR Agencies

At this point, it is worth noting the specific nature of work in PR agencies. Data in this area are provided by other research projects conducted by the authors of this article. The research shows that professionals working in PR agencies significantly more often carry out tasks related to media relations (79% versus 66%), lobbying and public affairs (15% versus 8%) and cooperate with influencers (20% versus 2%)5 . Specialists working in PR outside the agency activities declared a stronger focus on crisis management, internal communications, investor relations and corporate social responsibility (CSR) (Tworzydło, Szuba & Życzyński, 2020) (Figure 2).

Research conducted by a team led by the authors of the publication showed that COVID-19 caused a number of changes not only in the PR market but also in the area of the range of services offered to clients. First, it is important to note that there has been a smooth shift towards remote working. Many companies and their employees have realised that it is possible to get work done and there is no need for employees and managers to be physically present at the company headquarters or branches. The shift, initially planned as temporary, turned out to be a permanent change that has affected PR firms. It is amplified and commonly used even today. Another lasting change that has taken place in the analysed industry is the shift of focus to highly specialised services, such as crisis management or internal communications (see Table 4). In the first case, the situation is reasonable since COVID-19 caused a series of micro-crises and — events that permanently and heavily burdened the image of some entities. Crises, therefore, are becoming an increasingly desirable speciality, as more and more projects for clients include such activities. In a significant portion of the solicitations, crisis support becomes a permanently included element in the scope of tasks expected from the entity that is to perform the contract.

The same is for the internal communication issue. Respondents indicate that this area, along with crisis management and digital PR, is what may become increasingly important in the future. Internal communication has become crucial especially because of the following reasons:

• decreasing attachment of employees to the headquarters of individual companies, excluding production workers;
• increased employee turnover and a still-functioning employee market;
• increased expectations of employees towards their employers, especially in terms of flexible approach to their duties.

The changes that are occurring in the PR industry will affect, on the one hand, the functioning of PR agencies, which flexibly adapt to client requirements and emerging trends. On the other hand, it will also have an impact on employees, who will have to acquire knowledge not only in the field of psychology, but also in analytical areas, in order to skilfully and accurately respond to the needs reported by the clients of PR agencies. However, these changes will certainly contribute to the professionalisation of the industry and the profession. In the near future, mainly those agencies that employ versatile specialists or skilfully use the benefits of outsourcing will be competitive on the market.

Summary

The results of the research presented in this paper have allowed us to gain unique knowledge about the Polish PR services sector. By consolidating information obtained directly from agencies, a huge number of databases and other sources, we have obtained knowledge that shows the potential of the PR market, with particular emphasis on the role of PR agencies. The available estimates show that, on average, every fourth professional dealing with issues related to PR and communication in Poland is an employee of a PR agency (Szuba, 2022). As a result, agencies are the glue that holds the entire industry together, have a real impact on shaping its condition (especially those affiliated with industry-oriented organisations) and serve as the primary service provider. Experience shows that working in an agency is often a starting point or a stage in the career development process of PR specialists.

It should be emphasised that, in Poland, there are 18 network agencies, meaning agencies based outside of Poland or belonging to international networks. The entry of international network agencies was a result of market evaluation and its potential noticed in foreign reports that estimated the value of the PR sector in Poland (Rydzak, 2009). Networking is usually a guarantee of quality for customers who represent socially known brands. It is also a strongly developed aspect of procedures and standards of international importance (Hejnowski, 2016). During the analysis, it turned out that agencies associated in one of the two leading industry organisations (SAPR and ZFPR) in Poland generate significantly higher revenue (an affiliated agency is nearly four times the average), generate significantly higher profit (affiliated agency is 3.6 times higher on average) and also have a longer history of functioning in the market (they operate, on average, 1 year longer) than entities remaining outside the indicated associations.

The analysis provides a picture of the Polish PR service centre located in Warsaw and in the Mazowsze region. Warsaw is a city where 55% of the surveyed agencies are located. The following regions, in terms of the number of PR agencies, are as follows: Małopolskie (8%), Dolnośląskie (8%), Wielkopolskie (7%) and Śląskie (6%). It can be concluded that there is increased competition among PR firms in the above regions. The results of the research confirm, first of all, the fact that PR must be near the decision-making centres. It is in Warsaw where most of the large corporations and entities that use such services are based. Secondly, it confirms the fact that PR must be close to the national media, because still one of the key areas of PR activities is media relations, including modern media (Tworzydło, Gawroński & Szuba, 2020). The research allowed us to observe that in the surveyed population, 42% of entities have been operating for more than 1 decade, which only confirms that the industry has consolidated its position and strengthened its role in the Polish economy. However, there is still no reliable comparative analysis with other countries, e.g. with the British Isles — the largest European market of PR services.

From all the analyses that have been conducted, there also emerges a picture of a statistical PR agency in Poland. It is an entity functioning as a limited liability company, with rich experience, which can be expressed by the period of functioning on the market, as well as the way it communicates with the market environment. However, it is an entity that sporadically cooperates with industry organisations and selectively shares detailed information on the specifics of its operations and performance, e.g., the minimalism of its financial statements confirms this. PR agencies — as the authors of this article aimed to prove — constitute a key element of the PR industry and, more broadly, of communication consultations in Poland. According to estimates, Polish PR agencies employ >11,000 consultants using various forms of cooperation. For comparison, about 14,500 PR specialists work in private companies (which are not PR agencies), forming the so-called in-house PR services of the organisation. This group is the largest part of the PR market structure in our country (Szuba, 2022).

Endnotes

¹ In this article, to avoid repetition, the terms PR agencies and PR firms are used interchangeably.

² It is assumed that the first PR agency, First Public Relations — headed by Piotr Czarnowski, was created in 1990; https://www.firstpr.pl/o-first-pr, accessed 02.05.2022.

³ This article presents the results of the study 'Analysis of the market of PR agencies’ services’, which was conducted between November 2020 and July 2021 under the supervision of the authors of the publication. The institutional partners of the project were Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, the Faculty of Journalism, Information and Bibliology at Uniwersytet Warszawski and the Think Tank operating within the Public Relations Agencies Association (SAPR).

⁴ The possibility of using desk research as a separate and independent research technique is indicated, among others, by Zofia Bednarowska-Michaiel (after: Bednarowska-Michaiel, Z. (2015). Desk research — wykorzystanie potencjału danych zastanych w prowadzeniu badań marketingowych i społecznych, Marketing i Rynek, nr 7, p. 19).

⁵ Professionals working in PR agencies versus other places

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Promotion has been one of the key elements of higher education management practically since the beginning of the changes initiated by Poland’s democratic transition. Every year, demand for educational services is declining, limited on the one hand by the generally decreasing numbers of those aspiring to attend university and on the other by the generally increasing numbers of higher education institutions providing programmes adjusted to the changing reality. Universities are quickly trying to respond to these challenges by adapting their programmes and educational services to the needs of the job market and the changing economic landscape.

Higher education institutions are therefore forced not only to analyse selected factors behind demand, but also to take into account the challenge posed by competitors. Declining birth rates have prompted universities to engage in strategic promotional planning, necessitating a search for various measures aiming to encourage potential students to explore the opportunities offered by higher education. Tools used by universities to enhance their competitive position include public relations, understood as the art of conducting dialogue with one’s environment and fostering relations within an organization and outside of it (Tworzydło, 2017). Essentially, the purpose is to present a consistent image of an educational institution in keeping with its strategy and to facilitate proper communication between the institution and its environment (KaczmarekŚliwińska, 2006). One important distinguishing feature of public relations is two-way communication, which seeks understanding, acceptance, and cooperation between the organization and its environment (Gawroński, 2006). Bearing in mind the need to actively expand their knowledge about their environment and engage in professional communication, universities do not ask themselves if they need public relations, but perform broad analyses of the quality, professionalism, and effectiveness of the measures they take to convey information, build up their image, and promote their education services and the best practices in this field (Walkiewicz, 2005). In the context of the image of a higher education institution, we should consider such factors as information about its condition, the public image of its faculty members, students, and graduates, its involvement in the communities in which it operates, its relations with the media, the use of owned media (Kaczmarek-Śliwińska, 2013), and a range of other factors that impact on how the institution is ultimately perceived. As Waszkiewicz (2011) notes, „the image of a higher education institution depends on the overall perception of its functioning in terms of the roles it plays as a teacher, a creator of science and culture, a moral authority, an employer, a financially supported entity, an investor, and a means of transmitting power, together with the interpreted meaning of such perception and the resulting beliefs and attitudes”. In addition, the image of a higher education institution is considered through the prism of its protection, especially in the context of potential crises that may threaten the stable functioning of the institution. Therefore, preparing for and adequately reacting to crises becomes crucially important for many organizations (Tworzydło, 2019).

The purpose of this paper is to identify online tools used by Polish universities and analyse to what extent these tools are used for imagerelated, communication, and marketing purposes. Since these activities impact directly on the reputation of every university, it appears crucially important to raise awareness of their importance, especially among those who are involved in higher education communication and marketing.

Since the arrival of the digital era, websites have been one of the first and most important tools for building the image of universities in their external and internal environment. A website serves not only as a university’s online business card, but also as an interface facilitating various multidirectional interactions between the university and its environment (Szyfter, 2005). As a result of the rapid development of the Internet and the growing popularity of online communication, universities feel the need to highlight their online presence in a relevant way. It is no longer enough to have a basic website that has been designed for potentially interested members of the public and features very general content, often without regular updates. Growth in the number of Internet users has forced universities to ascribe greater importance to websites as channels of professional communication and design them as platforms for dialogue with their environment.

Universities are aware of the need to respond to the emergence of new tools and technological advancements and to explore the related opportunities, but also to assess the risks associated with such rapid development. The World Wide Web offers access not only to information about universities from all over the world and their programmes, but also to knowledge. Increasingly advanced technologies have made it possible not only to teach classes and carry out other important academic activities but also to create a network of connections with potential students and to convince them that they should choose a specific university as one that will guarantee the quality of education they expect. For higher education institutions, the new reality poses challenges in the area of not only education, but also other basic services they offer, in particular scientific research and research and development for the economy and the region (Hope, 2005). Necessitated by these new circumstances, the transformation of higher education institutions has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which almost immediately forced many organizations, including universities, to take adaptive measures. The pandemic has led to changes in education, including teaching classes and handling relations with students as well as conducting research and promoting the effects of scientific work. Such changes would not have been so rapid if it had not been for the impulse provided by the outbreak of the pandemic, global lockdown measures, and local constraints.

However, using modern online tools and staying on top of modern trends and technologies gained significance in response not only to the pandemic but also to the findings of earlier analyses conducted by higher education institutions. University students are among those Internet users who test and use the latest solutions. This is one of the reasons why higher education institutions must to be present in the places frequented by its potential customers, and this also pertains to social media. Several of them are particularly relevant in this context. Among the Internet users, as many as 92% of those aged 18–24 declare that they maintain a presence in at least one form of such media (Feliksiak, 2016). The booming popularity of certain social media platforms has caused corporations, small businesses, non-government organizations (NGOs), and schools at various levels to notice the need to use such channels and the related benefits. In particular, social media support marketing activities, facilitate direct communication, and help shape one’s public image (Buchnowska, 2013). They can be divided into six main categories: collaborative projects (such as Wikipedia), blogs and microblogs (such as Twitter), content communities (such as YouTube), social networking sites (such as Facebook), virtual game worlds (such as Warcraft), and virtual social worlds (such as Second Life) (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2010; as cited in: Falahah & Rosmala, 2012). From the perspective of their usefulness, the first four of these categories are by far the most attractive for universities. The popularity of such media continues to grow, for reasons that include: the possibility of reaching out to existing and future students, graduates, and employees, immediate feedback to the information posted and issues raised, the low cost of reaching recipients, and the possibility of surveying the views and opinions of those interested in or linked to a specific university.

Materials and methods

For the purposes of this paper, we conducted a study in 2020 to analyse the activities carried out by selected universities using available online tools, the press offices of such universities, and their social media activity and websites, including video trends and direct communication (e.g. through online chats). In conducting our research, we used such tools as the SimilarWeb platform (https://www.similarweb.com). We identified and compared image-related measures taken by selected Polish universities. In order to highlight a clear difference in trends, we extended our analysis to cover some of the world’s best universities, selected based on the Webometrics ranking (Ranking Web of Universities). We identified changes taking part in the model of managing the image of a higher education institution. In addition, we assessed the impact of generational changes and image-related activities on the choice of a university and presented the role of e-learning as a tool and modern form of communication and education.

In the main part of our project, we ultimately analysed 52 universities in Poland and 10 from other countries in Europe and in the world. The study therefore encompassed a total of 62 official websites of higher education institutions.

Using the method of website content analysis, we classified them based on the following variables: the number of ranking points, statistics on the number of visits and the time spent on a website, shares of direct and referral traffic, and the presence of the universities on specific social media. We also identified mobile applications operated by universities. Relevant calibration of the data allowed us to perform statistical analysis. The principal analytical axis was formed by correlation analyses performed using the Pearson correlation coefficient. We also performed a classical frequency analysis with a percentage frequency distribution. Additionally, analysing the time spent on a website implied the necessity of implementing the procedure of comparing means. It was assumed that significant differences would exist for the p-value of less than 0.05 (based on ANOVA).

Results

Modern-day universities use numerous tools allowing them to reach out to selected target groups. Social media currently rank among the most powerful of such tools. Importantly, having a profile on such a platform as Facebook is as natural as having a website. In turn, having a website and updating it regularly is beyond dispute. In this case, the analysis of the collected research material showed that the number of points that universities in Poland had in the „Perspektywy Ranking” (the country’s most prestigious such ranking — Perspektywy Education Foundation, 2019) correlated strongly with the number of website visitors. The value of the Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.774, and the correlation was positive. In other words, the more points a university had, the more visits to its website were recorded.

Importantly, Polish universities could obtain a maximum of 100 points in the Perspektywy Ranking. Since the lowest result was around 39 points, we could divide the sample into three proportional groups: the universities with a low level of points (between 39 and 59.3 points) accounted for 79% of the sample, those with a moderate level of points (between 59.4 and 79.7 points) constituted 15% of the sample, and finally those with a high level of points (between 79.8 and 100 points) comprised 6% of the higher education institutions under analysis. In this context, we can talk about a considerable disproportion in the points-based assessment (most universities ranked low in terms of points) with a clear dominance of the three highest-ranking universities: the University of Warsaw, the Jagiellonian University, and the Warsaw University of Technology. In 2020, the situation was very similar, with the same three universities claiming the top three spots in the Perspektywy Ranking — the only difference being that the Jagiellonian University ranked first.

Bearing in mind the data obtained in the course of our research, we analysed the frequency of website visits, among other things. We arrived at the general conclusion that the number of Internet users visiting the websites of Polish universities had grown steadily in the six-month period under study.

The statistics were collected in June 2020 and covered the months from December 2019 to May 2020. We observed a downward trend for only three universities (6% of the sample), namely the Medical University of Łódź, the University of Agriculture in Kraków, and the University of Life Sciences in Lublin. Importantly, one in five universities from the Perspektywy Ranking recorded a rise of at least 30% in the number of visits (19.6% of the sample). This resulted from the changes in the overall situation in the world, including the approach to searching for and using information. People are growing increasingly likely to use the Internet and explore the opportunities offered by modern technologies — higher education institutions also react to such changes. Those responsible for marketing at universities realise that this trend will continue and know that for higher education institutions the future of promotion is online. A website is therefore not merely a window to the world. Content posted on websites and the ways in which it is presented must meet the ever-growing requirements of today’s world, with the rising complexity of the information shared by universities with their environment highlighting the need for its relevant visualization and presentation.

Our research shows that users spent an average of nine minutes when visiting the website of a university listed in the Perspektywy Ranking (mean = 9.04 min). Based on the time values, we did not observe increases or decreases in the time spent on a website depending on such variables as the number of points in the ranking or the number of visitors. From the perspective of the given university, of course, the time spent on its website is an important parameter. The longer a potential candidate stays on the website, the more likely this person is to find the content of this website useful. We can therefore assume that as the time spent on a website grows, so does the knowledge of its visitors and the chance that they will retain information that will later influence their decisions, for example regarding their ultimate choice of university.

Based on a detailed analysis of the datasets, we found no correlation between the number of visitors and the number of pages they viewed. This may also mean that the Internet users visiting university websites know exactly what they are looking for and do not waste their time on general browsing. Also, it can be assumed that potential recipients go directly to the information they are searching for. Examples may include admissions (for potential students) and job vacancies (for potential employees). This only serves to confirm the significance of a clear and logical layout of the websites of the universities under study. On the other hand, as we have already stated, the average time spent on a website is fairly long, which may mean that visitors read the content posted there relatively carefully.

When analysing the data we had obtained, we noted an interesting correlation: the more points a university had in the Perspektywy Ranking (Perspektywy Education Foundation 2019), the larger the share of visits by users from countries other than Poland (r = –0.329; p = 0.018; n = 51). This means that having a good reputation enables a university to attract the attention of not only Polish, but also foreign visitors, who browse the content posted on its specific pages. To follow this line of thinking, we should note that the highest-ranking universities actively reach out to such candidates or indirectly attract the interest of those planning to study in Poland. On the other hand, the number of users visiting the websites under study correlates positively with the share of direct traffic. This means that the higher the number of visits, the larger the share of direct visits resulting from users typing the website’s URL into a browser (i.e. not via any referring website) (r = 0.347; p = 0.012; n = 52). The universities that take up the top spots in the Perspektywy Ranking are sufficiently recognizable, and this recognizability is strong enough for users to find the websites of such universities directly, without using for example the Google search engine. This points to the proper positioning of these universities, but also indicates that they have worked very hard for years to build their image and online presence.

Growth in the number of visits to the websites of the Polish universities featured in the Perspektywy Ranking also correlates strongly with the number of pages per visit. We noted that the higher the percentage increase in the number of visits in the six-month period under study, the higher the average number of pages per visit (r = 0.592; p = 0.001; n = 51). If Internet users choose to type the website’s URL directly into a browser (direct traffic), the average number of pages per visit changes significantly. We observed that the higher the percentage share of such direct traffic, the higher the average number of pages per visit (r = 0.749; p = 0.001; n = 52). Here, we can talk about informed visitors who type in the address of a website they know and then browse it carefully. On the other hand, the higher the percentage share of referral traffic, the lower the average number of pages per visit (r = –0.323; p = 0.019; n = 52). Here, we can talk about more random visitors, which should not be taken to mean that they are less important. In the context of the websites under analysis, we can generally conclude that informed visitors outnumber greatly random visitors (the average share of the former group is around 47%, compared with less than 2% for the latter group). Informed visitors determine the percentage rise in the number of visits over the six-month period under study. The higher the percentage share of type-in traffic, the greater the aforementioned percentage increase (r = 0.427; p = 0.002; n = 51).

In general, one group of Internet users consists of those who type in the address of the website directly into a browser (representing a 47.4% share of the whole sample). Here, the relatively largest share was recorded for the Medical University of Gdańsk and the smallest for the SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Warsaw (74% and 24%, respectively). The second most frequent group of visitors is formed by those who find university websites using search engines (representing a 44.1% share of the whole sample). The largest share was noted in the case of the Adam Mickiewicz University’s website (72%), while the lowest share was recorded for the Medical University of Gdańsk (18%). An average of 5.4% users reach the websites of Polish universities via their social media profiles. Here, the top position is occupied by the Adam Mickiewicz University (19%), while the relatively lowest result was achieved by the University of Białystok (2%). Internet users accessing websites through various types of referring websites account for 1.9% of all visitors (as many as 13% access the website of the Warsaw School of Economics in this way). Other sources of traffic account for a marginal percentage share of all the results obtained.

For 49% of the universities in the Perspektywy Ranking, the Internet users visiting their websites are dominated by those who type the website addresses directly into their browser address bars. An equally large share of Internet users (51%) rely on search engines. The former group visits a significantly higher number of pages per visit (an average of 8.6 compared with 6.2 for those using search engines) (ANOVA, where F = 14.918; p = 0.001). The average time spent on a website by users typing that website’s address directly into a browser is 9 minutes and 15 seconds. For those who access the website from search engine results, this period is comparable (9 minutes and 11 seconds). Likewise, we found no significant differences in terms of the number of points in the Perspektywy Ranking (56 points for universities whose websites are dominated by direct traffic, compared with 53 points for the search engine group).

Finally, it is worth noting the distribution of countries (other than Poland) from which Internet users visit the websites of top Polish universities. The leader in this respect is Ukraine (21.6% of all cases), followed by Germany and the United States (11.8% each), Belarus and Sweden (7.8% each), and finally Spain and the UK (3.9%).

Leading Polish universities against world universities

We extended our analysis to include a comparison of Polish universities against top five universities in the world and in Europe, treating them as a reference group. One of the world’s most popular university websites is the website of Harvard University (https://www.harvard.edu), which was visited in the peak month (October 2020) by over 55 million users. It is followed by the websites of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (https://www.mit.edu) with 49.04 million users and Stanford University (https://www.stanford.edu) with 24.34 million users. During the period under analysis, we noted significant differences in terms of website reach. During the first six months of 2020, interest in the website of the university widely regarded as the world’s best (Harvard) dropped by nearly 17.5% (see the table below), only to return to its previous level a few months later. This fact is linked not only to the academic year, but also to the period of the coronavirus pandemic, which necessitated remote learning.

Statistics for Polish universities show a somewhat different trend. While the number of visits to the websites of the world’s top universities fell, Polish websites gained in popularity. With an average rise of 20.16%, the universities that recorded growth in the number of visits included the Medical University of Gdańsk, the Medical University of Lublin, and the Medical University of Silesia (their popularity increasing by 50%). Importantly, the universities that reported the highest growth are associated with education in various areas of medicine, which may point to the emergence of a trend among those deciding on their future education.

Universities in social media and their communication activities

A study conducted in 2012 showed that „universities have noticed not only the possibility but also the necessity of using social media in the process of scientific communication. Some of these institutions, especially those regarded as the most active, understand the need to diversify their communication channels” (Kulczycki, 2012). This leads us to the conclusion that universities have been working for years to achieve their current position, not only by conducting observations and performing analyses but also by actively responding to changes, including those taking place in communication technologies. Social media can be used not only as a communication platform, but also as a gateway to the places where the attention of the audience can be drawn for longer, namely websites. The analysis of the data we collected shows that the traffic generated by social media varies between 2.04% and 11.54% (an average of 5.4%). One exception is the Adam Mickiewicz University — as much as 19.12% of referrals to the university’s website come from social media, but no further and detailed data are available in this respect.

Analyses show that all Polish universities have profiles on both Facebook and YouTube, and a vast majority of them have both official and unofficial accounts, in addition to running private groups. Students themselves also have private groups and use instant messengers, chiefly Messenger and WhatsApp. Both modern trends and the popularity of websites prompt universities to explore new tools that offer growing possibilities for acting effectively and supporting students and lecturers.

Facebook is by far the most popular social medium used by universities, generating an average of 70% of referrals from social media. YouTube ranks second with an average of 24.92%. However, we should note that the discrepancies are much greater here because some universities use this tool only to a small extent, whereas in the case of other universities, such as the Częstochowa University of Technology, the University of Gdańsk, and the Medical University of Gdańsk, YouTube generates 40–45% of all traffic from social media to the university website. Fewer than twenty universities have decided to set up accounts on LinkedIn, but the traffic generated in this way is essentially negligable (around 1%, +/–0.5%), the only exception being the Lublin University of Technology (9.01%). If we look at this situation from the perspective of the changes taking place in the use of this tool in communication, especially in business communication, we may both presume and assume that universities will be further exploring this communication channel, in particular by looking for opportunities to communicate information about such projects as postgraduate or MBA studies.

The statistics related to the use of Twitter as a microblog, or a medium focused on presenting the latest political, sports, business and other news, are extremely interesting. One may conclude that compared with global universities, Polish higher education institutions neglect Twitter in terms active use of this tool. This may be because they have failed to properly assess its potential. Among the 52 universities included in the study, 60% have Twitter profiles. However, the use of this tool is noticeable and fairly regular only in the case of the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences (12.53%), the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin (7.67%), the University of Szczecin (6.51%), and the Medical University of Łódź (5%). For the websites of the remaining universities, the traffic generated by Twitter ranges between 0% and 3.44% (an average of 0.7%). Such results are very low compared with the popularity of the profiles of the world’s best universities, which proves that Polish universities are only starting to notice the need for active presence on Twitter. Among education profiles, the most popular ones (in terms of the number of visits) are those run by British universities, specifically the University of Cambridge (19.98%), the University of Oxford (19.71%), and University College London (19.43%), as well as by Harvard University (17.56%) and Stanford University (16.25%). Eight of the universities we studied use Research Gate, but only the University of Zielona Góra (6.51%) does so in a noticeable way. Most of the universities also have their own IT systems for managing education processes, studies, and communication with students, typically a USOS or another system designed to meet specific requirements or needs.

To complement our research project, we performed a detailed analysis of the websites of the eight highest-ranking universities in the Perspektywy Ranking (Perspektywy Education Foundation, 2019) in terms of their communication activities. All of these universities have promotion offices, as well as press rooms, but the latter are not always properly visible. We observed that the materials for journalists vary in terms of quality and characteristics. In fact, only one university designed its press kit professionally and in keeping with the recommendations of public relations experts. Most of the information materials are available to all users of the university websites and form integral parts thereof. Photographs and videos are made available to the media as links or downloadable resources. Only three of the universities we analysed offer a newsletter only for journalists.

Importantly, all the higher education institutions we analysed have dedicated units responsible for communication. Most of them are headed by a press officer or the rector’s plenipotentiary for communication or media relations. However, only one of the press officers has an official social media account, and one runs an official expert blog. On the other hand, all universities offer newsletter subscriptions to users of their websites. Websites feature attractive downloadable content, including logos, as well as links to social media, including less popular ones such as Flickr, Pinterest, and Goldenline (a Polish business-oriented social networking website). Despite many positive actions and activities of Polish universities, there are still many areas in which public relations and promotion could be addressed more professionally.

Conclusions

It is evident that the universities we analysed understand the potential that lies inherent in the Internet, and some of them draw their inspiration from foreign universities. However, they are as yet unable to fully respond to the measures being successfully taken by the world’s most renowned universities. Observing the trends and processes taking place in the global education market is an important element of evolution and active participation. Changes in the sphere of promotion have been sped up by the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing universities not only to reflect on what is the norm for reputable universities interested in promotion but also to respond swiftly to changes in this field.

The changing market necessitates a comprehensive approach to promotion in higher education institutions. For reasons related to the widespread use of Internet tools, it is crucial not only to analyse the potential and opportunities created by technological advancements but above all to open up to novel solutions. Universities may benefit more from the effects of this approach if they engage to a greater extent in addressing promotion issues and exploring related opportunities systematically and openly. Systematically here refers to taking steps based on operational and strategic planning, while openness describes the approach to the implementation of new solutions and communication technologies. No university can afford to neglect to perform relevant analyses and implement the conclusions to be drawn from their findings. The websites of Polish universities prove to be a key element of their strategic and operational communication in the online world, in addition to being one of the most effective tools for building and fostering good relations between universities and their environment and for shaping their public image (Jędrych, 2015). Polish university websites vary greatly in terms of appearance, functionality, and content, which demonstrates their original approach to website design. Since Internet users visiting such websites look for relevant and appropriately profiled data, universities additionally need to devote more attention to information quality and website navigation. Equally importantly, Polish universities should seek to attract the attention of those interested in studying in Poland. Such markets undoubtedly include Ukraine and other countries of the former Eastern Bloc. Universities must therefore focus on creating content tailored to the information needs of those who may be interested in the educational services they offer.

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W naukach społecznych, a szczególnie w socjologii stosowany jest szeroki konglomerat technik badawczych, które mogą pełnić jedną z trzech głównych funkcji, tj. eksploracyjną, opisową i wyjaśniającą (Miotk, 2012, s. 28–29). Zdarzają się również takie projekty, w których badacze korzystają z ich połączenia, np. przy badaniach mieszanych (Kawalec, 2014, s. 4).

Metodologie stosowane w naukach społecznych znajdują także zastosowanie w działaniach public relations, dlatego warto prowadzić pomiar częstotliwości ich wykorzystania przez praktyków, którzy dbają o wizerunek organizacji. Jest to szczególnie ważne przy charakterystyce trendów i ewentualnych zmian, jakie zachodzą w ofercie usługowej z zakresu szeroko rozumianego doradztwa komunikacyjnego. Zdaniem K. Wojcik potrzebna jest stała kontrola efektów działań w zakresie public relations, „nikt jednak nie jest pewien metod ich pomiaru, często więc słyszy się, że lepiej zorganizować jedną kampanię PR więcej niż analizować to, co już było” (Wojcik, 2005, s. 809).

Wzrost zainteresowania rolą badań w procesach komunikacyjnych sprawia jednak, że projekty badawcze o charakterze społeczno-rynkowym stanowią coraz bardziej istotny element działań polskiego PR, gdzie na znaczeniu zyskuje potrzeba bycia autentycznym (Antoszewski, 2016, s. 236).

W przypadku pomiaru pojedynczych działań, które mają na celu osiągnięcie nieodległych w czasie rezultatów, prace badawcze nie wymagają wyspecjalizowanej wiedzy i przeważnie można je zrealizować własnymi zasobami.

Większe wyzwanie dla badaczy stanowi natomiast analiza długookresowych skutków w procesie komunikacji, gdzie częstokroć trzeba mieć na uwadze efekt synergii oddziaływania narzędzi, co wymaga przemyślanego doboru technik i wskaźników, kończąc na zaawansowanej analizie danych empirycznych (Hajduk, 2019, s. 204). W związku z powyższym konieczne staje się uwzględnienie w planach badawczych tych obszarów, które wchodzą w przedmiot analizy, jak również poszczególnych jej aspektów i ujęcia czasowego komunikacji (Strzyżewska, Rószkiewicz, 2002, s. 219). Przedstawione w artykule badania mają na celu określenie skali działań specjalistów public relations w kontekście prowadzenia przez nich pomiaru efektów własnej pracy wraz z uwzględnieniem konkretnych rozwiązań i barier związanych z ich stosowaniem.

Podejście metodologiczne

W niniejszym artykule znajdują się odwołania do badań kondycji branży public relations w Polsce, które od 2017 roku cyklicznie realizuje Katedra Komunikacji Społecznej i Public Relations Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego i zespół badawczy Exacto. Jeden z bloków tematycznych w edycji zrealizowanej w roku 2019 dotyczył pomiaru efektów działań public relations, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem sposobów, jakie wykorzystują specjaliści w wykonywanych przez siebie zadaniach. Ważnym zagadnieniem opracowania jest także identyfikacja problemów, które utrudniają prowadzenie skutecznego pomiaru. Treść hipotezy głównej brzmi: specjaliści ds. public relations korzystają z różnych sposobów pomiaru efektów swojej pracy, aczkolwiek na zakres stosowanych rozwiązań wpływa doświadczenie zawodowe, a w tym miejsce zatrudnienia oraz staż pracy respondentów. Analizy przeprowadzone w niniejszym artykule mają również na celu sprawdzenie, czy w działaniach PR-owców można doszukiwać się pewnych trendów w kontekście doboru narzędzi pomiarowych. Powyższe zostało również uznane jako uzupełniający cel publikacji. Dla poprawności realizowanych analiz przyjęto hipotezę badawczą, która brzmi: Specjaliści ds. public relations korzystają z różnych sposobów pomiaru efektów swojej pracy, aczkolwiek na zakres stosowanych rozwiązań wpływ ma ich doświadczenie zawodowe.

Badania, na które powołują się autorzy niniejszej publikacji, zostały przeprowadzone za pomocą ankiety audytoryjnej w kwietniu 2019 roku podczas Kongresu Profesjonalistów Public Relations. Próbę badawczą (253 osoby) tworzyli przedstawiciele różnego typu organizacji działających na polskim rynku. Wspólny mianownik profilu zawodowego respondentów stanowiło zainteresowanie problematyką public relations, zarządzania kryzysowego oraz wykonywanie zadań związanych z budową i utrzymywaniem stałych relacji ze strategicznym otoczeniem. Wśród ważnych zmiennych metryczkowych z badania, które zostały wykorzystane w niniejszym opracowaniu, warto zwrócić uwagę na rozkład częstości względem miejsca zatrudnienia (pracownicy firm prywatnych — 36%, publicznych — 36%, agencji public relations — 24%, organizacji pozarządowych — 4%), stażu pracy w branży (poniżej 5 lat — 23%, 5–9 lat — 28%, 10–14 lat — 21%, 15 lat i więcej — 28%) oraz odbytych studiów z zakresu PR (14% ukończyło ten kierunek). Co ciekawe, prawie wszyscy ankietowani legitymują się wyższym wykształceniem (99%), z czego 10% posiada co najmniej stopień naukowy doktora. Wielu badanych pracuje w branży public relations, pomimo ukończenia innych studiów wyższych. Jest to trend charakterystyczny dla całego środowiska public relations w Polsce. Inne badania realizowane w tym obszarze wskazują na istnienie silnych związków PR-owców m.in. z dziennikarstwem, zarządzaniem czy marketingiem. Generalnie, tego typu przygotowanie teoretyczne do zawodu (inne niż kierunek PR) ma ponad połowa osób, które na co dzień pracują w branży PR (53%) (Łaszyn, 2016, s. 102).

Uzupełnieniem do profilu próby z badania kondycji branży PR jest informacja o przewadze kobiet (65%) nad mężczyznami (35%) i rozkładzie zajmowanych stanowisk (wykonawcze — 25%, mieszane — 54%, zarządzające — 21%). Badani specjaliści to przeważnie pracownicy dużych przedsiębiorstw, gdzie zatrudnienie przekracza 250 osób (48% przypadków). Pozostali pracują w różnej wielkości firmach sektora MŚP. W artykule znajdują się analizy bazujące na opisie statystycznym, tabelach krzyżowych oraz nieparametrycznych testach statystycznych. Do wykazania siły korelacji użyty został współczynnik rho Spearmana oraz tau-b Kendalla.

Podczas realizacji projektu badawczego zastosowano technikę, która w najlepszym stopniu — zdaniem autorów — pozwoliła na zebranie pełnych danych wykorzystanych następnie do analiz. Technika audytoryjna, o której mowa, przyczyniła się do eliminacji typowych problemów, jakie pojawiają się przy badaniach ilościowych, takich jak wydłużony czas na pozyskiwanie danych. Przeprowadzone badania dały również asumpt do poszukiwania kolejnych obszarów badawczych w obszarze pomiaru efektów działań public relations, które będą realizowane przez zespół.

Artykuł ten może być przydatny dla czytelników czasopisma, które kierowane jest głównie do pracowników instytutów badawczych, uczelni wyższych, centrów naukowych oraz instytucji wspierających naukę i badania, z uwagi na analizę istotnego elementu zarządzania wizerunkiem wszystkich podmiotów, jakim jest pomiar efektów aktywności wizerunkowych.

Trudności ze skutecznym pomiarem w branży PR

Problem z precyzyjnym szacowaniem efektów pracy specjalistów i agencji public relations jest wpisany w funkcjonowanie branży. Wśród głównych przeszkód przy podejmowaniu decyzji dotyczących realizacji projektów ewaluacyjnych są między innymi: poziom skomplikowania, kosztowna realizacja takich projektów, brak świadomości metodologicznej klientów, rzadka współpraca firm z wyspecjalizowanymi agencjami PR (problem widoczny zwłaszcza przy zarządzaniu kryzysowym), zmiany konsolidacyjne na rynku mediów oraz przekonanie wśród wielu menedżerów, że public relations skupia się jedynie wokół relacji z mediami. Takie podejście sprawia, że celem działań podejmowanych przez specjalistów realizujących kampanie jest uzyskanie szerokiego wydźwięku. Inne cele, poza pomiarem efektów medialnych, schodzą na plan dalszy. Pomimo szerokiego katalogu wyzwań już pierwsze polskie badania nad oceną efektywności działań PR (sondaż Anny Miotk z 2003 roku) wykazały, że aż 89% ankietowanych użytkowników portalu Piar.pl było zdania, że prowadzenie tego typu pomiaru jest potrzebne.

W argumentacji dowodzącej powyższą tezę pojawiały się kwestie związane z wiarygodnością działań, potrzebą uzyskania informacji zwrotnej oraz prezentacji wyniku w formie liczbowej (Miotk, 2012, s. 185).

Badania poświęcone kondycji branży public relations z 2019 roku potwierdziły, że prowadzenie skutecznego pomiaru efektów działań PR jest zadaniem trudnym. W tym wypadku skuteczność należy rozumieć jako „stopień, w jakim zaplanowane projekty, kampanie czy kompleksowa strategia zostały zrealizowane, wyniki zaś osiągnięte” (Tworzydło, 2006, s. 125). Blisko 2/3 badanych specjalistów (63%) określiło powyższą kwestię jako wyzwanie, z którym musi mierzyć się obecnie polski PR. Oznacza to, że w tej kwestii mamy do czynienia z istotną świadomością i przekonaniem o konieczności podjęcia tego wyzwania. Przeciwnego zdania było 21% respondentów, którzy nie widzą problemu ze skuteczną oceną swojej pracy.

Podczas badań testowi poddano 32 twierdzenia opisujące różne problemy/wyzwania/zagrożenia. W rankingu uwzględniającym łączny wskaźnik odpowiedzi pozytywnych („zdecydowanie tak” i „raczej tak”) kwestia trudności ze skutecznym pomiarem efektów PR została sklasyfikowana bardzo wysoko (na 7. miejscu). Taki rezultat można interpretować w kategorii istotnego wyzwania dla przedstawicieli branży. Należy wskazać, iż jest to także jasny sygnał odnośnie do potrzeb konsultantów PR w zakresie wyzwań, które nie mogą być ignorowane 1 (rysunek 1).

Rozkład opinii na temat dostrzeganej trudności przy skutecznym pomiarze efektów public relations nie był uzależniony od profilu próby (p > 0,05), niemniej osoby, które ukończyły kierunek public relations, najczęściej zwracały uwagę na występowanie takich barier (76%). W grupie praktyków PR, którzy nie prowadzili działań pomiarowych w dwunastu miesiącach poprzedzających badania, odsetek odpowiedzi pozytywnych był najmniejszy (44%).

Problem pomiaru efektów działań public relations ma często wpływ na relacje i współpracę firm klientów z agencjami lub specjalistami zajmującymi się profesjonalnym komunikowaniem. Ta współpraca w dużej mierze uzależniona jest od środków, jakie na aktywności public relations zamierzają przeznaczyć klienci. Analizy wykazały (p < 0,001), że trudności z oceną efektów PR pozostają w dodatniej korelacji ze zmniejszającą się zasobnością portfela na działania PR (rho = 0,294), co więcej — była to najsilniejsza z otrzymanych korelacji.

Zaobserwowana prawidłowość jest zgodna z najnowszą edycją raportu International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO), w świetle którego najpoważniejszym problemem światowego sektora usług PR jest proces ograniczania funduszy przez firmy, które szukają wsparcia w różnych sferach zadaniowych public relations (ICCO, 2019, s. 19). Ponadto im częściej ankietowani określali tematykę pomiaru efektów PR mianem wyzwania dla branży, tym częściej zwracali uwagę na dużą rotacyjność i odpływ specjalistów do innych branż (rho = 0,260) przy jednoczesnych kłopotach z rekrutacją nowych kadr (rho = 0,259), nieznajomość istoty PR wśród środowisk biznesowych (rho = 0,243) oraz rozmycie się tożsamości i brak widocznego wskazania, czym de facto PR jest (rho = = 0,209).

Częstotliwość pomiaru efektów PR

Na bazie przeprowadzonych badań zidentyfikowano, iż przekonanie o konieczności pomiaru efektów działań public relations jest silnie zakorzenione w świadomości osób zajmujących się zawodowo public relations i to pomimo zgłaszanych wcześniej trudności ze skutecznością prowadzenia tego typu działań. W ciągu ostatnich 12 miesięcy prawie 93% badanych konsultantów PR mierzyło efekty swoich działań (rysunek 2). Zaobserwowany wynik jest bardzo wysoki i świadczy o rosnącym profesjonalizmie menedżerów w tym zakresie. Na zmianę nastawienia w strategii firm wskazują wyniki z 2006 roku — wtedy tylko 59% największych polskich przedsiębiorstw poddawało pomiarowi działania public relations, a pomiar polegał przeważnie na analizie publikacji prasowych, która wykonywana była często we własnym zakresie (Tworzydło, 2007, s. 5–7). Natomiast wydzielając z próby badawczej wyłącznie podmioty zatrudniające minimum 250 pracowników (n = 116), zaobserwujemy, że aż 94% przedstawicieli tej grupy udzieliło odpowiedzi świadczące o aktywności w obszarze prowadzenia pomiaru efektów działań public relations. Obu wskaźników nie można co prawda porównywać w bezpośredniej relacji ze sobą, aczkolwiek trend zmiany jest dostrzegalny.

Wracając do badań przeprowadzonych w roku 2019, widoczne jest, że relatywnie najczęściej (co wynika ze specyfiki miejsca pracy) pomiar efektów PR prowadzą osoby zatrudnione w agencjach PR — 98%. Podobny odsetek odnotowano wśród podmiotów, w których wystąpił kryzys wizerunkowy w ostatnim roku (96%). Co więcej, wśród firm, które nie musiały podejmować działań z zakresu zarządzania kryzysowego, powyższy odsetek był istotnie niższy — 89% (p = 0,026). Wyniki potwierdziły, że kryzys wizerunkowy stanowi pewnego rodzaju katalizator do aktywnej oceny efektów działań public relations. Powoduje on wzmożenie działań analitycznych, wyzwala potrzebę obserwacji otoczenia, ma wpływ na decyzje zarządcze oparte na głębokich analizach i stale pozyskiwanych z otoczenia danych.

Podział próby ze względu na staż pracy w branży wykazał istotne zróżnicowanie w częstotliwości prowadzenia pomiaru efektów działań public relations. Osoby najkrócej związane z branżą PR (poniżej 5 lat) rzadziej deklarowały, że prowadzą pomiar efektów swoich działań (85%). W pozostałych grupach wyniki oscylowały w granicy 92–97%. Może to mieć związek ze zmianami, jakie dokonują się w percepcji osób realizujących projekty komunikacyjne, i przekonaniem (rosnącym wraz z doświadczeniem), że właściwie prowadzona komunikacja powinna być oparta na profesjonalnej analityce.

Analizując metody oceny efektów pracy specjalistów public relations, obserwujemy, że przy doborze konkretnych rozwiązań kluczową rolę odgrywa cena i czas potrzebny do otrzymania wyników. Dominuje stosowanie wskaźników dostępnych w pakietach, jakie oferują firmy monitorujące media.

Znaczną popularnością cieszy się liczba publikacji oraz zasięg (były to jedyne odpowiedzi, które uzyskały ponad 75% wskazań). Z narzędzi analitycznych, takich jak Google Analytics czy Brand24, korzysta 69% ankietowanych specjalistów. Podobny odsetek respondentów (65%) przy ocenie efektów swojej pracy bazuje na analizie treści przekazów medialnych, która jest jednak czasochłonna. Wynika to między innymi z konieczności budowy kluczy kategoryzacyjnych czy samodzielnej analizy wydźwięku materiałów, gdyż algorytmy dla tej opcji okazują się wadliwe. W wachlarzu stosowanych rozwiązań warto zwrócić uwagę na dotarcie publikacji i audyt mediów społecznościowych, gdyż 3/5 badanych deklaruje ich stosowanie w ciągu ostatniego roku. Ekwiwalent reklamowy — pomimo wielu dyskusji i świadomości jego wad obliczeniowych (Nowy Marketing, 2017) — nadal jest stosowany przez 56% respondentów. Skala wykorzystywania tego narzędzia zależy od miejsca zatrudnienia konsultanta. Relatywnie najczęściej wskaźnik AVE liczą pracownicy agencji PR (86%), przed PR-owcami zatrudnionymi w firmach prywatnych (56%) i w sektorze publicznym (39%) 2 .

Z rozkładu przedstawionego na rysunku 3 wynika, że osoby zajmujące się zawodowo PR rzadziej korzystają z tych rozwiązań, które wymagają sporych nakładów finansowych, stanowią projekty skomplikowane pod względem harmonogramu, jak i samej realizacji. Chodzi o takie metody i techniki, gdzie wymagane jest posiadanie odpowiednich kompetencji metodologicznych i rozbudowanej infrastruktury badawczej. Tylko 5% specjalistów podczas określenia sposobów pomiaru efektów działań public relations zwróciło uwagę na eye tracking, 11% na eksperyment, a 23% na badania jakościowe w formie indywidualnych wywiadów lub grup fokusowych. Nieco większą popularnością cieszą się techniki sondażowe, gdyż stosuje je średnio co trzeci ankietowany. Podobny odsetek wskazywał na obserwację uczestniczącą.

Doświadczenie respondentów ma istotny wpływ na podejście do realizacji projektów badawczych. Im dłuższy staż pracy, tym bardziej aktywna postawa badanych w prowadzeniu pomiaru efektów PR za pomocą różnych technik i metod 3 . Osoby najdłużej związane z branżą (przynajmniej 15 lat) uzyskały relatywnie najwyższą średnią w zakresie stosowanych rozwiązań w ciągu ostatniego roku (7,58). Z kolei wśród przedstawicieli nowych kadr specjalistów PR średnia była najniższa — 5,29. Wiąże się to także z liczbą obsługiwanych klientów, gdyż poziom doświadczenia warunkuje strukturę oferty, zakres usług i możliwości przerobowe agencji.

Większy przekrój technik pomiarowych wyróżnia także grupę osób zajmujących w swoich organizacjach stanowiska zarządzające (średnia 7,45), przed wykonawczo-zarządzającymi (6,56), kończąc na stricte wykonawczych (5,63). Zaobserwowane różnice wartości średnich były istotne statystycznie (p = 0,008).

Badania wykazały, że przedstawiciele branży PR stosują zróżnicowane techniki i metody, w oparciu o które dokonują pomiaru efektów realizowanych przez siebie działań. Może to wynikać ze zróżnicowanych celów komunikacyjnych, np. przy kampaniach, oraz szerokiego dostępu do narzędzi.

Przy decydowaniu się na analizy z wykorzystaniem precyzyjnych wskaźników ważną rolę odgrywa miejsce pracy oraz doświadczenie konsultantów.

Sam proces ustalania, czy dane działania odniosły zamierzony skutek, może uwzględniać analizę różnych wskaźników, aczkolwiek najczęściej stosowanymi w praktyce są te pochodzące z monitoringu mediów. W świetle badań monitoring mediów można uznać za podstawowy element pomiaru efektów w branży public relations.

Monitoring mediów i… długo nic

Badania dowodzą, iż monitoring mediów jest kluczowym elementem wsparcia oceny efektów i zmian, jakie dokonują się w otoczeniu wokół wizerunku badanej instytucji. Zastosowanie monitoringu mediów jest istotnym elementem składowym procesu zabezpieczenia podmiotu. Jego zastosowanie sprawia, że „firma nie ominie żadnych ważnych wzmianek na temat jej produktów i usług, które przez całą dobę pojawiają się we wszystkich rodzajach mediów — od telewizji po portale społecznościowe” (ZFPR, 2019, s. 31). Z przeprowadzonych badań wynika, że aż 92% badanych specjalistów ds. public relations korzystało w mniejszym lub większym zakresie z monitoringu mediów w ciągu ostatniego roku. Tak wysoki odsetek wskazań potwierdza tezę o istotności raportów medialnych w filozofii media intelligence, a także informuje o znaczeniu tego narzędzia w procesie pomiaru wizerunku i efektywności działań medialnych 4 . Wśród głównych powodów, które budzą tak duże zainteresowanie monitoringiem mediów, wymienić należy konkurencyjne ceny pakietów, szeroką ofertę tego typu rozwiązań na rynku, zamknięte ramy czasowe, szybkość i konkretność analiz wyrażoną za pomocą wielu wskaźników (prosta forma liczbowa) czy możliwość prowadzenia stałej i precyzyjnej modyfikacji przekazu na podstawie danych z raportów medialnych.

Zakrojone na szeroką skalę korzystanie z monitoringu mediów nie może dziwić, zwłaszcza jeżeli patrzymy przez pryzmat specyfiki zadań, jakie wykonują obecnie konsultanci zajmujący się public relations. Muszą oni posiadać wiedzę w zakresie narzędzi do analiz rynkowych (grupa docelowa badania z silną reprezentacją pracowników agencji). Z tego względu specjaliści ds. public relations nie mogą pozwolić sobie na pominięcie treści i wyników raportów medialnych. Dostęp do monitoringu mediów to jednak tylko połowa sukcesu, gdyż równie ważnym aspektem są trwałe relacje z przedstawicielami mediów (Interaktywnie.com, 2018, s. 43). W tym konkretnym przypadku liczy się doświadczenie i staż pracy w branży, gdyż są to elementy warunkujące jakość współpracy z dziennikarzami. Badania wykazały, że relatywnie najwyższy odsetek odpowiedzi twierdzących w pytaniu o korzystanie z monitoringu mediów występował wśród osób pracujących w agencjach PR (98%) oraz tych z najdłuższym stażem pracy — 15 lat i więcej (97%).

Wdrożenie monitoringu mediów jest także uzależnione od występowania komunikacyjnych sytuacji kryzysowych. Po monitoring częściej sięgają osoby, które doświadczały w firmach kryzysów wizerunkowych. W związku z powyższym można powiedzieć, że obecność problemów wizerunkowych zwiększa czujność kadry menedżerskiej. To z kolei przekłada się na częstotliwość prowadzenia pomiaru efektów PR za pomocą monitoringu mediów (różnica między grupami oscyluje na poziomie ośmiu punktów procentowych). Przyczyny takiego stanu rzeczy tkwią już w samej definicji monitoringu mediów, która jest silnie ukierunkowana na wsparcie w zarządzaniu kryzysowym. Chodzi o proces ciągłego czytania, obserwowania i słuchania treści znajdujących się w mediach. Jednakże kluczową rolę w monitoringu odgrywa identyfikowanie, zapisywanie oraz analiza tych treści, które uwzględniają słowa kluczowe albo bezpośrednio dotyczą określonego tematu (Comcowich, 2010). Z danych PRESS-SERVICE Monitoring Mediów wynika, że około 85% ich klientów oprócz klasycznej usługi raportów medialnych zamawia także monitoring związany z tematami wrażliwymi wizerunkowo (potencjalne treści kryzysowe) (Tworzydło, Łaszyn, Szuba, 2018, s. 85).

Powszechność stosowania monitoringu mediów w próbie badawczej ma także statystyczne przełożenie na nastroje respondentów, którzy stanowią ważny głos branży PR w Polsce. Otóż im częściej mierzony był zasięg 5 i liczba publikacji 6 (podstawowe wskaźniki większości raportów medialnych), tym silniej badani podkreślali, że nie mają trudności w prowadzeniu skutecznego pomiaru efektów. Prawdopodobnie wynika to z możliwości wyrażenia wyniku dla zasięgu i liczby publikacji w prostej formie liczbowej. Potwierdza to również fakt, że w przypadku pozostałych wskaźników testowanych w ankiecie i związanych z monitoringiem mediów (wydźwięk, AVE, dotarcie publikacji) nie odnotowano podobnych trendów, gdyż są one bardziej złożone lub kontrowersyjne w zakresie miarodajności i metodologicznego podłoża pomiaru.

Jednym z przykładów powyższych problemów jest wskaźnik ekwiwalentu reklamowego, który z założenia ma pokazywać, jakie nakłady finansowe należałoby ponieść na publikację/emisję danego materiału w sytuacji, gdyby miał on być reklamą. Branża PR deklaruje odchodzenie od stosowania AVE z uwagi na brak rzetelności (problem wycen cennikowych), jednolitych standardów obliczeniowych oraz zbyt duże upraszczanie rzeczywistości. Zarzuca mu się także, iż nie oddaje realnej wartości działań komunikacyjnych, co jednak niekoniecznie wpływa na częstotliwość jego wykorzystywania (jeszcze raz warto przytoczyć bardzo wysoki odsetek stosowania AVE wśród agencji PR w skali roku — 86%). Klienci agencji często oczekują bezpośredniego odniesienia się do finansów, co skutkuje umieszczaniem AVE w raportach medialnych (usługa dostosowana do potrzeb zamawiającego).

Sceptyczne podejście ekspertów do AVE znajduje potwierdzenie w kontekście przyznawania najbardziej prestiżowej nagrody w branży. W konkursie Złote Spinacze występuje nagroda specjalna w kategorii „efektywność”, gdzie nagradzany jest projekt z największą skutecznością potwierdzoną mierzalnymi efektami. Co ważne, w regulaminie znajduje się zapis, iż „z tej kategorii będą automatycznie wykluczane zgłoszenia prezentujące efekt kampanii mierzony wskaźnikiem AVE (Adveritising Value Equivalency)” 7 . Marginalizowanie znaczenia ekwiwalentu reklamowego z metodologii pomiaru PR stanowi obecnie trend w światowym sektorze usług komunikacyjnych, gdyż organizacje branżowe zajmują coraz bardziej rygorystyczne stanowisko wobec stosowania tego wskaźnika. Jako przykład można przywołać kampanię International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC) o wiele mówiącej nazwie „Say No to AVEs” (AMEC, 2019) czy nowe standardy dla członków Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), które zabraniają prowadzenia pomiaru za pomocą AVE przy jednoczesnym nałożeniu sankcji na osoby łamiące ten zakaz (CIPR, 2017).

Oprócz monitoringu mediów przy ocenie efektów działań public relations konsultanci korzystają także z dorobku metodologii badań socjologicznych. Jednakże większe zaufanie do badań mają specjaliści z bogatszym doświadczeniem zawodowym, co widać w częstotliwości ich stosowania. Relatywnie najlepszy wynik pod tym kątem osiągnęła grupa ankietowanych z przynajmniej piętnastoletnim stażem pracy, gdzie połowa prowadziła badania ilościowe i/lub jakościowe z zakresu nauk społecznych w ciągu ostatniego roku. Słabiej w tym zakresie wypada grupa specjalistów związanych z branżą public relations od 10 do 14 lat — 41%. Jeszcze gorzej było w grupie z najmniejszym doświadczeniem zawodowym — zaledwie 30%. Podobny wynik (26%) odnotowano w przedziale stażu pracy 5–9 lat. Warto zauważyć również, iż osoby zatrudnione w agencjach chętniej mierzą efekty swojej pracy za pomocą technik badań socjologicznych (55%) niż specjaliści pracujący w zespołach odpowiadających za public relations firm z sektora prywatnego (34%) oraz publicznego (27%).

W całorocznym przeglądzie działań ankietowanych specjalistów PR dominuje podejście holistyczne, łączące monitoring mediów z badaniami ilościowymi i jakościowymi, a także z analizą danych źródłowych. Prawie 3/5 respondentów stosuje jednocześnie kilka sposobów przy ocenie efektów swojej pracy, co korzystnie wpływa na miarodajność poszczególnych analiz.

Korzystanie z triangulacji w pomiarze efektów PR częściej charakteryzuje osoby:

• ukończonym kierunkiem studiów public relations (70% względem 58% bez studiów PR); także respondenci ze stopniem naukowym doktora przy pomiarze efektów swojej pracy częściej wykorzystywali model holistyczny (63%) niż pozostali badani (57%),
• zajmujące wyższe stanowiska w strukturze organizacyjnej firmy (67% — zarządzające, 62% — wykonawczo-zarządzające, 44% — wykonawcze), z zatrudnione w agencjach PR (77%) w porównaniu z PR-owcami z firm prywatnych (58%) i publicznych (46%),
• z dłuższym stażem pracy w branży (69% wśród pracujących przynajmniej 15 lat, przy czym w pozostałych grupach wartości procentowe rozkładały się poniżej tej granicy — przedział 46–61%).

Wracając jeszcze do dyskusji wokół wskaźnika AVE, ciekawych informacji dostarcza zestawienie częstotliwości wykorzystywania wybranych miar monitoringu mediów wyłącznie przez osoby zatrudnione w agencjach public relations i jego porównanie z sytuacją, gdy organizacja ma własne struktury PR, np. dział PR, rzecznika prasowego, menedżera ds. komunikacji (rysunek 4).

Relatywnie największe odchylenie występuje przy analizie częstotliwości stosowania ekwiwalentu reklamowego. Agencje stosują ten wskaźnik prawie dwukrotnie częściej niż osoby zajmujące się public relations i pracujące po stronie klienta. Intensywna praca konsultanta agencji z raportami medialnymi wynika ze specyfiki zadań i liczby obsługiwanych kampanii dla wielu klientów. Już sama liczba zleceń i realizacji w skali roku warunkuje zróżnicowanie widoczne na rysunku 4.

Podsumowanie

Analizy wykazały, że korzystanie z szeroko rozumianego monitoringu mediów stanowi kluczowe wsparcie dla osób zajmujących się na co dzień budowaniem wiarygodnych relacji z otoczeniem. Wśród najczęściej stosowanych wskaźników znalazły się następujące elementy raportów medialnych: liczba publikacji, osiągany zasięg oraz wydźwięk materiałów. Niezależnie od preferencji badacza w sferze wyboru określonych sposobów pomiarowych należy pamiętać, że aby mówić o skutecznym pomiarze w PR, musi on być realizowany w sposób wymierny. W praktyce oznacza to możliwość bezproblemowego i międzyokresowego porównywania uzyskanych rezultatów z założonymi wcześniej efektami (Tworzydło, 2006, s. 125).

Konsultanci PR częściej korzystają z metodologii badań ilościowych w ocenie efektów swojej pracy. Przynajmniej jedną z puli technik, tj. PAPI, CATI, CAWI, zastosowało w ostatnim roku 32% badanych. Na badania jakościowe w formie IDI i/lub FGI decydował się mniejszy odsetek respondentów — 23%. Sporym zainteresowaniem cieszy się klasyczny desk research (52%) i powiązana z nim analiza ekonomiczna danych finansowych (36%).

Większa popularność tych dwóch rozwiązań wynika z możliwości niemal natychmiastowego rozpoczęcia badania, łatwego rozszerzania lub zawężania analizowanej dokumentacji i, co najważniejsze, kosztów, które są względnie niskie w porównaniu z badaniami sondażowymi lub czasochłonnymi wywiadami eksperckimi. W celu lepszej diagnozy sytuacji warto przywołać wyniki badań wśród firm produkcyjnych w ramach zakresu stosowanych form i instrumentów komunikacji marketingowej (autorstwa G. Hajduka 2015/2016). Zaledwie 16% przedsiębiorstw przemysłowych zadeklarowało, że w ciągu ostatnich trzech lat realizowało badania rynkowe i/lub marketingowe z wykorzystaniem wsparcia podmiotów zewnętrznych (Hajduk, 2019, s. 224).

Pomimo zgłaszanych trudności co do skuteczności pomiaru efektów PR, ankietowani chętnie sięgają po wiele wskaźników. Hipotezę główną zakładającą, że specjaliści ds. public relations korzystają z różnych sposobów pomiaru efektów swojej pracy, aczkolwiek na zakres stosowanych rozwiązań wpływ ma ich doświadczenie zawodowe, należy zweryfikować pozytywnie.

Odpowiedzi PR-owców wskazują na dominację podejścia holistycznego w ich ocenie efektów własnej pracy, gdyż zidentyfikowano powszechne łączenie monitoringu mediów z badaniami ilościowymi i jakościowymi, a także z analizą źródłową (58%). Dodatkowo wyniki potwierdziły, że kryzys wizerunkowy stanowi pewnego rodzaju katalizator aktywnej oceny efektów działań public relations, np. pod wpływem przebytych kryzysów firmy chętniej inwestują w monitoring mediów.

Pomiaru efektów działań PR dokonują głównie pracownicy agencji — 98%, co wynika ze specyfiki miejsca pracy. Natomiast osoby z najdłuższym stażem pracy mają wysoki wskaźnik, który obrazuje średnią liczbę stosowanych w praktyce technik ewaluacyjnych (7,58). Podobny wynik odnotowano wśród osób zatrudnionych na stanowiskach zarządzających (7,45). Jeszcze lepiej wypadły pod tym względem agencje PR — 8,30.

Wśród przedstawicieli branży nadal widoczne jest względnie wysokie zaufanie do kontrowersyjnego wskaźnika AVE, gdyż jego stosowanie oscyluje na poziomie 56%, aczkolwiek w grupie agencji wzrasta aż o 30 punktów procentowych.

Przypisy

1 Lista najważniejszych wyzwań przed branżą PR (top 10): instrumentalne wykorzystywanie PR w polityce (73%), konkurencja ze strony innych dyscyplin (68%), presja cenowa (68%), ograniczone fundusze klientów na działania PR (67%), nieznajomość istoty PR wśród środowisk biznesowych (66%), ukierunkowanie na nowe technologie i komunikacja cyfrowa (66%), trudności ze skutecznym pomiarem efektów PR (63%), zwiększająca się tendencja do realizowania działań PR własnymi zasobami firmy, a nie przez zewnętrzne agencje (62%), utrzymanie odpowiedniej jakości konsultantów (61%), niedostosowany do potrzeb branży PR system edukacji (60%).

2 chi-kwadrat = 34,515; df = 4; p < 0,001; V Cramera = 0,276.

3 rho Spearmana = 0,266; p < 0,001; N = 228.

4 Zob. https://psmm.pl/katalog/pl/raporty-medialne (12.12.2019).

5 tau-b Kendalla = (–0,127); p = 0,031; N = 235.

6 tau-b Kendalla = (–0,152); p = 0,010; N = 236.

7 Zob. https: //zlotespinacze. pl/kategorie/ (12.12.2019).

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