1. Oct. 15, 2015
Dr. Sweetser
JMS 480
Research Proposal
Client: The Sage Project at SDSU
Summit Public Relations
Allison Bawden│Halloran Hoffmann│Catalina Duarte│Colin Sanchez│Oscar Sanchez
Bianca Pires│Marcela Orozco│Melanie Ramirez│Vivian Nguyen│Vivienne Truong
Our formative research for the Sage Project at San Diego State will consist of both primary and
secondary research. We must be able to understand and apply the secondary research to the Sage
Project. We will also conduct a survey targeting internal publics at SDSU and external publics of
high need cities in the San Diego area. We will use various scales in our research to allow
participants to indicate different levels of agreement or disagreement about a particular
statement.
Secondary Research: “Civic Engagement and Sustainable Cities in the United States,” by
Portney, Kent. Public Administration Review Sept./Oct. 2005
This secondary research is especially important because, as Portney discusses in the Abstract, the
“recurring theme in these cities is the role of public participation in shaping and implementing
these (sustainability) programs.” In his research Portney notes that some cities (like Seattle) owe
the city’s push for sustainability entirely to public involvement. The research looks at the shift to
sustainable living at the end of the twentieth century, and the roles both the government and the
public fulfilled. It also discusses the importance of civic engagement, and potential problems that
can arise. This research will help us to understand the original sustainability movement, as well.
For comparison, there are three specific cities cited in the research that pushed for sustainability
through civic/community engagement.
Secondary Research: “The Case for Megapolitan Growth Management in the 21st Century:
Regional Urban Planning and Sustainable Development in the United States,” by Ziegler,
Edward H. The Urban Lawyer. Winter 2009.
Ziegler’s research discusses that though governments and society have acknowledged the need
for sustainable development and urban planning, it is not happening fast enough. He discusses
how previous ideas of “limitless growth” are now replaced by overpopulation that must be
addressed. Ziegler argues, “the truth of the matter is that cities are great at talking the "green
talk" but actually quite lousy at walking the "green walk."’This is very relevant to our project
because, as our client mentioned, city officials appeared to like the idea of the project, but then
did not participate.
We propose two different surveys, one for the internal audience, and one for the external:
Internal Audience:

2. Faculty: SDSU professors from different departments that teach upper division classes that have
had some involvement with the Sage Project.
Students: Upper division and graduate level students that have had some involvement with the
Sage Project. After we build the survey, we will reach our target internal audience through
Blackboard and social media platforms that connect us to SDSU faculty and students.
External Audience:
Sponsors: Businesses in the San Diego area that may be a potential candidate to invest in and
support the Sage Project’s continual survival and expansion.
City partners: Greater San Diego city council members, board members, After we build the
survey, we will initially reach our target external audience by contacting the PIO for multiple
San Diego County City Councils. From there, we may have to go to each City Council, or may
be able to use other communication methods (email/phone).
What should our research be able to help us with; what do we want to find out?
Guiding questions:
1. Are City Councils’ and San Diego business owners aware of the Sage Project? How do
they feel about the “one city, one year” model and the quality of work produced?
2. How is the organization perceived by SDSU professors and students who have past
experience working with the Sage Project?
3. How can the Sage Project brand itself as the best option for high-quality, cost-effective,
sustainable and creative work in the community?
Survey 1: Internal Survey (students, faculty)
Screening Question:
1. Have you taken or taught a sustainability-related course at San Diego State University?
Warm-Up Questions:
1. Are you interested in applying your knowledge to real-life community projects?
(Nominal Scale) (Yes/No)
2. Have you taken or taught a class at San Diego State University that has worked with The
Sage Project? (Yes/No)
3. How many classes have you taken or taught at SDSU that have worked with the Sage
Project? (ratio scale)
Transition: You are doing great. Now we will ask about your experiences with the Sage Project.
Remember, your answers are anonymous
Complicated and difficult to answer questions:

3. 1. Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements (Likert Scale)
Indicate the degree to which you “agree or disagree” with each of the following
statements (interval scale): Strongly Agree, Agree, Neutral, Disagree, Strongly Disagree
A. I enjoyed working with The Sage Project.
B. The community service aspect of this course helped me to see how the subject matter I
learned can be used in everyday life.
C. Working with The Sage Project enhanced my learning in this course.
D. The idea of combining service in the community with university coursework should be
integrated into more classes.
E. The community service I did through this course benefitted the community.
F. I would work with The Sage Project again.
2. Satisfaction questions (10 points satisfaction scale where 1 = “Not at all satisfied” and 10 =
“Completely satisfied”)
A. Based on your experience with The Sage Project, how satisfied were you with them as an
organization?
B. How satisfied are you with the work that you have done for The Sage Project?
On the scales below, please indicate your feelings about The Sage Project at San Diego State
University.
1) Good 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Bad
2) Wrong 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Right
3) Harmful 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Beneficial
4) Illegitimate 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Legitimate
5) Wise 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Foolish
6) Negative 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Positive
3. Demographic questions:
I am a:
● Freshman/Sophomore/Junior/Senior/Other (Fill in the blank)
● Male/Female
Do you have any suggestions for how to improve The Sage Project program? (Short-answer)
Thank you for participating in our survey!
Survey 2: External Survey (city council officials)
Screening Question:

4. 1. Do you live in the greater San Diego area? (Nominal Scale) (Yes/No)
2. Are you currently involved in your city government (council member, boardmember)?
(Nominal Scale) (Yes/No)
Warm up question:
1. Have you ever been involved in a community-based sustainability project?(Nominal
scale) (Yes/No)
2. Are you aware of The Sage Project at San Diego State University? (Nominal Scale)
(Yes/No)
If yes, how did you hear about The Sage Project?
a. Social Media
b. City Council Meetings
c. San Diego State events or courses
d. Other (Please indicate)
If applicable:
Below, please indicate your feelings about The Sage Project at San Diego State University.
1) Good 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Bad
2) Wrong1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Right
3) Harmful 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Beneficial
4) Illegitimate 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Legitimate
5) Wise 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Foolish
6) Negative 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Positive
Transition: You’re doing great. Remember, your answers are anonymous
Complicated and difficult to answer questions:
1. Are you open to having college students propose new ideas to fulfill community needs?
Less likely 1 2 3 4 5 More Likely
2. Are you likely to involve organizations you haven’t worked with before in projects for
your city’s community and infrastructure?
Less likely 1 2 3 4 5 Most Likely
3. How influential are the following factors when hiring a 3rd party organization? (1 being
least influential, 5 being most influential)
Cost: 1 2 3 4 5
Reputation: 1 2 3 4 5

5. Credibility: 1 2 3 4 5
Resource Suitability: 1 2 3 4 5
Creativity: 1 2 3 4 5
3. Ideally, how long would you prefer to work with a 3rd party organization?
❏ Less than 6 months
❏ 1 year
❏ More than 2 years
Indicate the degree to which you “agree or disagree” with each of the following statements
(interval scale): Strongly Agree, Agree, Neutral, Disagree, Strongly Disagree
Community Involvement/Sustainability
1. I am actively involved in my community
2. I would be comfortable if my City Council (or equivalent) adopted proposals submitted
by college level students
3. There are many opportunities for improvement within my community.
4. I support sustainability within my community
5. I would approve of some of my tax money going to sustainable projects
6. I will pay more for a product that is ‘green’ or eco-friendly