The document discusses 1) key questions PR practitioners have about using social media and how academics can contribute, 2) background on teaching online PR and participatory action research, and 3) a model of online PR involving different levels of engagement from basic digital PR to fully utilizing social media. It advocates for participatory action research where academics and practitioners collaborate to solve problems and transfer knowledge in both directions. Some challenges to this approach include issues of time, teams, roles and maintaining close collaboration between groups.

1. PR Practitioners’ Key Questions
On Social Media
And Some Academic Contributions
Prof. Dr. Thomas Pleil
Euprera Spring Symposion 2011
Institute for Communication & Media
Lisbon, March, 3-5

2. #The Call
• Digital opportunity:
What are European academics contributing to theory and practice?
what are the challenges when synthesising an understanding of online into evolving
theoretical framings?
knowledge transfer: what are the obstacles AND ways to integrating academic findings
into organisational practice?
what are the key questions which practitioners wish academics to answer?

3. #Background
Education: Online-PR as Area of
Concentration
• Problem Based Learning
• Learning by Teaching

4. #Background
Research: University of Applied Sciences
• „Traditional Research“
• Participatory Action Research
• Researchers and participants work
together to solve problems
• Workflow: Research, Action, Reflection
• Originally in politcal & social contexts
‣ Collaboration instead of distance
(Kindon/Pain 2007)

5. #Background
Innovation in a Networked World
• Knowledge as continued process
• Knowledge on demand instead of containers
• Innovation as a result of interaction
• Effectiveness of difference within networks
(Morath 2002)

6. #PRactitioners & Social Web
Studies, Cases & Expert Interviews:
• Pleil (2007): Online-PR im Web 2.0
• Pleil (2010): Social Media in der B2B-Kommunikation
• Zerfass et.al. (2007-2010): European Communications Monitor
• Zerfass (2010): Social Media Governance
Informal Sources:
• Practitioner Workshops
• Consulting & Projects
• Panel Discussions

7. #Social Media as Innovation

8. #Knowledge Transfer (h_da)

9. #Knowledge Transfer (h_da)

10. #Model of Online-PR
Digital PR
Internet-PR
Cluetrain PR
Paradigm
Internet Galaxy
Google World
Communication Monologue
Monologue (+ indirect Communication networks,
Model
backchannel)
prepared for dialogue
Typical Elements
Text, Pictures, Web Design
Usability Tests, Contact Monitoring, Social Media,
Forms, Stats
Content first
Strategy & Action
being present; offering basic Enforce Interests
Digital Reputation, Web as
information
Room for Maneuver,
Providing Added Value,
Storytelling,
Personalization
User
Individual Recipient
Recipient with some Communication Partner,
possibilities for interaction
organized within Networks
Pleil 2007

11. #Model of Online-PR
Digital PR
Internet-PR
Cluetrain PR
Requirements Understanding of Hypermedia Content Management, Social Strategic & Social Skills;
Research Trus@ul PosiBon; Coaching
Investments Minor; Add on Service for PR Specialist for Online Comms „Always on“
Department
Role Execute Canalise Enabling Role: Establish
Openness, Stakeholer
Empowerment
Main Aim InformaBon PersuaBon ComprehenBon & IntegraBon
Investment, Competence, Culture
Pleil 2007

12. #5 Layers of Analysis
Society
Stakeholder
A suitable
Organization
Model of
Actors
Online-PR
Technics

13. What does this mean?

14. Academia helps Practice helps Academia

15. #Integration
• Participatory Action Research
Participation
Research
Education
Consulting

16. #Positive Effects
• Academia as a Part of Innovation Networks
• Strong Interaction between Research, Modeling, and
Consulting
• Good Job Perspectives for Students
• Third Party Funds
• High Density of Applied Research
• A Perpetual Learning System
• Different Role for Academics
• Acceptance of Academia

17. #Obstacles & Problems
‣ Time
‣ Timing
‣ Teams
‣ Administration
‣ Closeness
‣ Roles
‣ Density

18. Perspectives

19. #Gaps
„Without internet
engagement at a
much deeper level PR,
as practised today just
cannot survive.“
(Phillips 2011)

20. #Gaps
„Without internet • What about Development? (Phillips
2011)
engagement at a
much deeper level PR, • Web of Things
as practised today just • New Devices
• Social Search
cannot survive.“
• Augmented Reality
(Phillips 2011)
• Platform Drop Outs
• Legal Issues (Privacy,
Documentation)
• tbc

21. #References
Kindon, Sara Louise Kindon/Pain, Rachel (2007): ParBcipatory acBon
research approaches and methods,Routledge
Morath, Frank (2002): InnovaBon in Netzwerken ‐ Wie kommt das
Neue in eine vernetzte Welt? Konstanz (Diss.)
Phillips, David (2011): How can academia serve the emerging PR
paradigm? In: LeverWealth,
h_p://leverwealth.blogspot.com/2011/02/how‐can‐academia‐serve‐
emerging‐pr.html (24.Feb.11)
Pleil, Thomas (Hg.) (2007) Online‐PR im Web 2.0. Fallbeispiele aus
Wirtschaa und PoliBk, Konstanz: UVK
Pleil, Thomas & Students (2010): Mehr Wert schaffen. Social Media in
der B2B‐KommunikaBon, Darmstadt
Zerfass, Ansgar et.al. (2007‐2010): European CommunicaBons
Monitor, h_p://www.communicaBonmonitor.de/
Zerfass, Ansgar (2010): Social Media Governance,
h_p://www.slideshare.net/FFPR/studie‐social‐media‐
governance‐2010‐studienergebnisse
Pictures: #5: h_da, #19: Krajewski #others: tp
21

22. Thank you!
@tp_da, das‐textdepot.de, thomaspleil.de