우리나라 PR학 연구의 어제, 오늘, 그리고 내일

초록

Objectives In order to advance scientific knowledge, it is necessary to conduct a self-reflective study on the state of public relations research in Korea. This study aims to provide an overview of the historical development of PR research in both the United States and Korea. It also aims to identify the current quantitative status of PR research in Korea, as well as its unique research characteristics. By doing so, this study will offer valuable insights and guidance for future PR research endeavors. Methods This study analyzed the content of 720 articles related to PR that were published over the past 10 years (2013-2022) in six academic journals in Korea. The journals included in this analysis were The Korean Journal of Advertising and Public Relations, Advertising Research, Journal of Public Relations, The Korean Journal of Advertising, Journal of Practical Research in Advertising and Public Relations, and Korean Journal of Journalism & Communication Studies. The study coded various aspects of these articles such as the researchers involved, research grants, research topics, theoretical frameworks, methodologies, and sample types. Frequency and chi-square analyses were then conducted to examine the patterns and relationships among these variables. Results The key finding is that there has been a consistent rise in the number of research papers in the field of public relations (PR). However, the collaboration between researchers and industry as well as academia is not functioning effectively, and there is a need to increase the scale of research funding. While research topics have become more varied, international PR research lags behind that of the United States. Quantitative research holds a significant advantage over qualitative research, and the bias towards quantitative methods is particularly pronounced. Furthermore, there has been a decrease in the use of student samples, and there is a noticeable prevalence of online public participation. Conclusions This study establishes three main directions and ten specific tasks needed for the future of PR research in Korea, based on the findings. These include building and expanding the academic community, developing and localizing PR theory, and diversifying research methods.

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