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The professional status of female public relations practitioners in Rwandan public and private institutions: a manager's perspective
Author(s)
Mutimukeye, Regine
Date Issued
2011
Type
Thesis
Publisher
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Abstract
This study investigated the professional status of female public relations practitioners in
Rwandan public and private institutions by using direct managers as a focal point to get their
perspectives about their staff. The study used a structured questionnaire to get information
from the managers in public relations or communication departments.
While different authors such as Aldoory & Toth, (2002); Wilcox and Cameron (2006:35) and
Hon (1995) indicate that the public relations industry is feminised to the extent of 70 percent,
the results of this study present it otherwise. The findings reveal that the trend of feminisation
in Rwandan public relations industry is not on the same speed as the one in the industry
worldwide. This means that based on the findings from different studies worldwide, females
are represented by a big number in the public relations industry than males do. Furthermore,
there is a gender gap in terms of responsibilities whereby women are more clustered in
technical tasks rather than managerial ones. Although Rwanda has opted to empower
women in its reconstruction process, they are still affected by the legacies of indigenous
culture in terms of stereotypes associated with them and salary gaps which shows that the
promotion of a female professional continue to be a problem in some organisations. Considering the research results, the public relations industry in Rwanda is still a new field
and hence its practitioners' professional status especially women is not well depicted.
However, the results show that female practitioners are able to offer good services to their
customers due to their innate caring character and professionalism. The results recommend
that local high learning institutions should include public relations courses in their program to
ensure long run availability of public relations professionals. In addition the Rwanda private
sector is encouraged to open up public relations agencies which will contribute to the
improvement of customer care in Rwanda.
Finally, the researcher recommends that public relations activities should be well planned in
organisations to avoid confusion with other related fields such as marketing, for instance.
The researcher further recommends that advance studies should be conducted to engage in
the evaluation of the implementation of gender promotion laws and its efforts in various
organisations.
Rwandan public and private institutions by using direct managers as a focal point to get their
perspectives about their staff. The study used a structured questionnaire to get information
from the managers in public relations or communication departments.
While different authors such as Aldoory & Toth, (2002); Wilcox and Cameron (2006:35) and
Hon (1995) indicate that the public relations industry is feminised to the extent of 70 percent,
the results of this study present it otherwise. The findings reveal that the trend of feminisation
in Rwandan public relations industry is not on the same speed as the one in the industry
worldwide. This means that based on the findings from different studies worldwide, females
are represented by a big number in the public relations industry than males do. Furthermore,
there is a gender gap in terms of responsibilities whereby women are more clustered in
technical tasks rather than managerial ones. Although Rwanda has opted to empower
women in its reconstruction process, they are still affected by the legacies of indigenous
culture in terms of stereotypes associated with them and salary gaps which shows that the
promotion of a female professional continue to be a problem in some organisations. Considering the research results, the public relations industry in Rwanda is still a new field
and hence its practitioners' professional status especially women is not well depicted.
However, the results show that female practitioners are able to offer good services to their
customers due to their innate caring character and professionalism. The results recommend
that local high learning institutions should include public relations courses in their program to
ensure long run availability of public relations professionals. In addition the Rwanda private
sector is encouraged to open up public relations agencies which will contribute to the
improvement of customer care in Rwanda.
Finally, the researcher recommends that public relations activities should be well planned in
organisations to avoid confusion with other related fields such as marketing, for instance.
The researcher further recommends that advance studies should be conducted to engage in
the evaluation of the implementation of gender promotion laws and its efforts in various
organisations.
Additional information
Thesis (MTech (Public Relations Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2011.
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