The selected perceptions of public relations practitioners about the Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa (PRISA) Namibia

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the selected perceptions of Public Relations Practitioners about the Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa (PRISA) Namibia, in order to recommend to PRISA Namibia ways they can attract membership and gain support and recognition from PR practitioners. This research was conducted through in-depth interviews. The participants in this study were divided into three groups, namely, the members, nonmembers and the Chairperson (current and previous) of PRISA Namibia. A total of 10 participants were interviewed. The results of the study indicate that PR practitioners in Namibia know relatively little about PRISA Namibia activities in Namibia. Most of the Participants are frustrated with PRISA Namibia’s lack of visibility and accessibility. However, most members acknowledged that PRISA Namibia had, in the past, added immense value to their Public Relations (PR) careers. The recommendations of the study include: PRISA Namibia organising conferences or workshops on ethics; PRISA Namibia publishing an ethics booklet that can be used by PR students and professionals to illustrate how practitioners can practically adhere to PRISA code of ethics on a day to day basis; and PRISA Namibia creating social media pages on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.