Advantages of Using Public Relation Tools

The provided content is an assignment on public relation tools, specifically focusing on sampling methods, time frame approaches, ethical and accessibility issues, and implementation time plan. The study aims to investigate the influence of public relation practice on the brand image of Marriott Hotel UK. Random sampling will be used with a sample size of 5 managers. Longitudinal study approach will be employed to analyze the data collected through questionnaires and other primary sources. Ethical considerations include obtaining participants' permission, maintaining reliability and validity, and avoiding plagiarism.

INFLUENCE OF PUBLIC RELATION
ACTIVITIES ON BRAND IMAGE OF
BUSINESS: A STUDY ON MARRIOTT
HOTEL UK
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
RESEARCH PROPOSAL...............................................................................................................3
Rationale of the study..................................................................................................................3
Research Aim and Objectives......................................................................................................3
Literature Review........................................................................................................................4
Research philosophy....................................................................................................................5
Research approach.......................................................................................................................6
Research nature............................................................................................................................6
Research strategies.......................................................................................................................7
Research techniques.....................................................................................................................7
Sampling......................................................................................................................................8
Time frame...................................................................................................................................8
Ethical and accessibility issues 100.............................................................................................9
Implementation time plan............................................................................................................9
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................11
APPENDIX....................................................................................................................................12
Questionnaire.............................................................................................................................12
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RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Rationale of the study
One of the key reasons behind the accomplishment of study will be “To Assess the
influence of public relation activities on brand image of business”. In order to get the better
research outcomes, researcher will focus on the study of work culture in context of Marriott
Hotel, UK. It will assist in understanding the number of factors that play key role in the success
of hospitality sector (Silverman, 2010). Various researchers have conducted study on public
relation activities but they did not comment on the influence of PR activities on the brand image
of business. Due to this, researcher will choose the concern topic. In the current market scenario,
hospitality organisations are facing high ratio of competition which means that it is essential for
the management of Marriott Hotel to focus on activities that can provide competitive advantage.
PR activities are considered as one of critical factors that helps in attaining competitive edge
over other rivals so selection of topic will be beneficial for the organisation (Silverman, 2013).
With an improved level of information regarding PR practices, hospitality organisation
can easily overcome the issues. It also assists in accepting challenges and accomplishing
organisational goals as well as objectives in an appropriate manner. With a motive to understand
the influence of PR actions on brand image, company can design effective practices that can lead
business towards the impressive level of success. Marriott Hotel will be chosen for the current
study because it focuses effectively on PR activities (Arnold, 2009). It allows company to share
significant information with customers and build strong relationship with them. Advertising and
external communication are the techniques that are being used by the management of Marriott
Hotel. It helps in building strong relationship with its target market (Butterick, 2011). In other
aspect, in the current market, Marriott is effectively focusing on PR actions to deal with
challenges and attain long term success. PR practices also assist management to design services
as per the customer needs and market trends.
Research Aim and Objectives
Key aim behind the study conduction will be “To assess the influence of public relation
(PR) activities on the brand image of business: A study on Marriott Hotel UK”.
Objectives
 To evaluate the effectiveness of PR activities in building relationship with customers.
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 To analyse the influence of PR activities on the brand image of Marriott Hotel, UK.
 To recommend ways through which brand image of Marriott Hotel can be improved.
Literature Review
PR activities and its significance
As per the view of Jefkins (2009), public relation is considered as a strategic
communication practice that plays a vital role in building relationship with customers. It is
advantageous for continuous improvement in communication system and helps in managing
communication between organisation and public (Jefkins, 2009). There are number of public
relation tools and activities that can be adopted by hospitality organisations in order to attain
various benefits. Kumar (2012) has asserted that the classification of PR activities can be as
media relation, advertisement, events, sponsorship, etc. It has been identified that the public
relation tools are significant for organisation because it provides an ability to show to promote
products and services in more creative manner (Kumar, 2012). For example, press conference
can create better brand awareness in the market. Sponsorship of events and charity also builds
better brand image in the competitive market that can is also considered as significant aspect in
organisational success.
Pieczka (2011) has contended that the PR activities consideration is also essential
because it helps in improvement of internal factors that can lead business to impressive level of
success. Public relation campaigns allows to boost potential in the market that may also enhance
communication system and encourage workforce (Pieczka, 2011). Arnold (2009) has critically
stated that, it also promotes a positive perception in the market that boosts overall effectiveness
of the organisation. Public relation practice is also necessary for every organisation because it
helps in maintaining goodwill and provide mutual understanding among members (Arnold,
2009). It also plays a vital role in transformation of negative aspects into positive one's to
accomplish goals and objectives.
Influence of PR activities on hospitality sector
According to Butterick (2011), there are number of PR activities that influences the
working of hospitality sector. With an assistance of advertisement the management of hospitality
organisation can easily promote products and services in the target market. It plays key role in
improving brand image and provide various benefits to the firm. In addition to this, profit margin
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ratio can also be enhanced through PR activities (Butterick, 2011). Jefkins (2009), has asserted
that the social media and news letters are most commonly used techniques that creates better
awareness within market. Information about various updates in the industry can also be provided
to the customers (Jefkins, 2009). It is advantageous for the continuous development in
relationship aspects among organisation and users. Moreover, the events and sponsorship
activities provides better opportunities for the businesses. It also ensures that the accurate
information has been provided to the targeted customers. Kumar (2012) has contended that
employee relation is also one of technique that helps business firm in various developments and
accomplish organisational goals in desired form. It provides an effective sharing of information
that can improve teamwork and staff productivity. Building good relationship with customers
through public relation activities is also advantageous for advancement in ratio of loyal
customers (Kumar, 2012). Events, promos, ads, stunts to create and stimulate interest in
organisation which is beneficial for improvement in brand image.
Research philosophy
It is all about the values and practices that provide an assistance to the accomplishment of
research study. It is essential for every researcher to understand the concept of research
philosophy in an appropriate manner so that optimistic outcomes can be attained. There are
different kinds of philosophies that can be accessed by the investigator such as positivism and
interpretivisim (Takhar-Lail and Ghorbani, 2015). Positivism philosophy allows researcher to
generalize the information and reflect various factors related to the objectives of study. In the
current investigation, researcher will focus on interpretivism philosophy because it provides the
best possible outcomes in regard to the study. It will also facilitate in effective interpretation of
the outcomes and accomplish the objectives of investigation (Patton, 2015).
As per the nature of study, interpretivism will be the most suitable philosophy because it
will provide effective interpretation of final outcomes. It will also assist learners to understand
the results in an appropriate manner (Friese, 2012). Improved level of focus on internpretivism
philosophy will facilitate investigator in identifying the overall impact of public relation
activities on the brand image of Marriott Hotel. However, selection of positivism philosophy will
not be suitable for the study because it only highlights the positive facts of investigation.
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Research approach
It is necessary to select the approach that can assist in the accomplishment of research
aim and objectives. In other aspect, it is associated with the collection of data and its evaluation
in regard to meet objectives. As per the structured study, there are two key conceptualizations
that can be adopted by researcher to achieve the motive of investigation (Takhar-Lail and
Ghorbani, 2015). Classification of research approaches can be as inductive and deductive. It has
been identified that use of inductive approach provides outcomes in specific to general form. On
the other side, adaptation of deductive research provides results in general to specific. It is
essential for researcher to ensure that selection of approach is considered as per the nature of
study (Patton, 2015).
Current research will be based on inductive approach because it will assist in
accomplishing the objectives of investigation. It will also allow the researcher to provide
recommendations to the management of Marriott Hotel on the basis of outcomes (Chapman and
McNeill, 2014). Provided recommendations can also be accessed by other firms in the hospitality
sector so deductive approach is not suitable and it will not provide outcomes in a generalized
form.
Research nature
It is significant for the researcher to understand the nature of investigation so that aim and
objectives can be accomplished in the most desired form. It will also assist in attaining effective
outcomes that can meet the objectives of study. There are different types of research designs that
can be classified as exploratory, descriptive and explanatory (Friese, 2012). It has been identified
that exploratory nature of study provides a predicted outcome that may influence the overall
working of Marriott Hotel, UK. Moreover, explanatory design forces the investigator to focus on
experimental activities that may influence the positively of final outcome.
Current investigation will focus on descriptive research design as per the nature of study.
Descriptive research design will provide detailed learning about the factors that can influence the
brand image of business. It will also facilitate in attaining information about influence of public
relation practices on the brand image of Marriott Hotel (Kothari, 2011). In addition to this,
descriptive nature of study will also provide an ability to identify number of problems that are
associated with the PR activities. It is beneficial for understanding the factors that are related
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with the PR methods and help in attaining information regarding the brand image of Marriott
Hotel, UK in the current market situation.
Research strategies
There are number of research strategies that can be adopted by investigator in order to
have effective data collection and accomplishment of objectives. Classification of strategies can
be as case studies, survey and interviews. In present study, researcher will focus on survey
strategy in order to gather valid and reliable data. In this respect, with an assistance of
questionnaire the standards of survey will be accomplished so that reliable outcome can be
attained (Miller and Birch, 2012). Close ended questions will be used in the survey strategy
because it provides an effective collection of data. It is one of most suitable strategy that will
help in identifying the impact of PR practice on brand image.
Research techniques
In order to accomplish the research objectives and understanding the concept of public
relation practice, it is essential for researcher to consider number of techniques. In this respect,
the investigator will focus on qualitative techniques of study. Consideration of qualitative
technique will also assist in descriptive observation of diverse factors that can easily evaluate the
influence of public relation methods on brand image of the Marriott Hotel UK (Saunders,
2006.). It will also provide a support to survey process and understand outcomes in appropriate
manner. Moreover, primary and secondary data collection techniques will also be accessed by
the researcher in order to have effective gathering of information. Number of secondary sources
will be used to collect data such as books, journals, online sources, etc. On the other side, in
regard to the primary data collection the researcher will focus on questionnaire process in which
responses will be gathered by managers of Marriott Hotel (Miller and Birch, 2012).
In order to have effective analysis of the primary data the researcher will focus on
thematic technique. It will allow investigator to interpret results in appropriate manner so that
any other person can easily understand the final outcome (Kothari, 2011). It is beneficial for
evaluation of impact of public relation activities on the brand image of Marriott Hotel UK.
Theme 1: Public relation activities helps organization in sharing information with customers
As per the gathered data, it can be interpreted that the public relation activities facilitates
business firm in effective sharing of information with customers. Majority of respondents
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percept that the application of PR practice allow managers to communicate with clients and
identify needs in appropriate manner. These kinds of aspects helps in effective designing of
services as per market needs and expectations.
Theme 2: Advertising and other PR practices builds strong relationship with customers
From the gathered data, it can be analysed that the majority of employees of Marriott
Hotel UK are agreed with the statement that “Advertising and other PR practices builds strong
relationship with customers”. Out of five respondents the three of them are using public relation
activities as key tool in building relationship with customer’s. Rest of two are not in the favour of
the PR activities. It indicates that the management of Marriott Hotel requires effective
identification of factors that can promote PR principles and overcome issues.
Theme 3: Types of benefits are obtained through sponsorship and special events
From the collected information, it can be interpreted that the use of sponsorship and
special events techniques provides number of advantages to the business organisation. It has
been identified that the majority of managers think that the public relation activities impacts
positively on the brand image of company. Out of five respondents the two of them think that the
investment on special events charitable sections provides advancement in brand image. Other
than this, rest of three are respectively in the favour of customer base, profit and all of above. It
clearly indicates that the business firm needs to design its campaigns in such manner that number
of advantages can be attained through using public relation tools.
Sampling
It is also significant for researcher to focus on sampling method so that valid and reliable
information can be collected in order to meet the aim and objectives of the study. There are
number of sampling methods that investigator can access but random sampling will be chosen in
order to collect data. In this respect, the participants of the investigation will be managers of
Marriott Hotel UK (Friese, 2012). Questionnaire will be asked to the managers in order to
identify the influence of public relation practice on the brand image of company. 5 will be the
sample size for the research because it will help in gathering reliable and valid data.
Time frame
It is also necessary for researcher to focus on effective time frame so that objectives of
study can be achieved in appropriate manner. There are two types of time frame approaches that
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need to be consider during drafting of proposal so that reliable outcome can be attained.
Classification of the time frame theories can be as sectional and longitudinal (Patton, 2015). In
regard to sectional study the information can be compared to with different population groups at
single point in time. On the other side, longitudinal study allows observer to analyses and
compare aspects several times in different manner. Current investigation will be conducted on
the basis of longitudinal study.
Ethical and accessibility issues 100
In order to accomplish the objectives of the study, the researcher will also focus on
ethical and accessibility aspects. Investigation will ensure that the information is collected from
the ethical sources so that reliability and validity aspects can be maintained in appropriate
manner. Information about nature and motive of research will be provided to all participants in
appropriate manner (Kothari, 2011). In addition to this, data will not be collected without
permission of participants that will promote ethical aspects in the study. Issue of plagiarism will
also be considered as critical factor in order to accomplish the research objectives.
Implementation time plan
Key Activities
Week
1
Week 2
& 3
Week4 Week
5
Week
6
Week
7
We
ek 8
& 9
Wee
k 10
Writing of
Introduction
Literature Drafting
Gathering of
secondary data
Evaluation of data
gathered
Research Design
Research
Methodology
Collection of
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primary sources
Interpretation of
primary and
secondary
information
Conclusions and
Recommendations
Writing of further
remaining work
Revision
Final Submission
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Arnold, C., 2009. Ethical Marketing and the New Consumer. John Wiley & Sons.
Butterick, K., 2011. Introducing Public Relations: Theory and Practice. SAGE.
Chapman, S. and McNeill, P., 2014. Research methodology. Routledge.
Friese, S., 2012. ‘Qualitative Data Analysis with ATLAS’. SAGE.
Jefkins, F., 2009. Public Relations. Routledge.
Kothari, C. R., 2011. Research methodology: methods and techniques. New Age International.
Kumar, P., 2012. Public Relations Cases. Cengage Learning.
Miller, T. And Birch, M., 2012. Qualitative research. Sage.
Patton, M. Q., 2015. Qualitative research. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pieczka, M., 2011. Public relations as dialogic expertise. Journal of Communication
Management. 15(2). pp.108 – 124.
Saunders, M. et. al., 2015. Research Methods for Business Students, Harlow: Prentice Hall.
Silverman, D., 2010. Qualitative research. Sage.
Silverman, D., 2013. Doing qualitative research: A practical handbook. SAGE Publications
Limited.
Takhar-Lail, A. and Ghorbani, A., 2015. Market Research Methodologies: Multi-Method and
Qualitative.Routledge.
Online
Carter, J., 2012. Public relation understanding. [Online]. <Available through:
http://publicaffairsjobs.blogspot.in/ >. [Accessed on: 7 April, 2016].
Kent, M., 2008. Critical analysis of blogging in public relations. [Online]. <Available through:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0363811107001610 >. [Accessed on: 7
April, 2016].
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APPENDIX
Questionnaire
1. Public relation activities helps organization in sharing information with customers?
 Yes No
2. Advertising and other PR practices builds strong relationship with customers
 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Disagree Strongly disagree
3. What kinds of benefits are obtained through sponsorship and special events?
 Stronger customer base
 Positive brand image
 Higher profits
 All of the above
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