Research Proposal on Role of Private-Sector Companies in Public Diplomacy

This research proposal aims to evaluate the role of private-sector companies in public diplomacy. It includes a literature review, research methods, and research philosophy. The research strategy includes interviews and surveys. The sampling strategy includes probability and non-probability sampling.

Running head: RESEARCH PROPOSAL 0
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN PUBLIC RELATIONS
MARCH 17, 2019
STUDENT DETAILS:

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Contents
1. Introduction.........................................................................................................................2
1.1 Research aim...............................................................................................................2
1.2 Research Objectives.........................................................................................................2
1.3 Research question.............................................................................................................2
1.4 Problem statement............................................................................................................3
2. Literature review.................................................................................................................3
2.1 Private-sector corporation’s role in public diplomacy.....................................................3
2.2 Importance of private sector corporations in public diplomacy.......................................4
2.3 Plan for increasing role of private sector in public diplomacy........................................4
2.4Conclusion.........................................................................................................................5
3. Research Methods...............................................................................................................5
3.1 Research philosophy........................................................................................................6
3.2 Research approach...........................................................................................................7
3.3 Research strategy.............................................................................................................7
3.4 Time horizon....................................................................................................................8
3.5 Sampling..........................................................................................................................8
3.6 Data analysis plan........................................................................................................9
3.7 Ethical consideration......................................................................................................10
3.8 Limitation of research........................................................................................................11
4. Conclusion........................................................................................................................11
References................................................................................................................................12

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1. Introduction
This is an initial chapter of research study that would involve a topic of research, research
question, research aim and objectives, problem statement and research significance to
establish the healthy and experience base relatedto concern of research. The introduction
chapter also requires the deep understanding regarding research limitation that a researcher
faces during the research. Thus, this chapter is beneficial for a researcher to obtain the
directions of research and discover research concern in the important way (Milewicz, et. al,
2017).
1.1 Research aim
The aim of research is to assess role of private-sector companies in the public diplomacy
(Cabestan, 2016).
1.2 Research Objectives
This is essential for the researcher to evaluate objectives of the research. The reason is that it
helps to positively meet the research. The major aim of the research proposal is to find outthe
role of private-sector companies in the public diplomacy (Melissen and Caesar-Gordon,
2016). This research proposal is aimed at the approaches to increase the role of private sector
in public diplomacy (Seabrooke, 2015). Following are aims of research-
1. To evaluate role of private-sector companies in the public diplomacy
2. To assess importance of the private sector corporations in public diplomacy
3. To plan for increasing private sector’s role in public diplomacy
1.3 Research question
Research questions are mentioned as below-

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1. What is private-sector corporation’s role in the public diplomacy?
2. What is importance of private sector corporations in public diplomacy?
3. How to plan to increase private sector’s role in public diplomacy?
1.4 Problem statement
The private sector has enormous resources to give contribution to public diplomacy,
however the companies can further desire to support, instead of involve in public diplomacy
in direct manner in securing the financial self-interest. In this research, the role of private-
sector companies in the public diplomacy is discussed.
2. Literature review
The literature review is next chapter, which is performed to define the research issue by using
the various concepts, models and the approaches. With the help of this chapter of the
literature review, the investigator can be enabled to have an evaluation of the present data
regarding the problem of research and also evaluate at what level, this has been explored till
the date. For this chapter of literature review, the wider range of journals and articles are
reviewed as this helps to make the conceptual knowledge in respect of the subject of research.
This is also helpful for the investigator to evaluate the gap of understanding and establish the
base to implement primary research methods (L'Etang, et. al, 2015).
2.1 Private-sector corporation’s role in public diplomacy
The public diplomacy is not only government’s work. The private sector corporations play a
significant role in public diplomacy. Participation in the public diplomacy by private sector
corporations, principally foreign companies, has been authorized by management
organisations, NPO, political think tank, and education. After the financial crisis, various
private sector corporations are searching that they should restructure more than the balance
sheet. The private sector corporations should also tackle the challenges of recreate the faith,

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good and healthy relations and the image of the corporation. The corporate point view for the
public diplomacy seems to be get higher once more. The private sector corporations have
huge resources to give the contribution to the public diplomacy; however the companies can
more willing to help in public diplomacy for the security of self-interest. The private sector
corporations engaged in the public diplomacy have the great interest in keeping the position
related to the leadership (de Beer and van Buitenen, 2016).
2.2 Importance of private sector corporations in public diplomacy
By placing private sector companies within the public diplomacy’s scope, the nation also
sends the signal of the dedication to establishing the good business atmosphere and
encouraging the private enterprises. The industrialization and the deregulation are reframing
the relations between public and private actors in the present world of the twenty first
century. It seems to the various viewers as if the government is giving up the conventional
privileges or rights and rendering them to the functions related to private sector and the
protection affairs. In the addition of this, associating with governments and other influential
actors in international sphere renders possibility for functioning jointly in advancing both
corporate and broader collective targets (Vekasi, 2017).
2.3 Plan for increasing role of private sector in public diplomacy
The leaders of public relations and related communication occupation have connected with
the leadership of local department of the state of United Kingdom in making the plans for
improving the participation of the private sector in the public diplomacy efforts of country.
Because of changing domestic and global socio-political environment, public diplomacy
policies need relational, networked and cooperative strategies for proper and long-run results.
It is required to create relations of trust and faith by the private sector corporations. It is
required to support the foreign short-run plans for the workers of United Kingdom. It is also
required to render the encouragement and incentive for non-UK labour force to come in

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United Kingdom and for the workers of United Kingdom to pass through abroad. Further, this
is necessary to have private sector public diplomacy summit in major environmental fields
(Goff, 2015). In the addition of this, the financial support should be given for the extensive
state department academic and civilized exchanges. The necessary thing is to support the
companies of private sectors ‘international services officer’ made up of educated and
business persons with particular expertise who can work out of the country on the short-run
projects. Moreover, it is required to make the public diplomacy actions the duty of
commercial officers. The business approaches or policies are required to be consistent with
values of United Kingdom. Additionally, it is required to develop the knowledge and deep
understanding of the traditions, beliefs and the societies of United Kingdom, by rendering
training of English language, by making the common chances to have internship chance sin
UK. For the better understanding, it is also required to make the influence’s circle by the
relations with companies, commercial chamber and journalist.
2.4Conclusion
In the conclusion, this research study would give contribution to the rational development and
theoretical development in the public diplomacy as well as the public relations, with the
insinuations for the morals and accountabilities in company’s public communication (White
and Kolesnicov, 2015).
3. Research Methods
This chapter facilitates the deep understanding in relation to techniques, methods, and
techniques to conduct research in the methodological way. This is also advantageous for the
investigator to render the support regarding gathering the data from the great number of the
members and sources to fulfill the research objectives of the research project (Auer, 2016).

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3.1 Research philosophy
In this research study, the research philosophy develops the better understanding of the
investigator in respect of the problem or issue of research. In the addition of this, the selection
of proper research philosophy facilitates an investigator to assess methods of assembling,
evaluating and describing the data by using the procedure of the research. According to the
nature of research, research philosophies can be defined different types such as interpretivism
research philosophies, realism research philosophies and positivism research philosophies. As
per this, the positivism philosophy is used to define the accurate information as per the
evaluation and opinions. This also permits the researcher to discover the facts by the
statistical figures and facts. On the other hand, the realism philosophy is greatly depended on
the actuality and the human beliefs, which are stated in the various situations or conditions.
In this research study, the interpretivism philosophy is very helpful for the investigator to get
deep understanding and the knowledge in respect of the problem of research by collecting the
ideas and opinions of the participants. The interpretivism philosophy is very useful for the
investigator to make the proper results connected with private sector’s role in the public
diplomacy. On the other hand, realism research philosophy and positivism research
philosophy have not utilized by the investigator due to no relevancy in respect of the concern
related to the research. Moreover, there are no requirements to apply greatly ordered
methodology such as making and proving theories and assessment of outcomes as per the
simplification (Zhao, 2015).

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3.2 Research approach
In this research, the inductive approach will be applied by the researcher as this depends on
the subjective nature (McEwan, et. al, 2017). Moreover, it is not required to demand the
hypothesis. For that reason, the inductive approach will be implanted by a researcher. The
deductive approach will not be applied. In the addition of this, the inductive approach will be
applied by the researcher for collecting the huge quantity of data associated with of private-
sector Corporation’s role in the public diplomacy. This approach will be practicable for
stating the various concepts and beliefs along with, entails concepts for ultimate outcomes.
On the other hand, the deductive approach would not be useful for the researcher as there are
no requirements for demonstrating the evidence with the inquiry.
3.3 Research strategy
The research strategy is an important element that permits the investigator to evaluate the
problem of research by giving the answers to the question of the research in the proper way.
With the help of the research strategy, an investigator may collect background data and assess
the data to reach at the specific outcomes. To get the aims of research and objectives of
research, the investigator may use the various methods of the research strategies such as
survey with the help of questionnaire, observation, experiments, literature review, interviews,
focused people and case studies. For the research study, the interview research strategy and
survey strategy are implemented by the investigator because the interview research strategy
and survey strategy permit the investigator to collect the proper and enough amount of
information related with role of the public sector companies in the public diplomacy.
Moreover, with the help of this survey strategy, the investigator is capable to gather the
figures and facts in least cost and period. The survey strategy is helpful in improving the
quality of research between the main stakeholders. On the other hand, the implementation of
interview strategy is helpful for the investigator to get the complete information in relation to

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the concern related to research. The survey strategy makes able the investigator to make
connection with the members or the respondents. According to the results, it is helpful in
meeting the aims of the research and objectives of the research in the particular period. It is
also helpful in facilitating the proper and consistent results.
3.4 Time horizon
The researcher will have the targeted time period for making the cross-sectional
investigation. Since, the researcher would have joined the class. It is required by them to
complete the three to four projects at the period of practices related to inquiry (Chain, 2016).
It is stated by this factor that the researcher may require more time for gathering the
information in relation to private sector Company’s role in the public diplomacy (Kang,
2015).
3.5 Sampling
Sampling strategy refers to the selection of the correct members for a research to respond the
research questions in the research study. There are various kinds of the sampling strategies
like probability sampling strategies and non-probability sampling. This is very helpful for the
investigator to select the proper observation from the focused people. According to this, the
probability sampling tool refers to the method of sampling that is performed in respect of the
random selection of members. The profitability sampling tool facilitates the probability of
selecting the members. In the contradiction of this, the non-probability sampling method is
the strategy where the investigator has not similar opportunity to choose the members.
In this research study, probability sampling strategies as well as non-probability sampling
will be applied. In the probability sampling strategy, random sampling strategy can be
utilized to select the members for the survey with the help of the questionnaire. For this, 50
employees of JCB are selected as the sampling size from the various geographical locations

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of United Kingdom. On the other hand, as per the non-probability sampling strategy,
convenience sampling tool is selected in respect of choosing the members for the interview.
According to this strategy, the members are chosen as per the understanding, experiences,
and the talent. For this research study, five human resource managers are selected to get the
interview with them. As per this strategy, the researcher has sent former consent mail to get
advance permission of the manager and the workers to conduct the interviews. In the mail,
the investigator has given the procedures and reasons for directing the interview. As per the
outcomes, this is very advantageous to obtain consistent and proper outcomes (Westermann-
Behaylo, et. al, 2015)
3.6 Data analysis plan
After the collection of information or data, this is necessary to evaluate the data and
information for forming the proper and valid outcomes related with the subject matter of the
research. In this concern, there are various tools to analyze the data (White, 2015). The data
analysis plan means to clear that how the data of researcher would be transformed, and
assessed. The data analysis plan is like a roadmap, which tells the researcher how to organize
the survey data and how to analyze the survey data in effective manner. There are various
tools for the research to use such as the statistical investigation, contents analysis, disclosures
analysis and informal analysis. These data are gathered to make the proper and relevant
evaluation of the collected data.
For conducting this research, the statistical data analysis tool is applied to evaluate the data
or information. The statistical data analysis tool is very helpful in using the proper methods to
gather the information, use the right analysis, and properly show the outcomes. In this way,
the statistical data analysis tool is the difficult procedure behind how researcher creates
discoveries, take the relevant decisions on the basis of collected data and make the

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forecasts.With the help of the statistical data analysis tool, the investigator will be able to
state the information with the help of various graphs, charts and diagrams. This tool is
advantageous to understand the meanings behind the response of the selected workers and the
human resource manager. Use of statistics data analysis would give the direction to the
researcher in conducting research for appropriate description, summarization, representation
and analysis of the outcomes of the research.The researcher can properly assess the problem
of research with the help of statistical data analysis tool. For this, the researcher used the MS-
excel software for the better interpretation of the results with the help of the graph and chart
as reader may establish logical understanding in relation to role of the private sector
corporation in the public diplomacy.
3.7 Ethical consideration
In this research study, the ethical standards can facilitate to the research to make proper
conduct with the research members. With the help of this method, the researcher shall
consider the directions of university to keep the privacy or secrecy of the members. This
helps the researcher to make proper conduct to fulfil the aims of the research and objectives
of the research. The investigator has confronted the different ethical issues like data
distribution, plagiarism, and copyright act at the time of conducting their study. These issues
can be eliminated by the investigator in the case where a researcher renders the credit to the
actual author of data. This can end the chances of attaining the relevant and proper outcomes.
Additionally, this is assessed that the ethical standards can lead to a researcher to protect the
private data of research members, as this can be proper to conduct the healthy relations
between research members and investigator. This can also lead to the research members to
take the proper decisions in relation to the research. The researcher ends the chances of the
problems, as this will be imperative to attain possible research results (Wu, 2016).

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3.8 Limitation of research
There are various limitations of the research, which create the difficulties to make the
research in proper way (Rugh, 2017). There werenumbers of workers of the JCB, who
resisted and were not intense to take participation in the interviews. The investigator has also
faced the problem because of the lack of sample size and collecting the proper facts and data.
As according to the observation tool, both introverted and extroverted kind of people was not
able to share the concepts and morals. The beliefs of the people were concealed by the loud
voice of the vociferous people. The improper questionnaire was set because of the hugeness
in respect of the subject of the research.
4. Conclusion
As per the above discussion, it can be concluded that adequate determination of the research
methodology applied by the investigator to attain the aim and objective of this research in the
particular period. The investigator uses different research philosophies, research strategies,
research design, and data collection methods to assess role of private sector companies in the
public diplomacy. In this way, with the help of these techniques, the investigators are capable
to get the proper outcomes. This can be summarized that investigator has utilized ethical
consideration to make the research in the moral way. In addition, this can be assessed that
there are various limitations related to the research to face by the investigator such as the
sample size, cost and time (Gregory, 2016).

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