Medición y evaluación de la comunicación en empresas seleccionadas del gremio de comunicadores de Cancún / Measurement and evaluation of communication in selected companies of the Cancun communicators union

Abstract

This paper inquired about how some selected professionals from the guild of communicators in Cancún grouped in the Association of Public Relations of Mexican Caribbean (ARPCM for its initials in Spanish) use measurement and evaluation. The research approach is qualitative, since the interest was to deepen in the phenomenon studied. A bibliographic and documentary review was used to form the theorical basis, as well as a semi-structured interview conducted virtually (which was recorded and subsequently transcribed) to a non-probabilistic purposive sample. Twenty-two subjects belonging to the ARPCM were chosen who met the following conditions: to be an active member of the Association in June 2021, that the terms Public Relations, Communication or Institutional Image appeared in the title of their position, and that they had been in the position for more than three years. Out of a population of 70 active members, 22 were selected: 2 belonging to civil associations, 5 to consulting agencies, 2 to hotels, 2 to restaurants, 3 to recreational parks, 2 to real estate agencies. 2 to travel agencies and 4 representing universities, from which 13 were women and 9 were men. Among the issues on which the interview focused were their conception of measurement and evaluation, whether they were doing it, and their satisfaction with the way in which they were currently carrying out this measurement and evaluation process. Also, there were inquiries about the indicators they used and if they were associated with their communication objectives, the main methods and the use given to the results, as well as the evaluation of the internal communication, indicators employed, among others. The results showed that they give the importance that these issues deserved, but are not completely satisfied with the way they put them into practice. On the other hand, they have evaluation indicators associated with their communication objectives, but the prevalence is on the measurement of products and effects, instead of results and impacts of communication; as well as they focus on reporting activities instead of goals, objectives and results that are correlated with those of the organization. At times of the so-called “new normality”, priority has been given to actions, messages, new media, but there is still something to be done for improvement in their evaluation; which is why, in the future, emphasis will have to be placed on this. Particularly, in improving knowledge about planning, goals, objectives, metrics, indicators, and their scope, as well as the possibilities to determine effects on the organization´s audiences. In view of the above, it is concluded that there is still a long way to go for the guild of communicators in Cancún in this regard.