The Perception of the Public Relations Profession from the Perspective of Experts: The Case of Konya/Türkiye

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine the perception of the public relations profession in Konya through the eyes of the professionals. In this context, the phenomenology design, which is considered within the framework of qualitative analysis methods, was used. In order to obtain the data, 28 public relations experts living in Konya, one of the major cities of Turkey, were selected using the criterion sampling method and in-depth interviews were conducted with them. The inclusion criteria for the experts were that they had worked in the field of public relations in Konya for at least 2 years, that their active work processes were ongoing, and that they had received an undergraduate degree in the field of public relations. The research seeks answers to the questions, “What are the concepts that come to mind when public relations is mentioned?”, “Do public relations experts see this field as prestigious?”, “What is professional prestige in Konya?”, “What is the professional image of public relations in Konya?” and “Who practices public relations in Konya?” The interviews lasted between 35-55 minutes and the data obtained was analyzed in the Maxqda 2024 program. It was observed in the data that the experts heavily emphasized the words communication skills, crisis management and being a good listener related to their profession. Public relations experts heavily view their field as prestigious. In addition, it has been highlighted that professional prestige is low in Konya and that in Konya, the public sector and those outside the field work in the field of public relations. In addition to these, it has been concluded that the profession of public relations is not sufficiently known in Konya, that it is difficult to do this job in Konya, and that professional prestige and ethical practices are a matter of debate.