Type of Document	Master's Thesis
Author	Hughes, Jennifer Plaisance
Author's Email Address	jhughes@lsu.edu
URN	etd-04032006-115724
Title	The Perks of High Tech PR: Examining Diffusion of Innovations in Public Relations and Its Effect on Practitioners' Roles, Status and Power
Degree	Master of Arts in Liberal Arts (M.A.L.A.)
Department	Liberal Arts (Interdepartmental Program)
Advisory Committee	Advisor Name Title Lance Porter Committee Chair Dan Borne Committee Member Rudy Hirschheim Committee Member William Clark Committee Member
Keywords	diffusion of innovations roles status power public relations
Date of Defense	2006-03-15
Availability	unrestricted
Abstract This qualitative study examines the field of public relations though the lens of Everett Rogers’ diffusion of innovation research. The fields of public relations and diffusion of innovations are paired for the first time in a study of the effects of proximity to innovators on public relations practitioners. In-depth interviews and focus groups with practitioners working in both high-tech and low-tech environments are transcribed and coded to compare the effects of technology adoption on roles, status and power in organizations. This study not only contributes to the literature in public relations and diffusion of innovations, but also its findings are useful to PR practitioners seeking career benefits through strategic technology use.
Files	Filename       Size       Approximate Download Time (Hours:Minutes:Seconds)     28.8 Modem   56K Modem   ISDN (64 Kb)   ISDN (128 Kb)   Higher-speed Access    Hughes_thesis.pdf 929.10 Kb 00:04:18 00:02:12 00:01:56 00:00:58 00:00:04