University of Southern California releases generally accepted PR practices study

This is an academic study conducted by Jerry Swerling, Professor and Director of PR at the USC. I am blogging about it as although this is a US study, the findings apply to European markets:

• In 2007, PR budgets increased on average by 7%
• Organizations remain reluctant or unable to allocate adequate resources to PR evaluation, preferring to focus on execution (so true...)
• Increasingly the PR function reported directly to the C-Suite at 64% reporting to human resources, legal, finance and strategic planning.
  
• PR was ranked as the top contributor to success among respondents at government agencies and among all but the very largest not-for-profits, suggesting that one of the benefits of working in the government or not-for-profit arena is the extent
  to which PR is seen as an important player.
  

The recommendation for best practices in PR are as follow:

• GAP Best Practice #1: Maintain a higher than average ratio of PR budget to gross revenue (GAP PR/GR Ratio).
• GAP Best Practice #2: Report directly and exclusively to the C-Suite.
• GAP Best Practice #3: Optimize the C-Suite’s understanding of PR’s current and potential contributions to the success of the organization as a
• whole.
• GAP Best Practice #4: Establish an effective social responsibility strategy for your organization.
• GAP Best Practice #5: Establish an effective digital-media strategy for your organization.
• GAP Best Practice #6: Establish an effective issues-management strategy for your organization.
• GAP Best Practice #7: Optimize integration and coordination within the PR/Communications function, and between it and other organizational functions.
• GAP Best Practice #8: Encourage highly ethical practices across the organization, beginning with communication.
• GAP Best Practice #9: Encourage the organization-wide adoption of a long-term strategic point of view, beginning with communication.
• GAP Best Practice #10: Encourage the organization-wide adoption of a proactive mindset, beginning with communication.
• GAP Best Practice #11: Encourage the organization-wide adoption of a flexible mindset, beginning with communication.
• GAP Best Practice #12: Optimize the integration of PR and reputational considerations into top-level organizational strategies.
• GAP Best Practice #13: Measurably contribute to organizational success.

My suggestions for the next GAP are questions on how PR agencies or clients use/integrate the web in their programs.

Check out the full study at USC.