ABSTRACT
The public relations industry has long been searching for the “holy grail” in evaluation of communications. According to Lindemann (2005: 2) “there is no one, simplistic all-purpose tool that can be used to measure PR effectiveness.” Instead, there is a range of evaluation tools and techniques that practitioners can employ in order to evaluate effectiveness. The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) is in agreement and concluded in its recent policy paper on measurement and evaluation that while there is no “silver bullet” approach, public relations “can be measured and evaluated” (CIPR, 2005). The policy paper cites how public relations can be measured and evaluated on four levels (CIPR, 2005: 2):
• “in terms of its contribution . . . to organization performance (to business success or organizational, to better decision making . . .);
• as a process (of communication, relationship and reputation building) and as part of program development and implementation;
• as a practice with a contribution to make to social and economic development;
• in terms of the contribution and competencies of individual practitioners”.
