ABSTRACT
For actionable business decision making in public relations (PR), the challenge is that analysis and interpretation of data will need to match the sophistication of the technological advances to capture it. Problem definition at its core is a statement of an issue in terms of the business action needed that merits research and data collection. Problem definition will suggest appropriate forms for its investigation of the business action. Therefore, problem definition is in two parts, the decision problem which is a clear statement of the business action required, and the research problem which is the information needed to inform the business action. Problem definition leads to actionable and insightful analysis for data-driven PR. Problem definition can be the challenging and the most difficult aspect of the data-driven PR approach because identification of the problem is rarely clear without intense investigation. Analytical efforts in data-driven PR efforts would not be scattered; they would be highly focused and effective.
