Abstract
Rapid developments in communication technologies, changing expectations of stakeholders and audiences, and increasing competition between organizations have led to a recognition of the role of public relations (PR) as one of the strategic pillars in organizations. More specifically, success in this job position requires a set of general and specialized knowledge that can prepare the individual to face complex new environmental and organizational conditions. The present study aims to identify the dimensions of knowledge necessary for career success in the public relations profession in Iran have been completed.
In this research, semi-structured interviews were conducted with experienced practitioners who work in government departments and non-government public relations, collecting their perspectives. Then, the interview transcripts were content analyzed, and the themes were identified. Extracts were categorized into two main categories: “general knowledge” and “specific knowledge”.
The results showed that general dimensions of knowledge, such as law, psychology, communications, media, politics, geography, management, professional ethics, and literature, should be mandatory for all public relations students, according to practitioners. In contrast, knowledge such as marketing, programming, economics, and understanding the job environment is more recommended for specialized positions or specific organizations. By providing a picture of the real knowledge needs of practitioners, the present study can help improve policymaking in the field of education and the growth of professionalism in public relations.