June 2010

For immediate release

New research shows PR industry failing to recognise the

value of diversity

The first ever study of black and other minority ethnic public relations
practitioners’ experiences in the UK suggests that the industry is failing to
make the most of diversity. The industry is predominantly white and middle-
class, and results indicate that the professional ‘culture’ tends to strongly
favour this norm, which can limit career experiences and opportunities for
practitioners from other ethnic groups.

The research, which was supported by the Economic and Social Research
Council (RES 000-22-3143) and Leeds Metropolitan University, was carried
out by Dr Lee Edwards, a lecturer in Corporate Communication and Public
Relations. The work experiences of 50 ‘BME’ PR practitioners were compared
with professional discourses about diversity and initial findings demonstrated
that ‘difference’ was understood by the profession largely in terms of
stereotypical assumptions that obscure individual identities and potential;
diversity was interpreted solely as a profit-generating asset, and this shaped
the experience of difference for most participants.

Their evidence suggested that, while there is some variety in the way
individual experiences have unfolded, being different from the white, middle-
class occupational norm, and particularly having a different ethnic or class
background, can be problematic. For example, practitioners reported that
merit-based criteria for recruitment and progression were subjective and pre-
determined by assumptions of ‘fit’ that favoured ‘typical’ PR practitioners.
Characteristics, assets and attributes more readily available to white British,
middle-class individuals were more recognised and valued. Participants also
reported ‘microaggressions’ – misplaced assumptions about skills, roles or
capabilities based on their ethnicity, which could negatively emphasise their
difference from ‘typical’ practitioners and marginalise their identity, cultural
knowledge and potential contribution.

Dr Edwards explains: “Currently, the PR industry does not always make the
most of the talent it has among its black and minority ethnic practitioners.
Making assumptions about practitioners’ skills and suitability based on
ethnicity or class, rather than on individual talent, sells those practitioners and
the industry short. While practitioners experiences did vary, overall the initial
results show that the profession needs a more in-depth understanding of
difference that consistently acknowledges the contribution and value of all
practitioners, regardless of background.”

Dr Edwards is now based at Manchester Business School. The research was

carried out when Dr Edwards was a senior lecturer in Public Relations and
Communication at Leeds Metropolitan University. The University supported Dr
Edwards, in addition to the ESRC grant, with a Promising Researcher
Fellowship from January - April 2010.

Ends

For further details please contact Helen Goodwin in the News and Media
team at Leeds Met on 0113 812 5935 or email h.g.goodwin@leedsmet.ac.uk

Notes for editors

Leeds Metropolitan University:

• Leeds Metropolitan University has 30,000 students and over 300,000

associate students through its partnerships with 24 colleges.
 • The University has achieved its best ever Research Assessment
Exercise results. Sports-Related Studies is in the top 6 institutions in
the country with research rated at the highest levels of 4* and 3*.
• The University’s award-winning learning environments include the
iconic Rose Bowl building, awarded Best Commercial Property
Development in the 2009 Yorkshire Property Awards; Broadcasting
Place, winner of the 2010 Leeds Architecture Awards New Building
category and the pioneering Carnegie Village student accommodation.
• Leeds Metropolitan is one of only a handful of UK universities to have
been awarded the Carbon Trust Standard.
• The University is home to The UK Centre for Coaching Excellence for
sport and disability sport and is 3rd in the British University and
Colleges Sport (BUCS) rankings.

The Economic and Socail Reasearch Council (ESRC):

The ESRC is the UK's largest organisation for funding research on economic
and social issues. It supports independent, high quality research which has an
impact on business, the public sector and the third sector. The ESRC's
planned total expenditure in 2009/10 is £204 million. At any one time the
ESRC supports over 4,000 researchers and postgraduate students in
academic institutions and independent research institutes. Find our more at
http://www.esrcsocietytoday.ac.uk