Addis Ababa University

College of School of Journalism and Communication

The Role of Public Relation to Promote Micro and Small

Enterprise´s Business

With Focus on Federal Urban Job Creation and Food

Security Agency of Ethiopia

A Master thesis proposal

Unit one

Prepared by: XY

SUBMITTED TO: …..

December 2020

1
 UNIT ONE

INTRODUCTION
1.2 Background of the Study

Poverty in Ethiopia is a widespread phenomenon due partly to lack of economic opportunities

and inadequate basic household income. Various suggestions were given by different scholars
for addressing the persistent unemployment and poverty problems. Amongst, it is often argued
that Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) play key roles in creating employment opportunities
and generation of income.

Scholars (e.g.Lukács, 2005; Olomi, 2006 and Geleta, 2013) confirmed the crucial role of MSEs
in employment creation and poverty reduction. MSEs are important vehicle for addressing the
challenges of unemployment, poverty and economic growth. They provide means of living to a
large proportion of the population. (Berhanu, 2005; Lukács, 2005). According to Olomi(2006),
MSEs are major drivers of growth and development because they are labor intensive that are
suitable for low skill wage laborer. Thus, they are a means to absorb the cheaply available labor
force, making them preferable than big industries (Ageba and Amha 2004; Amha and Ageba
2006; Olomi 2006).

Micro and small enterprises (MSEs) are important not only for strong economic development of
a country but they are also sources of job opportunities and social movement. When their
investment increases, they also raise the number of employers, suppliers and customers that help
the Ethiopian government administration and generally the public (IPA). In other articles, small
and micro enterprises are important for successful job opportunity and source of income (Carl
and Donald, 1987).

The expansion and strength of small and micro enterprises positively increase the way of life of
the society by increasing job opportunities. Though these enterprises hire small number of
employees at individual level, as a sum it’s a lot. Mostly the work forces of the enterprises are
not only the employees but the owners too, and this raises their income that led to increases the
salary of the employees and profit share.

2
The strategic expansion of small and micro enterprises has a general importance not only at a
country level but also for the city and the city’s inhabitants. More than any developmental
organizations, small and micro enterprises have played the greatest role in sustaining the
country’s development and social security in economic affairs. That is why the government have
to give priority for those enterprises more than any organization (Ethiopia industry development
strategy and revolutionary democracy, 1999).

The promotion of MSEs is justified on the grounds of enhancing growth with equity, creating
long-term jobs, providing the basis for medium and large enterprise and promoting exports. In
Ethiopia, establishing and being engaged in MSEs has become one of the livelihood activities
pursued by many Ethiopian poor (Bekele and Muchie, 2009; Garoma, 2012).

Such integrated intervention has to be supported by a well-designed public relation and

communication. According to Harlow cited in Tench and Yeomans (2006:4-5) indicated that
public relation is a unique management function which helps found and maintain shared lines of
communication, considerate, acceptance and collaboration between an organization and its
publics; involves the management of problems or issues; helps management to keep informed on
and responsive to public options; define and emphasize the responsibility of management to
serve the public interest; helps management to keep abreast of and effectively utilize
change ;serving as an early warning system to help expect trends; and uses research and ethical
communication techniques as its principal tools.(1976:36).

As a study has revealed that “Ethiopia is at risk in light of the nature and status of Public
Relations ranked by ACI in Africa.” (Skinner and Mersham, 2009: 303). In this cases, in spite of
the fact that every organization has PR practitioner, PR activities that exist in any organizations
are applied nonprofessionally due to lack of professional skilled persons, thus, researcher has
selected one of the organizations which is called Federal Urban Job Creation and Food Security
Agency so as to study how the PR activities promote its clients, the MSE’s .

In spite of the fact that PR profession is the back bone of any organization and the heart of
organizational performance, government has considered as supportive process rather than core
profession like other field of area. As a result, researcher will observe all public relations
activities that an organization use for various tasks practically before starting to conduct the real

3
research, therefore, the study concentrates on identifying fundamental drawbacks of the Agency
in relation to the usage of activities, tools and comes up with solution which can be an input for
next researcher.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

, has laid a solid foundational ground for the emerging of the sector.’creating competitive and
convenient base for industry development’’ is the goal of the sector which is stated on in the
strategy document.

The sector has establishedshort, Medium and long-term plans. And the short-term plan has aimed
is to ensure fast development by saving capital and thereby benefiting the society from the
development, the medium- and long-term plans are targeted at serving as source of investors and
time for entering to sustainable and fast growth cycle by strengthening technology and capital”
(strategy of MSE development of Ethiopia,2010, 15)

The current Federal Job Creation and food security agency was established in 2011 G.C, with a
title ‘Federal Micro and Small enterprises development Agency’’ based on MSE strategy which
was prepared in 2011GC.

The main objective of the strategy is to create job opportunities for urban dwellers, ensure
equitable distribution of wealth, increase the living standard of the community and provide and
reduce poverty.

The purpose of the sector is to enable the sector to contribute to the economic growth of the
country and to serve as the base for the next industry –led economy in Ethiopia.

The agency has a structure which goes from the federal level to the lower kebele structure. Job
seekers register and get support from the sector at one stop center (OSC) which is established at
wereda or kebele level. Regional states are the actual implementers of the sector. And they are
doing the practical activities of job creation. On the other hand, the federal Agency support the
regions by, developing strategy, directives and manuals for implementation,providing capacity
building trainings. And it’s the federal government which leads the sector at the national level
through implementing support and follow up schemes and supervision programs.

4
In order to accomplish the mission and objectives of the agency the public relation role is very
crucial. However the communication affairs team of the Agency is not well equipped with
professional man power and necessary inputs.

In this regard the study has investigated role of public relation activities to promote the MSE
sector. Explanations behind merging job creation sector public relations with shaping the attitude
of the society towards MSE’s, promoting MSEs services and products and its implications on the
alleviation of urban unemployment will deal in the thesis.

1.3 Objective of the Study

The overall objective of this study is to assess Public Relations practitioner function and the
activities in line with awareness creation in the mind of the society to bring good image building,
brand and reputation of the MSEs.

1.4 Research Questions

The core question this study sought to address is that, how does public relation work and what
does it do to promote the MSE development, to increase the acceptance and effectiveness of
enterprises.

Based on the context discussed in earlier paragraphs the study specifically aimed at addressing
the following three major questions:

1. What are the roles played by the communication affairs team at the Federal urban Job Creation
To promote MSE’s

2. What are the current practices of the communication affairs team at the Federal urban Job
Creation and Food Security Agency (JOBSFA)?

3. Are there any theories and models followed for PR activities at the Federal urban Job Creation
and Food Security Agency to promote the MSE’s

5
1.5 Significance of the Study

The researcher believe that the finding of this study will have the following importance;

1. This research is highly significant to provide vital information in creation awareness in

relation to promoting the MSE development.
2. The result gained from finding of this study will be identifying the nature and status of
public relations professional development.
3. It’s used to add an input in the area of the profession in light of its activities and tools.
4. Besides that, the finding of study also will be vital reference as additional secondary data
sources for academic research.
5. The finding of this research may also lay basis for t he upcoming researcher to conduct
additional study in t te area of public relations activities for professional development.
1.6 Scope of the study

The researcher seeks to undertake particular components of public relation profession; as a

result, this research focuses on role of public relation activities in Federal Job Creation and food
Security Agency in promotion micro and small enterprises by using relevant tools.

1.7 limitation of the study

The researcher may face different limitation during the study. These are the following:

 The study will select a few number interviewees; therefore, sample size may have an
impact on the researcher not to go further to dig out excess pertinent information.
 This study examined only the role of public relation activities in Promoting MSEs,
therefore, finding of the study could not stated the status of the public relations
development in Federal Urban Job Creation and Food Security Agency (JOBFSA)
1.8 Organization of the Study

The research paper consists of five chapters. Chapter one presents the introductory section which
embraces background of the study, statement of the problem, objective of the study ,research
questions, significance of the study ,scope of the study, limitation of the study. The second
chapter deals with review of related literature. The third chapter is dedicated to methodology of
the study which presents qualitative research method approach, document analysis method and

6
method of data collection. Chapter four deal with data presentation and analysis. The last
chapter, chapter five presents findings of the study, summary, conclusion and recommendations.

UNIT TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITRATURE

2.1 Introduction

Public relation characterized as an applied social and behavioral science that measures, assesses
and deciphers the attitude of different pertinent publics, moreover as Asmah(2011) Bruning,D
Lambe E(2008) recommended the public relations is management function which assesses
attitudes of publics , recognize the publics and methods of an independent association of activity
to learn open comprehension and acknowledgment. As to Banik(2006) public relation(PR) is an
effort to inter policies and programs of an organization with the establish a bridge of
understanding and good between institution and its publics.

RINCON, MARANI, and CONTRERAS (2018) point out that communication can be
conceptualized as the process that allows the harmonious generation of relationships to obtain
common benefits for an individual or organized groups, which requires the formulation of
communicative strategies that adapt to the corporate, institutional and association nature.

The main objective of public relation is to convey information that will impact individual stokes
Rubere(2010). The reason behind this assumption considering PR as a tool to aware and save the
public within the domain for mutual agenda. That’s why PR is defined as deliberate, planned,
performance based keep public interest pursuit two-way communication and part of
measurement function.

With the advancement of technology, organization have been implementing different

communication strategy to reach the targeted public. The public relation specialists act as a
specialist, advocate to management and as a mediator, making an interception of private points
into sensible, publicity, acceptable policy and activity.

In this manner its unmistakably clear that public relation assumption principal part in the
political, monarchy, social and ecological measurements of the general public (Rensburg and

7
Cant, 2009 Cutlip et al. 2000) Particularly, government public relation plays great role in
creating mutual understanding between the government and the publics it serves.

2.2 MSE Development Sector

Micro & Small Enterprise Development Program in Ethiopia meaningfully has been given due
attention by government since 2004/2005. (konjt 2013) in 1996/97 National Micro and Small
Enterprise Strategy was developed by the government. Until 2004/2005, the national strategy
was implemented by Federal SMEs Development Agency organized only at national level.
Because of this, it was very difficult to make the strategy practical specially in delivering
business development service for SME operators. Thus, by considering the critical role of the
sector and the constrained faced by SME operators since 2004/2005 the government of Ethiopia
decide to establish SMEs coordinating body at regional level.

Currently the government amend SMEs strategy with the objective of alleviating poverty &
reducing unemployment. The strategy is implemented all over the country. Such integrated
intervention has to be supported by a well-designed public relation and communication. The
promotion of SMEs is regarded as an important issue in many countries, including Japan,
because SMEs perform multiple functions for the society and economy of a country. (JICA,
2000). SMEs represent a large weight of the economic activity of a country. in many countries
account for an overwhelming number of business establishments and employees and are a major
player in economic activity.

According with the report The SME labor market performs a stabilizing function in society.
SMEs provide many people, including unskilled labor, with employment opportunities, thereby
distributing income from a macroeconomic perspective., SMEs are considered as a source of
dynamism in market-oriented economic since the rate of entry and exit of small firms is high.
Economic development including the upgrading of industrial structure is achieved through
dynamic process of replacing inefficient enterprises with highly efficient enterprises. (JICA,
2000).

Major Roles of PR In MSE Development Sector

8
commonly PR in the MSE sector can take a wide range of “managerial” and “operational” roles.
The managerial functions include “programming and planning with other managers, determining
needs, prioritizing, defining publics, setting goals, and objectives, developing strategy and
tactics, administering personal budgets and managing programs,” (Cutlip & colleagues as cited
in Tench & Yeomans, 2006, 31). “Media relations, internal communication, communication
technology (intranet and internet), crisis communication,” (pp. 540). writing and editing,
research, special events, production, training, contact/ liaising, counseling,” (pp. 31). are among
key operational functions of PR, most of which are listed by communication affairs directorate.

One common practice is dealing with internal and external stakeholders, maintaining healthy
relationship between the sector and its internal as well as external stakeholders. Public relations
are thought of here as the communication and action on the part of an organization that supports
the development and maintenance of mutually beneficial relationships between the organization
and the groups with which it is interdependent, (Lamb & Kathy, 2005, 1). In planning
stakeholder relations, public relations’ role is intelligence gathering.

In principle, public relations do have a potentially useful role to play in the process of business
planning, bringing different stakeholder perspectives to the attention of senior management and
thereby helping to ensure that management have a balanced view on the likely impact of policy
decisions before committing themselves to any particular course of action, (Heath, 2005, 821).
Internal stakeholders’ communication is “one of the most important specialties of public
relations. Without internal communication, organizations would not develop structures and
cultures. Internal communication, therefore, is the force that produces the context in which a
public relations department must function,” (Grunig L., Grunig J. & Dozier, 2002, 495).
Counseling is also identified as the essential role of the senior PR manager. As counselor, the PR
manager is responsible for scanning the turbulent external environment, directing efforts to
identify and monitor concerns of the institution’s diverse and action-oriented publics to the
institution’s management and leadership. . . In essence, the PR manager speaks for the external
publics during management’s decision making, ensuring that their needs and concerns are
considered and understood, (Lewton, 1995, 16). As counselor’s PR people can also provide
mainly on the job trainings that can bridge gaps of professional trainings in the area; train others,
“coaching others in writing and communication skills. Helping introduce change in culture,

9
policy, structure and process,” (Tench & Yeomans, 2006, 31).PR in the form of media relations
manages connections with the media, to bring matters to the public’s mind which involves
“contacting news media, magazines, supplements, trade publications and freelancers to get them
to publish material about the organization, responding to media requests,” (pp., 31).
PR also provides written and edited input for various purpose including “print and broadcast
news releases, feature stories, newsletters, correspondence, website/online media,
shareholder/annual reports, speeches, brochures, AV scripts, advertisements, product and
technical materials,” (pp. 31). Another function that a MSE sector public relations section should
allot ample space to exercise is public relations research. “Effective public relation is a process,
and the essential first step in the process is research. Today, research is widely accepted by
public relations professionals as an integral part of planning, program development, and
evaluation process,”(Wilcox & Cameron 2009, 128). “As research solves practitioners’
problems, the practice of public relations should become more effective,” (Heath, 2005, 695).
PR research can be conducted “to achieve credibility with management, to define audience and
segment publics, to formulate strategy, to test messages, to prevent crisis, to monitor the
competition, and to sway public opinion.” (Wilcox & Cameron 2009, 129) Serving as a contact
person and representing the organization in various forums is another function for a PR
occupation. Getting in touch and liaising with “community, internal and external groups.
Listening, negotiating, managing conflict, mediating, meeting and entertaining guests and
visitors, speaking, gaining speaking platforms, coaching others, and speaking to groups,” (Tench
& Yeomans, 2006, 31).Staying visible on the web highway using online technologies where
people use to share content, opinions, insights, experiences, perspectives is becoming is one role
of PR. “Facilitating or, even to some extent, orchestrating this process of community building
will become an important strategy in public relations,” (Wilcox & Cameron 2009, 198)
2.3 Practices of MSE Sector Public Relations
Practice is something we do “often, customarily, or habitually,” (Merriam Webster college
dictionary, 2004) or “as an established custom or habit,” (Encarta world English dictionary,
2009). This topic deals mainly with the how part that include organization of communication,
professional and competence.
Public sector public relations lean to practice reactive approach than the proactive one.
Maintaining organizations ongoing communications with its publics will inevitably on a largely

10
reactive basis. However, this approach limits the ability of public relations to be a force for
change . . . reactive public relations is perhaps most suited to fairly stable environments in which
the principal aim is simply maintain the status quo, (Mersham & Skinner, 1995, 13).
Working in the public sector in many ways is demanding for public relations profession and for
its practitioners. The challenges in public sector public relations comprise involvement of a
greater range of stakeholders, insufficient budget, national governmental policy over which
public relations practitioners may have limited control. “The way in which communications is
organized carries important strategic and political dimensions and is also crucial for the effective
support and integration of communications activities,” (Cornelissen, 2004, 126). An effective
streamlining of communications activities is just as important to organizations within the public
sector as in commercial firms. The public sector involves many different types of organizations,
including nationalized companies (e.g. utilities), government agencies and departments (e.g. the
ministry of defense), and public service organizations (e.g. hospitals and schools).
The larger organizations in the public sector (as opposed to, for instance, small government
agencies) traditionally have a strong presence close to senior management and policy making of
‘public’ communications disciplines (e.g. media relations, publicity) that are used to inform the
general public, and traditionally little marketing communications, (pp. 141).
Another area in the PR practice of any public organization is the issue of competence. It might be
very early in Ethiopia to debate on what constitutes competence, and what mechanism could be
employed in identifying the competences needed but it is important to mention at least the need
of preparation. “Communications practitioners need a thorough preparation for their roles, a
preparation that should be as rigorous and demanding as the preparation expected of
professionals in other management areas,” (pp. 168). PR as a profession needs to offer services
of the highest possible quality in the area. If not there are two major risks: malfeasance and
incompetence. Malfeasance is providing services that should not be provided. Incompetence
means that the practitioners undertaking the work do not have the necessary knowledge or
experience to undertake the work to the highest professional standards, (Seib and Fitzpatrick
(1995) Tench & Yeomans, 2006, 297). Social accountability is emerging as a new variety in
public relations, which the health sector PR has to take on.
Tench provides with what PR deals with Public relations is a distinctive management function
which helps establish and maintain mutual lines of communication, understanding, acceptance

11
and cooperation between an organization and its publics; involves the management of problems
or issues; helps management to keep informed on and responsive to public opinions; defines and
emphasizes the responsibility of management to serve the public interest; helps management
keep abreast of and effectively utilize change; serving as an early warning system to help
anticipate trends; and uses research and ethical communication techniques as its principal tools,
(Tench, 2006, 5).
Public relations are the art and social science of analyzing trends, predicting their consequences,
counseling organization leaders and implementing planned programs of action which will serve
both the organization’s and the public interest,” (Theaker, 2004, 4). “Public Relations is the
planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and understanding between an
organization and its publics,” (p. 4 ).
2.4 Theories and Models for MSE Sector Public Relations
Theory is “the body of rules, ideas, principles, and techniques that applies to a subject, especially
when seen as distinct from actual practice” ( Encarta) it is “a belief, policy, or procedure
proposed or followed as the basis of action”(Webster) Theory can be taken as forecast of how
events and actions are associated. Over the last many years public relations has advanced into an
area of communication based in global enquiries, especially in the western economy it has
become a research based maturing subject that has a potential to combine multidisciplinary
characteristics.
Gaps of MSE sector public relations practices in Ethiopia include lack of philosophical base and
theoretical scope. Therefore, it is very important to explore how public relations has been
described in theories in the world, and adopt the useful ones to the Ethiopian MSE sector
context. “There is no one theory that fully satisfies every explanation for public relation
practices. Public relations practitioners have to consider various theories when they make
decisions about how they can build successful relationships with their publics,” (Lattimore,
2012, 51). and roots his study into two major domains of theory that entertain both players:
Social Theory – ‘public sphere’ and Excellence Theory.
2.4.1 Social Theory – Public Sphere “Social theory refers to ideas, arguments, hypotheses,
thought-experiments, and explanatory speculations about how and why human societies – or
elements or structures of such societies come to be formed, change, and develop over time or
disappear,” (Harrington, 2011). Social theory helps acquire insights to make sense of public

12
relations at the societal, organizational, and individual levels. This study tried to associate
approaches and activities of the health sector public relations section with a particular view in
social theory, which is mainly concerned with citizen groups, their fabrics and dynamics.
Collecting and interpreting health related information about individuals from the social
environment; communicating strategies and decisions to the society are among routine duties of
public relations section in the public health sector. “According to most authors, the central
problem to be addressed in social theory is the relationship between the individual and society,”
(Littlejohn & Foss, 2009, 703)job is a common subject for citizens that can be discussed and
negotiated publicly regardless of political or other biases of discussants. The research exploits
the idea of Habermas’s ‘Public Sphere” and points out potential hubs where MSE sector
communication could be constantly carried out and developed. Hence public relations practice in
the MSE sector needs to be perceived in relationship to societal (macro), organizational (meso),
and individual (micro) characteristics. The societal oriented approach of the concept of public
sphere in particular can be cultivated for the MSE sector public relations. The idea was first
developed by a German philosopher and sociologist Jurgen Habermas. “For Habermas, the
public sphere provides a space for rational and critical debate. For this to happen, problems and
issues must be identified and thematized, solutions developed, and the issues dramatized to the
extent that they are taken up by the political structures,” (Heath, 2005, 712). Public sphere is a
public realm “a space for communication, which in principle is available to all,” (Ihlen et al.
2009, 10).
The public sphere, here is important because it “emphasized the ethical obligation of engaging in
dialogue and the crucial function of dialogue in the public sphere to discover truth through
discussion,” (pp. 207). Though face-to -face interaction in assembly is considered to be a
primary medium of participation in the public sphere, however, with the rise of the new media
there is every means to utilize available social, electronics, audiovisual and print means of
communication in this modern age. “The concept of the public sphere, as developed by
Habermas, is important for both the field of public relations and for our notion of a democratic
civil society. A space where issues can be rationally discussed critical opinions formed, and that
is inclusive in scope is an ideal worth striving for and lends legitimacy to the system,” (Heath,
2005, 712)
2.4.2 Excellence Theory

13
By the year 1984 James E. Grunig, a public relations theorist, led an international research team
consisting of six public relations academics and as a result that team proposes the Excellence
Theory, which provides insight as to “how public relations excellence is achieved in an
organization,” (Waddington, 2012, 2). This theory deals with internal structures and external
variables as performance determiners for a given public relations section. Properties addressing
excellence theory provide a model for the maturation of public relations theory in international
contexts. As originally conceived, and based on an examination of public relations practice only
in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, there were fourteen fundamental
principles in three general areas: (1) empowerment of the public relations function; (2)
communicator roles; and (3)
organization of the communication function and its relationship to other management functions,
(Freitag, & Stokes, 2009, 35). The thesis mainly consults various aspects of two models;
Strategic Communication Framework and Development Communication. These will serve as
major theoretical backgrounds and outcome of the analysis could be easily adopted and
potentially be able to guide public relations activities in the Ethiopian MSE sector. The
introduction of some elements of these models to the MSE sector in Ethiopia will extend
professional attribute to public relations practices and helps to tackle ineffectiveness in the area.
2.4.3 Strategic Communication Frame
Fixing a realistic, consistent and time bound ambition, establishing a vision for the
communication section, analyzing internal & external situations, assessing and classifying
stakeholders, securing the necessary resource, assuming accountability guidelines will be
essential ingredients of a strategic communication framework. Therefore, in order to improve the
visibility and credibility of the communications Department, it is time to fundamentally rethink
how strategic communication is developed and start using modern agile tools to do this. Three
years ago, we developed the Strategic Communication Frame to do this effectively. After many
trials, it has proven to be a practical, valuable and highly appreciated tool, (Ruler, & Körver,
2016, 1). The Strategic Communication Frame (SCF) is developed by Betteke van Ruler, a
prominent public relations academic in the Netherlands.
SCF is based on social theories in public relations, in which we find some important keywords,
showing sustainable state-of-the-art approaches in public relations: ambition, accountability,
stakeholders’ perspective, legitimacy. It’s an ‘agile’, flexible method developed for

14
strengthening the communication/pr function with an organization, making clear choices in
changing environments, (Ton Veen, 2017, 1). The framework will be a repeating four-step
management method to be suggested in the Ministry of Health for the control and continual
improvement of processes.

2.4.4 Development Communication

Another fitting conceptual model that the researcher wishes to adopt for the MSE sector
communication in Ethiopia is development communication. As academic discourse in the field
widely advocates development communication fastens the growth of a country. “Development
communication is the process of intervening in a systematic or strategic manner with either
media (print, radio, telephony, video, and the Internet), or education (training, literacy,
schooling) for the purpose of positive social change. The change could be economic, personal, as
in spiritual, social, cultural, or political,” ( Mcphail, 2009). Development communication
supports sustainable change in development operations by engaging key stakeholders. It
establishes suitable environment for assessing risks and opportunities; disseminate information,
induce behavior and social change. Methodological framework of development communication
model consists four major steps: conducting initial investigation, designing a strategy,
implementation and evaluation. “For any communication intervention to be effective, it must be
rooted in research. In addition to exploring the situation and the perceptions of the various
stakeholders, this analysis also produces data for the design of subsequent communication
strategy,” (Mefalopulos, 2008, 29). Strategy designing is explained separately in the next topic,
the implementation phase is the most resource intensive, however If the work in the previous two
phases was done properly, the implementation is the most straightforward phase, needing only
the professional application of tasks and competencies identified to ensure the achievement of
the objectives. Usually this is done through an action plan, which can be considered a map
indicating what needs to be done, by whom, when, and at what cost, (pp. 129).
The last lap, but not the least, in this model is the evaluation stage, where the cycle ends and an
activity through which we know if and to what level our communication program brought the
anticipated outcome. Evaluation is considered one of the most important components of
development initiatives, but because numerous structural and practical factors (disbursement
procedures, timing of project cycle, and so forth), whose explanation is beyond the scope of this

15
Sourcebook, evaluation of development efforts remains a challenging and, at times, controversial
issue. The challenge is even more pronounced in the evaluation of the impact of communication
interventions whose results are visible over a longer period of time, (pp. 135).

2.5 Devising Strategy for the MSE Sector

PR Written works enlighten us a lot about strategy that before it developed to a discipline of
reflection and a sensible art in wide areas of activities, including public relations and
communication, it was born and brought up through tactics, operations and targets used in wars,
while powers fought to take advantage over one another. In armed forces, the hometown of
strategy, strategy is defined as “the science or art of employing all the military, economic,
political, and other resources of a country to achieve the objects of war,” (Encyclopedia
Britannica, 2015). “Strategy is a process whereby immediate, particular practical concerns are
bracketed, and relatively abstract organizational properties focused on, in order to try and
produce a strategy that is sustainably differentiating,” (Clegg, 2017). “Strategizing means
developing a (usually big) picture of a future that will frame immediate course of action. In this
sense strategy turns time around: the future desired becomes the condition for the possibility of
action in the present,” (p. 356). “a communication strategy can be defined as a well-planned
series of actions aimed at achieving specific objectives through the use of communication
methods, techniques, and approaches,” (Mefalopulos and Kamlongera, 2004 as cited in
Mefalopulos, 2008, 111).

16
 UNIT THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Methodology is one of the research parts and used as a tool. This part focuses on the research
method which is appropriate to the study. This segment of the study will include the research
method approach, data sources, sampling technique, data collection tools, ethical considerations,
data analysis and interpretation.

3.1Research Approach

Researcher chose qualitative method of approach and document analysis method. Under
qualitative method of approach, researcher will use the following data collecting tools such as,
structured interview technique/In depth individual interview for the subject of the study. The
reason that researcher select this qualitative method approach was that the qualitative research
approach permits researcher to increase the ability of detailed comprehension of the issue
though. Qualitative research has its own advantage in research. The method will allow a
researcher to view behavior in a natural setting that sometimes surrounds experimental or survey
research. In addition, qualitative technique can increase a researcher’s depth of understanding of
the phenomenon under investigation. This was especially true when the phenomenon has not
been investigated previously. Finally, “qualitative method is flexible and allows the researcher to
pursue new areas of interest.”(Wimmer and Dominick, 2011:48)

3.2 Physical Location of The Research

The research site is found in Addis Ababa the capital city of Ethiopia kirkos Sub city. The name
of the organization is Federal Urban Job Creation and Food Security Agency. It is found b/n
Mexico square towards Kera Road.

17
3.3 Data Sources

The researcher selected Federal Urban Job Creation and Food Security Agency which is found in
Addis Ababa capital city of Ethiopia for this study. There will be two data sources. Secondary
data sources and the primarily data sources. The secondary data sources will be magazines,
leaflet, web sites, social media platforms and public relations department annual plan. At same
time, the primary data sources will be key informant’s interview.

No researcher used to conduct a study about public relations field of area in line with the role of
the public relations activities and tools before this time in this Agency, but there were materials
which had been prepared by PR practitioner’s narrating about the agency, therefore, the
existence of these documents was mainly used as a secondary data source analysis purpose.

3.4 Sampling Technique and Size

The researcher will use purposive sampling method. The selected respondents will be females
and males. The total numbers of employees of the agency are 230. 106 are females and 124 are
males. The study will be concentrated on public relations activities and usage of tools. The
respondents will be highly significant participants to gain relevant information concerning on the
subject area of the study. As a result, researcher will select the key informants from the agency.
Participants used to be department directorates, Management staffs and other some key
employees.
20 people will be participated in a structured /In depth interview. Fifteen people will be selected
from ten core departments of the agency and from management staffs. And five key employees.
participate in the interview.
The principal reason choosing the purposive sampling method is that it is will help researcher so
as to gain in depth understanding relevant information in line with the subject of the study during
research season. According to Natasha (2005:6) stated that “in purposive sampling technique we
decide while designing the study how many people with which characteristics to involve as a
participant’’

3.5 Data Collection Instrument

Data collection tools have its own pros and cons while gathering information from respondents.
Basically, all tools are not free from demerits. Meaning, the presence of feeling of biased always

18
happens during data collection. Because the interview questions mainly approach to individual
feeling. In any cases, the research topic is not quantified in number rather than depth
understanding of the issues in this study. And hence, according to researcher’s perspective
structured/In depth interview data collection technique will be selected particularly. A researcher
believed that data collection tools must fit with the research problem or research issue. Because
the research topic can be either quantified in number or analyzed qualitatively.

3.6 Structured Interview/ In Depth Individual Interview

According to Kothari (2004:97) explaining the potency of interviewing writes “the interview
method of data collection involves presentation of oral verbal stimuli and reply in terms of oral
verbal response. this method can be used through personal interviews. structured interview is one
of types of method of interview. such interviews involve the use of a set of predetermined
questions and highly standard technique of recordings. Thus, for this research structured
interview will be selected. Because researcher in a structured interview follows a rigid procedure
laid down, asking questions in form and ordered prescribed. The need to conduct the structured
interview as explained above is to get the relevant data with regard to public relations activities
and PR tools role playing in Federal Urban Job Creation and Food Security Agency. Types of
questions used for interview are structured questions. Kothari (2004) clearly stipulate structured
questions are the same wording in the same order to all respondents and questions are simple to
administer in expense to analyze. As a result, interviews will be conducted with twenty people,
who will be selected from ten core departments of the agency and from management staffs.
Among them 11 informants were men whereas 9 of them were woman. During the course of
commencing the In-depth individual interview. The researcher will launch the purpose of the
study and the anonymity of interviewees. Researcher also requested their willingness to record
the oral interview on audio tape recorder.
3.7 Document Content Review
3.7.1 Document
The main aim of this research was to assess how public relations activities are creating
awareness in line with the importance the role of public relation to promote MSE business;
therefore, qualitative document analysis was one of the methods to assess the reality what had

19
been applied in the actual situation. In this case, prepared documents which consisted public
relations activities for promotion purpose will be fundamental part to reveal what the Agency has
done for people.
In this study, researcher believed that an interpretive document analysis approaches preferable to
explore trend of communication in terms of awareness creation about MSE in Ethiopia for
concerned audience. According to Deaconel al.(1999) stated that “contents refers to words,
meanings ,symbols, pictures ,ideas, themes and any messages that can be communicated”.
Documents were the main source of secondary data. As a result, researcher needed to reveal that
how public relations activities had been applied in promoting MSE business.
Secondary data will be one of the evidences to depict the actual research because documents
help for primary data as an input to show quality of the study. Documents designed by
communication affairs team are the following: newspapers that was prepared per months, ,
broacher hard copies prepared once a year were available .Besides this, information access had
been available in the form of soft copy by using the Web site and Facebook page, in this case,
researcher will make a decision to state the trend of communication regarding the yearly plan
and application of activities to promote Federal urban Job Creation and Food Security Agency.
According to Bloor and Wood (2006:59) suggested that validity of any document is depend on
the four criteria: authenticity (Is document original and genuine?), Credibility (is it accurate?)
Representativeness, (is it typical of its mind?), and Meaning (is its intention clear?).

3.9 Ethical Considerations

To keep the personal privacy in research, applying the Ethical consideration is basic principle
during research. In this case, researcher will ask the interviewees’ willingness to mention either
name in the research paper or anonymous. Ethical issues are important elements in establishing
trust and credibility during data collection in research. There are rules that a researcher has to
follow: Informed consent form: deals with acknowledges that participants’ right have been
protected During data collection. Elements of this consent form are the following:
The right to participate voluntarily and the right to withdraw at any time, the right to ask
questions, obtain a copy of results and have their privacy respected. During data collection
gaining the permission of individuals in authority (example gatekeeper) to provide access to
study participants at research site, individuals understand the nature of the research and its likely

20
impact on them (Creswell,2002). Hence, before conducting the study, researcher made
respondents conscious that the goal of the study is not beyond the academic study, and ask their
willingness to take part in the research.
Confidentiality: according to Abiy et al (2010:108) cited in Gebreselassie (2011:36)
confidentiality is a key element of research ethics that the researcher needs to know which types
of information can or cannot be shared with a third part with or without consent of the study
participant.
As a result, researcher also needs to anticipate the possibility of harmful information being
disclosed during the data collection process.
In this regard, the information that researcher obtained from respondents will be confidential.
Ethics in writing: The ethical issues do not stop with data collection and analysis. they also
extend into actual writing and disseminating of the final research report. “Discuss how the
research will not use language or words that are biased against persons because of gender, sexual
orientation, racial or ethnic group, disability, or age” (Creswell,2004), therefore, a researcher is
responsible to present unbiased language to acknowledge participants. Frey, Botan, and Kreps
(2000) cited in Wimmer and Dominick (2011:67) offer the following summary of moral
principles commonly advocated by researchers:
1.Provide the people being studied with free choice.
2.Protect their right to privacy.
3.Benefit them, not harm them.
4.Treat them with respect.

21
22