Welcome and Introduction

Introduction

Welcome to the inaugural post of my blog reporting on my Fulbright research fellowship to Poznan, Poland!  This blog’s intended audiences include the following:

·         Scholars in public relations and related disciplines

·         Public relations practitioners

·         Students of public relations

·         Fulbrighters and potential Fulbrighters

·         People with an interest in Polish culture, business and higher education

·         Friends and family curious about this latest adventure my wife, Robin, and I are embarking on

The blog’s aims are:

·         Discuss the nature, status and apparent trajectory of public relations practice in Poland and, by extension, Central and Eastern Europe

·         Similarly, explore public relations higher education in Poland

·         Provide status updates on the progress of my research project (see below)

·         Share impressions of the vitality of the Polish economy and its role in Europe and the world

·         Describe the cultural experience of living in Poland, with the hope of encouraging travel to Poland

·         Encourage public relations scholars and practitioners to consider applying for Fulbright fellowships

Fellowship Basics

It was a lengthy and rigorous process, but my Fulbright application was approved early last spring (2011).  I will be spending six months, February through July 2012, in Poznan, Poland – roughly midway between Warsaw and Berlin.  Mine is a research-only fellowship, so I will not have regularly scheduled teaching obligations with the Economics University of Poznan, my host institution.  However, a Fulbright carries with it an expectation that I will participate in activities that increase understanding between the U.S. and Poland.  I accept that expectation eagerly and seriously.  In that capacity, I anticipate providing guest lectures, participating in discussions with scholars and practitioners, providing reports on my research, attending social and cultural events, and perhaps most importantly – listening and learning.  These activities could be viewed within the context of public diplomacy, and I consider this blog as contributing to that process.

I will publish a more complete description of my research project in a future blog, but basically I will be exploring the nature of employee communication in Polish organizations.  Through focus groups and survey research, I hope to be able to profile employee communication approaches and gauge their effectiveness in recruiting, retaining and motivating the best employees.  We know a great deal about those processes in the U.S. thanks to considerable research (even though “best practices” are not often applied!), but I plan to identify similarities and differences between U.S. and Polish employees.  For example: What channels of communication are being used by management?  Are those the channels employees prefer?  What categories of information do employees seek?  Are those the categories management is using?  How does effective employee communication affect employee trust in organizational leadership, employee loyalty and employee morale? 

My hope is to work with three large organizations in or near Poznan, and I am now in the process of seeking the cooperation of potential organizations.  My plan is to follow an ambitious but achievable timeline:

Month	Agenda
February	Arrive, acclimate, build relationships, confirm agenda
March	Conduct research with first organization
April	Conduct research with second organization
May	Conduct research with third organization
June	Process data and draft reports
July	Complete and present reports

Blog Parameters

Blog entries will generally be 500-750 words in length.  I will aim to generate at least one entry per week from now until the end of my Fellowship, perhaps two or three per week if time permits and follower interest warrants.  Topics I expect to address in upcoming entries will likely include:

·         Details on the research project

·         The Fulbright application process

·         Why my interest in Poland?

·         Preparation progress

I welcome questions and comments to the blog, and those that are of general interest I may incorporate in subsequent postings. 

Thank you for reading this far, and I hope you will choose to become a “follower!”  Talk with you again soon.