Exploring the Influence of Feminization in the Public Relations Practice on the Female Public Relations Practitioners in Ghana: A Case Study of Women in Public Relations (WiPR) in the Greater Accra Region

Abstract

This study explored the influence of feminization in the Public Relations Practice on the female Public Relations practitioners in Ghana. It focused on elucidating the comprehensibility or understanding of how women in the Public Relations (WiPR) practice broke through the glass ceiling, the challenges faced by the women and how they are championing the cause for other women to follow and excel as Public Relations practitioners. Data was collected through interviews with 10 women working in leadership positions in the PR field using purposive and convenience sampling techniques. In addition, peer review articles and articles were deployed as secondary sources. Findings revealed that these women think that gender has influenced the challenges and successes they have faced in their careers; specifically, the participants described their challenges as promotional barriers and some also addressed the issue of inequalities in salary and how it has affected their representation in the industry and society, consequently women in PR are putting in measures to champion the cause for other women to excel. This study therefore concludes that, feminization has increased the challenges faced by women in PR, particularly with issues of specific roles and side lining among women in the Public Relations Industry. It thus recommend that women in PR practice should endeavour to increase the level of orientation in the capacity of women in Public relations profession to enable PR practitioners to see the need of ensuring a shift happening in the field of Public Relations regarding gender issues, which they believe will benefit women