i 
 

 

 

 

EXPLORING THE INFLUENCE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS ON THE REPUTATION OF 

DIRECT SELLING COMPANIES. A CASE STUDY OF QNET LTD 

 

 

BY 

 

DEBORAH NAA NORLEY ADOM 

STUDENT ID: MAPRM23012 

 

A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MEDIA, ARTS AND 

COMMUNICATIONS UniMAC IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT 

FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF ARTS IN PUBLIC RELATIONS WITH MARKETIN 

JANUARY 2025 

 

 



ii 
 

DECLARATION  

DECLARATION BY STUDENT – PROJECT DISSERTATION  

I hereby declare that this research is a result of my own original research and that, no part of it 

has been presented for another degree in this university or any other higher education 

institute. I further declare that all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated 

and acknowledged by means of complete references.  

 

Deborah Naa Norley Adom         MAPRM23020                                          20/01/25 

…………………  ……………….          ……………      …………………. 

Student     Index Number              Signature                 Date 

 

DECLARATION BY SUPERVISOR 

This Dissertation has been prepared and presented under my supervision according to the  

guidelines for supervision and formatting of Dissertation laid down by the University of 

Media, Arts and Communications.  

Dr. Rhodalene Amartey                                                                          20/01/25 

…………………                           ………………………           ……………………… 

Supervisor                                                Signature              Date 

   

 



iii 
 

 

ABSTRACT 

This study explores the influence of public relations (PR) on the reputation of direct selling 

companies, with QNET Ltd. as the case study.  Direct selling companies constantly face 

misconceptions and scrutiny globally and this has affected their reputation negatively.  

Public relations play an important role in shaping the reputation of organisations by promoting 

transparency, trust, and building a positive public perception. This research employs qualitative 

data collection techniques, through interviews, to examine how PR strategies employed by 

QNET mitigate negative perceptions and enhance its reputation.  

The findings from this study reveals the importance of strategic PR initiatives such as crisis 

communication, intensive campaigns, stakeholder engagements and digital media strategies in 

influencing public opinion and addressing challenges unique to the direct selling industry.  

The study contributes to the existing body of knowledge on reputation management, providing 

insights for public relations practitioners and policymakers on the effective use of PR in the 

direct selling sector. 

 

 

 

 

 

 



iv 
 

 

Acknowledgment 

I am profoundly grateful to the Almighty for granting me the strength, wisdom, and 

perseverance to complete this thesis. 

I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to all those who supported me throughout this 

journey. To my supervisor, Dr. Rhodalene Amartey, thank you for your patience, guidance, and 

unwavering availability whenever I needed assistance. May God bless you abundantly for your 

support. 

A special thank you to Mr. Kojo Williams, my mentor, and Mrs. Barbara Adom for your 

financial support. This achievement would not have been possible without your generosity and 

encouragement. I am also deeply grateful to the staff of QNET Ltd., whose cooperation and 

insights were instrumental in the success of this study. 

To my mother, Mrs. Christiana Agyekum, I cannot thank you enough for your sacrifices and 

unconditional love. 

To the amazing friends I made during this time (Emmanuel Paintsil, Adelaide Shika Darko, and 

Eric Nyinaku) thank you for the wonderful memories and for cheering me on every step of the 

way. 

Lastly, this work is dedicated to my son, Jayse Nii Shidaa Adom, the driving force behind my 

hard work. Thank you for choosing me as your mother. You are my greatest blessing, and I 

love you dearly. 

To everyone else who contributed to the success of this project in any way, I extend my deepest 

gratitude. May God bless you all abundantly. 



v 
 

TABLE OF CONTENT 

ITEM                      PAGE NO. 

DECLARATION………………………………………..……………….……………...……..ii  

ABSTRACT……………….…….…………………….………………….……………..……iii  

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT……………………………………………………………..……...iv  

Table of Content…………..……………………………………………………..…………….v  

CHAPTER ONE – OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY 

1.1 Background of the study……….……………….……………………...…………………..1  

1.2 Statement of the problem ...…..…………………………………………...……………….3 

1.3 Research Objectives ……………………...……………………………………..…………3  

1.4 Research questions…… …………...………...……………………………………….……4  

1.5 Scope of the study …………………….……….…….…………………………………….4  

1.6 Significance of the study………….………………………………………………………..5  

1.7 Organisation of the study……………...……………………………………………………5  

1.8 Chapter summary…..…………………….………………………………………………...7 

CHAPTER TWO - LITERATURE REVIEW  

2.1 Introduction……………………………….………………………………………………..8  

2.2 Review of relevant literature……………………………………………………………….8  

2.2.1 Role of public relation in reputation management…………..………...…………………8 

2.2.2 Public relations and crisis management….……………………………………………..11 

2.2.3 The direct selling and e-commerce industry…………...………….……………..……..14 

2.3 Theoretical framework…………………………………………...…………………….…15  

2.3.1 Relevance of the study………… ………………………………….......……………….18  

2.4 Profile………...………………………………………………………...…………………19  

2.5 Operational definition of terms…………………………..……………………………….20  

2.6 Chapter summary……………………………………………………..…………………..21  

CHAPTER THREE - METHODOLOGY  

3.1 Introduction……………………………………………………………………………….22 

3.2 Research approach..............................................................................................................22  

3.3 Research design…………………………………...............................................................22 

3.4 Research method………….………………………………………..………………...……23  

3.5 Population……………………………….………………………..………………….……23 



vi 
 

3.6 Sampling technique……………………………………………………..………….…….23  

3.7 Data collection method………………………..…………………………….……………24 

3.7.1 Secondary data…….……………………………………………………………………24 

3.7.2 Primary data….…………………………………………………………………………24  

3.8 Data analysis………………………………………………...………………..…………..25 

3.9 Ethical considerations………..……………………………...………………..…………..25 

3.10 Summary…..……………………………………………...………………..……………25 

CHAPTER FOUR – DATA ANALYSIS, PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS AN 

DISCUSSIONS 

4.1 Introduction……………………………………………….………………………………26  

4.2 Public relations strategy……………………………………………………………..……26  

4.3 Public perception and reputation………………………………………………………….28  

4.4 Challenges in PR practice in Ghana………………………………….…………………...29  

4.5 Stakeholder engagement…….…………………………………………….………….…...31 

4.6 Measuring the effects of PR strategies…………………………………….….…………..33 

4.7 Recommendations …………...…………………………………………….……………..34 

4.8 Discussion of findings …………………….………………………….…….……………..35 

4.9 Chapter summary ……………………..…………………………….…….……………...38 

CHAPTER FIVE – SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 

5.1 Introduction ……………………..…………………………….…….……………………39 

5.2 Summary of findings ………………..…………………………….…….………………..39 

5.3 Conclusion……………….………………………….…….………………………………42 

5.4 Recommendations……………………….………………………….…….………………42 

5.5 Areas for future research……………….….………………………….…….……………..44 

5.6 Limitation of the study…………….………………………….…….……………………..44 

REFERENCES……………………….………………………….……….…….……………..45 

APPENDIX A……………………….………………………….…….…………………..…..52 

APPENDIX B……………………….………………………….…….…………………..…..55 

APPENDIX C……………………….………………………….…….…………………..…..70 

 

 

 



1 
 

CHAPTER ONE 

OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY 

1.1 Background of the study 

In the evolving world of business and e-commerce, companies are paying attention to their 

reputation and brand image because like the famous actor and social commentator Will Rogers 

said, ‘It takes a lifetime to build a good reputation, but you can lose it in a minute’. Public 

relations play a vital role in maintaining that good reputation and the direct selling industry 

where credibility and trust are important is not left out. 

The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) explains Public Relations (PR) as a strategic 

communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and 

their publics. The PRSA posits that Public Relations encourages influencing, engaging, and 

building a relationship with key stakeholders across numerous platforms. This is believed to be 

a core responsibility that shapes and frames the public perception of an organization. ("About 

public relations," 2024.) Public Relations today is more than just press releases and working 

with the media but an evolving field that combines the use and application of data, stories, 

marketing, advertising, social and digital components. This fosters and sustains mutually 

beneficial relationships across audiences and channels (Freberg, 2020). Aljanabi (2020) posits 

that public relations practitioners are expected to explain the problems of the organisation 

identified through research to the public before they develop into crises. Public relations 

practitioners must comply with the ethics regarding their work because its success and 

reputation are linked to its morals, integrity, credibility, and the confidence of others in it and 

that of their organisation.  

Corporate reputation is seen as the overall perception of stakeholders towards their organization 

or company, which is either positive or negative and the collective judgement of a company 



2 
 

based on ongoing assessments of its financial, social, and environmental impacts. (Mohd et al, 

2023). The reputation of an organisation plays an important role in the progress or failure of 

any organisation and any stakeholder of that organisation can cause damage to the corporate 

reputation of that organisation. Hence the misconduct of stakeholders can tarnish the hard-won 

reputation of any multinational corporation overnight. (Chun et al., 2019).  The reputation of 

an organisation also has an impact and influence on the confidence of investors, recruitment of 

staff, attitudes of suppliers and is used as a tool for business relations hence poses as a major 

risk on businesses. Companies engaged in retail, social media, and the internet, risk the spread 

of bad news faster than businesses in other arears. All stakeholders view the reputation of their 

organisations differently. For investors, it’s the company performance, for employees, 

renumeration standards, suppliers are more interested in the payment ability of the organisation 

and with customers, it is the quality of the product or service. This emphasises the need for 

different strategies when dealing with reputation crisis from different stakeholders (Edi & Wati, 

2022). 

Direct selling has existed for decades and is a type of non-store retailing where all direct sellers 

are non-salaried, and the traditional notion of direct selling is of an industry that is face-to-face 

and people orientated where relationships are formed (Wait, 2019). According to the Direct 

Selling Association, direct selling is a retail channel used by top global brands and smaller, 

entrepreneurial companies to market products and services to consumers. Most of these 

companies market all types of goods and services, including jewellery, cookware, nutritional’s, 

cosmetics, housewares, energy, insurance, and other products. The direct selling association 

also reveals that direct selling is an avenue where entrepreneurial persons work independently 

to build a business with low start up and overhead cost. ("What is direct selling," 2024). 

Emphasis is placed on the word independently. Statistics from the World Federation of Direct 

Selling Associations 2022 global annual direct selling statistical data report reveals that Africa 



3 
 

/ Middle east recorded an estimated retail sales of $1466 million in 2022 which shows a decline 

of 13.3% in sales when compared to previous years. ("Wfdsa stats," 2023.)   

This study will explore the influence public relations has on the reputation of a direct selling 

company with QNET Ltd as the case study. 

 

1.2 Statement of the problem 

While there has been some research done on the influence of public relations on brand 

reputation, most studies have not focused on the direct selling industry. Anani-Bossman, (2020) 

in his research on the role of public relations in corporate reputation management focused on 

other industries in Ghana like the banking, food and beverage and oil and gas. However, there 

is limited to no research conducted on the influence of public relations in the direct selling 

industry. This gap is significant because, it affects both industry and academia.  

This research aims to address this gap by conducting qualitative research through purposive 

interviews and document analysis in addressing the lack of empirical evidence on the 

effectiveness of PR strategies employed by direct selling companies like QNET Ltd in 

managing their reputation in Ghana and how these strategies impact their stakeholders. 

 

1.3 Research Objectives 

1.  To examine the strategies used by QNET LTD’s Public Relations team in Ghana. 

2.  To assess the impact of QNET LTD’s Public Relations strategies on the company’s 

reputation. 

3. To identify the main stakeholders of QNET LTD in Ghana 



4 
 

4.  To identify the issues faced by QNET's Public Relations team in maintaining a positive 

reputation in Ghana. 

5. To suggest recommendations for improving the Public Relations practices of direct 

selling companies in Ghana. 

 

1.4. Research Questions 

1. What Public relations strategies does QNET Ltd employ in Ghana? 

2. How does the public view the reputation of QNET Ltd in Ghana? 

3. What challenges does the QNET Ltd PR team face in maintaining a positive image in 

Ghana? 

4. Who are the company’s main stakeholders? 

5. How effective are QNET Ltd.’s PR strategies in enhancing its reputation among its 

Ghanaian publics? 

1.5 Scope of the study 

This study will focus on examining the various public relations strategies that QNET Ltd uses 

in Ghana.  It will also study any significant shifts in QNET Ltd.’s PR strategies in the past few 

years and the impact it has on the company’s reputation. The study will focus on Ghana, and on 

how the public relations strategies influence direct selling companies with QNET Ltd as the 

case study. This research will further identify the challenges faced by QNET’s PR team in 

maintaining a positive image and explore how these challenges are addressed. 

The research will identify the key stakeholders of QNET Ltd in Ghana, including customers, 

employees, regulators, and the media, to understand their influence on the company's reputation 

and the role PR plays in managing relationships with these stakeholders. 



5 
 

The study will employ qualitative research methods, including purposive interviews with 

QNET’s PR professionals and stakeholders, as well as document analysis, to gather insights 

into the effectiveness of the PR strategies used by QNET Ltd. The study aims to provide 

recommendations for improving the public relations practices of direct selling companies in 

Ghana, based on the findings related to QNET Ltd.’s PR strategies and their impact on the 

company’s reputation. 

 

1.6 Significance of the study 

This research will provide QNET Ltd and other direct selling companies with information on 

how to strategize and use public relations in the Ghanaian space. It will contribute to both 

academia and industry by bridging the literature gap in public relations, corporate reputation, 

and direct selling in Ghana. It will also contribute to understanding the Ghanaian landscape 

when it comes to direct selling and inform direct selling companies on the key challenges and 

opportunities in PR for direct selling companies when penetrating the Ghanaian market.  

 

1.7 Organisation of the study 

This study will explore the influence of public relations on the brand reputation of direct selling 

companies, specially focusing on QNET Ltd. as a case study. The research will help understand 

how public relations strategies are employed by QNET Ltd in maintaining its brand reputation 

in the face of public scrutiny and misconceptions often associated with the direct selling 

industry.  The study will be in six chapters and each chapter will address a specific aspect of 

the research in achieving the overall objective.   



6 
 

Chapter one provides an overview of the entire study and explains the main objectives of the 

study, the problems identified, the questions that the research seeks to answer and the scope of 

the entire study. It further explains the significance of the study introducing the research 

problem, objectives, and research questions. It also discusses the significance of the study and 

give a clear overview on how the entire research would be structured.  

Chapter two will review existing literature pertaining to public relations, brand reputation and 

the direct selling industry. This chapter will explore theories and frameworks that important to 

understanding public relations and its influence on brand reputation. In this chapter, the gaps in 

literature in the field of study will be clearly identified especially in the direct selling industry 

In chapter three the research methodology employed will be stated. This chapter will explain 

why that methodology was chosen and it will further explain the data collection methods, 

sampling techniques, ethical considerations and the data analysis process. 

In Chapter four the research findings would be presented and would explain how QNET Ltd. 

uses public relations strategies to manage and enhance its brand reputation. Findings will be 

organised in key themes identified in this chapter. The key findings and its implications in 

relation to the research questions raised in Chapter one will be discussed.  The effectiveness of 

QNET’s public relations strategies and their impact on the company’s brand reputation would 

be analysed using the findings. The chapter will also reveal how the findings will contribute to 

understanding how reputation is management in the direct selling industry. 

Chapter five will be the final chapter and will summarise the key finding and based on the 

findings and offer a conclusion. The limitations of the study will be disclosed and 

recommendations on how QNET Ltd and other direct selling companies can improve their 

public relations practices to enable them do away with the misconceptions and further improve 

their brand reputation would be stated.  



7 
 

1.8 Chapter summary 

This chapter gives a broad overview on what the entire research is going to be about and 

introduces the entire research. This chapter reveals the lack of research available in the sphere 

of direct selling when it comes to public relations and identifying what public relations 

strategies are employed by QNET Ltd and their effectiveness forms the problem identified and 

objective of the study. The research will further probe into the relevant stakeholders of the 

company and which public relations strategy is used in working with them. This study in the 

end will be beneficial to both academia and the direct selling industry. The chapter further 

explains the framework in which the research would be conducted, while providing the 

necessary context to understanding the importance of exploring the influence that public 

relations has on the brand reputation of direct selling companies. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



8 
 

CHAPTER TWO 

LITERATURE REVIEW 

2.1 INTRODUCTION  

This chapter discusses and reviews literature that is relevant to the topic and review other related 

studies. It also throws light on the theoretical framework that is used in this study and as well 

as defines the terms and concepts in the study. The chapter concludes with a chapter summary.  

2.2 Review of Relevant Literature 

2.2.1 Role of Public Relations in Reputation Management  

To better understand the basis of this research, it is important to first understand public relations 

and how much it has evolved over the years.  According to Grunig & Kim (2021), in the early 

days, public relations was merely a press agentry role, where public relations officers were 

reduced to press relations officers and were only interested in getting favourable press mentions 

for their organisations, no matter what it took. During this era, the practitioners engaged in one-

way communication, which was from the organization to the public without room for 

transparency or feedback. They dwelled on the lack of probity to hide relevant public 

information and told only the favourable stories of their organizations to their public. Public 

Relations was generally described as a tool for subterfuge, insincere public gestures, spinning, 

and a mere propaganda machinery within this era 

(Olariu, 2017) later redefines Public Relations as a tool that is used in creating public awareness, 

generating the publics preference for a product, repositioning a product in the market and 

sustaining the products in the market. In this context, PR plays a vital role in promotion and 

communication.   



9 
 

(Umaru et al., 2022) also emphasized public relations as a management function that is used by 

both the private and public sectors because it plays an important role in fostering and 

maintaining a positive relationship between an organisation and its publics, both internal and 

external. They argue that an organisations success is influenced by how cordial the relationship 

with its immediate community is, because this helps build and foster trust and in the end 

influences productivity and their overall performance.  

(Olariu 2017) further highlights key public relations tools which he states are publications, 

events, news releases, speeches, public service activities, written and audiovisual materials, 

corporate identity building, and telephone services. He also noted that planning public relations 

activities today involves setting clear objectives, selecting the right messages and 

communication channels, and assessing the outcomes of these. 

Anani-Bossman (2020) emphasises this point. He posits that PR is at the forefront of 

spearheading the reputation management agenda employing several techniques such as 

determining the right communication tools, developing media plans, selecting the right 

messages, setting objectives, budgeting and determining the overall effectiveness of the PR 

strategy has become an essential business function that influences business decisions including 

how organisations plan and communicate with their key stakeholders.  

It is clear that every organization needs a communications practitioner who is creative and 

proactive in establishing good relations and disseminating information to the public. This is 

done to minimize errors in conveying messages and misunderstandings in acceptance by the 

public. So that the image of an organization is always well maintained. For example, agency or 

institution A is experiencing a period of crisis and the image of the institution is viewed 

negatively by the public, Public Relations is the first party who will find the best  solution and 

solution to solve the problems being faced (Raya & Apriliani, 2024). 



10 
 

McKie & Sriramesh (2017) argue that Public Relations (PR) is a field that focuses on managing 

communication and relationships between people, groups, and organizations with the aim of 

building, maintaining, or even repairing reputations.  They state that PR plays a key role in 

crisis management, risk communication, and handling public issues. They further informed that 

people from various sectors, including business leaders, governments, and non-profits, use PR 

and overtime it has evolved from being about controlling messages to fostering mutually 

beneficial relationships, especially with the rise of social media and digital technologies. 

(McKie & Sriramesh, 2017) further explains that in modern times, PR is less about controlling 

communication and more about building connections that benefit both organizations and the 

public.  

Ntsugah & Bossman  (2023) emphasize that PR remains at the forefront of spearheading the 

reputation management agenda by employing several techniques such as determining the right 

communication tools, developing media plans, selecting the right messages, setting objectives, 

budgeting, and determining the overall effectiveness of the PR strategy reputation has become 

an essential business function that influences business decisions including how organizations 

plan and communicate with their key stakeholders.  

In their study, PR practitioners from selected multinational organizations were used as 

respondents to the research. Results indicate that public relations play a critical role in building 

the reputation of an organization. Practitioners use several activities including interpersonal 

communication, corporate social responsibility, and community engagement to build 

reputation. 

Every organization certainly needs a practitioner in the field of communication who is creative 

and proactive in establishing good relations and disseminating information to the public. This 

is done to reduce errors in conveying messages and misunderstandings in acceptance by the 

public and to maintain a good image for the organization. For example, if an organization is 



11 
 

experiencing a period of crisis and their image is seen as negative by the public, the Public 

Relations unit is the first party that will find the best solution to solve the problems being faced. 

Public Relations include the strategic management of information exchange between a person 

or organization and the public, intending to shape public opinion. Studies have shown that 

public relations have a beneficial effect on audience engagement by effectively sharing 

information between different parties, leading to a more involved audience. 

This shows that public relations has evolved over the years from being one sided and now 

involves building relationships with stakeholders.  

In summary, PR has evolved from being a one-sided way of communicating to a strategic 

process that highlights relationship-building with stakeholders. Studies show that effective PR 

practices can enhance audience engagement and foster deeper involvement between 

organizations and their publics. 

 

 2.2.2 Public Relations and Crisis Management 

One of the roles of public relations is crisis management. Oyewole (2023) posits that crises 

management is a critical organisational function which is one of the core essences of public 

relations. He refers to public relations as a strategic, marketing function that has been touted as 

an essential tool for resolving and or managing crises. He emphasises on the fact that crises 

management remains a critical organisational function and reveals how some crises have 

brought organisations to an abrupt end whiles leaving the reputation of other organisations 

crucially dented and as such, wanes the interest of stakeholders.  

Bundy et al. (2017) defines an organizational crisis as an event perceived by managers and 

stakeholders as highly salient, unexpected, and potentially disruptive which can threaten an 

organization’s goals and have profound implications for its relationships with stakeholders. In 

this article, (Bundy et al. 2017) outline four primary characteristics of crises and these are (a) 



12 
 

crises are sources of uncertainty, disruption, and change. (b) Crises are harmful or 

threatening for organizations and their stakeholders, many of whom may have conflicting needs 

and demands. (c) Crises are behavioural phenomena, meaning that the literature has recognized 

that crises are socially constructed by the actors involved rather than a function of the 

depersonalized factors of an objective environment. Lastly (d) crises are parts of 

larger processes, rather than discrete events.  From their review of Literature, (Bundy et al. 

2017) identified two primary perspectives that focused on different aspects of crises and crisis 

management. These which they stated were the internal and external perspectives.  

The internal perspective, as explained by (Bundy et al. 2017) focuses on the within-organization 

dynamics of managing risk, its complexities, and technology. This means that organisations 

should be able to handle the technical aspect and the relational aspect of their organisations. 

They should be able to prevent crisis, reduce the impact of these crisis in case it happens and 

learn and improve from crises.  

The external perspective according to (Bundy et al. 2017) focuses on the interactions of 

organizations and its external stakeholders. This perspective, believes that crisis management 

involves shaping perceptions and coordinating with stakeholders to prevent, solve, and grow 

from a crisis. Stakeholders are more involved here.  

Bundy et al. (2017) believed that these two perceptions have been developed independently 

over the years and its integration would serve a better purpose. They situate it around three 

primary stages which they labelled a) Precrisis prevention, b) crisis management and c) 

Postcrisis outcomes and this involved both the internal and external perspectives. 

Karam (2017) carried out a study on the impact of strategic planning on the crisis management 

of 5-star hotels. The study investigates crisis management styles (escaping, confrontation, 

cooperation, and containment) and their relationship to strategic planning processes. The study 

used a descriptive-analytical method with qualitative and quantitative approaches. Self-



13 
 

administered e-mail questionnaires totalling 190 were sent to all the general managers at the 

Egyptian five-star hotels. The outcome revealed that there is a statistically significant 

correlation and the relationship between strategic planning processes and crisis management 

styles. There was a negative correlation between strategic planning and escape, while strategic 

planning and confrontation, cooperation, and containment have a positive correlation. The 

findings implied the significance of strategic planning in times of crisis to improve hotels’ 

ability to survive and thrive in a crisis. The manager who actively exercises strategic planning 

is less escapable and able to manage the crisis either by using the style of cooperation, 

confrontation, or containment. The researcher recommended that hotels should employ a 

strategic approach to crisis management by embodying crisis management planning in the 

strategy process. Hotels should introduce crisis management as an integral and integrated part 

of strategic planning. Proper strategy and crisis management at the same time help hotels to 

think and plan strategically during a crisis and increase their ability to successfully manage it.  

(Nordeman & Humanson (2017) in their study of proactive crisis management affirmed that 

due to a competitive and consistently changing global business environment, it is almost 

impossible for organizations to avoid crises of various types and magnitude. The objective of 

their study was to display relationships between the perception of crisis awareness, crisis 

readiness, and the organizations` actual crisis management initiatives against major industrial 

crises. And also, to clarify if the perception of crisis awareness and crisis readiness could be 

affected by other factors that should be in consideration, which in turn could affect the outcomes 

of crisis-management initiatives and actions in industrial organizations. Data was obtained 

through literature and articles and was presented in the theory part. Collected data and empirical 

findings of the two largest automakers namely, Volkswagen and Toyota, who have been 

involved in scandals and crises related to core research of this paper. The findings of the 

research indicate that the perception of crisis awareness and crisis readiness in an organization 



14 
 

has a direct impact on the organization's crisis management initiatives and activities. Likewise, 

there are elements like Corporate Culture, Personnel Education in Crisis Management and 

Corporate Communication, and other factors, which would affect the perceptions of 

organizations. The study proposed that by the effective use of the elements listed above, 

organizations could influence employees’ crisis awareness and crisis readiness positively, thus 

strengthening the organizations' crisis management capacities.  

These studies demonstrate that strategic planning, crisis awareness, and readiness are important 

aspects of effective crisis management. Organizations that take a proactive approach in engage 

in these activities are better prepared to prevent, manage, and recover from crises, while 

maintaining their relationships with stakeholders and protecting their reputations. 

 

2.2.3 The direct selling and e-commerce industry 

Viswanathan (2018) describes direct selling by explaining that the direct selling business is a 

form of business in which products and services are marketed directly to consumers. The 

products are directly sold to the consumer in a non-retail environment and the sale occur 

generally at a customer’s location like home, work, or other location. It eliminates the use of 

middlemen involved in product distribution, such as the brokers, regional distribution centres 

and wholesaler. Instead, products go from manufacturer to the consumer directly through a 

distributor or retailer who can also be a customer for those goods or services.  

According to (Bobâlcă, C. 2015), Direct selling is a type of relationship marketing that 

facilitates the construction of a customized relation between the company and its clients and 

assures a long-term collaboration between the two parts. For a direct selling company, direct 

marketing is a powerful tool used to build strong relationships with the clients.  

Viswanathan (2018) further explains that growth in the direct selling business is seen through 

companies having their own performance-based marketing and rewards plan based on the sale 



15 
 

of goods and services it offers. The higher the turnover, the higher the reward earned. According 

to (Viswanathan, 2018) companies provides product and services information in the form of 

brochure, leaflets, catalogues, Audio and video Visuals and the training programmes offered 

through internet and online training libraries or in person through the company trainers. The 

sales can be carried out individually or with the help of sales team formed by the individual.  

But in Ghana recently, there have been several controversial issues surrounding direct selling 

companies. Seow (2022) posits that it is not easy to differentiate pyramid or Ponzi scheme from 

legitimate direct selling because unfortunately, due to a lack of regulatory scrutiny and public 

awareness, pyramid or Ponzi schemes have penetrated many countries around the world. 

According to (Seow, 2022) fraudulent operators disguise themselves as legitimate direct selling 

operators and infiltrate society causing catastrophic damage to the reputation of direct selling. 

He differentiates that Pyramid and Ponzi schemes are recruitment-centric and members are 

rewarded by mere recruitment, but the direct selling model is product-centric and thus, 

distributors are rewarded based on the personal and team sales of products.  

 

2.3 Theoretical framework 

Thomas (2017) explains theory as a description of a phenomenon and the interactions of its 

variables that are used to attempt to explain or predict. Generally, research is underpinned by 

some theoretical constructs. This helps draw research findings and analysis within certain 

theoretical frameworks and goes a long way to help appreciate these theories some more. It also 

helps the researcher confirm the existence of a theory in a phenomenon, challenge the existence 

of the said theory or even show some extensions or variations that may exist in the theory. 

The theory that underpins this study is the Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) 

which was propounded by W. Timothy Coombs which is grounded in the attribution theory that 



16 
 

explains how individuals interpret events and how this relates to their thinking and behaviour. 

Attribution theory suggests that people attribute responsibility for events, including crises, and 

their perceptions of that responsibility shape their reactions. 

SCCT categorises crisis into different types. These include A) Victim crisis this is where the 

organisation is seen as a victim to the crisis. This is normally stemmed from natural disasters, 

the tampering of products etc. B) Accidental crisis where the organisation is involved in event 

or crisis that was unintentional. This is normally seen when there is a technical error or a 

machine or equipment malfunctions and the last is C) Preventable crisis. This is where the crisis 

could have been avoided or was intentional. The organisation is held responsible, and the 

reputation of the organisation is highly at risk here. This can be stemmed from mismanagement, 

illegal activities, or unethical behaviour.  

Timothy Coombs (2007) further outlined some specific strategies that organisations can use in 

response to crisis depending on the type of crisis and the degree of responsibility attributed. His 

suggested strategies fall into three categories: the deny, diminish and rebuild strategies.  

The deny strategies is where the organisations deny responsibility for the crisis, and this is used 

mostly in victim crisis situations. The organisation uses these strategies to distance itself from 

the crisis situation by using scapegoating, attacking the accuser etc. 

The diminish strategy is where the organisation is where the organisation tries to reduce the 

severity or impact of the crisis or event or its responsibility to it by offering explanations and 

justifying the situation. These strategies are normally used in accidental crisis where the 

organisation takes some responsibility for the event but downplays its severity.  

The rebuild strategies according to Coombs is when the organization accepts responsibility for 

the crisis and seeks to repair its reputation by apologising, offering compensation and even 



17 
 

performing some corrective actions. This is important in preventable crisis where the 

organisation must demonstrate its commitment to changing. 

Timothy Coombs suggested some additional strategies that may be used alongside the main 

strategies mentioned above and this he called the Bolstering strategies. In this case organisations 

are recommended to use reminders; this is where the organisation reminds its stakeholders of 

its past good deeds in order to balance the current situation. He listed ingratiation as another 

strategy and in this case, organisations praise their stakeholders in order to get into their good 

books or win their favour. The last he states as victimage; this is where the organisation 

highlights the impact the crisis has had on them and the harm it has caused. This is also normally 

used in victim crisis.  

Many scholars have agreed to this theory and even built on it, but others share a different 

opinion on the crisis response strategy 

According to Coombs & Holladay (2014) the crisis response strategy research reflects a very 

specific univocal bias by concentrating on what organizational managers say and do to manage 

meaning. The “one voice” of the organization-as-crisis-manager is examined. This does not 

mean that all crisis responses emanate from a single spokesperson but rather that spokespersons, 

one or many, are perceived to be speaking for “the organization.” However, we must 

acknowledge that other voices may emerge during a crisis and seek to influence the meanings 

people attach to the crisis and the organization in crisis. The growth of social media has 

provided public places for other voices, in addition to the organization’s voice, to communicate 

about the crisis and crisis-related message. This argues that categorizing crisis into clear-cut 

types (victim, accidental, preventable) does not fully capture the complexity of real-life 

situations. This argues that crises are often fluid and more complex and may not fit neatly into 

these categories. As a result, SCCT may not provide sufficient flexibility for organizations 

facing confusing or evolving crises 



18 
 

Lu & Huang (2018) argue that crisis communication strategies like SCCT does not clearly 

consider the role of emotions in crisis communications.  They argue that scholars tend to ignore 

the possibility that emotion plays as strong a role as rationality in cognition and argue that the 

neglect of an emotion-to-cognition approach is partly due to theoretical presuppositions and 

partly due to the difficulty of observing, targeting, controlling, and measuring crisis emotions. 

Coombs (2007) states that SCCT is an example of the scientific social study of crisis 

communications. He emphasises that the internet is becoming a valuable tool for collecting 

information about warning signs and crisis as well as an option for communicating with 

stakeholders during a crisis. He mentions that this has also increased the crisis risks 

organisations face through computer hacking, denial of service and amplifying challenges from 

stakeholders that management might be operating an organisation in an inappropriate manner. 

 

2.3.1 Relevance of the theory to the study 

The Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) highlights the importance of aligning a 

crisis response strategy with the organisations level of responsibility towards the crisis. This 

helps the organisation protect and or potentially repair its reputation. A direct selling company 

like QNET Ltd faces crisis in Ghana a lot where they are accused of unethical practices. This 

theory would help determine if their public relations team uses the SCCT during crisis and if 

this theory actually work in complex situations like that of QNET Ltd.  

 

 

 

 



19 
 

2.4 Profile 

ABOUT QNET LTD 

Overview 

QNET LTD is a global e-commerce-based direct selling company that operates in over 100 

countries with regional offices and agency partnerships across the world. The company offers 

a wide range of products in different categories, which includes health and wellness, lifestyle, 

travel and education. The company operates under the umbrella of the QI Group, which was 

founded in 1998 by Vijay Eswaran and Joseph Bismark. QNET's business model is based on 

multi-level marketing (MLM), where independent representatives (IRs) promote and sell the 

company's products while also recruiting new representatives. 

QNET uses a multi-level marketing model as its business model. This allows independent 

representatives earn commissions based on the sales of their recruits in addition to their own 

sales. This business model is known for its entrepreneurial opportunities but criticized for its 

resemblance to pyramid schemes.  

QNET LTD’s Product Range 

QNET's product portfolio is diverse, encompassing several categories: 

• Health and Wellness: Nutritional supplements, water purification systems, and 

personal care products. 

• Lifestyle: Home care products, jewellery, watches, and fashion accessories. 

• Education: Online learning courses and educational tools. 

• Travel: Holiday packages and vacation club memberships. 

("About QNET QNET - About QNet - Who are we? What we stand for…," 2023) 



20 
 

2.5 Operational definition of terms and concepts 

Public Relations 

The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) defines public relations as a strategic 

communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and 

their publics.   

Media relations 

(McKie & Sriramesh, 2017) posit that in many parts of the world, many managers and public 

relations practitioners equate public relations with media relations. This they state is because 

typically, most practitioners spend most of their time developing relationships with members of 

the media with the goal of getting positive publicity.  

Corporate Social Responsibility 

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is described as how a company manages its industry 

and takes responsibility for its social impact. Corporate social responsibility encompasses 

various characteristics like economic dependence, legal conformity, ethical requirement, and 

societal influences (Chen et al., 2021).  

Stakeholder Engagement  

According to (Kujala et al., 2022) stakeholder engagement is explained as the relationships 

between organizations and stakeholders, such as employees, customers, suppliers, competitors, 

local communities and citizens, and the various outcomes of these relations. Stakeholders are 

individuals, groups, or organizations that affect or are affected directly or indirectly by the 

activities of an organisation Kujala et al (2022).  

 



21 
 

2.6 Chapter summary 

Chapter 2 of this research provides a comprehensive review of literature relevant to the role of 

public relations in managing the reputation of direct selling companies. It delves into the core 

functions of public relations in crisis management, highlighting theories like the Situational 

Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) by Coombs, which categorizes crises and offers tailored 

response strategies. The chapter also examines the direct selling industry, discussing its unique 

marketing model and the reputational challenges posed by fraudulent schemes. Additionally, 

critiques of SCCT, particularly regarding its limitations in addressing complex crises and the 

role of emotions, are explored. This review establishes a theoretical foundation for 

understanding how direct selling companies like QNET Ltd. manage reputation through 

strategic public relations efforts. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



22 
 

CHAPTER THREE 

METHODOLOGY 

3.1 Introduction 

This chapter focuses on the methodology that this research utilised in acquiring the best research 

results. It outlines the methods used in exploring the influence of public relations on the brand 

reputation of direct selling companies in Ghana, with QNET Ltd as the case study. It details 

what research approach, design and sampling methods were used and what data collection 

method brought out the best results. The data analysis method was discussed, and ethics were 

considered in this chapter. 

 

3.2 Research Approach 

The qualitative approach was used for this study because it focuses on understanding human 

experiences and social phenomena. (Taherdoost, 2022) states that the qualitative research 

approach aims to solve scientific and practical problems in society by using naturalistic and 

interpretative methods and this aligns with the study’s objectives. Through the use of a semi- 

structured interview guide, in-depth data was gathered which helped to understand the strategies 

and challenges faced by the PR team at QNET Ltd. 

 

3.3 Research Design 

A qualitative case study design was used for this research. This helps explore a phenomenon in 

a specific context using various data sources and perspectives to reveal different aspects of it 



23 
 

(Rashid et al., 2019). The case study design is used in this qualitative research to gain an in-

depth understanding of how public relations activities influence QNET’s brand reputation. 

 

3.4 Research Method 

Research methods are the means or modes of data collection or, sometimes, how a specific 

result is to be calculated (Igwenagu, 2016). A semi-structured interview was conducted for this 

study due to its appropriateness in gathering information from a specific group of people. 

Interviews with key public relations personnel from the Sub-Saharan Africa region of QNET 

Ltd were interviewed during the data collection process. This helped to gather rich and in-depth 

insights into the organisation under investigation. The qualitative approach helps understand 

people's experiences, views, and strategies in the organization's PR framework. 

 

3.5 Population 

According to (Majid, 2018), the population is the study’s target population that it intends to 

study or treat.  Population is a set of all the units which possess variable characteristic under 

study and for which findings of research can be generalised (Shukla, 2020). The population 

used in this study are the public relations professionals working with QNET in Sub-Saharan 

Africa. Specifically, the PR Manager and Assistant PR Manager were selected because of their 

expertise and how directly involved they are in the company’s public relations activities. 

 

3.6 Sampling Technique 

Purposive sampling was used to select participants who had in-depth knowledge and experience 

to answer the research objectives. This sampling technique was used because it is found in any 



24 
 

research paradigm and helps ensure that quality sample is located without biases so as to 

increase the reliability and trustworthiness of the findings (Nyimbili & Nyimbili, 2024). 

 

3.7 Data Collection Methods 

3.7.1 Secondary Data 

Secondary data was collected from existing literature, reports, online sources, and media 

coverage. This secondary data helped give context and understanding into QNET's public 

relations practice, the perception the public has of direct selling companies, and reputation 

management in general.  

 

3.7.2 Primary Data 

Primary data was collected through semi-structured interviews. The interviewees were the PR 

Manager and Assistant PR Manager of QNET in Sub-Saharan Africa. These interviews were 

conducted with the aim of exploring and understanding the strategies QNET uses in managing 

the perception of the brand and their reputation.  

These interviews also provided insights into the challenges that WNET faces when addressing 

misconceptions and how they overcome it. It reveals how QNET leverages on various public 

relations strategies to mitigate their negative reputation in Ghana. 

The interviews helped in understanding the participants' experiences and professional insights, 

which is important when using the qualitative approach described by Roberts (2020), which 

emphasizes capturing the meaning and experiences of participants in their own words and 

specific contexts. 



25 
 

3.8 Data Analysis 

Qualitative data analysis is a research method that studies data through the systematic 

classification process of coding and identifying themes or pattern related to the study which in 

this case is the influence of public relations on QNET’s brand reputation (Shava et al., 2021). 

This data analysis process helped put information gathered under themes which were later 

coded, and this aided in the easy interpretation and understanding of the study. 

 

3.9 Ethical Considerations 

Strict ethics were adhered to throughout the study and participants were informed about the 

purpose of the study and their consent were obtained before the interviews were conducted. 

Participants requested to remain anonymous, and their Confidentiality and anonymity were 

maintained, and they were assured that the data would be used solely for academic purposes. 

 

3.10 Summary 

This chapter outlines the design, approach, and methodology used in this research. It further 

reveals the use of the qualitative case study approach, and semi-structured interviews, to enable 

an in-depth investigation into the role of public relations in shaping the brand reputation of 

QNET in Ghana. The next chapter will present the findings and analysis derived from the data 

collected. 

 

 

 



26 
 

CHAPTER FOUR 

DATA ANALYSIS, PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS 

4.1 Introduction 

This chapter focuses on presenting the findings of the study in relation to the interviews 

conducted with the Manager and Assistant Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa of QNET Ltd in 

Ghana. The chapter studies the data collected during the interviews and aligns it to the research 

questions and objectives of the study to determine the influence of public relations on QNETs 

reputation in Ghana. The key areas this study focuses on includes the challenges faced by the 

PR team, the strategies used to address misinformation and misconceptions, stakeholder 

engagement, evaluation of PR strategies, and recommendations for improvement. 

 

4.2 Public Relations Strategies  

The research sought to investigate the PR strategies utilised by QNET Ltd in their practice in 

Ghana and the PR team revealed a number of strategies that have helped them in the Ghanaian 

space. Public relation campaigns, social media, media relations and government relations are 

the key strategies  

4.2.1 Public Relation Campaigns 

Both participants revealed PR campaigns as one of the key strategies used by the company. 

Participant 2 states ‘Another key PR strategy that we employ is the use of PR campaigns. 

Currently we are running a PR campaign in Ghana called QNET against Scam… that was 

creating awareness to fight the misinformation and misrepresentation of our brand’. They 

mentioned that there was also the MAMA campaign but could not speak much on it because it 

was before their time.  



27 
 

4.2.2 Digital media 

Another important strategy that QNET Ltd uses in Ghana is Digital media. The company 

leverages on the wide reach of social media platforms by utilising it to reach their stakeholders 

especially their Independent Representatives (IRs) because they are based in different regions 

in Ghana. They have used social media to create a sense of community and this increases the 

love for the brand and encourages feedback.  

Participant 2 emphasised this ‘we've leveraged on it and we've created something like 

communities, you know that now social media channels have communities where you can group 

all the people who follow you, have interest in your product or your brand and engage them 

directly’. 

4.2.3 Media Relations 

According to the PR team, media relations is an important PR strategy they utilise.  

Participant 1: ‘We've done more of media relations’ 

4.2.4 Government relations  

Government relations was stated to be another important aspect of their public relations 

strategy. One on one meeting with government officials they revealed has gone a long way in 

repairing their reputation and educating the higher ups on direct selling.  

Participant 1: ‘stakeholder engagement, specifically government stakeholders’ 

It was mentioned during the interview that all PR strategies are tailor made for the Ghanaian 

market because all markets have slightly different issues and with Ghana, the main issues faced 

are misrepresentation and misinformation of the brand. Participant 2 revealed, ‘We have market 

specific plans. So, for Ghana… misinformation and misrepresentation is one of the biggest 



28 
 

issues we need to confront in this particular market. So, all these strategies that I've 

mentioned…, are tailored to meet the specific needs of the Ghanaian market’. 

The participants revealed that they utilise the help of a PR agency in implementing and 

monitoring their PR activities in Ghana. ‘We have a PR consultant who does that for us. And I 

can't mention specifically the tools they use’ Participant 2 also revealed that one of the agencies 

they use is called Carma. ‘They give us real time analysis feedback on our, on our, on our 

mentions, on our reputation, on our performance in media, in traditional media, in social 

media, et cetera’. 

 

4.3 Public perception and reputation 

4.3.1 Negative public perception 

To further understand QNET Ltd.’s reputation in Ghana, Participants were asked what they 

believed was the public’s perception of QNETs reputation in Ghana and both stated it was 

negative. Perceived reputation of QNET was in Ghana was and both participants stated 

Negative.  

Participant 2: ‘There's a lot of mistrust, misconception because people don't actually know what 

we do. It's what they've read in the media space, what they've been told, experiences from others. 

And you know, there's generally, this fear of the unknown. And so it's been negativity and 

mistrust. That is what some people too are torn in between because they don't know who to 

trust.’  

Participant 1 revealed that with constant engagement with stakeholders especially with security 

agencies the perception is changing ‘after engaging them one on one they understood, or they've 

got to understand the company policies properly which to some to a large extent change their 



29 
 

perception about the company. But I wouldn't say the general public have changed their 

perception from what we do or the statements that we issue.’  Participant 2 cautioned that it is a 

gradual process ‘You need to keep on fighting, spreading the message. And that is one of the 

reason that we're running this year long campaign to ensure that the real message about the 

real QNET goes out there into the public. So it's a gradual thing’. 

The major challenges identified is the negative mindset and perception of the public toward 

QNET and direct selling as indicated above. Constant media and stakeholder engagements and 

campaigns are the main strategies the company is using to change that perception. 

 

4.4 Challenges in PR practice in Ghana 

4.4.1 Negative Perception 

Negative perception of QNET and direct selling in general has stifled the efforts of the PR team 

in Ghana. That has been the number one challenge according to the team. Changing the 

perception of the public has been difficult and the team acknowledges that can seem impossible, 

but they seem optimistic that it would change in time.  

Participant 1: ‘I think the main challenge is there's a negative perception about the company. 

That is what is the number one challenge. Because when people have an opinion or a negative 

perception about you, it's really difficult to erase it. It takes a while up. So that makes it more 

difficult’ 

Participant 2: You would have instances where people you're engaging have preconceived 

mindsets. That everything done online is a scam. I don't want to be involved… they don't even 

want to listen to you. They don't want to hear you’. 

 



30 
 

4.4.2 Lack of Understanding and Education about Direct Selling 

Another challenge is the lack of understanding and education about the company and the direct 

selling industry and they are just not willing to learn. 

Participant 1: ‘Some people do not understand the industry and are not ready to learn about the 

industry. So the mere mention of IR, direct selling, they don't want to hear it’. 

 When participants were asked if they have put together any measures to correct this perception, 

they revealed they have. Participant 1 stated ‘constant engagement of the media and government 

stakeholders’. Participant 2 revealed that they are changing the perception of the public also 

through their campaigns that reveal the real truth about the company and they are against scams. 

‘We decided to come out and tell people the real truth about QNET. And whilst we focused on 

doing that, we are concurrently running a campaign to encourage people to tell them that we 

are against scams’. 

The complex nature of QNET’s products, particularly those based on advanced science such as 

quantum physics, makes this more challenging. For example: 

“Some of our products are based on quantum physics… People don’t understand when you tell 

them there’s a glass with a special pattern that can re-energize or restructure your water.” 

4.4.3 Cultural and Communication Barriers 

The PR representative highlighted cultural communication barriers as another challenge. He 

expressed that receiving feedback is important because that is how you identify the problems.  

Participant 2: ‘Sometimes it's a language barrier. Sometimes it's a cultural communication 

barrier. A lot of people overlook that. Sometimes you have to look at the culture setting and 

see if your PR strategies are really connecting with the people in the grassroots’. 



31 
 

This cultural expectation makes it difficult for QNET to build trust, particularly in rural or 

grassroots communities where digital solutions are still viewed with scepticism. 

4.4.4 Lack of Direct selling laws 

There are no laws that govern the direct selling business in Ghana, and this make it very difficult 

to regulate. Independent representatives end up just doing whatever they see fit which worsens 

the company’s reputation and the authorities are also not able to do much about the situation 

because there are no guidelines to follow; 

Participant 1: ‘Ghana doesn't even have direct selling laws. That is also a big challenge because they 

are not laws to regulate it. The authorities use their own whatever understanding or their own judgment 

when it comes to dealing with issues on direct selling’. 

 

4.5 Stakeholder Engagement 

4.5.1 Identification of Key Stakeholders 

The PR team identifies Independent Representatives (IRs) as QNET’s primary stakeholders 

Participant 2 states “They are the first point of call after our website and social media. What 

they tell these prospects, and what they don’t tell them, is critical.” The IRs play an important 

role in shaping the public’s perception of the company, because they are mostly the first point 

of contact prospects have with QNET. They also mentioned the media and government as key 

stakeholders. ‘The media is the first… We go to government stakeholders second’ 

4.5.2 Engagement Strategies 

QNET engages with its Independent Representatives (IRs) through training and development 

programs tailor-made for the Ghanaian market to ensure they are educated enough to represent 

the company. The two key programs that were mentioned are the QNET Product Certification 



32 
 

(QPC): This program educates IRs on the products, their benefits, and unique selling points and 

the QNET Sales Training (QST): This program trains IRs on how to pitch products and 

communicate well with prospects. ‘We have training and development sessions, and I can give 

you the two main ones, Its QPC and QST.  QPC is QNET Product Certification where we have 

our trainers that understand everything about the products, we sell… And the QST is the QNET 

Sales Training. So, we also train them on how, how they can pitch’. 

These training programs help IRs address prospects in the field in a more knowledgeable, 

confident, and capable manner. 

The PR team also revealed they engaged the media more than the government by taking the 

media on junkets to their headquarters and product exhibitions. They engage the government 

through one-on-one interactions with them and introduce them to their products. ‘We have 

engaged in the media several more than we have engaged the government stakeholders. With 

the media, we’ve gone to the extent of even taking them to Malaysia to see our head office and 

to be part of our annual VCON celebration. All this we have done to make them really believe 

that there's a company or QNET is a genuine company. That really has product and sells 

product’. Participant 1 further states. ‘. What we have done is this one on one engagement with 

them as well and showing them our product’. In relating to government officials.  

4.5.3 Addressing Stakeholder Complaints 

The PR team actively addresses complaints from IRs, especially those that are related to 

misinformation and misrepresentation which disrupts prospecting: we’ve received stakeholder 

complaints that the issues of misrepresentation and misinformation hurts their business …it 

affects their prospecting… it’s demoralizing for them.” States participant 2.  

The PR team solves complaints from media and government that relate to IRs by conducting 

their internal investigations and prosecute.  



33 
 

Participant 1: ‘we've had the media people go into the media to report that qnet employees have 

come to them… we check in our database to find out if they are in our database as an IR. Then 

we have internal disciplinary actions that we take against them. If it's something that has to go 

to court, we encourage the people that have been scammed, to go to the authorities and report 

and we support them’. 

The team uses such feedback to refine their messaging and campaigns, ensuring IRs are 

supported in their efforts to promote QNET. 

 

4.6 Measuring the Effectiveness of PR Strategies 

QNET employs a variety of ways in measuring the effectiveness of their public relations efforts. 

This includes feedback from stakeholders, and internal monitoring platforms in the form of a 

hotline that IRs can reach out through. However, the PR representative emphasized that data 

collection and analysis for ongoing campaigns, such as the QNET against Scams campaign, is 

still in progress; 

4.6.1 Constant engagement with stakeholders 

One on one feedback is received from stakeholders through constant engagement from the PR 

team. This enables the team know what their stakeholders especially those in the media and 

government sector are feeling 

Participant 2: ‘our stakeholders are one of our best ways of getting feedback...’ 

4.6.2 WhatsApp hotline and email 

To enable easy access to feedback and create a better relationship with its publics, the company 

uses a WhatsApp hotline and an email address that makes it easier for the public to reach them 

at any time with complaints, suggestions and other information. This hotline and email are a 



34 
 

great source of information. To get their hotline numbers across to their stakeholders, they make 

sure to include it into the press releases they send out. 

Participant 1: ‘the company has a hotline that we give out or we always put in our statements 

out there. So we through this hotline and email address they can reach us any day. They are 

able to reach us anytime, any day’.   

4.6.3 PR Agency 

QNET relies on a Public relations agency for measurement of its PR activities. This shows that 

QNET relies on continuous monitoring to assess the success of their campaigns and inform 

future their strategies. 

Participant 1: ‘Yes, we have a PR consultant who does that for us. And I can't mention 

specifically the tools they use’ 

 

4.7 Recommendations 

4.7.1 Increased stakeholder engagements 

Stakeholder engagements run through the entire interview and the PR team once again 

recommended an increase in their stakeholder engagement efforts. They believe that positioning 

QNET as a company that does not just sell supplements but promotes health and wellness to 

stakeholders would go a long way in improving QNETs PR practice in Ghana.  

Participant 2: ‘Increased stakeholder engagement. We will push more of the brands positioning 

out there. People should know what we stand for, what we do, what we're about’. 

 

 



35 
 

4.7.2 Nationwide Campaigns 

The team acknowledges that there have been campaigns that have been organised but are 

tailored to cater to specific regions or markets. They recommended that subsequent campaigns 

would be more effective and reach the entire target audience if it is done Nationwide and more 

in depth. They also recommended the campaigns be longer and more intense. 

Participant: ‘I think we should have more campaigns, and the campaign should be more … I 

think we should have a more detailed campaign, a more a nationwide campaign which involves 

all the above the line and below the line tools intensive one’. 

4.7.3 Education 

When asked about how QNET can improve the misconceptions the public has about direct 

selling, the team provided that more education needed to be done. Though direct selling is not 

a new concept, it is quite new to the Sub Saharan Region and this has posed a lot of 

misconceptions because the public dos not have much education about the concept and its 

benefits and labelled direct selling as the future of entrepreneurship 

Participant 2: ‘Education. Education, education... We must present the benefits to the individual, 

to communities, to the nation, and most importantly, to the Sub Saharan African region, because 

it has a lot of potential... And direct selling is the future of entrepreneurship’. 

 

4.8 Discussion of findings 

The response from the interview emphasizes Grunig & Kim (2021) assertion that Public 

Relation (PR) has evolved from just being a press agentry role where information is passed on 

and communication is one way without room for feedback to nurturing and maintaining a 

positive relationship between an organisation and its publics like stated by Umaru et al., (2022).  



36 
 

Reviewing QNET’s public relations strategies, it is seen that two-way communication is 

important and feedback is taken seriously and informs the next steps of all the company’s 

strategies.  Respondents highlighted PR campaigns. Media relations through press releases and 

media engagements, government relations and Digital communication through social media as 

their main strategies. 

Another key information that was noted is that whatever strategy is used is tailormade for the 

Ghanaian market since the objectives and key messaging of their global office might not 

necessarily be exactly what the Ghanaian market and this emphasises what Anani-Bossman 

(2020) opines that PR is at the forefront of reputation management by setting clear objectives, 

right messaging and communication tools among others. From the information shared, QNET 

is on the right path and is in tune with the modern concepts of Public relations and utilises the 

right strategies.  

QNET as a representative of the direct selling industry focuses on transparency, two-way 

communication, and constant education to address misconceptions and manage its reputation. 

This emphasises the need for direct selling companies to utilise these tools for a better 

reputation. 

The perception of the public and how the public views QNET and direct selling in general was 

said to be negative. The research revealed that this is because of direct selling being a new 

concept in Sub Saharan Africa and one that is misunderstood.  People in Ghana mistaken direct 

selling organisations to be scams because some Independent Representatives (IRs) 

misrepresents the company to prospects. This emphasises the point that Seow (2022) made that, 

it is not easy to differentiate pyramid or Ponzi schemes from legitimate direct selling because 

unfortunately, due to a lack of regulatory scrutiny and public awareness. The misrepresentation 

of the brand and direct selling has caused the company various crisis situations. From the 

interview, it is evident that QNET utilises the SCCT framework in managing its crisis, they 



37 
 

categorize the issue by investigating in house and in most cases the crisis could have been 

prevented because it’s always from the actions or inactions of third parties i.e. Their 

independent representatives. The next thing is to send out a press release stating the fact of the 

issue and clarifying the misconception that the issue is cause by the organisation, then the trust 

rebuilding exercises begin through public education campaigns and direct engagement with 

stakeholders. This falls in line with SCCT’s rebuilding approach and shows transparency and 

accountability.  

The study also identified various challenges that public relations faces in the direct selling 

industry in Ghana. Lack of understanding and education, no direct selling laws in Ghana, the 

cultural and communication barriers and the negative perception of people about QNET and 

direct selling poses as a challenge in managing the reputation of the company.  

Engaging stakeholders is one of the frequently mentioned strategies that QNET uses in building 

and managing its reputation in Ghana. This emphasises the point by (McKie & Sriramesh, 2017) 

that QNET is more about building connections that are mutually beneficial to the organisation 

and its public and the best way to do that is through stakeholder engagements. The organisation 

constantly staying in touch with their stakeholders who they identified as their independent 

representatives, the media and the government helps promote a positive reputation and 

encourages feedback. They mentioned some innovative ways in which they stay in touch with 

these stakeholders are through trainings and social media when dealing with Independent 

representatives, junkets and organising media engagement programmes for the media and one-

on-one meeting and junkets for stakeholders. This buttresses the point made by  (Kujala et al., 

2022) that stakeholder engagements involves two-way communication activities and stated 

some of these two-way activities as roundtable meetings, one-on-one conversations and 

negotiations, work-shops, training, conferences, and open-house days.  



38 
 

The study also revealed that QNET does not analytically measure the effectiveness of their PR 

activities. This poses as a threat to their reputation because they might not necessarily be 

informed on the gaps in their PR activities without analytical measurements. They study 

revealed that QNET uses feedback from stakeholders, whatsapp hotline and emails and their 

agencies. They mentioned they used a third party for media monitoring but not for real time 

analysis. Stevenson (2022) states that for PR practitioners to speak with authority when asked 

to prove their value to the organisation they need to measure the effects of their programmes, 

provide sound forecasts of future needs, and account for the resources they consume. Without 

these not being done, the impact of the activities and actions taken by the PR team cannot be 

said to be effective. Direct selling companies need to take measurement and evaluation of their 

PR activities seriously to be able to determine if the activities performed to build and manage 

their reputation are effective. 

 

4.9 Chapter summary 

This chapter presents the findings from the interviews conducted on exploring the influence of 

public relations on the reputation of direct selling companies using QNET ltd as the case study. 

The interviews reveal the main PR strategies used by the company, the challenges that hinder 

the company’s PR efforts and how they are tackled and the perception the public has about 

QNET in Ghana and how that is being managed.  This chapter revealed that QNET has a 

negative reputation in Ghana which is due to the lack of education, cultural barriers and the lack 

of direct selling laws in Ghana which causes an unhealthy number of crisis situations in the 

country. Stakeholder engagements and PR campaigns and publishing disclaimers are some 

efforts being used to address these issues.  

 



39 
 

CHAPTER FIVE 

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMENDATION 

5.1 Introduction 

This chapter summarises the key findings of this study, presents the conclusions based on the 

research, and offers recommendations for improving public relations (PR) practices in the direct 

selling industry and in direct selling companies like QNET Ltd. It also mentions the areas for 

future research. 

 

5.2 Summary of Findings  

5.2.1 Public relations strategies 

QNET from this study listed a number of public relations strategies they utilise in building and 

maintaining their reputation in the Ghanaian market. Public relations campaigns is one key 

strategy they utilise and revealed there is one of such campaigns currently running named the 

‘QNET against scam’ campaign.   

They also listed media relations as another strategy. They keep in touch with their media 

stakeholders through media junkets, engagements and dissemination of press releases.  

They also revealed government relations as one key strategy where there have one on one 

interactions with the security agencies and take a few on junkets to their headquarters for them 

to experience the real QNET and be shown evidence that the company is real and not a scam. 

Digital communications through the use of social media is another strategy that is used. The 

company is able to reach larger numbers and form communities that foster togetherness and 

helps their stakeholders feel seen. 



40 
 

5.2.2 Public perception and reputation 

Even though QNET has implemented these PR strategies, they have not been able to eradicate 

the negative reputation that they have in the country because of the constant misuse and 

misrepresentation of the company’s name by fraudsters. This has slowed down the impact of 

the PR strategies being implemented in the country. 

5.2.3 Challenges in PR practices in Ghana 

The negative perception the company has in Ghana has been a constant challenge in the 

activities of the PR team. A reputation takes time to build but it takes one crisis to see that 

carefully built reputation stained. And with QNET’s name constantly being dragged in the mud, 

it makes their situation more challenging. 

The lack of direct selling laws in Ghana worsens the situation because Independent 

Representatives who misuse the company’s name are not governed by any laid down laws 

which makes controlling their way of business difficult. The authorities also find it difficult to 

prosecute these perpetrators because they are limited and do not know what passes as legal or 

illegal when it comes to direct selling in Ghana. 

Ghana has various ethnic languages and cultures, and this is another challenge. Since 

independent representatives are based all over the country and being educated is not a 

requirement in practicing direct selling, PR messages must be drafted in a way that resonates 

with everyone whether educated or not.  

 

 

 

 



41 
 

5.2.4 Stakeholder Engagement  

Effectively communicating with stakeholders in the company which the PR team revealed are 

the Independent Representatives (IRs), the media, Government and customers has gone a long 

way in mitigating crisis that rise up.  

Different engagement strategies are used for different stakeholders. Independent representatives 

are usually engaged via training programmes that help them get to know the product they are 

selling and make them more confident when prospecting and through social media. Junkets to 

the headquarters of the company, product exhibitions and media engagement workshops are the 

key ways media is engaged. One on one engagements work best with government officials, and 

this has helped build a relationship with these stakeholders and garner feedback.  

Feedback is received from stakeholders in diverse ways also. What works for one does not work 

for the other. Independent Representatives reach the company via their WhatsApp hotline and 

email, while media and government reach the PR team directly through one-on-one 

conversations and constant engagement by the PR team.  

5.2.5 Effectiveness of PR strategies  

No specific software of programme is used to measure the effectiveness of PR activities in the 

country. The company relies on feedback from stakeholders and their PR agencies as a way of 

measuring the impact of their strategies. This poses as a huge gap in their PR efforts. Analysing 

the sentiments of stakeholders alone is not enough to fully assess the impact. A more robust 

evaluation method is needed.  

 

 

 



42 
 

5.3 Conclusion 

This study is to examine the influence of Public relations on the reputation of direct selling 

companies with QNET being the case study. The study concludes that it is important to 

constantly interact with stakeholders of a direct selling organisation in order to build and 

maintain a positive reputation. The terrain of direct selling differs from other industries because 

there are third party entrepreneurs who can affect the reputation at any time so constant 

education and training is important here. Public relations does have an influence on the 

reputation of direct selling companies but it takes a longer time and more effort to achieve the 

desired result.  

 

5.4 Recommendations  

Based on the interviews and research conducted the following recommendations are being 

proposed to enhance QNETs PR practice and the influence it has on the company’s reputation 

and that of other direct selling organisations in Ghana and by extension other parts of Sub-

Saharan Africa.  

5.4.1 Enhance transparency and accountability 

An increase in educational drives and campaigns that would equip the public on being able to 

differentiate between scammers or fraudsters and the legitimate QNET would help the company 

appear more transparent.  

Prosecuting and publicly bringing these fraudsters to book would enable the public view the 

company as one that is accountable and transparent in their dealings. The right way of making 

money and how it is made should be made privy to the public and this would help the public 



43 
 

understand the compensation plans of direct selling and help in pushing the image of 

transparency.  

5.4.2 Leverage on digital media 

Enhance the use of digital platforms in reaching stakeholders and the public. Have a more 

interactive relationship with social media audience and this helps to send across information 

and receive feedback in a timely manner.  

Investing in analytic tools that can monitor and evaluate social media engagements would help 

direct the PR team on what strategies to take and which ones make the most impact. 

5.4.3 Strengthen stakeholder engagement  

Constantly interact with stakeholders and respond to their feedback both offline and online in a 

timely manner. Always ensure that stakeholders are engaged after an unforeseen crisis to keep 

them satisfied and happy.  

5.4.4 Proactive crisis management 

Constantly train PR team on new strategies utilised in managing crisis. Create a comprehensive 

Crisis management plan that can be used when there are challenges or crisis. Conduct scanning 

of the horizon both internally and externally to guage red zones that can cause issues and 

mitigate before it becomes a full-blown crisis. 

5.4.5 Constant evaluation of PR strategies 

Create key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure effectiveness of PR campaigns, such as 

media coverage analysis, sentiment scores, and stakeholder surveys. This would help in 

identifying areas in the PR plan that need improvement. 

 



44 
 

5.5 Areas for Future Research 

In future, researchers can conduct research on the impact of public relations by comparing PR 

strategies across various direct selling companies or across Sub Saharan Africa. This can 

provide more insight into what other direct selling companies are doing and verify if the 

challenges they face are similar. 

A comparative analysis can also be conducted between direct selling companies in different 

African countries to verify if the issues faced and strategies used are similar and works for both 

African countries. 

 

5.6 Limitations of the Study 

Access to information on direct selling in Africa was difficult to come by. It was also a challenge 

gaining access to the PR team of QNET in Ghana because they have a busy schedule. Some 

information was difficult or unavailable due to corporate confidentiality. 

Public perception and reputation of the company relied heavily on subjective inputs from 

interviews conducted and the answers could have been influenced by personal biases. 

Time constraints on the part of researcher and interviewees caused a delay in accessing 

information and the study which was conducted within a limited timeframe prevented the 

researcher from evaluating the influence of PR on the reputation of direct selling companies 

over a longer period of time. 

 

 

 



45 
 

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APPENDIX A 

INTERVIEW GUIDE 

Introduction 

My name is Deborah Naa Norley Adom. A graduate student at the University of Media, Arts 

and Communications (UNIMAC). I am conducting a study on the topic: "Exploring the 

Influence of Public Relations on the Brand Reputation of Direct Selling Companies in Ghana: 

A Case Study of QNET Ltd." 

Public Relations Strategies 

Can you describe the key Public Relations (PR) strategies QNET employs in Ghana? 

How are these strategies tailored to address the specific needs of the Ghanaian market? 

What are some recent PR campaigns you have launched, and what were their goals? 

Do you use any specific tools or platforms to implement and monitor PR activities? 

Public Perception and Reputation 

How would you describe the public's perception of QNET in Ghana? 

Have you put any measures in place to build and maintain a positive reputation for QNET in 

Ghana? 

Was there a situation where the public changed its perception of QNET in Ghana? What did 

you do to achieve this? 

Crisis Management in Public Relations 

Has QNET experienced a crisis in Ghana? What is QNET Ltd’s general approach to 

identifying and managing crises in Ghana? 



53 
 

Can you share a recent example of a crisis the PR team managed, and what strategies were 

used to address it? 

How does QNET Ltd ensure effective communication with stakeholders during a crisis? 

What role does social media play in your crisis management efforts? 

How do you evaluate the success of your crisis response, and what lessons have you applied 

from past experiences? 

Challenges in PR Practices 

What are the main challenges you and your team face in maintaining QNET’s reputation in 

Ghana? 

How does the team address  

misinformation or negative publicity about QNET? 

Are there any challenges when it comes to culture or the specific regulations of Ghana that 

affect your PR efforts? 

 Stakeholder Engagement 

Who do you identify as QNET’s primary stakeholders in Ghana? 

 Does the PR team engage with these stakeholders? If yes How? 

Have you received any stakeholder complaints? If yes, what strategies do you use to solve 

them? 

Effectiveness of PR Strategies 

How do you measure the effectiveness of your PR strategies? 



54 
 

Have you had any successful PR Campaigns? If yes, Can you provide examples of successful 

PR campaigns and their outcomes? 

Are there any specific systems you rely on for feedback? 

Recommendations for Improvement 

In your experience, what improvements would you recommend for QNET’s PR practices in 

Ghana? 

Are there any new PR trends or tools that you think QNET should adopt? 

How do you think the QNET can improve public misconceptions about direct selling? 

Conclusion 

Do you have any additional comments or insights you would like to share about QNET’s 

Public Relations practices in Ghana? 

Thank you for your time. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



55 
 

APPENDIX B 

INTERVIEW WITH PARTICIPANT ONE 

Interviewer  

Okay, so good afternoon and thank you for taking time to meet with me today. 

My name is Deborah Naa Norley Adom and I'm a graduate student at the University of Media 

Arts and Communications, Unimac. I am conducting a study on the topic exploring the 

influence of public relations on the brand reputation of direct selling companies in Ghana. 

A case study on QNET limited. Your insights are very important to me, and I truly appreciate 

your willingness to share your thoughts. Before we begin, I want to assure you that this 

conversation will remain confidential. 

Your responses will be used only for research purposes and presented in a way that doesn't 

identify you personally. 

If you feel uncomfortable at any point, you are free to decline to answer or stop the interview. 

Please Do you have any other questions before we start. 

Interviewee 

I'm good. 

Interviewer 

Okay. Okay, so the first question I want to ask is on public relations strategies that QNET uses. 

Can you describe the key public relations strategies QNET uses in Ghana? 

 

Interviewee 



56 
 

I'm not going to describe; I'm going to mention them. We've done more of meda relations, 

stakeholder engagement, specifically government stakeholders and we've done crisis 

management as well. 

Interviewer 

Okay. 

And with these strategies, do you tailor them to the Ghanaian market since you are for SSA?  

are the strategies you use in other SSA countries different from what you use in the Ghanaian 

market? 

Interviewee 

There hasn't been much difference though. But we definitely have to put the country in 

perspective because we don't have the same dynamics in every country even though they are 

similar. So, the difference hasn't been much is we've had. 

We are having the same issues in most of the SSA market crisis issues, reputational issues. 

So, I don't think we have used relatively