Mapping public relations scholarship in Asia: a longitudinal analysis of published research, 1995–2014

This study provides a longitudinal content analysis of peer-reviewed research articles on Asian public relations in 8 leading communication journals published over the past 20 years (1995–2014, n = 162). Several content features of the journal articles were examined, including authorship, institution, theory presence and application, topic areas, methods, and contributions and limitations. Results revealed an increasing productivity especially from Asia-based scholars and the popularity on topics concerning public diplomacy. The analysis also indicated that most articles were theory-driven and survey was the most frequently used method. Experimentation and advanced statistical analyses have been gaining momentum as well. Implications of these findings were discussed with the goal to shed some light on the trends and directions of this maturing discipline in a continent with emerging economies and growing global influence.