The Value of Public Relations in Investor Relations: Individual Investors' Preferred Information Types,Qualities,and Sources

Abstract

A survey targeting individual investors addressed the types, qualities, and sources of information this specific public seeks and values. In keeping with uses and gratifications theory and situational theory of problem solving, results identify specific conditions associated with investors seeking and selecting sources of information that would be considered public relations content, validating public relations and investor relations communication as having value to a specific set of individual investors. This study provides evidence that public relations communications content has as much or more value than information from the news media or other sources in an investor relations context.