Need Assessment in Integrating Diffusion of Innovation with Public Relations for Raising Awareness and Understanding of the Problems and Development of Southern Most Provinces

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the need of innovative propagation for public relations in order to raise the awareness and understanding of the problems and development of the southern most provinces. The sample groups used in this research were staff in the relevant departments, a total of 384 local leaders, local leaders, religious leaders and ordinary people in Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat. The sample size was determined by using tables of Robert V. Krejcie and Earyle W. Morgan and employing accidentally simple sampling as technique. The research tool was a 5- rating scale questionnaire with Index of Item Objective Congruency (IOC) between 0.69 and 0.94 and a confidence value of 0.97. The statistics used to analyze the data consisted of percentage, mean, standard deviation, and Modified Priority Needs Index (PNI_Modified) analysis. The results of the research were as follows: the assessment of the need for the spread of innovation for public relations in order to raise the awareness and understanding of the problems and development of the southern most provinces as a whole was at a high level – (1) the content and pattern of the public relations from the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center (SBPAC) was at a high level, whereas the reality was moderate, (2) the innovation diffusion and public relations technology was at a high level overall, whereas the reality was also at moderate, and (3) the perceptions of the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center (SBPAC) affecting public perception overall was at a high level while the reality was still moderate.