By Nicole Lee, San Diego State University
PR ROI Channel, CommPRO.biz
This week I had the opportunity to jump over to the automotive team and see what they do. That experience helped me see how large and complex PRIME really is.
PRIME Research is made up of a large team of people all around the world that all play their part to contribute to a bigger picture. The success of any PRIME project relies on a variety of these team members. For example, I’ve had the opportunity to help put together a few client media reports, but I realize that before I could do that, multiple coders put in hours of work to turn media messages into manageable data. This is not only a relationship within one PRIME office, but one account often requires coders from around the world who code media in their native languages.
With eight offices in seven different time zones, PRIME is not your typical nine to five office and many coders choose to work seemingly odd hours. One coder, Gage Franchek, says he typically comes in around 6 a.m. to start his day. I couldn’t do it, but that is what works best for him.
With so many moving parts in the complex machine that is PRIME, it takes a lot of organization to make sure everything runs smoothly. Julie Beach, PRIME Ann Arbor’s Accounting Manager, is one of the people that makes sure that happens. Before coming to Ann Arbor, I inevitably had a lot of questions about logistics and Julie is the one that had all the answers. She made sure I had a place to stay and a way to get around. The entire trip has been so organized—allowing me to focus on why I am really here.
Nicole Lee was the winner of the 2012 Grunig PRIME Research Fellowship. The Institute for Public Relations awards the fellowship on an annual basis, sponsored by PRIME Research. The Fellowship is named for James E. Grunig and Larissa A. Grunig, professors emeriti, University of Maryland.
