January 30, 2024
Keio University
A research group from the Keio University Athletic Association Yagami Tennis Club, led by Coach Shion Hotta (a fourth-year student at the Keio University Faculty of Law at the time of the research; currently a student at the Graduate Schools for Law and Politics, The University of Tokyo, and a research collaborator at the Center for Advanced School Education and Evidence-Based Research (CASEER), Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo), has examined effective public relations strategies for student organizations using ICT. This study analyzes the effects of the PR strategies using ICT implemented by the club during the 2020 and 2021 academic years amid the spread of COVID-19, focusing on the deciding factors for new students to join the club.
The top deciding factors for joining the club were an "excellent practice environment" and the ability to "balance academics with club activities." As for how students learned about these factors, 58.7% heard through "word of mouth," followed by 39.1% on the former "Twitter," 15.2% on the "official website," and 13.0% on "Instagram."
Until now, there has been very little academic research, both internationally and domestically, on effective PR strategies for student organizations using ICT. The results of this study challenge this status quo and are expected to lead to the establishment of effective PR methods for the further enrichment of students' extracurricular activities. Although this study focuses on a case of a student organization's PR strategy, its findings can be widely applied to other contexts, such as recruitment activities in companies and government agencies.
The results of this study were published on December 26, 2023, in the international academic journal "ITF Coaching & Sport Science Review."
For the full press release, please see below.