9038 pr strategy_issues and crisis management

of 14 Australian Government Higher Education (CRICOS) Registered Provider number: #00212K

Unit Outline 2014

Faculty of Arts and Design

Public Relations Strategy: Issues and Crisis Management

9038

Cartoon: dilbert.com


This Unit Outline must be read in conjunction with:

a) UC Student Guide to Policies, which sets out University-wide policies and procedures, including information on matters such as plagiarism, grade descriptors, moderation, feedback and deferred

exams, and is available at (scroll to bottom of page)

http://www.canberra.edu.au/student-services

b) UC Guide to Student Services, and is available at (scroll to bottom of page) http://www.canberra.edu.au/student-services

c) Any additional information specified in section 6h.

1: General Information

1a Unit title: Public Relations Strategy: Issues and Crisis Management

1b Unit number: 9038

1c Teaching Period and year offered: 1st Semester, 2014

1d Credit point value: 3

1e Unit level: 3

1f Unit Convener

James Mahoney

Room: 9C7

T: 02 62012 255

E: [email protected]

Hardcopy material to Assignment Box 6, outside 9C7.

Consultation: Wednesday, 1000-1130

1g Administrative contact

Brooke Barnes

Room: 9C6

E: [email protected]


2: Academic Content

2a Unit description and learning outcomes

This unit examines the processes involved in developing and implementing a strategic public relations

plan that will help an organisation to achieve its goals and includes the role of senior public relations

counsellors in advising management on communication strategy. A strategic planning project and case

history-based exercises provide students with practical, hands-on experience of working as a member

of a project team to analyse the communication needs of an organisation and develop and implement

communication strategies and tactics to address them.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this unit, students will be able to:

1. Analyse the communication needs of an organisation, including identifying issues;

2. Write a public relations strategy;

3. Manage crisis communication;

4. Manage the implementation of a public relations plan; and

5. Plan an effective evaluation process for the strategy.

Approach to the unit

Public Relations Strategy links communication planning with the business planning processes of

organisations. The nature of the topic means that the unit has a substantial reading load.

The unit builds on what you have done so far in your public relations degree. Therefore, you will be

expected to apply all the public relations theory and skills and communication theory you have learnt

in the last two years to every aspect of this unit.

Till now, your studies have, together with theoretical principles covered in other units, been concerned

with building your knowledge of public relations, and developing writing and tactical planning skills.

To do that, you worked in an already determined public relations strategic plan framework. In Strategy

youll research, plan and write that strategic framework yourself.

To do all this, well be using problem-based learning applied through the case method of teaching. This approach reflects the reality of professional practice. This means practical, hands-on experience of working as a member of a project team to analyse and understand the communication needs that

arise in a particular situation, and developing appropriate strategies to address those needs.

How well do this

For this unit, tutorials are called Case Meetings.

Lectures and Case Meeting discussions will deal with the process of public relations strategic

planning.

Weekly cases will be posted to the units Moodle site ahead of the relevant Case Meeting or discussion forum.

To successfully complete the unit, students will need to read and understand the cases, complete

specific weekly readings, and to anticipate, and respond effectively to questions to be posed by the

tutor - and to prepare possible answers.

Case Meetings will begin in Week 2 and will follow this format:


First, small groups will discuss a set of questions related to the relevant strategic plan element as it applies to that weeks cases. Each small group will be given separate questions to explore at the beginning of this segment of the Case Meeting.

In the second segment, one student from each group will report to the whole Case Meeting on the results of their groups exploration of the topic. Reporting duties should be shared.

For the fourth segment, the tutor will pose questions to the whole Case Meeting group to further explore that weeks strategic plan element cases.

From Week 3, the final segment of Case Meetings will require small groups to re-convene to plan

what they need to do to prepare for the following weeks online discussion.

Students will be assessed on the quality of their individual contributions to Case Meeting discussions

related to the development of public relations strategies (see Part B of Assessment 2 below for

assessment criteria).

2b Generic skills

This unit is designed to help students develop communication, problem solving, planning and project

management skills relating to professional public relations practice, especially for developing strategic

public relations plans; and contributes particularly to the development of the following graduate

attributes the University expects students to build during their studies:

1) Communication - The ability to present knowledge, ideas and opinions effectively and

communicate within and across professional and cultural boundaries.

2) Analysis and Inquiry - The ability to gather information, and to analyse and evaluate information

and situations in a systematic, creative and insightful way.

3) Problem Solving - The ability to apply problem-solving process in novel situations; to identify and

analyse problems then formulate and implement solutions.

4) Working Independently and with others - The ability to plan their own work, be self-directed

and use interpersonal skills and attitudes to work collaboratively.

5) Professionalism & Social Responsibility - The capacity and intention to use professional

knowledge and skills ethically and responsibly, for the benefit of others and the environment.

2c Prerequisites and/or co-requisites

7130 Public Relations Writing, and 9029 Public Relations Planning and Practice.

Please note: in 2013 students waivers will be approved for 9029, Public Relations Planning and

Practice, due to the change in the degree sequence; students will study 9029 in 2nd

semester.

3: Delivery of Unit and Timetable

3a Delivery mode

On campus in standard semester. This program will involve:

One 1 hour lecture per week in Weeks 1 to 7 and 9 to 13

One 2 hour Case Meeting per week in Weeks 2-13


Formal lectures will be supplemented with podcasts and editions of a video program, The Brainstorm.

Details of how to access editions of these supplementary resources will be posted to Moodle.

3b Timetable

Week Activity

1 LECTURE: Introduction to Public Relations Strategy

What is PR Strategy and why, and how, is it linked to the business planning cycle?

A strategy outline.

Detailed description of what is required to successfully complete assessments

Readings: Chapter 2, Mahoney, J. (2013). Strategic Communication: Principles and Practice, Oxford

University Press, South Melbourne, pp.12-30; Chapter 3, pp. 31-42; Time Out on the importance of

theory, pp. 43-48.

NO CASE MEETINGS IN WEEK 1

2 LECTURE: Situation Analysis External threats and opportunities

Formative research: What is happening in the environment(s) in which the organisation is

operating now or would like to operate in?

Impacts of global, economic and technological changes and changing stakeholder expectations.

How can we find out? Secondary research.

Readings

From the foundation readings on e-Reserve: Silverman, D. (2008). Will Our Customers Bail Us Out? Harvard Business Review, May, pp. 37-48.

Supplementary reading: Heath, R. L. & Palenchar, M. J. (2009). Scouting the Terrain (Ch. 3) in

Strategic Issues Management: Organisations and Public Policy Challenges, 2nd

ed. Sage: Thousand

Oaks, pp. 87-124.

CASE MEETING: How the tutes will work; run-down on assessment requirements; first case

analysis.

Case Analysis: Situation analysis (Part 1). Case: Silverman, D (2008). Will Our Customers Bail Us Out? Harvard Business Review, May, pp. 37-48. On e-Reserve.

3 LECTURE: Analysing the Organisation Internal strengths and weaknesses

The dominant coalitions requirements

The organisation and its communication needs

Readings: Mahoney (2013), Chapter 5, pp. 65-88.

CASE MEETING: situation analysis.

4 LECTURE: Identifying and Analysing the Target Publics

With whom do we have to communicate to achieve our objectives?

What do they already know? What do they believe?

How do they feel about the situation and our organisation?


Supplementary reading: Chapter 4, The Publics in Public Relations, in D. W. Guth and C. Marsh (2006). Public Relations: A Values-Driven Approach, 3

rd ed., Pearson, Boston, pp. 92-136.

CASE MEETING: Analysing the organisation


5 LECTURE: Communication Goals and Objectives

Identifying and clearly stating communication goals

Setting communication objectives in terms of measurable outcomes

The difference between process outputs and outcomes

How will you be able to determine whether your communication activities have been successful or not?

Reading: Mahoney (2013), Chapter 7, pp. 109-123.

CASE MEETING: Identifying target publics

6 LECTURE: Developing Effective Messages

What will attract the interest and gain the attention of the target publics? What are they likely to be interested in or concerned about?

What will motivate them to consider the message?

Legal and ethical considerations.

Reading: Mahoney (2013), Chapter 8, pp. 129-144; Mahoney (2013), Time Out on intercultural

communication, pp. 125-128.

CASE MEETING: Setting goals and objectives

7 LECTURE: Communication (or Message Delivery) Strategies

Identifying practical, cost-effective communication strategies to achieve objectives

Communication channels and strategic alliances

Prioritising message delivery options.


Supplementary reading: Wilcox, D.L. & Cameron, G.T. (2006). Communication (Ch 7).

In Wilcox & Cameron (2006). Public Relations: Strategies and tactics (8th ed), pp.171-192.

Pearson..

CASE MEETING: Situation analysis oral exams

8 No classes: Mid semester break

9 LECTURE: Tactics to Implement Communication Strategies

Selecting an appropriate mix of communication tools.

Are the proposed tactics doable? Do you have sufficient resources (money and time)?


Supplementary reading: Stanton, R. (2007). Tactical approaches to successful media relations (Ch 4).

In Stanton (2007). Media Relations, Oxford University Press, pp 49-76.

CASE MEETING: Developing messages and communication, or message delivery, strategies

10 LECTURE: Managing communication during a crisis

They happen suddenly, publicly and often cause a lot of harm. Could YOU handle your organisations internal and external communication during a crisis?

Readings: Langford, M. in Tench & Yeomans (2009), Chapter 19, pp. 385-408.

CASE MEETING: Aligning publics, messages and strategies, tactics


11 LECTURE: Implementing a public relations strategy

Why and how implementation works as a strategic system.

Reading: Mahoney (2013), Chapter 11, pp. 186-204; Time Out on applying professional practice skills to

strategy, pp. 181-185.

CASE MEETING: Tactics, messages and communication strategies

12 LECTURE: Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Communication Plan

How will you know if your strategy was successful?

How will you assess the implementation of the plan?


Supplementary reading: Xavier, R., Mehta, A., and Gregory, A. (2006). Evaluation in Use: The Practitioner

View of Effective Evaluation. PRism, 4(2).

CASE MEETING: Implementing a public relations strategy

13 LECTURE: Strategic communication counselling

The importance of counselling as a strategic communication function.

Explaining strategic directions.


Supplementary reading: Thompson, S. & John, S. (2007). Corporate Social Responsibility (Ch. 6). In S.

Thompson & S. John, Public Affairs in Practice: A Practical Guide to Lobbying, Kogan Page, London, pp.

121-140.

CASE MEETING: Crisis communication exercise. This will include a live online component, so please make sure you are familiar with the information that appears in the assessment section below.

4: Unit Resources

4a Lists of required texts/readings

The required text for this unit, available in the Co-Op Bookshop, is:

Mahoney, J. (2013). Strategic Communication: Principles and Practice, Oxford University

Press, South Melbourne.

Supplementary readings, including that for Week 10 are available from the Librarys e-Reserve listing and can be accessed under the name of the unit, or the convenors name. The units Moodle site has a link to e-Reserve. The direct link is: http://docutek.canberra.edu.au/eres/coursepage.aspx?cid=1512

4b Materials and equipment

Normal computing and word processing equipment.


4c Unit website

To find your unit site online, login to LearnOnline(Moodle) using your student ID.

Note that your unit site has a profiles page that displays your name and email address for the benefit of

other students. If you prefer to hide your email address, click here for instructions.

5: Assessment

5a Assessment overview

Assessment item Due date Weighting

(out of 100%)

Learning

outcome(s)

Related generic

skill(s)

1. Oral exam: situation analysis Week 7 25% 1 1, 2, 3

2. Public relations strategy

- Development discussions

- Strategy

Weekly

Week 12

20%

30%

1, 4, 5

2

1, 2, 3

All

3. Crisis communication exercise Week 13 25% 3 3, 4, 5

UC Generic Skills

1 - Communication

2 - Analysis and Inquiry

3 - Problem Solving

4 - Working independently and with others

5 - Professionalism and Social Responsibility

5b Details of assessment items

Assessment 1: Oral exam on situation analysis

Weighting: 25% of the semester total

Due date: Week 7 normal Case Meeting times

A situation analysis is the first, and arguably the most important, part of a public relations strategy. It

identifies the issues an organisation faces and presents an analysis of them. This analysis drives the

development of the strategy. An in-depth understanding of the situation facing the organisation, and its

implications, as well as the ability to explain this clearly in a strategy, is a vital requirement for a

practitioner.

This assessment is designed to test your knowledge and understanding of the principles of a situation

analysis. These were outlined in Public Relations Planning and Practice last year, and will be dealt

with more extensively in lectures and Case Meetings in the lectures, readings and case meetings in

Weeks 1-3.

Preparation and oral exam process

For this assessment you will prepare a mind map showing an outline of the situation analysis for your strategy and illustrating how it applies to the principles of situation analysis. Preparing a mind

map will be discussed in early lectures.


You have five weeks from the first case meeting to research for, and prepare, your mind map, which

will be based on the organisation you are allocated for Assessment 2 (see below). This means you

need to start work on your mind map as soon as possible after you attend the Week 2 Case Meeting.

In Week 7, the times allocated for regular Case Meetings will be used for individual oral exams, the

times for which will be allocated at the first Case Meeting.

You will have no more than 10 minutes to present you mind map to your tutor and the unit convenor,

and to answer any questions they have.

Your mark/grade will be based on how well you demonstrate that your knowledge of a situation

analysis is applied to the specific situation facing your organisation (Learning Outcome 1). The

assessment criteria for the oral examination are based on those set out below for strategy development

discussions with obvious adaptations that omit the discussion elements.

Your ability to write a situation analysis for a PR strategy will be assessed as part of Assessment 2.

Assessment 2: Research and write a public relations strategy

This assessment has two, inter-locked components that reflect the research, development and writing

tasks involved in preparing a public relations strategy.

Part A: Strategy development discussions

Weighting: 20% of the semester total mark.

Due date: Weeks 2- 7, 9-12.

This part of Assessment 2 is an individual, not a group, mark.

Contributing to discussions about strategy-making is an important skill in professional public relations

practice. We cannot escape it.

Discussions about context, goals, objectives, messages, target publics, communication channels and

tactics, budgets and evaluation are core team activities in strategic planning. They are when you need

to demonstrate your knowledge, skills and solutions to problems posed by clients and professional

colleagues.

This part of the assessment is designed to capture the spirit of professional practice discussions about

strategic planning. See also 6a below about workload for this unit.

Case Meeting discussion topics will be based on actual, award-winning Public Relations Institute of

Australia Golden Target Award winning entries, other case material (for example, the Week 2 case),

and exercises developed from real news items.

Your contributions will need to apply the principles of the relevant strategy element to the case.

For example, students have been asked to discuss the development of parts of a public relations

strategy to address the issue of taser use by police; they examined a strategy to deal with Australians consumption of salt. Both examples came from then current news items.

Further details of how discussions will work will be given in the first lecture and first Case Meeting.


Assessment of strategy development discussions

The following guide to how tutors will mark your weekly discussions demonstrates the level at which

you will need to contribute to achieve high marks.

High Distinction (17-20 marks for the semester)

You regularly made contributions to Case Meetings and online sessions that (i) kept

discussions focussed, (ii) demonstrated an excellent understanding of the material, and (iii)

showed evidence of reading the set text and/or the lecture and relevant additional reading

AND

You listened and responded to contributions made by others without dominating Case

Meetings and online discussions.

Distinction (15-16 marks)

You regularly made contributions to Case Meetings and online sessions that (i) demonstrated a

very good understanding of the material, and (ii) showed evidence of reading the set texts

and/or the lecture AND



Credit (13-14 marks)

You often made contributions to Case Meetings and online sessions that (i) demonstrated a

good understanding of the material, and (ii) showed evidence of reading the set texts AND



Pass (10-12 marks)

You made a number of relevant, informed contributions over the semester.

Fail (NC, NX, NN: 0-9 marks)

You made little or no attempt to participate throughout the semester OR your contributions

were almost always irrelevant and/or uninformed.

Part B: Write a public relations strategy


Due date: Week 12

Students will write a strategy for a real organisation to which they will be randomly assigned at the

first Case Meeting in Week 2.

Organisations for this assignment will be a public company, a Commonwealth, State or local

government agency, or a not-for-profit organisation, that won a Gold Award in the 2013 Australasian

Reporting Awards. That is, their annual reports are regarded as best practice.

Each organisation publishes an online version of its annual report. In professional public relations

practice, an organisations annual report is the single most important primary source for information about it. You should therefore access your organisations annual report as a basic starting point for examining the organisation, its environment, issues with which it is concerned, and its communication

activities. Seek additional information from other sources about the organisation and the social,

economic and political contexts in which it operates, including its field or industry.


NOTE: With the approval of the unit convenor, students may write a strategy on an organisation of

their choice, but those who want do this should be aware that they will need to do additional research.

Choices for a strategy

For this assessment, students have a choice between two approaches. They will prepare a full public

relations strategy that:

a) Proposes a campaign to deal with an issue facing the organisation; OR

b) Plans the launch of a new product (or the re-launch of an existing product) produced by the organisation.

The lecture schedule and readings have been designed to provide the information you need to deal

with when you write the required elements of a strategic public relations strategy (see How we will do this on pp. 3-4 of this outline).

In the second part of the semester, youll be given a strategic plan template, which you must use, to help you to write your strategy.

Your marks for this assignment will be based on the appropriate and accurate application of the

principles of researching and writing a relations strategy to demonstrate you achieved Learning

Outcome 2, in association with Part A of the assignment below.

Assessment 3: Crisis communication


Due date: Your Week 13 case meeting

This will be an interactive live exercise that will build up during the semester.

The actual crisis will happen in your Week 13 Case Meeting. You will participate via our Moodle site, in a live and interactive exercise, so you will need to use a laptop, or a computer in a campus lab. Youll be required to use the principles of public relations strategy and crisis communication management to justify some of your answers.

The Week 10 lecture will deal with communication during crises as does the reading for that week, so youll have plenty of time to prepare for the exercise. Students should peruse the prescribed crisis communication readings - and other appropriate readings - early in the semester. DONT leave it till the last minute.

At various times during the semester (not yet specified: it is a crisis after all!), episodes of the scenario

that will build the organisations situation will be posted to Moodle.

Students will individually respond to the crisis by applying public relations principles to

communication with a range of target publics.

Prepare for the exercise by reading Tench & Yeomans, Chapter 19, which is listed as the required

reading for Week 10.

Your marks for this assignment will be based on the appropriate application of the principles of

strategy and crisis communication management to demonstrate you achieved the Learning Outcome 3.


5c Submission of assessment items

All assessment items will be submitted online via the unit Moodle site. The first page of each

assessment submission should include the following information:

Student Name:

Student ID:

Assessment Name:

Word Count (if applicable):

An assignment cover sheet is not required but you must, on the first page of your assignment,

confirm the following declaration at the time of submission.

I certify that:

the attached assignment is my own work and no part of this work has been written for me by any other person except where such collaboration has been authorised by the

lecturer/s concerned;

material drawn from other sources has been fully acknowledged as to author/creator, source and other bibliographic details according to unit-specific requirements for

referencing; and

no part of this work has been submitted for assessment in any other unit in this or another Faculty except where authorised by the lecturer/s concerned.

5d Special assessment requirements

N/A

5e Supplementary assessment

Refer to the UC Supplementary Assessment Policy

5f Academic Integrity

Students have a responsibility to uphold University standards on ethical scholarship. Good

scholarship involves building on the work of others and use of others work must be acknowledged with proper attribution made. Cheating, plagiarism, and falsification of data are

dishonest practices that contravene academic values. Please see UC's Academic Integrity

Policy.

To enhance understanding of academic integrity, it is expected that all students will complete

the LearnOnline Academic Integrity Module (AIM) at least once during their course of study.

The module is automatically available as a listed site when students log into LearnOnline.

5g Use of text-matching software

The University of Canberra has available, through LearnOnline (Moodle), text-matching

software that helps students and staff reduce plagiarism and improve understandings of

academic integrity. Known as URKUND, the software matches submitted text in student

assignments against material from various sources: the internet, published books and journals,

and previously submitted student texts. Click here for further information on the URKUND

text-matching software.


6: Student Responsibility

6a Workload

The amount of time you will need to spend on study in this unit will depend on a number of

factors including your prior knowledge, learning skill level and learning style. Nevertheless, in

planning your time commitments you should note that for a 3cp unit the total notional

workload over the semester or term is assumed to be 150 hours. These hours include time

spent in classes. The total workload for units of different credit point value should vary

proportionally. For example, for a 6cp unit the total notional workload over a semester or term

is assumed to be 300 hours.

6b Accessibility unit

Students who need assistance in undertaking the unit because of disability or other

circumstances should inform their Unit Convener or UC AccessAbility as soon as possible so

the necessary arrangements can be made.

6c Participation requirements

There is an expectation that students will attend and participate in all structured time; lectures,

Case Meeting and online sessions. This is because participation through attendance, or online,

is an important and significant component of learning design. Not only is this relevant to the

gaining of knowledge and skills appropriate to this particular subject but it also applies to your

degree as a whole.

From our experience, there is a significant link between a students attendance/participation, and the quality of their learning outcomes demonstrated by the submitted assessable project

components.

6d Withdrawal

If you are planning to withdraw please discuss with your unit convener. Please see Withdrawal

of Units for further information on deadlines.

6e Required IT skills

Normal computing skills.

6f In-Unit Costs

None other than HECS.

(Note: To calculate your unit fees see: How do I calculate my fees?.

The online UC Co-op Textbook Search is available for purchasing text books.)

6g Work placements, internships or practicums

N/A


6h Additional information

N/A

7: Student Feedback

All students enrolled in this unit will have an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on

the unit at the end of the Semester via the Unit Satisfaction Survey (USS) which you can

access by logging into MyUC via the UC homepage: http://www.canberra.edu.au/home/. Your

lecturer or tutor may also invite you to provide more detailed feedback on their teaching

through an anonymous questionnaire.

8: Authority of this Unit Outline

Any change to the information contained in Section 2 (Academic content), and Section 5

(Assessment) of this document, will only be made by the Unit Convener if the written

agreement of Head of Discipline and a majority of students has been obtained; and if written

advice of the change is then provided on the unit site in the learning management system. If

this is not possible, written advice of the change must be then forwarded to each student

enrolled in the unit at their registered term address. Any individual student who believes

him/herself to be disadvantaged by a change is encouraged to discuss the matter with the Unit

Convener.

9038 pr strategy_issues and crisis management

Documents

public relations theory

public relations degree

knowledge of public

unit outline

unit title

unit description

communication strategy

b unit number