PRL 1003 Reputation Management

SubjectCat-NbrClassTermModeDescriptionUnitsCampus
PRL1003151002, 2002ONCReputation Management1.00WIBAY
Academic Group:FOART
Academic Org:FOA004
HECS Band:1
ASCED Code:100700

Contents


STAFFING:

Examiner: Alison Feldman
Moderator: Elizabeth Dougall



SYNOPSIS:

An organisation's most valuable commodity is its reputation. The effective management of that reputation is one of the most pervasive and persistent challenges of contemporary organisations. The boundary spanning role of the public relations professional demands the knowledge and skills to understand, embrace and effectively communicate the strategic thinking of the organisation's management together with the directions and aspirations of its internal and external stakeholders. Within the theoretical foundations and frameworks of contemporary public relations practice the student will be introduced to the cross section of the specialist areas which constitute the practice of public relations. In addition to the course's primary focus, reputation management, these include financial or investor relations, government relations, public affairs, marketing communications, community relations, employee relations, and special interest group communications. The concept of public relations as a management function is explored.


OBJECTIVES:

On successful completion of this course students should be able to:

  • Explain the concept of public relations as a management function;

  • Explain the boundary spanning role of the public relations professional and describe the applicable organisational theories;

  • Define reputation management and describe the variety of specialist public relations practices undertaken in corporate, consultancy and government environments which are essential to reputation management.

  • Define and explain the core public relations and communications theories applicable to reputation management and other specialist practices;

  • Explain the issues concerned with managing, maintaining and changing corporate images and reputations;

  • Define and explain the major ethical issues associated with the processes and practices of public relations.



    • TOPICS:


    DescriptionWeighting (%)
    1. The historical context of reputation management and the role of public relations in an organisation's reputation management strategy.
    		 5.00
    2. The emergence of reputation management as a field of study.
    		 5.00
    3. Reputation management defined and its presence in corporate, consultancy and government environments.
    		 10.00
    4. Core public relations communications and organisational theories applicable to reputation management.
    		 15.00
    5. An integrated working model of reputation management.
    		 20.00
    6. Specialist public relations practices which are essential to reputation management.
    		 30.00
    7. Issues concerned with managing, maintaining and changing corporate images and reputations.
    		 5.00
    8. The major ethical issues associated with the processes and practices of reputation management
    		 10.00

    TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed:

    Books can be ordered by fax or telephone. For costs and further details use the 'Book Search' facility at http://bookshop.usq.edu.au by entering the author or title of the text.

    Unit 97507 Selected Readings

    Baskin, O., Aronoff, C. & Lattimore, D. 1997 , Public Relations: The Profession and the Practice, 4th edn. Brown and Benchmark Publishers, Madison, WI.




    REFERENCE MATERIALS:

    Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the course and enrich their learning experience.

    Baker, L.W. 1993 Credibility Factor: Putting Ethics to Work in Public Relation, Business One Irwin, Homewood, Ill.

    Cutlip, S.M. 2000 Effective Public Relations, 8th edn, Prentice- Hall, Englewood Cliffc, N.J.

    Dowling, G. 1994 Corporate Reputations, Longman Cheshire, Melbourne.

    Fearn-Banks, K. 1995 Crisis Communications: A Casebook Approach, Lawrence Erlbaum, Hillsdale, N.J.

    Fombrun, C.J. 1996 Reputation: Realizing Value From The Corporate Image, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, Mass.

    Grunig J. (ed.) 1992 Excellence in Public Relations and Communication Management, L Erlbaum Associates, Hillsdale, N.J.

    Haywood, R. 1994 Managing Your Reputation, McGraw-Hill Book Co, London, New York.

    Kruckeberg, D. 1988 Public Relations and Community: A Reconstructed Theory, Greenwood Publishing Group, New York.

    L'Etang, J. 1997 Critical Perspectives in Public Relations, International Thomson Business Press, Boston.

    Lesly, P. 1997 Lesly's Handbook of Public Relations and Communications, 5th edn, AMACOM, New York. NY.

    Macnamara, J.R. 2000 Public Relations Handbook, Prentice Hall, New York, Sydney.

    Nager, N.R. 1991 Public Relations Management by Objectives, University Press of America, Lanham, Md.

    Nager, N.R. 1991 Strategic Public Relations Counseling, University Press of America, Lanham, Md.

    Newsom, D. 2000 This is PR: The Realities of Public Relations, 7th edn, Wodsworth, Belmont, California.

    Spicer, C. 1996 Organizational Public Relations: A Political Perspective, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, NJ.




    STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS:

    ACTIVITYHOURS
    Assessment45
    Directed Study40
    Lectures26
    Private Study40
    Tutorial14


    ASSESSMENT DETAILS:

    DescriptionMarks Out ofWtg(%)RequiredDue Date
    ESSAY100.0020.00Y23 Aug 2002
    DISCUSSION CONTRIBUTIONS/PAPER100.0040.00Y14 Oct 2002
    EXAMINATION 3 HOURS100.0040.00YEND S2

    OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

    1. All pieces of assessment must be submitted and completed to a minimum satisfactory standard
    2. The final grade is based on the aggregate of all assessment items.
    3. (i) Assignments submitted after the due date, and without prior approval of an extension from the examiner, will be penalised at the rate of 10% per working day up to 5 days, after which a grade of zero will be awarded. (ii) Since it is a requirement of the unit that all items of assessment must be submitted, any assignments which are beyond the five working day limit will not be eligible for a grade, but must be of an acceptable standard. The assignments must be submitted by the examination date.
    4. Extensions on the due dates for assignments will be granted in extenuating circumstances only. Application for extension must be made in writing prior to the due date of the assignment. Applications must be supported by appropriate documentation, such as a medical certificate or a letter of referral from a qualified counsellor. Workload or failure of computer equipment will not be considered grounds for extension.