PRL 1003 Reputation Management

SubjectCat-NbrClassTermModeDescriptionUnitsCampus
PRL1003251012, 2003ONCReputation Management1.00WIBAY
Academic Group:FOART
Academic Org:FOA004
HECS Band:1
ASCED Code:100700

Contents


STAFFING:

Examiner: Alison Feldman
Moderator: Chris Kossen



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 completion of this course students will 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.

    Course PRL1003 Selected Readings

    Baskin, O., Aronoff, C. & Lattimore, D. 1997, Public Relations: The Profession and the Practice, 4th edition, 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., Center, A.H. & Broom, G.M 2000, Effective Public Relations, 8th edition, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, 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.

    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. & Starck, K 1988, Public Relations and Community: A Reconstructed Theory, Greenwood Publishing Group, New York.

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

    Lesly, P 1997, Lesly's Handbook of Public Relations and Communications, 5th edition, NTC, New York.

    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.& Truitt, R.H 1991, Strategic Public Relations Counseling, University Press of America, Lanham, Md.

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

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




    STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS:

    ACTIVITYHOURS
    Assessment45
    Directed Study40
    Lectures13
    Private Study40
    Tutorial26


    ASSESSMENT DETAILS:

    DescriptionMarks Out ofWtg(%)RequiredDue Date
    ESSAY100.0020.00Y15 Aug 2003
    DISCUSSION CONTRIBUTIONS/PAPER100.0040.00Y19 Aug 2003
    EXAMINATION 3 HOURS100.0040.00YEND S2

    IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

    1. Attendance requirements:
      It is the student's responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in all activities (such as lectures, tutorials, laboratories and practical work) scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.
    2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
      To complete each of the assessment items satisfactorily, students must obtain at least 50% of the marks available for each assessment item.
    3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
      If students submit assignments after the due date without prior approval, then a penalty of 10% of the total marks available for the assignment will apply for each of the first FIVE working days late, after which a zero mark will be given.
    4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
      To be assured of a passing grade, students must demonstrate, via the summative assessment items, that they have achieved the required minimum standards in relation to the objectives of the course by: (i) satisfactorily completing the examination and assignments; and (ii) obtaining at least 50% of the total weighted marks for all summative assessment items.
    5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
      The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the weighted aggregate of the marks (or grades) obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.
    6. Examination information:
      The exam for this course is a CLOSED EXAMINATION, and candidates are allowed to bring only writing and drawing instruments into the examination.
    7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
      Any deferred or supplementary examinations for this course will be held during the next examination period.
    8. University Regulations:
      Students should read USQ Regulations 5.1 Definitions, 5.6 Assessment, and 5.10 Academic Misconduct for further information and to avoid actions which might contravene University Regulations. These regulations can be found at the URL http://www.usq.edu.au/SECARIAT/calendar/Part5/ or in the printed version of the current USQ Handbook.

    ASSESSMENT NOTES

    9.(a) The due date for an assignment is the date by which a student must lodge the assignment at the USQ. (b) Students must retain a copy of each item submitted for assessment. This must be produced within five days if required by the Examiner. (c) In accordance with University's Assignment Extension Policy (Regulation 5.6.1), the examiner of a course may grant an extension of the due date of an assignment in extenuating circumstances such as documented ill-health. (d) Students who have undertaken all of the required assessments in the course but who have failed to meet some of the specified objectives of the course within the normally prescribed time may be awarded the temporary grade: IM Incomplete-Makeup). An IM grade will only be awarded when, in the opinion of the examiner, a student will be able to achieve the remaining objectives of the course after a period of non-directed personal study. (e) Students who, for medical, family/personal, or employment-related reasons, are unable to complete an assignment or sit for an examination at the scheduled time, may apply to defer an assessment in the course. Such a request must be accompanied by appropriate supporting documentation. One of the following temporary grades may be awarded: IDS (Incomplete - Deferred Examination; IDM (Incomplete Deferred Make-up); IDB (Incomplete - Both Deferred Examination and Deferred Make-up).