R EVIEWER I NFORMATION S HEET

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R ^EVIEWER I NFORMATION S ^HEET

This information is needed for our records and for the processing of your honorarium.

Please be sure it is completed and returned with your review.

Name: Deborah Nauli Simorangkir Date: May 14, 2021

Home Address: De Latinos, Patagonia Village G15 no.5, Rawa Buntu,RT 05/RW 17, Tangerang Selatan, Banten 15318, Indonesia

Home Phone: +62 81385399395 School Name: Swiss German University Department: Global Strategic Communications Academic Title: Associate Professor

School Address: The Prominence Tower Alam Sutera, Jl. Jalur Sutera Barat Kav 15, Tangerang, Banten 15143

Office Phone: +6221 2977 9596

E-Mail: Deborah.simorangkir@sgu.ac.id Send Mailings To: ☐Office ☒Home

PROJECT REVIEWED:

Title: Public Relations and Communications- From Theory to Practice Author(s)/Editor(s): Aoife O’Donnell, MA, MPRII

Would you like this review to remain anonymous to the author? ☐Yes ☒ No Do we have permission to quote from your review for publicity and advertising purposes? ☒Yes ☐ No May we include your name and affiliation, as shown above, in the acknowledgments section of this book if/when it is

published? ☒Yes ☐ No

What are your areas of specialty? Public relations, gender, culture and media

What courses do you teach regularly? Introduction to PR; PR Management; Business Communication; Public Speaking;

Communication Audit; Interpersonal Communication

May we contact you again for reviewing? ☒Yes ☐ No

Are you interested in writing a text for consideration by Routledge? If so, please describe briefly.

Gender and Public Relations: An Asian Perspective

Would you like to receive prospectus guidelines? ☒Yes ☐No

PAYMENT INFORMATION: Please indicate your preference.

☒ CHECK

or

☐ BOOKS Please attach a list of books including Title, ISBN, author/editor, and price.

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Textbook Questionnaire

The project under consideration is intended as a resource for students and should, as far as possible, reflect the structure of courses or modules in which it is likely to be used.

Please use this questionnaire to structure your evaluation of this proposed textbook. We would be very grateful if you would answer questions in a specific and detailed fashion, but do not hesitate to add any other comments or address issues that may not have been raised.

A Routledge textbook aims to introduce a student to a new subject. This subject would usually be taught as a compulsory or optional course or module at a large number of universities and colleges. A textbook can introduce a student to a subject at any level. The success of this book would hinge on: whether the subject is widely taught; whether the text covers all the topics a course/module would; the pedagogical approach of the book; whether the writing is engaging;

and how this compares with competing titles.

Your comments are very important to us in determining whether to publish this project and are very helpful to the author(s) in terms of getting specific recommendations for revision, where necessary.

At our discretion we may share the contents of your report with the author after removing obvious signs of identity. Your name will not be revealed without your express permission.

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Reviewer Details

Name: Deborah N. Simorangkir

Department: Global Strategic Communications University: Swiss German University

Email address: Deborah.simorangkir@sgu.ac.id

Courses/Modules Taught: Introduction to Public Relations; Public Relations Management;

Communication Audit; Business Communication; Public Speaking; Interpersonal Communication May we reveal your identity to the author? Yes

May we reveal your identity to the series editor (if applicable)? Yes May we contact you again for reviewing? Yes

YOUR TEACHING

1. Please list below the course(s)/module(s) you teach for which the proposed book could be potentially used. If this book is not applicable to any of your courses or modules, please let us know before continuing with the questionnaire.

Course or module name (e.g. Design History)

Degree Programme (e.g BA Design Studies)

Student numbers

Level (e.g. first year

undergraduate)

When does the module start and finish? (e.g.

September – December)

Is this an optional or compulsory module?

Introduction to Public Relations

Bachelor in Communicatio n

10-20 undergraduate August - December

Compulsory

Public Relations Management

Bachelor in Communicatio n

10-20 Undergraduate February – June compulsory

2. Please complete the table below for the three main books that you require or recommend to your students in this course/module.

Title Author Strengths Weaknesses Essential/Required or Supplementary reading?

The Practice of Public Relations

Fraser Seitel Chapters are well-organized and easy to follow for first- year students;

Comes with teaching materials and a test bank for instructors

The latest edition is from 2016; Difficult to order from Indonesia; Very

“American”

Required

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PR Strategy and Application:

managing influence.

Coombs, W. T.

and Holladay, S.

J.

I chose this book for PR

Management because it was difficult to find a PR textbook that is of a higher level than Introduction to PR but could still be used as a textbook.

More suitable as a reference book rather than a textbook;

Outdated.

compulsory

Cases in Public Relatio ns Management: The Rise of Social Media and Activism

Patricia Swann This book complemented Coombs’ book by providing

contemporary cases for the students to analyze.

Theoretical explanations are Very limited.

Compulsory

3. Are there any other titles you’ve considered? What are their strengths/weaknesses?

4. Has student enrolment for the course increased, decreased, or stayed the same in recent years?

The same

5. If enrolment has changed, what factors do you think have contributed?

6. Please paste your course schedule here or write in the main topics you cover in your course.

Introduction to PR:

1. What is Public Relations?

2. The Growth of Public Relations 3. Communication

4. Public Opinion and Persuasion 5. Management

6. Ethics and the Law

7. Research and Campaign Planning 8. Media Relations

9. Community Relations 10. Consumer Relations

11. Integrated Marketing Communications 12. Crisis management

13. Government Relations and International PR 14. Final presentations

PR Management:

1. Introduction and Overview

2. Public Relations Contested and Ethically Challenged 3. Public Relations and Transparency

4. Public Relations as Strategic Communication 5. Public Relations as Activism

6. Media Relations: Shaping the News

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7. Technological Development and Online Public Relations 8. Social Marketing

9. Reputation Management 10. Issues Management 11. Risk Communication 12. Crisis Communication

13. Corporate Social Responsibility: A New Driver for Public Relations 14. Final presentations (PR campaigns)

7. What new topics or debates within the subject have you seen emerge recently that you have addressed or wish to address in your teaching?

Gender is not a new topic. However, most PR books do not address this issue. And when they do, they just put it together with other social issues.

8. What tools do you use to evaluate your students? (Please select all that apply.)

☒ Exams: multiple choice, t/f, etc.

☒ Exams: essay, short answer

☐ Papers

☐ Homework (take-home exercises, etc.)

☒ Participation

☒ Presentations

☐ Other: PR campaign planning (PR Management); Report on PR function in various organizations (Intro to PR)

EVALUATION OF THE PROPOSAL

9. If applicable, is the book sufficiently international in its coverage?

The book seems to be highly Western, and the vast majority of PR books in the market are indeed from a highly Western point of view. This is often difficult for instructors like me, who teach (in English) at an international university in Indonesia, but would also like to introduce Asian perspectives to the classroom. This book does not seem to offer any Asian contexts, even though Asia is an important player in the PR industry.

Also, for the book to be used by students in Indonesia (and many other countries) there would have to be an ‘International Version’, at an ‘international’ price rate affordable to the students.

10. What are the strengths of the proposed textbook?

I really appreciate that the book gives special attention to the profession of PR. Many students graduate with a degree in Communication or PR and still have no idea about the profession of PR.

11. What could be improved?

I am still finding it hard to determine whether I could use this book for Intro to PR (semester 1) or PR Management (semester 4). The topics covered in both courses are similar. However, Intro to PR introduces these topics, while PR Management goes in depth about the managerial aspects of PR. Seeing that this book is proposed to be used in graduate schools, I assume that this would be suitable for PR Management. However, I also see that the main competing books are those that are usually used in introductory level PR courses.

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I feel that one way to improve this (if not already) would be to make it clear that the chapters in this book explains the topics from a managerial and practical perspective, rather than generally introducing them.

12. Does the proposed content cover all the necessary areas? Are there any topics missing?

Maybe it’s already included in one of the chapters. I hope the book includes research evaluation methods (media monitoring, etc), and explain them thoroughly. Most books simply explain briefly what these are, but does not really teach how to do them.

13. Is the structure of the table of contents logical?

Yes

14. Is the author’s writing style suitable for the target audience?

(Please note that this proposal/manuscript has not yet been copyedited, so there may still be some typographical or other minor grammatical/stylistic errors. Some errors are normal at this stage;

however, do feel free to comment on the overall quality of the writing, especially if you believe that the number of errors is excessive).

Yes

Please include any additional comments on individual chapters here.

15. How does this proposed book compare to the book(s) you use?

Unlike most books, this book pays special attention to the profession of PR. Students will

hopefully get a clearer idea of the actual work of PR, and instructors will benefit from the help in explaining it.

ONLINE RESOURCES

16. How much does the presence of online resources influence your decision to adopt a book for this course/module?

Somewhat important

17. What, if any, online resources (publisher-supplied or otherwise) do you currently use in your course?

Power point slides, cases, videos.

18. Do you have suggestions for resources that would be useful in teaching this course/module with this book?

Provide recent case studies and videos

SUMMARY

19. How likely are you to adopt this book for your course(s)? (Please select one.)

☐ Definitely

☒ Very likely

☐ Somewhat likely

☐ Unlikely

If Somewhat or Unlikely, please confirm any changes you would recommend in order to adopt.

If Definitely or Very Likely, would the book be an essential/required text or supplementary/recommended reading?

Yes

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20. Are you willing to provide a quote that could be used to publicize the book, should we publish it?

If so, please provide the quote below, followed by your name and affiliation.

Aoife O’Donnell offers a comprehensive explanation of the state of the art of the public relations field. This book is perfect for upper-level communication students. The writing is clear and the content is suitable for today’s blended learning classes. Students who are serious about pursuing a career in public relations will particularly benefit from the special effort this book puts into

explaining the PR profession, as well as the experiential approach that goes beyond theoretical explanations.

Deborah N. Simorangkir, Swiss German University, Indonesia

21. Within your area of expertise, do you feel there are any books that need to be written? Would you be interested in working on books in these areas, or do you have any writing plans you’d like to share with us?

Yes, I would be interested in working on books about gender in PR from an Asian perspective.

Please feel free to add any additional feedback not previously mentioned in this questionnaire.

Thank you

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AOIFE O’DONNELL Dublin, Ireland

M: 00353 87 413 0032 / E: aoife@vitalcommunications.ie

_________________________________________________________________________________

Personal Statement

I am a motivated, enthusiastic and experienced communications consultant with over 20 years’ experience in public relations. I have developed an interest in healthcare over the years and combine this with my own interest in worthwhile issues and a desire to contribute to the improvement of the world. In 2013, I established my own consultancy, Vital Communications and now operate as an independent strategic communications consultant. I also lecture part-time in Public Relations to MA and BA students in Griffith College in Dublin and am a published author (https://aejmc.us/jpre/2020/08/15/a-simulation-as-a-pedagogical-tool-for-teaching- professional-competencies-in-public-relations-education/)

Work Experience

2018 to date: Griffith College, Dublin, Ireland

Lecturer in Public Relations Theory and Practice and Corporate Communications, MA and BA in Journalism and Public Relations

Ø I lecture undergraduate and post-graduate students on public relations theory and practice.

Ø Lectures are conducted on site in Griffith College and online using Zoom.

________________________________________________________________________________

2013 to date: Vital Communications, Dublin, Ireland

Strategic Communications Consultant Specialising in Healthcare

Ø I act as a strategic communications consultant for a range of clients across all aspects of the healthcare sector, including retail healthcare, healthcare technology, pharmaceutical, education and research and medical devices.

Ø My work has given me in-depth experience and understanding of a variety of complex issues, services and products.

Ø An example of clients and projects managed include: Online educational and directory resource for GPs, GPBuddy.ie; private medical scanning organisation, Alliance Medical, healthcare software provider, Sláinte Healthcare; medical devices company, Promed Ireland; the addiction treatment centre, Rutland Centre; audiology provider, Hidden Hearing; dentistry chain, Dental Care Ireland;

pharmaceutical organisation, Bristol Meyers Squibb (BMS) and in education and research, Griffith College, Dublin and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI).

2009 – 2012: Euromedic Ireland (now Affidea), Dublin, Ireland Head of Marketing

Ø I worked with Affidea over a four-year period managing its marketing department. During my time here, I gained invaluable inhouse communications experience as well as core marketing skills such as website development and content management. I managed the marketing budget for Affidea in Ireland and co-ordinated marketing activity across Europe. I managed a team of three marketing executives as well as three client liaison officers.

________________________________________________________________________________

2006 – 2009: Heneghan PR Dublin, Ireland

Senior Account Manager – Consumer / Corporate / Event Management

Ø During my time with Heneghan PR, I developed expertise in the healthcare and not for profit sectors.

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2006: Craigie Communications Dublin, Ireland Account Manager – Corporate and Consumer

Ø Craigie Communications was a small start-up PR firm. With Craigie Communications I worked with Irish NGO, Concern and Poolbeg Publishers.

________________________________________________________________________________

2004 – 2005: Fleishman Hillard, Dublin, Ireland

Senior Account Executive – Business Communications

Ø My time with Fleishman-Hillard offered me the opportunity to develop the systems and processes required to work in a large corporate international public relations firm.

Ø Clients here included: Ernst & Young and Science Foundation Ireland (SFI).

________________________________________________________________________________

2003 – 2004: Paul Allen & Associates, Dublin, Ireland Account Executive – Consumer / Corporate

Ø With Paul Allen, I gained invaluable experience of working in a PR agency. It was a small agency which meant that as an account executive, I was actively involved in many aspects of client work. Clients included: Westwood Leisure Centres, Lynch Hotels and Plantronics.

_________________________________________________________________________

2000 – 2002: An Post Group Press and PR, GPO, Dublin Public Relations Executive

Ø This was my first role in public relations and it was here where I learnt the fundamental skills and tools of PR such as press release writing, event management, media relations, crisis management, internal communications and media monitoring.

________________________________________________________________________________

1994 – 2000: Various Admin Roles including:

Australia – Colonial First State Investments, Ireland: Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design &

Technology

Qualifications

Ø 2018 QQI, MA in Training & Education at Griffith College, Dublin Ø 2011 QQI, Certificate in Online Marketing, Griffith College, Dublin Ø 2011 Sure Skills, Advanced Excel Certificate, Sure Skills, Dublin Ø 2007 RCSI, Mini-Med School, Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin

Ø 2000 – 2002 Public Relations Institute of Ireland, Diploma in Public Relations Ø 1999 RCD Training and Development, secretarial and office skills course.

Ø 1996 – 1998 University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland - Psychology, Archaeology and Greek & Roman Civilisation (incomplete).

Ø 1988 – 1994 Leaving Certificate, Loreto Abbey Dalkey, Co Dublin - 6 honours (including Irish, English, Maths)

________________________________________________________________________________

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Other Skills & Interests

Ø I have a keen interest in education and research. I have written an article for the Journal of Public Relations Education.

Ø Highly proficient in the use of online technology such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Skype. I have delivered Zoom training for clients including Accord and Griffith College.

Ø Skilled in media communications – I deliver regular communications training courses to clients and students.

Ø Proficient in Social Media, Website Development and content management systems.

Ø Member of the Public Relations Institute of Ireland (PRII).

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19

^th

April 2021

Public Relations and Communications - From Theory to Practice

Proposal for Public Relations Textbook for

Level 8-9 (Undergrad and Postgraduate level) Communications’ Students and practitioners

From

Aoife O’Donnell, MA, MPRII aoife@vitalcommunications.ie

00353874130032

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1. Statement of Aims

This book aims to provide support to students on public relations courses that are rooted in the constructivist experiential learning teaching and learning philosophy. The pedagogical objective of the book is to support teachers and institutions as they strive to prepare students for careers within the public relations industry. The book should be of particular interest to teachers and courses that support Experiential and/or Blended Learning pedagogical approaches. The content of the book examines PR as form of Communications. It is intended as the core textbook for level eight and nine learners to assist learners in becoming rounded communications professionals and in developing the specific knowledge, practical skills and competencies required by the PR industry worldwide. It is also proposed that the book would be of interest to business owners and practitioners in the communications industry and those transitioning to public relations from other careers in the communications field.

- Abstract

Higher education institutions are grappling with the challenges of meeting the modern learning needs of students and the ever-evolving demands of industry. As a result, institutions worldwide are encouraging curriculum design that supports active learning and employs pedagogical experiential learning models that can assist students in developing the skills and competencies required by industry.

Public relations is a relatively new profession and has yet to establish a framework of competencies and qualifications required to enter the profession and the pedagogical standards required for teaching these competencies. However, research indicates that there are common competencies that are required by the industry, such as communications skills, critical thinking skills and business acumen, and that these competencies can be difficult to teach. Furthermore, the communications industry is rapidly evolving with new technologies and media impacting on how communications is conducted. The lines between the various communications disciplines of marketing, advertising, public relations and journalism have become blurred with the result that professionals in communication are required to turn their hands to many if not all of these areas. On completion of a public relations course therefore, learners should be in a position to demonstrate a broad understanding of these areas, alongside an in-depth understanding of public relations theory and practice and the competencies required to succeed in a career in public relations.

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I am a public relations professional with approximately 20 years’ industry experience, three years teaching experience in higher-education, the holder of a Masters in Training and Education and a published author https://aejmc.us/jpre/2020/08/15/a-simulation-as-a- pedagogical-tool-for-teaching-professional-competencies-in-public-relations-education/.

In this book, I propose to combine my public relations industry expertise with my teaching experience and academic knowledge to produce a clear, targeted and comprehensive textbook on public relations that is designed to support postgraduate and undergraduate students in the study of public relations theory and practice.

2. A Detailed Synopsis, including Chapter Summaries

In the PR industry, competencies such as critical thinking and communications skills are referenced regularly as in demand by the profession (Barnes & Talent, 2015; Flynn, 2014;

Madigan, 2017). In his research published in the Canadian Journal of Communication, Flynn (2014) postulated that 21^st Century public relations practitioners are required to have a

‘different skill set and competencies to their counterparts’ who practised before them.

Present research supports the use of creative teaching methods in the classroom to teach practical skills, such as simulations and what Barnes and Tallent (2015) referred to as

‘Constructivist Thinking Tools’. Their study offered examples of such tools and exercises as group work, discussions, reflective writing and mind-maps in which students are encouraged to visualise information, group related items together and identify problems and solutions as a result. This book will aim to support teachers and courses who are using or seek to use these tools by focussing on the central theme of competencies throughout the book and providing a combination of theory, history and detailed analysis of relevant contemporary examples. A key feature of the book will be the inclusion of scenario-based questionnaires to encourage learning and assist students in developing the competencies required by the communications industry.

The content of the book will take the reader on a journey from the theory and origins of PR to inform the reader where public relations came from and how it fits into the communications landscape, through to the PR profession and how its structured to the more practical elements of how PR is practiced.

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INTRODUCTION

I propose to split this book into three sections:

Part I – Theory & Practical Application Part II – The PR Profession

Part III – The Practice

Each individual chapter will commence with its own introduction and end with a conclusion, discussion topics and a test or an associated competency-based questionnaire called a Situational Judgement Test. These tests will be included in the practical chapters and can be contained at the end of each chapter or / and as an online resource to accompany the book.

Real world examples will be referenced throughout each chapter and the book will also contain a detailed analysis at the back of the book of Communications and the COVID-19 pandemic. This will examine the management of the pandemic from a communications viewpoint across countries and cultures to help the reader to understand the application of theory to practice. Each chapter, where possible will bring the reader through from theory to practice and finish with exercises and talking points to test their knowledge and assist with the development of critical thinking skills.

PART I – THEORY & PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Chapter 1 – The History of Communications

• Learning Outcomes.

• Communications Theories, Rhetoric, Persuasion and PR Theories.

• Audiences.

• Mass Media.

• Social Media.

• For Discussion – topics for learners to consider.

• Case Study & Exercise.

Chapter 2 – The History and Origins of Public Relations

• What is PR? World Definitions.

• History of the PR profession. Early examples of persuasive communication and the first practitioners.

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• The Four Models of PR, The Excellence Theory.

• For Discussion - topics for learners to consider.

• Case study & Exercise.

Chapter 3 – Communications Disciplines

• Learning Outcomes.

• The Marketing Mix.

• PESO

• Advertising.

• Journalism.

• The Relationship between Public Relations and other disciplines.

• For Discussion – topics for learners to consider.

• Case Study & Exercise.

• Exercises in identifying the differences between advertising, PR and hard news in mainstream media.

Chapter 4 – Functions of PR

• Relationships & Reputation

• Persuasion & Propaganda.

• PR & Story-telling.

Chapter 5 – Corporate Communications

• Learning Outcomes

• An introduction to corporate structures and corporate governance.

• Corporate missions, purpose and objectives.

• Organisational structure, culture and management systems.

• Organisations, their publics and their stakeholders.

• Brand values, branding and rebranding. Corporate logo, straplines and messaging.

• Issues Management.

• Case Study (an analysis of a branding campaign).

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Chapter 6 – Corporate Social Responsibility

• The role of CSR in organisations.

• CSR’s function in business.

• CSR and the developing world.

• Public Relations and CSR.

Chapter 7 – Crisis Communications - Learning Outcomes.

Theory:

- Crisis Communications Theory.

- Crisis Categories.

Practical Application:

- Crisis Planning.

- The Crisis Communications Checklist.

- For Discussion – topics for learners to consider.

- Situational Judgement Test.

(Sample chapter included)

Chapter 8 – Ethics

• Ethics and the Communications industry.

• Codes of Ethics in PR.

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Chapter 9 – The Future for Communications

• The Post-Truth Era.

• Communications in the post-Covid world.

• Diversity.

• Artificial Intelligence.

• Big Data & Algorithms.

• For Discussion.

Part II – The PR Profession

Chapter 10 – Categories of Public Relations

• Corporate PR.

• Consumer PR.

• Public Affairs.

• Not for Profit PR.

• Event Management.

• Others – healthcare, technology, financial and others.

Chapter 11 – Political Communications

• Political structures.

• The role of the Political Campaigner.

• Managing a Political Press Office.

• Propaganda and Spin.

• Political lobbying.

• For discussion - topics for learners to consider.

Chapter 12 – The ‘In-house’ PR Professional.

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• What does In-house mean?

• Pros and Cons of In-house.

• Organisational Structure.

• Managing a press office.

• Acting as an organisation’s spokesperson.

• Managing Agencies.

• Budgeting and measurement.

• For Discussion - topics for learners to consider.

Chapter 13 – Internal Communications

• Understanding internal communications.

• Employee relations.

• Internal communications channels.

• Internal communications, human resources and public relations.

• Discussion - topics for learners to consider.

Chapter 14 – The Agency Professional

• The role of a PR and Communications Agency.

• Pros and Cons of engaging an Agency over an In-House practitioner.

• Agency Structure.

• The Client/Consultant Relationship.

• Pitching for Business.

• Provision of Strategic Counsel.

• Managing a ‘defacto’ press office.

• Fees and Measurement.

• For Discussion - topics for learners to consider.

Part III – The Practice

Chapter 15 – Content Creation

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• What is Content?

• The News Release.

• Blogs.

• Earned media content creation – news angles.

• Using Social Media – creating content and engaging with influencers.

• Photography, Videography and Podcasts.

• Owned media content development.

• For discussion – developing a hook / news angle. How to engage an audience.

• Writing Exercises – blogs, press releases, etc.

Chapter 16 – Media Interviews.

- Learning Outcomes.

- Understanding the relationship between PR and the Media.

- Preparing clients for media interviews.

- Dos and Don’ts of media interviews.

- Creating an angle. Marrying public interest with business objectives.

- Discussion – topics for learners to consider.

- Situational Judgement Test.

Chapter 17 – Developing a PR Strategy

• Interpreting the Brief.

• Research and Planning.

• The Strategy.

• Budgeting.

• Evaluation.

• Discussion – topics for learners to consider and referral to the relevant test at the back of the book.

• Situational Judgement Test.

Chapter 18 – Making the PR Pitch

• Pitching your idea to a client.

• The client agency relationship.

• Presenting a PR strategy.

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• Interpreting the brief.

• Making a winning pitch – the Elevator Pitch.

• Presentation skills

• Discussion - topics for learners to consider.

• Situational Judgement Test.

Chapter 19 – Communications & COVID-19 – CASE STUDY

• Analysis of the communications aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Situational Judgement Test.

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3. Target Market

This book is ultimately intended as the main textbook for postgraduate and undergraduate learners to support them in the learning of public relations theory and practice and to assist them in developing the knowledge, practical skills and competencies required by the PR industry worldwide. The secondary audience for this book is undergraduate and post- graduates students of communications and other related disciplines such as marketing and advertising. It is also proposed that this book could be relevant to business owners and practitioners in the communications industry and those transitioning to public relations from other careers in the communications field.

It is proposed that this book will be targeted at the national (Irish) and international markets (particularly UK, Russian, African and North American markets). In its World PR Report 2020, the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO, 2019) found that all regions included in the report (Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe – East and West, Latin America, Middle East, North America and UK) expected the PR market to grow in 2020 with North America being particularly optimistic. In the UK, the industry was valued at £14 billion and approximately 86,000 people were reported as working in the industry in 2018 (PRCA, 2018). In Africa, Nigeria is experiencing a boom in marketing communications. Forbes reported that the Nigerian market contributes €4bn to the €10bn African marketing communications industry. It is not surprising therefore that many Nigerian students travel to study communications subjects in English speaking countries, including Ireland. In the 2018/19 academic year, University College Dublin recorded 92 Nigerian students amongst its 34,000 student population (UCD, 2019). In Russia for example the value of the PR market was estimated at approximately $2.5 billion in 2008 (AKOS, 2007-2009). In the Lomonosov Moscow State University, they run a BA in Journalism where PR is offered as an elective in year 3 of a 4 year programme. BA education includes 2 years of fundamental university education + 2 years of intensive professional training. At the 3rd year of study, students choose three “modules” – one industrial module that includes PR, one thematic module and one linguistic and cultural module.

According to research conducted by the Public Relations Institute of Ireland (PRII), the PR industry in Ireland is worth approximately €1.2 bn to the Irish economy and is responsible for the employment of around 2,800 people (PRII, 2019). This semester there hundreds of students undertaking public relations courses at an undergraduate and post graduate level in Ireland throughout the various institutions, including IT Carlow, Cork Institute of

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Technology, Dublin City University, Technology University Dublin, the Fitzwilliam Institute and Griffith College in Dublin.

A list of courses to which this book would be applicable is provided below (Please note that this list is a sample and is not intended to be exhaustive).

Course Name Level/Year University &

Department

Prerequisites Core text or supplementary reading?

MA in Journalism and Media Communications

9 Griffith College

Dublin

The learner is required to be a level 8 graduate and to have knowledge, skills and competencies at Level 8 on the NFQ or higher, or an international equivalent.

Core Text

BA in Journalism and Media Communications

8 Griffith College

Dublin

The learner is required to be a level 6/7

graduate and to have

knowledge, skills and competencies at Level 6/7 on the NFQ or higher, or an international equivalent.

Core Text

MSc in Public Relations and Strategic

Communications

9 Dublin City

University (DCU)

From the DCU website:

A degree at the level of an Irish or UK Honours undergraduate degree (H2.2 or above) or equivalent,

Appropriate

Core Text

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combinations of professional qualifications and experience may be

accepted as equivalent to an honours

degree, in accordance with the relevant regulations of the university.

This may apply to applicants who have worked in advertising, journalism, marketing, media, public relations, or in a communications role / function for several years.

International candidates who are non-native speakers of English must satisfy the University of their

competency in the English language.

Masters of Arts Public Relations

Level 9 Dublin Institute of Technology

Core Text

Public Relations with New Media (MA)

Level 9 Cork Institute of Technology

Entry

requirements for this course will be in accordance with standard Institute admissions

Core Text

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procedures.

Entrants will be expected to hold minimum of a 2.2

honours degree.

Admission to the course will be on the basis of interview.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) will be applicable for candidates entering from the workplace or applying for admission from other institutes.

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Post Graduate Diploma in Public Relations

Level 9 Fitzwilliam

Institute Prior level 8 qualification.

Core Text

Master of Arts in Public Relations

Level 9 Dublin

Technological University

Entry is confined to holders of an honours bachelor degree (2.2 grade or higher).

Core Text

Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Media

& Public Relations CW808

Level 8 IT Carlow Leaving

Certificate:2H5

& 4O6/H7, English O3/H6

Core Text

Master in Strategic

Communications

Level 9 Losmonosov

Moscow State University

Core Text

Master of Public Relations

Level 9 Mount St Vincent

University A four-year degree in Business, Commerce, Public Relations, Communication or related field and a minimum GPA of 3.0 (B) in the last two years of undergraduate study.

Core Text

University of British Columbia

Core Text

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MA in PR ^{Level 8} University of Arts

London The course

team welcomes applicants from a broad range of backgrounds from all over the world. The course attracts students who apply direct from A-level (or equivalent) or from

Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, or other art or design courses, as well as mature students who may have previously worked in industry.

Core Text

MA in

Journalism and PR

Level 9 University of Arts London

An applicant will be considered for admission who has already achieved an educational level equivalent to an Honours degree,

preferably at 2:1 level.

Educational level may be demonstrated by:

Core Text

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Honours degree (named above);

Possession of equivalent qualifications;

Prior experiential learning, the outcome of which can be demonstrated to be equivalent to formal

qualifications otherwise required;

Or a

combination of formal

qualifications and experiential learning which, taken together, can be

demonstrated to be equivalent to formal

qualifications otherwise required.

Undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in PR

Level 8 and 9 Manchester University

Core Text

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4. Review of the Main Competing Titles

To follow is an outline of three publications that this book will be competing with along with the key benefits of this book over and above these publications:

1. Gunning, E. (2007) Public Relations – A Practical Approach. 3^rd Edn. London:

MacMillan International and Red Globe Press.

This is presently the main textbook that is used throughout PR courses in Ireland. The proposed new textbook would differ from this existing textbook for two reasons. Firstly, the qualifications and experience of the author make this a unique publication on the market as the content will be rooted in academia and can be targeted at students at a higher level than the current textbook. The new textbook would be written by a working public relations professional with 20 years working experience in the industry both in-house and in agency and a lecturer who also holds a Masters in Training and Education and has pedagogical experience. These credentials will ensure that this book will be aligned with the

competencies required by the PR industry and the learners’ pedagogical needs to

complement international curricula and ensure communications students worldwide are best positioned to achieve their learning outcomes. Secondly, in recent years and as identified in the ICCO’s report, the public relations industry has evolved with the result that agencies worldwide are now taking on broader communications remits rather than straightforward media relations. The requirement for strategic consultancy and corporate reputation management worldwide is also expected to grow. This book will address these specific areas. It aims to provide students with an understanding of the discipline as part of the wider communications mix, making it relevant to a national, global and diverse contemporary student demographic comprising public relations learners as well as those studying other communications disciplines, such as journalism, advertising and marketing. The new book will also include scenario-based tests that are not contained within this book.

2. Butterick, K. (2011) Introducing Public Relations Theory and Practice. London:

Sage Publications Ltd.

This textbook is largely concentrated on examples and case studies in the UK. The author is a former journalist turned PR professional and his experience and analysis is offered in this context. It is a very good introductory book to PR. The new book I am proposing will differ as it is written by a PR professional with an expertise in pedagogy as well as public relations. It will also offer examples from all over the world and specifically from the countries in which public relations is an emerging subject and profession. The new textbook will be written to

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compliment educational curricula, to support experiential and blended learning programmes and to assist students in developing the competencies required by the public relations industry. The book should also be of interest to PR practitioners looking to upskill or communications professionals seeking a career change. The new book will also focus on communications as a whole, including marketing and digital. Scenario-based tests are not offered in this book.

3. Theaker, A. (2016) The Public Relations Handbook. Fifth Edition. New York:

Routledge.

This is a very good handbook for public relations students that includes chapters from many experts in the field. The book is divided into three areas: Context of PR and its development, Strategic PR and Stakeholder PR. The textbook I am proposing will be more concise and practical in nature. It will be written to compliment educational curricula, to support experiential and blended learning programmes and to assist students in developing the competencies required by the public relations industry. More case-studies will be included from areas such as Africa, Russia and North America. Scenario-based tests are not offered in this book.

The following three features are the unique selling points of the proposed book:

1. PR as a form of Communication:

Since the advent of social media the communications landscape has evolved rapidly and the lines between the various communications disciplines of marketing, advertising and even journalism have become more blurred. PR has found itself in the position where it is ideally placed to bridge the gap between old and new with public relations professionals already highly efficient in creating content and facilitating the flow of real news between organisations and the public, a function that is possibly more important than ever before, in today’s era of misinformation. Communications professionals are required to be more than good journalistic writers, or social media managers, or media relations experts, they are required to be all round communications professionals that can offer strategic advice to their clients across the communications landscape. This book takes a broad view of public relations as one discipline under the wider communications umbrella. The book therefore will appeal to students of communications courses such as journalists or those in marketing who may be interested in learning more about public relations.

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2. Pedagogical and industry expertise combined:

The author of this book uses her pedagogical experience and qualifications to provide a strong pedagogical structure for this book that will assist students in reaching their learning outcomes. The pedagogical aspect is married with industry experience and expertise.

3. Competency Approach:

This book aims to provide support to students on public relations courses that are rooted in the constructivist experiential learning teaching and learning philosophy. It looks at PR as form of Communications and is intended as the main textbook for level eight and nine learners to support them in the learning of public relations as part of the wider communications landscape to assist learners in becoming rounded communications professionals and in developing the specific knowledge, practical skills and competencies required by the PR industry worldwide.

5. Format and Timeline

The existing public relations textbook in Ireland, ‘Public Relations, a Practical Approach’

comprises 14 chapters, approximately 260 pages / 300,000 words including references and footnotes and is priced at €39.00. The book will comprise roughly the same number of chapters. A similar price point would be proposed for this text-book in Ireland and an equivalent price point internationally. I would envisage that most of the tables and figures will be exclusively designed for this book. This book could benefit from a companion website in order to direct learners to, to complete the scenario-based tests. I would intend on submitting the final manuscript by 31^st December 2021.

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References

AKOS - Russian Communications Consultancies Association. PR Market Volume Study.

Available at https://www.ipra.org/news/itle/the-true-scale-of-pr-in-russia/ [Accessed 12^th November 2019]

Barnes, J., J. & Tallent, R., J. (2015) Think Bubbles and Socrates: Teaching Critical Thinking to Millennials in Public Relations Classes. Universal Journal of Educational

Research. USA: Horizon Research Publishing Corporation.

Flynn, T. (2014) Do They Have What It Takes? A review of the Literature on Knowledge Competencies and Skills Necessary for Twenty-First-Century Public Relations Practitioners in Canada. Vol 39 361-384. Canada: Canadian Journal of

Communications.

Forbes. (2019). Africa’s Growing PR and Advertising Industries and the Titans Leading the Charge. Available at https://www.forbesafrica.com/brand-voice/2019/09/02/africas- growing-pr-and-advertising-industries-and-the-titans-leading-the-charge/ [Accessed 18^th November 2019]

ICCO (2019). ICCO World Report 2010. Available at https://iccopr.com/services/world- reports/world-report-2020/ [Accessed 18^th November 2019].

Madigan, P. (2017) Practitioner Perspectives on Higher Education as a Preparation for Employment in Public Relations in Ireland. UK: University of Sheffield.

PRCA (2019). PR and Communications Census, 2018. Available at https://www.prca.org.uk/sites/default/files/PR%20and%20Communications%20Cens us%202018.pdf. [Accessed 18^th November 2019].

Public Relations Institute of Ireland (2019). Research into public relations sector also shows strong female representation at senior levels. Available at https://www.prii.ie/news/research-into-public-relations-sector-shows-over-

%E2%82%AC1-billion.html [Accessed 12^th November 2019]

Ragas, M. & Culp, R. (2014) Public Relations and Business Acumen: Closing the Gap.

Available at https://instituteforpr.org/public-relations-business-acumen-closing-gap/

[Accessed 4^th April 2019].

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UCD (2019). Study in Ireland at UCD. Available at https://www.ucd.ie/global/study-at- ucd/studyatucd-nigeria/ [Accessed 18^th November 2019].

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Public Relations & Communications

From Theory to Practice

Chapter 1:

Crisis Communications

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Chapter Contents

1. Learning Outcomes 3

2. Introduction 3

Theory:

3. Crisis Communications Theory 8

4. Crisis Categories 19

Practice:

5. Crisis Communications Planning (The 3 As) 22

6. The Crisis Communications Checklist (The 5 Cs) 28

7. For Discussion. 32

8. Situational Judgement Test Example 33

Notes:

- Some references need to be completed – e.g. Doug Newsom and Mehrabian and Ferris.

- Further detail including real world examples and critical analysis will be added to this chapter as the book evolves.

- The theory section will be explored further in a general section on theory in chapter 1 to include a greater discussion on rhetorical theory and persuasion.

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1. Learning Outcomes

This chapter sets out to introduce crisis communications and explain the difference between the terms crisis management and crisis communications which can sometimes and erroneously be used interchangeably. The chapter offers an analysis of the theory that underpins crisis communications and a discussion on the types of crises that organisations worldwide experience. A formula for devising a crisis communications plan is provided along with examples of crisis communications in action. Discussion points for further research and reading are offered at the end of the chapter and a Situational Judgement Test relating to crisis communications is included.

On completion of this chapter, the reader will be able to:

- Demonstrate a critical understanding of crisis communications theory and practice.

- Critically assess the types of crisis that affect organisations and identify the common mistakes that organisations can make when communicating in a crisis.

- Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the stages involved in crisis communications planning.

- Formulate a strategic and practical crisis communications plan.

- Develop a competency in critical thinking through the analysis of crisis responses and the Situational Judgement Tests associated with this chapter.

2. Introduction

A dictionary definition describes the word ‘crisis’ as ‘a time of great danger, difficulty, or confusion when problems must be solved, or important decisions must be made’ (Oxford Learners Dictionaries). Fink (2000) sums up a communications crisis as occurring ‘when an event increases in intensity, falls under close scrutiny of the news, media or government, interferes with normal business opportunities, devalues a positive public image, and has an adverse effect on a business’s bottom line’.

All over the world, crises are happening to people, businesses and governments every day on both large and small scales. Irrespective of size, a crisis could be defined as a serious incident for an organisation or a person that has the potential to affect the reputation of the organisation and ultimately impact on its bottom line. For example, at the time of writing, countries worldwide are tackling the Coronavirus Pandemic, which is a global crisis that threatens both the health and the economies of the worldwide population. It presents multiple crises, for businesses, for governments and for healthcare providers worldwide and presents huge challenges in crisis management and communications in terms of changing behaviours and

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attitudes (a case study on COVID and communications will be included in this book). There are numerous other crises that have occurred however that might not be as instantly memorable but important for the organisations involved nonetheless. For example, in 2018, the fast food chain, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) experienced a crisis in the UK when it ran out of its core product - chicken! The company was forced into a crisis communications strategy as a result, which it handled very well and is discussed later in this chapter. Goya Foods, the latino food producer had a crisis in 2020 when its Chief Executive, Robert Unanue lavished praise on the then US President, Donald Trump at an event in the White House. The Latino community in the States expressed their outrage on social media highlighting that Trump’s policies were responsible for numerous injustices against the Latin American community. As these issues gain attention on social media initially, they have the potential to spread and get worse for the company, its reputation and ultimately its bottom line, very quickly unless a well-executed crisis communications programme is immediately actioned.

When analysing a crisis from a communications perspective, it is important to make a distinction between crisis management and crisis communications. These terms are commonly used interchangeably and erroneously. Fink (2013) attempts to explain it when he states that ‘crisis management’ is ‘the management of the realities’ and crisis communications is ‘the management of the perception of the crisis’. Crisis management is a process an organisation will hopefully have engaged in long before a crisis hits. It involves a risk assessment of potential crises that could affect an organisation and scenario-based simulation training around such crises. For example, an oil company may look at an accident on an oil rig as a potential crisis situation and plan with and train its staff to respond to such a disaster.

A technology company might look at a potential breach of data as a risk to the organisation’s business and might train its management team in responding to such a crisis. The crisis management process should include a detailed analysis of best practice in managing such crises looking at precedent within the organisation and amongst similar organisations, and the development of a plan of action in the eventuality of such a crisis occurring in the future. Topics of concern for an organisation involved in crisis management planning would include: deciding on the members of the crisis team, identifying the departments of the business that could be affected, human resources issues particularly if the crisis could result in redundancies or lay- offs and legal issues especially in some large crises where customers may be entitled to compensation. These are all operational crisis management issues and ones that take place under the remit of crisis management.

Crisis Communications on the other hand becomes active after a crisis has materialised but should also form part of the management planning process. The main concern of crisis communications is the public response of the organisation to the crisis. The communications

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has the ability to protect and in some cases even enhance an organisation’s reputation. This is important because reputation is recognised by companies as hugely important to their value.

For example, an article in the Harvard Business Review states that markets believe that organisations with good reputations ‘deliver sustained earnings and future growth’ (Eccles, Newquist & Schatz, 2007). This is further substantiated in a study from global market research company, IPSOS. In its 2019 report on the value of reputation, it found that 87% of consumers around the world say that they take the reputation of the company into account when purchasing a product or service (IPSOS, 2019). Unfortunately however, in many cases, despite the unlimited finances and resources that organisations have at their disposal, many organisations cannot build or maintain a good reputation. As Warren Buffett famously said: ‘It takes twenty years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it’ (Snyder, 2017). Starting with a good crisis communications plan is the first step in ensuring that your company is best placed to protect its reputation if and when a crisis hits. At the very least, the organisation should not make the crisis worse through poor communications. An example of a company that did just this was BP (British Petrolleum).

There is no book or article on crisis communications that can be written without mentioning the communications of BP and in particular the performance of its CEO in the aftermath of the largest oil spill in US history and one of the worst environmental disasters of all time. In 2010 there was an accident at the BP oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico that, according to the National Geographic, resulted in the leakage of more than 300 Olympic sized swimming pools of oil into the sea, destroying marine life and polluting the waters and beaches throughout the Gulf of Mexico (Borunda, 2020). Eleven people died in the incident and the local fishing industry was decimated by the accident. The Chief Executive of BP at the time was Tony Hayward and he was dispatched to front the crisis communications campaign to try and protect BP’s reputation. However, to the untrained eye, it would seem that BP’s communications activity was designed to do exactly the opposite. From the outset, the company was accused of covering up the real story. It gave vastly underestimated figures of how much oil was leaking into the sea to the public, it was unable to give a timeline as to when the leaking might stop and was obstructive in allowing media access to the areas affected. In a television interview a month or so after the disaster, Hayward stated that ‘the environmental impact of this disaster is likely to be very modest’ and he famously told one journalist in an interview that there was no-one who wanted the crisis to be over more than him as he wanted to have his life back!

BP’s strategy and Tony Hayward’s performance were shocking for an organisation that was in the midst of a reputational crisis to the extent that it would leave experts wondering how they got the crisis communications so wrong? Clearly a company this large had trained for such an event? The answer would seem that the company was completely out of touch and

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out of its depth in terms of the scale of this disaster and was unable to pivot its communications strategy to one of transparency and truth, which was what was required. A demonstration of empathy was also sorely lacking in the personal interactions from Tony Hayward. Empathy is a key component of crisis communications and we will look at this in more detail in the ‘Crisis Communications Checklist’ later in this chapter. The crisis cost BP billions and Tony Hayward was eventually replaced in his position by Bob Dudley who said in a BBC interview shortly after his appointment in 2010: “We will earn back trust in BP and begin to restore the company’s battered reputation” (Madslien, 2010). Dudley then set about a post crisis communications programme in which the company attempted to provide up to date information as to the stage the attempts to fix the leaks was at and the steps BP was putting in place to ensure this wouldn’t happen again. The extent of the damage caused by this disaster is still being uncovered to this day over 10 years’ later.

Whereas Crisis Management’s focus is to prepare an organisation for the logistics of managing a crisis, crisis communications is about protecting the reputation of an organisation in the event of a crisis occurring. Crisis communications planning will help an organisation to develop explanations for its stakeholders, to communicate key points on what the organisation is doing to mitigate, give clear facts and dates to the public as to the stage of the problem and explain how the organisation plans to prevent similar crises happening in the future. In a well- managed communications-savvy organisation, the communications aspect of the crisis will have formed part of the crisis planning strategy and a well thought out public response will have been anticipated and developed. The ultimate goal of a crisis communications plan should be to communicate the details of the crisis clearly and not to further damage the reputation and revenues of the organisation involved. In some cases the crisis communications can even improve the reputation of an organisation. For example, in the Kentucky Fried Chicken crisis, the company responded immediately through a clever social media campaign which became a positive reputational campaign in itself. When it became public knowledge on social media that the company’s outlets were closed as it had run out of chicken, it took to social media to immediately apologise to its customers and explain that there had been an issue with its new courier company that had resulted in the failure of the chicken to be delivered. The new courier company then verified KFC’s claim and the company succeeded in projecting an image that was pro-active and one that had good relationships with its contractors - all key attributes of a good reputation. Next, the company set up a webpage and developed a humorous campaign on social media entitled #wheresmychicken that went viral. This was an immediate, transparent and humorous response that worked well for this company. It is important to note that this type of response would not be suitable in a more serious situation in which the crisis involved a loss of life for example or a major

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environmental disaster as such that had occurred with BP. However, no matter the magnitude of the crisis, immediacy and transparency in all situations are key to the successful execution of a crisis communications strategy.

To look at the origins of crisis communications we can go back to the early 20^th Century when Ivy Lee, one of the first public relations practitioners and considered to be one of the founders of the public relations profession, drafted the first known example of a press release. The press release was composed in response to the Pennsylvania Railroad train crash in the US in 1906 in which 50 people lost their lives.. At the time of the crash, transparent communication from organisations to their stakeholders was not common practice. On the contrary, businesses were fearful or sceptical about the media and would commonly opt to hide information and avoid communicating with their stakeholders until such a time as the media came looking for answers. However, Lee’s response to this crisis changed this practice. He drafted a statement updating the public as to what had happened and what the company was doing in response and he invited media to the crash site to report on the incident. His press release was published by news media, including in the New York Times and Lee then went on to publish his ‘Declaration of Principles’ which laid out the foundations for future public relations professionals and organisations in how they could communicate in an informative and transparent way with the public through the news media.

Although the types of crisis and processes of crisis communications have evolved with the time that has elapsed since the Pennsylvanian Train Crash, the basic principles of the communications response as laid out by Lee, including transparency and honesty have remined the same. Probably the most significant factor that has influenced crisis communications since the time of Ivy Lee and particularly in the last 15 years, is the emergence of new technologies and new media channels through which news is consumed and which has resulted in increased and immediate access to news. Both bad and good news now enters the public domain immediately through social media and that has placed an increased onus on companies to be prepared and to respond quickly. To illustrate this point for example, if the Pennsylvanian Train Crash had happened in 2020, almost as soon as it had happened, either a passenger involved in or a spectator to the crash would have posted about the crash on Twitter and the news of the crash would have instantly become public knowledge. In this instance, Ivy Lee would not have had the luxury of drafting a press release for the next day’s newspapers. Rather, a journalist would most likely have been on the phone to Lee within the half-hour looking for a comment. In a further illustration of this need for immediate communication in a crisis, in 2015, the American railroad company, Amtrak was ridiculed for its response to a train crash in which eight people died and numerous others were injured. The company was heavily criticised for its uncoordinated response and its failure to

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