2010 - Public Relations Society of America
2010 - Public Relations Society of America
2010 - Public Relations Society of America
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followed the activities <strong>of</strong> a corporation in the news media for an extended period <strong>of</strong> time.<br />
This assignment ensures that students employ the research methods they learned in earlier<br />
courses while at the same time encourages them to actively follow both traditional and<br />
new media as they cover their corporations, much like a real public relations pr<strong>of</strong>essional.<br />
By mirroring the work <strong>of</strong> the in-house public relations specialist, students are better able<br />
to learn the process <strong>of</strong> corporate communications as they blend abstract conceptual<br />
learning received from the classroom with concrete experience they obtain through their<br />
own information gathering.<br />
Outcomes<br />
Students <strong>of</strong>ten find it difficult to research beyond a basic Google search on their<br />
laptop. Since so much <strong>of</strong> public relations is based on research this assignment pulls them<br />
out <strong>of</strong> their comfort zone and attempts to introduce some <strong>of</strong> the information gathering<br />
challenges they will be faced with when they enter the workforce. Creatively uncovering<br />
information to determine potential opportunities or problems is the basis <strong>of</strong> corporate<br />
public relations. Through this process students become more capable <strong>of</strong> seeing<br />
connections regarding; why companies select spokespeople, how they choose target<br />
markets, how they strategically position their corporate philanthropy and how internal<br />
and external audiences such as employees, government and the media factor into their<br />
overall brand position.<br />
The goal is to extend students understanding <strong>of</strong> public relations. Many students<br />
have not yet been exposed to the strategic side <strong>of</strong> public relations and are only familiar<br />
with the basics <strong>of</strong> creating a media relations pitch for a product or service. This<br />
assignment brings them into the world <strong>of</strong> corporate communications and makes them<br />
explore the critical role public relations plays in the corporate world.<br />
In some instances, students select a company in the middle <strong>of</strong> handling a crisis<br />
during the course <strong>of</strong> the semester and follow closely as the company simultaneously<br />
issues press releases, notifies employees, deals with consumer confidence and repairs a<br />
tarnished reputation. What had seemed so simple and easy to criticize before they knew<br />
more about the organization now becomes a strategic puzzle that the student is invested<br />
in and determined to solve. In other instances, companies are embarking upon major rebranding<br />
efforts and new product positioning and students get to follow along as<br />
companies re-define themselves and approach new audiences. Many students gain a new<br />
respect for both corporations and the pr<strong>of</strong>ession <strong>of</strong> public relations. Some students have<br />
even shown their final case study analysis to prospective employers and have impressed<br />
them with their in-depth knowledge <strong>of</strong> the complexities <strong>of</strong> corporate communications.<br />
References<br />
Argenti, P.A. and Forman, J. (2002). The Power <strong>of</strong> Corporate Communication. McGraw-<br />
Hill, New York<br />
Boyatzis, R.E. and Kolb, D.A. (2000). Experiential Learning Theory, Previous Research<br />
New Directions. In R.J. Sternberg & L.F. Zhang (eds.), Perspectives on<br />
cognitive and learning styles. NJ. Lawrence Erlbaum, 2000<br />
The Gallup Organization Web site: http://www.gallup.com<br />
Lattimore, D., Baskin, O., Heiman, S.T., Toth, E.L. (2006). <strong>Public</strong> <strong>Relations</strong>:<br />
The Pr<strong>of</strong>ession and the Practice. 2 nd Edition. McGraw-Hill, Boston.<br />
Laurillard, D. (2003). Rethinking University Teaching, A Conversational Framework for<br />
the Effective use <strong>of</strong> Learning Technologies, Taylor & Francis, London & NY<br />
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