Curtin Business School
School of Marketing
Unit study package number:
Mode of study:
Tuition pattern summary:
Credit Value:
Pre-requisite units:
Co-requisite units:
Anti-requisite units:
Result type:
Approved incidental fees:
Unit coordinator:
12597
Internal
Seminar: 1 x 3 Hours Weekly
This unit does not have a fieldwork component.
25.0
10851 (v.0) Media Relations 250 or any previous version
Nil
Nil
Grade/Mark
Information about approved incidental fees can be obtained from our website. Visit fees.curtin.edu.au/incidental_fees.cfm for details.
Name:
Phone:
Email:
Building:
Room:
Jochen Hoffmann
+618 9266 2830
Jochen.Hoffmann@curtin.edu.au
408
2008
Teaching Staff:
Administrative contact: Name:
Phone:
Email:
Building:
Room:
Elizabeth Martella
08 9266 1250
Liz.Martella@curtin.edu.au
408
Level 2
12597 Corporate Public Relations 360
Bentley Campus
12 Feb 2013
School of Marketing, Curtin Business School
Page: of 7
CRICOS Provider Code
WA 00301J, NSW 02637B

Curtin Business School
School of Marketing
We respectfully acknowledge the Indigenous Elders, custodians, their descendants and kin of this land past and present.
Corporate communication management. The role of corporate public relations in the strategic management of organisations. Stakeholder management and corporate social responsibility. Corporate reputation, branding, identity, and image. Measurement and evaluation in corporate public relations. Integrated communication. Internal communication, change management, and corporate culture. Issues management and public affairs. Crisis communication management.
Public Relations (Corporate) 360 is an upper-level unit offering an in-depth examination of the critical field of corporate communication management, research and related topics. The aims of this unit are to:
1. Complement other units in the PR course and related streams by taking an integrated approach to the theme of corporate communication
2. Emphasise the theoretical underpinnings of public relations and how the discipline intersects with other key aspects of communication and management
3. Highlight the practical application of theoretical concepts and research methods in real life organisational situations
4. Develop higher level academic presentation and research skills within a public relations context. This will be of particular value to those interested in later pursuing their studies at an honours or postgraduate level.
On successful completion of this unit students can:
Graduate
Attributes addressed
1 Analyse the role of corporate communication management in modern organisations
2 Evaluate the concepts of corporate reputation, corporate-level branding, image, identity and integrated communication and their application to real life organisational settings
3 Analyse the social responsibilities of organisations in their interactions with stakeholders
4 Explain the importance of theory to the practice of corporate public relations
5 Demonstrate academic writing, presentation and research skills at an appropriate level for final year undergraduates
Apply discipline knowledge
Thinking skills
(use analytical skills to solve problems)
Information skills
(confidence to investigate new ideas)
Communication skills Technology skills
Learning how to learn
(apply principles learnt to new situations)
(confidence to tackle unfamiliar problems)
International perspective
(value the perspectives of others)
Cultural understanding
(value the perspectives of others)
Professional Skills
(work independently and as a team)
(plan own work)
Find out more about Curtin's Graduate attributes at the Office of Teaching & Learning website: otl.curtin.edu.au
12597 Corporate Public Relations 360
Bentley Campus
12 Feb 2013
School of Marketing, Curtin Business School
Page: of 7
CRICOS Provider Code
WA 00301J, NSW 02637B

Curtin Business School
School of Marketing
The unit is delivered via weekly 3-hour seminars. Although Powerpoint slides are used, seminars are intended to be far more than a traditional lecture. Two-way communication is essential in the practice of professional public relations and equally vital in the classroom. Your lecturer will conduct interactive presentations and student participation is vital. At first it may seem daunting to be asked questions in front of what may be a large group. But remember, the lecturer’s aim is not to catch you out but to encourage you to think critically and actively engage with the subject matter. Discussion is one of the most powerful of all learning strategies. Powerpoint slides will be available on Blackboard. But these are not a substitute for attending class on a regular basis. By participating actively in seminars, you will start to build a real understanding of corporate public relations, PR research and greatly enhance your chances of achieving a high mark for the unit. Remember that in order to participate effectively, adequate preparation is essential. Make sure you have met all deadlines, that you have completed the set readings and any other tasks as directed by your lecturer either in the classroom or on Blackboard. Most weeks, there will be student presentations critiquing selected academic journal articles. As final year public relations students, high standard presentation skills will be expected. Further guidance on this will be given in class. Case studies are also a key component of the unit’s pedagogical approach. There will also be a presentations by an industry guest speaker from the world of corporate public relations.
You do not have to purchase the following textbooks but you may like to refer to them.
Cornelissen, Joep 2011: Corporate Communication. A Guide to Theory and Practice, Third edition, London:
Sage.
Task
1
Corporate issue analysis group assignment
2
Research paper
3 Journal article critique
4 Final Examination
Value % Date Due
20 percent Week: Week 9
Day: Friday
30 percent Week: Week 13
Day: Friday
20 percent TBA
30 percent TBA
Unit Learning
Outcome(s)
Assessed
1,2,3
3,4,5
1,2,3
1,2,4
12597 Corporate Public Relations 360
Bentley Campus
12 Feb 2013
School of Marketing, Curtin Business School
Page: of 7
CRICOS Provider Code
WA 00301J, NSW 02637B

Curtin Business School
School of Marketing
1. Issue Analysis
This project will be carried out in groups. You will be required to identify a public issue which has been covered by mass media within the past year. You will analyse the issue for a client by setting up an issue analysis Wiki on
Blackboard. The overall aim is to strengthen your analytical and critical research skills that are indispensable for the development of PR strategies. The Wiki will comprise three major sections. You should break these down into appropriate sub-sections.
1) Organisations: Here you list up all stakeholders, public players, organisations, social movements etc. which are somehow affected by the issue and which are (potentially) able to influence the further development of the issue.
2) Facts and Arguments: Here you list up documents providing facts and arguments that have been brought into the discussion about the issue. Think about different types of documents like research reports, business reports, media releases, statistical data, pamphlets, position papers, policies, regulations etc.
3) Media Coverage: The media coverage gets its own main section in your Wiki. Research print, broadcast, and online media. Identify and analyse relevant media clippings that are covering the issue.
With the help of these main sections and appropriate sub-sections you develop your Wiki as a network of elements that represents the overall communication structure of the issue. You provide a short analysis of each element consisting of
- an external link (to the homepage of an organization, to a document, to a media piece)
- a summary of the element
- a conclusion discussing implications for your PR strategy.
You have to choose an issue until 22.3. If you miss the deadline, your lecturer will allocate an issue to you and upload the topic on Blackboard. You will fail the assignment, if you analyse an issue different from the one allocated to you. You have to submit the Wiki until 3.5. For further information including marking criteria, please refer to the assignment guide.
2. Research paper
The research paper is your major assignment for the semester. First, your group shortly summarizes in the research paper the main finding from your issue analysis. Secondly, you are doing an online survey on the issue you have chosen for your issue analysis and you will present the survey results in the research paper, as well.
Minimum requirements to pass the assignment:
- Every student signs up and joins on Qualtrics the survey project (that has been allocated to your issue) until
22.3.
- Every groups creates between 15 and 25 online survey questions and response sets about the issue until 3.5.
- Every group member distributes the survey link to friends via email or social media like Facebook. Every group gets at least 40 responses until 17.5.
- Every group submits the research paper to Turnitin until 31.5. Each paper is between 3,000 and 4,000 words. It summarizes the results of the issue analysis, the findings of the survey and finally you draw conclusions with regard to the communication strategy of your corporation.
For further information including marking criteria, please refer to the assignment guide which will be available on
Blackboard prior to the start of your study period.
12597 Corporate Public Relations 360
Bentley Campus
12 Feb 2013
School of Marketing, Curtin Business School
Page: of 7
CRICOS Provider Code
WA 00301J, NSW 02637B

Curtin Business School
School of Marketing
3. Journal article critique
The assignment guide will provide a list of scholarly articles on public relations. Note that the full text of these articles is available via the library’s scholarly electronic databases and/or the e-reserve. You are recommended to download the pdf version of each article.
A small group will be allocated one article to critique by means of a 20-25 minute presentation to the rest of the class. Note that all students are required to read all the articles to be critiqued each week, regardless of whether it is your turn to present. This is essential to ensure an informed discussion and to build your understanding of the unit’s content matter.
The goal of the assignment is that the whole class:
…gets an overview of article content
…understands the research methods used (if applicable)
…understands the main empirical findings and the conclusion
…sees the relevance to real life corporations
…is able to identify both strengths and weaknesses of the article.
You should prepare a set of Powerpoint slides as an integral part of your presentation, but please note that one of the most important objectives is to stimulate class discussion. Thus, the core of your presentation is not so much one-way-communication but a text-based exercise you are doing together with all students in the class.
Accordingly, the group responsible for the preparation of the exercise is assuming the role of a moderator.
Interactivity is crucial!
Please sign up for a group until 22.3. Please check the assignment guide for the articles allocated to each group and the presentation dates for each group If you miss the deadline, you will be allocated to a group. A table listing the final group formations will be uploaded on Blackboard before the first presentation date. Students will fail the assignment, if they do not show up and present on their presentation date or if they cover an article different from the one allocated to them. For further information including potential formats for exercises and marking criteria, please refer to the assignment guide which will be available on Blackboard prior to the start of semester.
4. Examination
Further information on the exam format will be provided in the assignment guide. The exam will give you the opportunity to demonstrate the extent to which you have achieved the unit learning outcomes with a special focus on your research skills.
Moderation describes a quality assurance process to ensure that assessments are appropriate to the learning outcomes, and that student work is evaluated consistently by assessors. Minimum standards for the moderation of assessment are described in the Assessment Manual, available from policies.curtin.edu.au/policies/teachingandlearning.cfm
This ensures that the requirements for submission of assignments and other work to be assessed are fair, transparent, equitable, and that penalties are consistently applied.
1. All assessments which students are required to submit will have a due date and time specified on the Unit
Outline.
2. Accepting late submission of assignments or other work will be determined by the unit coordinator or Head of
School and will be specified on the Unit Outline.
3. If late submission of assignments or other work is not accepted, students will receive a penalty of 100% after the due date and time ie a zero mark for the late assessment.
4. If late submission of assignments or other work is accepted, students will be penalised by ten percent per calendar day for a late assessment submission (eg a mark equivalent to 10% of the total allocated for the assessment will be deducted from the marked value for every day that the assessment is late). This means that an assignment worth 20 will have two marks deducted per calendar day late. Hence if it was handed in three calendar days late and marked as 12/20, the student would receive 6/20. An assessment more than seven calendar days overdue will not be marked . Work submitted after this time (due date plus seven days) may result in a Fail - Incomplete (F-IN) grade being awarded for the unit.
12597 Corporate Public Relations 360
Bentley Campus
12 Feb 2013
School of Marketing, Curtin Business School
Page: of 7
CRICOS Provider Code
WA 00301J, NSW 02637B

Curtin Business School
School of Marketing
To pass this unit you must receive a mark greater than or equal to 50% AND submit all assessment activities AND meet all deadlines related to the assessment activities AND achieve a mark greater than or equal to 50% in the exam.
Students should use the Chicago referencing style when preparing assignments.
More information can be found on this style from the Library web site: library.curtin.edu.au
.
Plagiarism occurs when work or property of another person is presented as one's own, without appropriate acknowledgement or referencing. Plagiarism is a serious offence. For more information refer to academicintegrity.curtin.edu.au
.
Work submitted may be subjected to a plagiarism detection process, which may include the use of systems such as
'Turnitin'. For further information, see academicintegrity.curtin.edu.au/students/turnitin.cfm
.
It is your responsibility to ensure that your enrolment is correct - you can check your enrolment through the eStudent option on OASIS, where you can also print an Enrolment Advice.
Supplementary and deferred examinations will be held at a date to be advised. Notification to students will be made after the Board of Examiners meeting via the Official Communications Channel (OCC) in OASIS. It is the student's responsibility to check their OASIS account on a weekly basis for official Curtin correspondence. If your results show that you have been awarded a supplementary or deferred exam you should immediately check your OASIS email for details.
It is the responsibility of every student to be aware of all relevant legislation, policies and procedures relating to their rights and responsibilities as a student. These include: the Student Charter the University's Guiding Ethical Principles the University's policy and statements on plagiarism and academic integrity copyright principles and responsibilities the University's policies on appropriate use of software and computer facilities
Information on all these things is available through the University's "Student Rights and Responsibilities website at: students.curtin.edu.au/rights .
Students with a disability or medical condition (e.g. mental health condition, chronic illness, physical or sensory disability, learning disability) are encouraged to seek advice from Disability Services www.disability.curtin.edu.au
. A
Disability Advisor will work with you and liaise with staff to identify strategies to assist you to meet unit (including fieldwork education) and course requirements, where possible. It is important to note that the staff of the university may not be able to meet your needs if they are not informed of your individual circumstances.
12597 Corporate Public Relations 360
Bentley Campus
12 Feb 2013
School of Marketing, Curtin Business School
Page: of 7
CRICOS Provider Code
WA 00301J, NSW 02637B

Curtin Business School
School of Marketing
6.
7.
8.
9.
4.
5.
We welcome feedback as one way to keep improving this unit. Students are encouraged to provide unit feedback through e VALUate , Curtin's online student feedback system (see evaluate.curtin.edu.au/info/ ). Recent changes to this unit include:
The research paper has been an academic literature review before, but many students had difficulties to cope with academic content. Now the paper summarizes results of their own primary research (issue analysis and survey). The changes are more relevant to professional practice, as well.
See evaluate.curtin.edu.au to find out when you can e VALUate this unit.
2.
3.
Orientation
1.
25 February
4 March
11 March
18 March
Introduction
Stakeholder Management
Issues Management
3
10
25 March
1 April
8 April
15 April
22 April
29 April
Guest Speaker (depending on availability)
Tuition Free Week
Public Relations Research 7
Tuition Free Week
Corporate Reputation, Image,
Identity and Brand
4
10.
11.
6 May
13 May Corporate Social Responsibility 13
12.
13.
14
15.
16.
17.
20 May
27 May
3 June
10 June
17 June
24 June
Change and Crisis Communication 11/12
Public Affairs 10
Review
Study Week
Examinations
Examinations
Journal article critique presentations: TBA (weeks 6-13)
12597 Corporate Public Relations 360
Bentley Campus
12 Feb 2013
School of Marketing, Curtin Business School
Sign up for groups, choose issue, create online survey account and join project
Issue analysis submission,
15-25 survey questions created, start survey distribution
End survey distribution (min.
40 responses)
Research paper submission
Page: of 7
CRICOS Provider Code
WA 00301J, NSW 02637B