Solutions Manual for Public Relations Planning: A Practical
Guide for Strategic Communication, 2nd Edition by Edward
T. Vieira and Yulong Li.
Table of Contents
Part I: Introduction, 1. Introduction to Public Relations, 2. Professional Associations and
Public Relations Code of Ethics, 3. Understanding Applied Theory and the Psychology
and Behavior of Public Relations Stakeholders, 4. Public Relations Research; Part II:
Situational Analysis, 5. Situational Analysis: Defining and Understanding Public
Relations Issues, 6. Situational Analysis: Defining Stakeholders; Part III: Goals,
Objectives, and Strategy, 7. Strategy: Conceptualization, Goals, Objectives, and Central
Message, 8. Strategy: More on Public Relations Central Messaging; Part IV: Planning:
,Key Stakeholder Tactics and Action Plans 9. Public Relations Tactics’ Toolbox, 10.
Social Media Tactics, 11. Internal Messaging; Part V: Budgeting and Evaluation 12.
Budgeting and Scheduling for a Public Relations Campaign, 13. Public Relations
Campaign Evaluation; Part VI: Putting It All Together, 14. Putting It All Together – The
Public Relation Campaign Planbook; Part VII: Cultural Factors 15. Culture, Diversity,
and Inclusion, 16. Global Public Relations
Chapter No. 1: Introduction to Public Relations
End-of-Chapter Questions, Exam Questions and Answers
Questions
1.1) Define public relations.
ANSWER: Public relations is perhaps best defined as a managed, researched, and
planned process involving efforts to directly or indirectly strategically communicate to
publics of one or more persons or groups in a manner that informs, persuades, and/or
compels a call to action. Ideally, the impact of these messages should be assessed to
inform future efforts.
1.2) What is propaganda?
ANSWER: Propaganda attempts to persuade based on appeals unsupported by sound
reasoning and/or evidence presented. Propaganda makes use of exaggerated language,
name calling, stereotypical labeling (directly or indirectly), fear tactics, euphemisms, and
a host of other tactics.
1.3) What is asymmetric public relations?
ANSWER: Asymmetric public relations uses publicity, one-sided facts, and appeals with
evidence to support a specific position that is short term and eliciting a desired response
to an existential issue.
1.4) What is symmetric public relations?
ANSWER: It is communication that is socially responsible and considers all the positions
of the various publics in a free flow of information and give-and-take. Public relations is
transparent, relational, and long term.
,1.5) Define organic public relations.
ANSWER: It is public relations created and developed at the grassroots level.
1.6) What is transactional public relations?
ANSWER: It is public relations shaped by the interaction of the publics.
1.7) Define glocalization and provide an example.
ANSWER: It is a global strategy with a local focus on execution. For instance, McDonalds
has an overall marketing strategy that is customized for local cultures. McDonald’s has
created rice dishes for local Chinese markets and veggie burgers in India, where eating
beef is proscribed.
1.8) What general types of organizations use public relations?
ANSWER: A public relations campaign can be commissioned by a company, nonprofit
organization, special interest group, or governmental entity.
1.9) Name three functions of public relations.
ANSWER: Functions include lobbying, promoting products, advising senior management
on media relations, and social media management.
1.10) What are some types of public relations?
ANSWER: Public relations can be corporate public relations, corporate communications,
corporate relations, community relations, media relations, employee relations,
governmental public affairs, publicist for the chief executive officer, legislature affairs
(lobbying), industry relations, collective labor affairs, strategic communications, integrated
communications, and financial relations.
1.11) Define advertising.
ANSWER: Advertising is paid messaging. It is typically one-way messaging and short
term geared toward selling brands, products, and services. In the past, it was strictly mass
communication. Now, some advertising micro-targets.
1.12) Define integrated marketing communication (MARCOM).
ANSWER: It includes public relations, advertising, personal selling, and anything else
concerning messaging and selling products, services, or brand in the marketplace.
1.13) Describe the senior public relations management/leadership role.
ANSWER: Senior public relations management/leadership persons operate as
“consultants” to the organization. They have extensive experience and participate in
, strategic decision-making. These individuals span boundaries (reach out to various
groups) among internal and external stakeholders. Some responsibilities involve
organizational image strategy, product and services positioning, and public relations
campaign strategy and evaluation.
1.14) What is the policy/operations management role?
ANSWER: The policy/operations management people have technical responsibilities
required for managing and developing strategic plans. Policy advisors have extensive
experience. Their activities involve spanning boundaries by interacting with internal and
external stakeholders. These managers understand what can be done, can marshal
resources, and assess the pre-campaign, during the campaign, and post-campaign
situations so that plans will be cost-effective, monitored throughout the campaign, and
adjusted if necessary.
1.15) What is the brand specialist role?
ANSWER: These practitioners are typically technicians, but sometimes perform some
supervisory duties. They possess less experience than those fulfilling management roles.
They are often involved with company brands, corporate image, or building the
organizational brand with internal stakeholders.
1.16) What is the internal communicator’s role?
ANSWER: The internal communicator role consists of technical and managerial duties.
This position requires someone with years of experience like the brand specialist.
Practitioners in this role are concerned with employee morale, motivation, and a variety
of internal communications. Much of their communication is face-to-face.
1.17) Define the media specialist/manager’s role.
Answer: These individuals are involved with technical as well as managerial tasks. They
have extensive experience. Their primary focus is external stakeholders especially
concentrating on the news media. They also consult with senior management about key
stakeholders. These practitioners also provide some strategic planning inputs especially
about news media.
1.18) Define the social media technician role.
ANSWER: This person develops and implements public relations tactics such as writing
news releases and blog posts.
Guide for Strategic Communication, 2nd Edition by Edward
T. Vieira and Yulong Li.
Table of Contents
Part I: Introduction, 1. Introduction to Public Relations, 2. Professional Associations and
Public Relations Code of Ethics, 3. Understanding Applied Theory and the Psychology
and Behavior of Public Relations Stakeholders, 4. Public Relations Research; Part II:
Situational Analysis, 5. Situational Analysis: Defining and Understanding Public
Relations Issues, 6. Situational Analysis: Defining Stakeholders; Part III: Goals,
Objectives, and Strategy, 7. Strategy: Conceptualization, Goals, Objectives, and Central
Message, 8. Strategy: More on Public Relations Central Messaging; Part IV: Planning:
,Key Stakeholder Tactics and Action Plans 9. Public Relations Tactics’ Toolbox, 10.
Social Media Tactics, 11. Internal Messaging; Part V: Budgeting and Evaluation 12.
Budgeting and Scheduling for a Public Relations Campaign, 13. Public Relations
Campaign Evaluation; Part VI: Putting It All Together, 14. Putting It All Together – The
Public Relation Campaign Planbook; Part VII: Cultural Factors 15. Culture, Diversity,
and Inclusion, 16. Global Public Relations
Chapter No. 1: Introduction to Public Relations
End-of-Chapter Questions, Exam Questions and Answers
Questions
1.1) Define public relations.
ANSWER: Public relations is perhaps best defined as a managed, researched, and
planned process involving efforts to directly or indirectly strategically communicate to
publics of one or more persons or groups in a manner that informs, persuades, and/or
compels a call to action. Ideally, the impact of these messages should be assessed to
inform future efforts.
1.2) What is propaganda?
ANSWER: Propaganda attempts to persuade based on appeals unsupported by sound
reasoning and/or evidence presented. Propaganda makes use of exaggerated language,
name calling, stereotypical labeling (directly or indirectly), fear tactics, euphemisms, and
a host of other tactics.
1.3) What is asymmetric public relations?
ANSWER: Asymmetric public relations uses publicity, one-sided facts, and appeals with
evidence to support a specific position that is short term and eliciting a desired response
to an existential issue.
1.4) What is symmetric public relations?
ANSWER: It is communication that is socially responsible and considers all the positions
of the various publics in a free flow of information and give-and-take. Public relations is
transparent, relational, and long term.
,1.5) Define organic public relations.
ANSWER: It is public relations created and developed at the grassroots level.
1.6) What is transactional public relations?
ANSWER: It is public relations shaped by the interaction of the publics.
1.7) Define glocalization and provide an example.
ANSWER: It is a global strategy with a local focus on execution. For instance, McDonalds
has an overall marketing strategy that is customized for local cultures. McDonald’s has
created rice dishes for local Chinese markets and veggie burgers in India, where eating
beef is proscribed.
1.8) What general types of organizations use public relations?
ANSWER: A public relations campaign can be commissioned by a company, nonprofit
organization, special interest group, or governmental entity.
1.9) Name three functions of public relations.
ANSWER: Functions include lobbying, promoting products, advising senior management
on media relations, and social media management.
1.10) What are some types of public relations?
ANSWER: Public relations can be corporate public relations, corporate communications,
corporate relations, community relations, media relations, employee relations,
governmental public affairs, publicist for the chief executive officer, legislature affairs
(lobbying), industry relations, collective labor affairs, strategic communications, integrated
communications, and financial relations.
1.11) Define advertising.
ANSWER: Advertising is paid messaging. It is typically one-way messaging and short
term geared toward selling brands, products, and services. In the past, it was strictly mass
communication. Now, some advertising micro-targets.
1.12) Define integrated marketing communication (MARCOM).
ANSWER: It includes public relations, advertising, personal selling, and anything else
concerning messaging and selling products, services, or brand in the marketplace.
1.13) Describe the senior public relations management/leadership role.
ANSWER: Senior public relations management/leadership persons operate as
“consultants” to the organization. They have extensive experience and participate in
, strategic decision-making. These individuals span boundaries (reach out to various
groups) among internal and external stakeholders. Some responsibilities involve
organizational image strategy, product and services positioning, and public relations
campaign strategy and evaluation.
1.14) What is the policy/operations management role?
ANSWER: The policy/operations management people have technical responsibilities
required for managing and developing strategic plans. Policy advisors have extensive
experience. Their activities involve spanning boundaries by interacting with internal and
external stakeholders. These managers understand what can be done, can marshal
resources, and assess the pre-campaign, during the campaign, and post-campaign
situations so that plans will be cost-effective, monitored throughout the campaign, and
adjusted if necessary.
1.15) What is the brand specialist role?
ANSWER: These practitioners are typically technicians, but sometimes perform some
supervisory duties. They possess less experience than those fulfilling management roles.
They are often involved with company brands, corporate image, or building the
organizational brand with internal stakeholders.
1.16) What is the internal communicator’s role?
ANSWER: The internal communicator role consists of technical and managerial duties.
This position requires someone with years of experience like the brand specialist.
Practitioners in this role are concerned with employee morale, motivation, and a variety
of internal communications. Much of their communication is face-to-face.
1.17) Define the media specialist/manager’s role.
Answer: These individuals are involved with technical as well as managerial tasks. They
have extensive experience. Their primary focus is external stakeholders especially
concentrating on the news media. They also consult with senior management about key
stakeholders. These practitioners also provide some strategic planning inputs especially
about news media.
1.18) Define the social media technician role.
ANSWER: This person develops and implements public relations tactics such as writing
news releases and blog posts.
