Public Relations Strategies (20499)
Degree/study: Bachelor's Degree in Advertising and Public Relations
Year: Third
Term: Third
Number of ECTS credits: 4 credits
Hours of studi dedication: 100 hours
Teaching language or languages: Catalán
Teaching Staff: Ferran Lalueza
1. Presentation of the subject
Public Relations Strategies is a compulsory course within the Bachelor's Degree in Advertising and Public Relations' syllabus. It focuses on the strategic process of corporative communication and public relations. Its main objects of study are the design, implementation and analysis of communication programs.
Through this course, students develop the skills they need to target audiences, determine goals and objectives, articulate messages, choose the most suitable communication techniques and assess the results of the whole process. They learn to do so in all the main performance fields of public relations: media relations, intern communication, community relations, financial communication, management of potential conflicts, etc.
In order to pass the course, the student must reach the required level in all the skills needed to strategically handle any problem or corporative communication and public relations opportunity. From this point of view, Public Relations Strategies acts as a bridge between the theoretical and conceptual subjects about public relations and the end-of-degree project related to the discipline.
2. Competences to be attained
Multidisciplinary skills:
§ Putting theoretical knowledge into practice skills.
§ Ability to work autonomously.
§ Working cooperatively and debating topics related to the subject's contents skills.
§ Critical assessment/ self-assessment skills
§ Oral and written communication skills.
§ Active listening skills.
§ Planning and time management skills.
Specific skills:
§ Understanding corporative communication and public relations as a strategic process.
§ Targeting the different phases integrating this strategic process.
§ Fully grasping the capital importance research has in the strategic process of corporative communication and public relations.
§ Targeting audiences, determining goals and objectives, articulating messages and choosing communication techniques.
§ Implementing and assessing a corporative communication program.
§ Knowing the specific dynamics of the main public relations performance fields: media relations, intern communication, community relations, financial communication, potential conflicts management, etc.
3. Contents
Unit 1: Strategic dimension of corporative communication and public relations
1.1. Conceptual barriers
1.2. Methodology
Unit 2: Research
2.1. Problems and public relations opportunities
2.2. Typology
2.3. Public relations auditing
2.4. Information analysis
Unit 3: Planning
3.1. Targeting stakeholders (strategic audiences)
3.2. Determining goals and objectives
3.3. Articulating messages
3.4. Choice of techniques
Unit 4: Implementation
4.1. The budget as a managing tool
4.2. Time managing: planning
4.3. Quality control
4.4. Team work
Unit 5: Assessment
5.1. Purpose and type
5.2. Assessment criteria and research methods
Unit 6: Performance fields
6.1. Media strategies
6.2. Intern communication strategies
6.3. Community relations strategies
6.4. Other strategies (intercultural public relations, marketing communication, potential conflicts management...)
4. Assessment
The course's assessment is continuous throughout the term. It consists on case study and debate sessions and a final exam where the student must show achievement of the subject- related skills.
The case study and debate sessions will take place in reduced groups and will require the students' previous preparation, based on the master class' contents and the basic bibliography. The teacher -moderated debates will also require the students' participation and active listening. This part is worth 50% of the final mark.
The final exam will include some theoretical questions and will raise a practical case that the student will have to solve. Students will be able to consult the book conforming the subject's basic bibliography. This exam is worth 50% of the final mark.
5. Bibliography and teaching resources
5.1. Basic bibliography
Xifra, J.; Lalueza, F. (2009). Casos de relaciones públicas y comunicación corporativa. Madrid: Pearson Educación.
5.2. Complementary bibliography
Arroyo, L.; Magali, Y. (2007). Los cien errores de la comunicación de las organizaciones. Madrid: ESIC.
Austin, E. W.; Pinkleton, B. E. (2001). Strategic public relations management. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Matilla, K. (2008). Los modelos de planificación estratégica en la teoría de las Relaciones Públicas. Barcelona: Editorial UOC.
Wilcox, D. L.; Cameron, G. T.; Xifra, J. (2006). Relaciones públicas: Estrategias y tácticas. Madrid: Pearson Educación.
Xifra, J. (2005). Planificación estratégica de las relaciones públicas. Barcelona: Paidós.
5.3. Teaching resources
Sound module: La direcció de projectes de relacions públiques.
Selection of web links on the Aula Global.
6. Metodology
Master class sessions, aimed at dealing with the most theoretical and conceptual part, will be alternated with working sessions in small groups. These ones are essentially aimed at the cooperative resolution of practical cases, in tune with the predominant pedagogical model of the subject: the so-called learning by doing. Active participation and listening will be essential in these working sessions, as they will very often turn into a debate. Therefore, besides the knowing (knowledge) and the knowing how to (skills), attitude skills will also be positively valued.
In the final exam the student will have to solve the proposed case individually, but it will be possible to consult the basic bibliography.
7. Planning of activities
The dates to hand in, debate and solve the several proposed cases within the continuous assessment will be made public on the Aula Global at the beginning of the term.