Global Relations Study Guide

Exam 2 Study Guide

• When: Thursday, March 24, 9:30–10:50 a.m.
• Where: Room 053 (our classroom!)

Format

• About 40 questions
• True/false, matching, multiple choice questions
• Bring pencils!

Study materials

1. Textbook

Freitag, A. R., & Stokes, A. Q. (2012). Global public relations: Spanning borders, spanning cultures. New York, NY: Routledge.

➔ Chapters 1, 3, 4, & 5

1. Lectures

Lecture slides

1. Your notes

Common Ground & Challenges in PR

• Key readings: Freitag & Stokes, Ch. 1 + PPT (1_Common ground & challenges in PR)

• Key concepts

• Definitions of PR

• What are the differences between PR and other adjacent areas such as publicity, advertising, journalism, and journalism?

• Definitions of international PR and multicultural PR. Think about what distinguishes some PR as international & other PR as multicultural PR. [➔ you should be able to judge whether or not something is a case of international PR or multicultural PR when I provide you examples.]

• Challenges in PR

• Selectivity [➔ understand why this could be a challenge and the differences among the below]

• Selective exposure
• Selective attention
• Selective perception
• Selective retention

• Dissonance [➔ understand what this is and why this could be a challenge]

• Additional challenges in international/multicultural PR ➔ cultural difference + different conditions among nations (no democracy, illiteracy, religious diversity, poverty, multiple languages, no Internet access, etc.)

• Cognitive matrix

• Perception patterns
• Values
• Languages

• Structural matrix

• Norms
• Laws

• Ethical standards

• The concept of intercultural competence and the characteristics of people with intercultural competence

Culture

• Key readings: Freitag & Stokes, Ch. 4 + PPT (2_Culture)

• Key concepts

• Importance of understanding culture in PR practices

• Two perspectives for international & intercultural PR practices

• Excellence theory
• Different cultural code

• Culture

• Meaning & characteristics
• Levels of culture
• Expressions of culture

• Culture is manifested in values, rituals, heroes, and symbols
• Verbal vs. nonverbal communication

• Signs and symbols
• Body language
• Thinking patterns
• Language
• Communication channels

• Three approaches to learn/describe culture

• Culture-specific
• Culture-general
• Adaptation theories

• Major cultural metrics (mostly developed by Hofstede)

• High-context vs. Low-context
• Individualism vs. Collectivism
• Power distance
• Uncertainty avoidance
• Masculinity vs. Femininity

• Assertiveness vs. Nurturance
• Gender equality

• Confucian dynamism

• Other comparative metrics

• Task vs. Relationship orientation
• Chronemics

• Monochronic vs. Polychronic
• Speed vs. Patience
• Long-term vs. Short-term focus
• Future vs. Past orientation

• Proxemics
• Haptics (touching)
• Occulesics (eye movements)
• Kenisics (non-verbal communications)

• Comparing cultures

• Avoid ethnocentrism ➔ What is ethnocentrism?
• Think about homogeneity and heterogeneity within nations and across nations. Differences within nations are smaller than differences across nations.

• Two areas where culture is applied in PR practices

• How can you become a “third-culture” practitioner?

Structure

• Key readings: Freitag & Stokes, Ch. 5 + PPT (3_Structure)

• Key concepts:

• Media

• The impact of the media on the public
• What are some of the questions you can ask to analyze a country’s media system?
• Four basic models of media systems: authoritarian, radical ideology, libertarian, and social responsibility [➔ you should know the main characteristics of each model.]
• The methods to describe media audiences
• Alternative media: folk media, films, social media, video games, word of mouth (WOM)
• What is news? ➔ Countries have different criteria, so an item that is considered newsworthy in one country might not be newsworthy in another country.

• Law

• 9 primary areas of legal comparison for PR practitioners
• Law vs. Policy
• Notions of regulation
• The conflict interests between legal and PR counsels: “no comment” vs. truthful disclosure

• Ethics

• Comparative ethics, normative ethics, applied ethics, meta-ethics [➔ You should know what each type of ethics means.]
• Where can you find PR codes of ethics?
• Trends: universal standards

------------------------- New since Exam1 --------------------------

PR Process

• Key readings: Freitag & Stokes, Ch. 3 + PPT (4_PR Process)

• Key concepts:

• Research

• The differences between primary research and secondary research
• Research methods: Quantitative research methods vs. Qualitative research methods ➔ You should know the main differences (or advantages and disadvantages) and examples of each type of research method
• What are the challenges in international PR research? ➔ the details are described well in the textbook
• What are the specific challenges in the following research methods? Survey, content analysis, and experiment
• Country study model by Zaharna ➔ What are the categories to examine?
• What are the three areas of research? ➔ Be familiar with the specific questions tied to each area. For example, if I provide examples of questions, you should know which area of research is closely related to those questions.

• Organization
• Target publics: you also should know the concept of “secondary public”
• Environment

• Goals & Objectives

• The differences between goals and objectives
• 5 elements of objective statements

• Strategies & Tactics

• The differences between strategies and tactics
• Common international PR strategies

• Global strategy
• Glocalization
• Localization
• Homophily
• Two-step flow
• Community initiative
• Audience participation
• Partnership

• Two routes of organizational communication: direct to the public vs. mediated communication
• Examples of tactics
• See the flow chart on the lecture slides and think about the relationships among goals, objectives, strategies, and tactics ➔ For example, if there is a true/false question about whether “one strategy can have only one tactic,” is that statement true or false?

• Evaluation

• When do you evaluate in the PR process?
• Why is setting objectives important? In other words, think about the relationship between evaluations and objectives.
• What are typical ways to evaluate a campaign?

• Additional topics

• Differences between egocentrism and ethnocentrism
• What is cultural imperialism?
• Culturally competent PR ➔ Is viewing Asia-Pacific as one homogenous region a competent PR practice?

Multinational Companies & Reputation Management

• Key readings: PPT (5_Multinational Companies)

• Key concepts:

• Multinational Companies (MNCs)

• Definition
• What are the 4 categories of MNCs?
• What are some other names of MNCs?
• Advantages vs. Disadvantages

• What are the environments that have facilitated the emergence and development of MNCs?

• Two main purposes of PR of MNCs

• Differences between relationships and reputation
• Dimensions of relationships and reputation

• Challenges for PR of MNCs: e.g., Bangladesh garment factory crisis, Uber ride service, Apple in China

• Two primary strategies

• Glocalization ➔ get familiar with the framework (i.e., global strategy, glocal strategy, local strategy)
• Corporate social responsibility: e.g., UNHATE campaign by Benetton, “Crazy for Good” campaign by Coca Cola

International NGOs

• Key readings: PPT (6_International NGOs)

• Key concepts:

• International organization

• Concept
• The function of UIA
• IGOs vs. INGOs

• International governmental organizations (IGOs)

• Concept

• International nongovernmental organizations (INGOs)

• Concept
• Purposes
• Areas
• Functions
• Examples
• Criticism
• What are the primary purposes of PR of INGOs?

Nation Branding

• Key readings: (7_Nation Branding & Public Diplomacy I)

• Key concepts:

• What is nation branding?
• Why is nation branding important?
• Nation/City Brands Index ➔ What is it?
• What are the dimensions of the Nation/City Brands Index?
• Look at the implications of the results of FutureBrand’s nation branding study  ➔ One of the main implications you should note is that country brand strength is connected to how many consumer brands the country is known for; in other words, the image/reputation of a country is closely related to the image/reputation of MNCs of the country.  
• Challenges ➔ Nation branding should involve the citizens/the public of the country  
• Strategies/tactics

• Nation-brand advertising
• Citizen relationship management
• Nation-brand ambassadors
• Nation days
• Diaspora mobilization
• The naming of nation-brands
• Nation-brand tracking studies

➔ Note that Exam 2 will not include public diplomacy, which will be covered in Exam 3. Nation branding, however, will be included.