Deck 8: Managing Competition and Conflict

Question 1

Recalling the BP oil spill crisis, what was the biggest shortcoming in the company's social media efforts?

A) Company "tweets" put the organization first.
B) BP failed to make use of multiple social media channels.
C) They designated only one single spokesperson.
D) The company appeared to be defensive and negative.
E) BP's social media outreach did not gain enough attention to go viral.

Answer 1

E

Question 2

Which is not contingency factor that public relations professionals must take into account in managing conflict with its public?

A) external threats
B) top management characteristics
C) emotional stance of public relations professionals
D) personality characteristics of public relations professionals
E) organizational-level variables

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Coombs says all of the following are crisis communication strategies EXCEPT:

A) avoid the media.
B) attack the accuser.
C) denial.
D) excuse.
E) justification.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

When the public relations professional practices strategic positioning, he/she attempts to

A) increase risk for a given public, if necessary.
B) position the organization favorably.
C) influence organizational behavior.
D) Both B and C.
E) avoid the impending conflict, regardless of the cost.

Question 5

According to Suzanne Zoda, all of the following are recommended in risk communication EXCEPT:

A) begin early and initiate dialogue with publics.
B) hide your concerns until later.
C) understand the needs of the news media.
D) anticipate and prepare for hostility.
E) always be honest.

Question 6

In issues management, if the company decides the emerging issue is potentially damaging, what is the next step?

A) issue identification
B) issue analysis
C) create strategic plan
D) begin litigation
E) launch image repair

Question 7

Which of the following factors is NOT associated with strategic conflict management?

A) limited resources
B) different values
C) advocacy
D) spin
E) competition

Question 8

In crisis communication, is it safe to say that because nothing has gone wrong, then nothing will go wrong?

A) No, because there is noise in every system and every design.
B) Yes, because the past is the best predictor of the future.
C) It depends on the system and the design itself.
D) Probably, so based on management decision-making.
E) It is impossible to tell.

Question 9

What is the first phase of the conflict management lifecycle?

A) strategic
B) proactive
C) recovery
D) reactive
E) tactical

Question 10

What does "déjà vu all over again" mean to public relations professionals in the life cycle of strategic conflict management?

A) It is ongoing.
B) It is reactive.
C) It is strategic.
D) It is difficult.
E) It is impossible to learn from.

Question 11

What is the most accommodative response in an image restoration strategy?

A) shift the blame
B) attack the accuser
C) profuse apology
D) denial
E) justification

Question 12

In dealing with the public in conflict, public relations professionals should

A) recognize them as a legitimate partner in the process.
B) stamp out negative opinion before it gets started.
C) do nothing; public opinion has already been formed.
D) Remember that the news media comes first.
E) minimize risk above all.

Question 13

What is the strategy taken in the recovery phase of strategic management of conflict?

A) monitoring media
B) taking preventative actions
C) dealing with crisis or disaster
D) repairing relations and public image
E) conflict positioning

Question 14

After carefully assessing threat, the public relations professional may decide to

A) ignore a pressure group.
B) let an issue "die on the vine."
C) disregard the evidence of danger.
D) Both A and B.
E) None of the above.

Question 15

Regarding business crises, it is safe to say that:

A) the great majority are expected.
B) the great majority are unexpected.
C) most are "smoldering" crises.
D) with a plan, the business can deal with nearly any crisis.
E) Both A and C.

Question 16

What is the basic principle of the contingency theory of conflict management in public relations?

A) A number of factors influence public relations practice.
B) The same public relations solution will work every time.
C) Public relations practitioners should be concerned only with the welfare of their clients.
D) Public relations is always symmetrical.
E) Conflicts are always solved through effective communication.

Question 17

According to the contingency theory of conflict management, what is the stance of public relations?

A) It depends upon a number of factors.
B) It is symmetrical.
C) It is cooperation.
D) It is advocacy.
E) It is consistent.

Question 18

_____ are defined as "major occurrence with potentially negative outcome affecting the organization, company, or industry, as well as its publics, products, services, or good names."

A) Conflicts
B) Risks
C) Threats
D) Crises
E) Emergencies

Question 19

The dismay and confusion following the Penn State sex abuse scandal resulted from:

A) the lack of a crisis communication plan.
B) failure to employ proactive conflict management steps.
C) a longstanding love for Joe Paterno.
D) inaction on the part of the PSU Board of Trustees.
E) A and B only.

Question 20

Managed correctly, the proactive phase of the conflict management life cycle can

A) replace the proactive phase.
B) build favorable management attitudes.
C) become a strategy all its own.
D) work as its own two-way communication channel.
E) prevent a conflict from arising.

Question 21

Risk communication attempts to convey information regarding risks to public health and safety and the environment.

Question 22

Risk communication is the first step in the proactive phase of conflict management.

Question 23

The contingency theory of strategic conflict management considers public relations as continuum process between an organization and its public.

Question 24

In certain situations, the best crisis communication response strategy is profuse apology.

Question 25

Define competition and conflict, and discuss the role of public relations in managing them.Provide an example to illustrate each one.

Question 26

The three foundations of reputation include economic performance, social responsiveness, and the ability to deliver valuable outcomes to stakeholders.

Question 27

In the "Free Silva" case, Edelman used defensive strategy toward Iranian leadership to secure the release of activist Silva Harotonian.

Question 28

The more complex situation, the higher perception of risk.

Question 29

In the reactive phase of conflict management, an organization should employ strategies either to bolster or repair its reputation in the eyes of key publics.

Question 30

Ingratiation is crisis communication strategy whereby the organization acts to appease the public involved.

Question 31

The first step of issues management is the analysis of issues after they have become crises.

Question 32

The life cycle of conflict depicts the four phases in conflict management experienced by public relations professionals.The cycle also includes few of the numerous public relations strategies that professionals employ to deal with conflict.Explain the four phases of the conflict management cycle.Cite examples for each phase.