Deck 3: Organizational Settings

Question 1

Which organizational function is most likely to conflict with public relations over institutional advertising and product publicity?

A)Legal counsel
B)Marketing
C)Organizational development
D)Human resources/personnel

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which of the following is required of top management for long-term public relations success?

A)Commitment to and support of public relations
B)Incorporation of public relations perspectives in policy making
C)Coordination of what is done with what is said
D)Clearly defined goals and objectives
E)All of the above

Answer 2

E

Question 3

Which one of the following is the greatest advantage of retaining an outside public relations firm-according to public relations counselors?

A)Flexibility and variety of talents and skills.
B)Economies of scale available by dealing with a large firm.
C)Guaranteed loyalty availability of the client-service team.
D)Absence of resistance by client insiders due to the firm's experience.
E)All of the above.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Which one of the following explains why the text refers to public relations as a "staff function"?

A)Staff functions include all of top managers
B)Staff functions advise those who set policy and oversee operations
C)Staff officers include heads of engineering, production, and marketing
D)Staff officers determine the ground rules and sets the course
E)Staff officers direct other officials

Question 5

When a firm's management engages in what critics call "bait-and-switch," they likely are being accused of doing which one of the following?

A)Acting like their firm is located near the prospective client's headquarters.
B)Showing the prospective client only their best program examples.
C)Assigning assistant account executives to implement the client's program.
D)Hiring part-time experts to fill gaps in the firm's staff.
E)All of the above.

Question 6

Which department is most likely to conflict with public relations over responding immediately to media requests for information during crises?

A)Legal counsel
B)Marketing
C)Organizational development
D)Human resources/personnel

Question 7

When public relations shifts from producing communications (process)to focusing on results and consequences (impact), which of the following is/are true?

A)The focus is on "Management by Objectives."
B)The function deals with "nonprogrammed" decision making.
C)The staff is held accountable as part of the management team.
D)The practitioners play a "strategic" role.
E)All of the above.

Question 8

Which department is most likely to conflict with public relations over employee communications and internal relations?

A)Legal counsel
B)Marketing
C)Organizational development
D)Human resources

Question 9

Which one of the following is NOT commonly used by public relations firms to charge clients for services?

A)Percentage of sales achieved
B)Straight hourly charges
C)Monthly retainer
D)Retainer plus staff time
E)Project fixed fee

Question 10

Which of the following best represents loss of objectivity?

A)Internal department advantage
B)Internal department disadvantage
C)External firm advantage
D)External firm disadvantage

Question 11

Which of the following is the most common threat to client-firm relationships?

A)Cost and billing questions
B)Availability of firm staff
C)Objective point of view
D)"Old guard" resistence
E)Client management not engaged

Question 12

Besides public relations roles, which one of the following is likely to have the greatest impact on whether or not public relations is part of the management team?

A)Top management and public relations staff view the function as "management"
B)Staff training, particularly holding graduate degrees
C)Extent to which the function is tied to the marketing "bottom line"
D)Overpromising-making commitments beyond what is reasonable
E)Overselling management on capabilities and expertise

Question 13

The top public relations executive typically reports to which of the following?

A)Marketing vice president
B)Communications vice president
C)Human resources vice president
D)President and chief executive officer
E)Legal vice president

Question 14

Which of the following best represents "team membership"?

A)Internal department advantage
B)Internal department disadvantage
C)External firm advantage
D)External firm disadvantage

Question 15

Which of the following best represents economy for a continuing public relations effort?

A)Internal department advantage
B)Internal department disadvantage
C)External firm advantage
D)External firm disadvantage

Question 16

Which one of the following is a major determinant of whether or not public relations practitioners will be part of an organization's decision-making coalition?

A)The practitioners' individual characteristics-such as "credibility"
B)The extent that the practitioner does research-"scanning for planning"
C)The appointment of new CEO or restructuring-"organizational change"
D)The views held by line managers and practitioners-"dominant coalition"
E)All of the above

Question 17

For public relations to remain part of the management team, it must do which one of the following?

A)Conduct research on other departments to gain an edge at budget meetings
B)Join line management
C)Contribute to organizational goals and show measurable results
D)Prepare communication audits
E)Become part of the marketing department

Question 18

When public relations operates as part of organizational overhead and consists mainly of routine communication output and highly structured activities:

A)The focus is on "Management by Objectives."
B)The function deals primarily with "programmed decisions."
C)The emphasis is on "nonprogrammed decisions."
D)The practitioner plays the "problem-solving facilitator" role.
E)The function has achieved "line management" status.

Question 19

What is the most commonly used title for departments charged with carrying out the public relations function?

A)Public affairs
B)Public information
C)Corporate communications
D)Public relations
E)Community relations

Question 20

Which one of the following is most likely to be an advantage of hiring an outside public relations firm?

A)Knowledge of the client business
B)Availability of firm staff
C)Objective point of view
D)Loyal team membership
E)Economic advantage for long programs

Question 21

Which one of the following has become popular with clients (but not public relations firms)as the preferred method for paying outside firms for services?

A)Percentage of sales achieved
B)Straight hourly charges
C)Monthly retainer
D)Project fixed
E)fee Retainer plus staff time

Question 22

Many public relations counselors predict which one of the following?

A)A diminishing need for outside public relations counsel
B)Less resistance to outside advice by insiders
C)Fewer large centralized internal public relations departments
D)Increased emphasis on communication technician services
E)A move away from specialized public relations staffing