Deck 1: Principled Public Relations

Question 1

One of the goals of public relations is to communicate with people who are ____________.

A) On social media
B) Citizens of the global community
C) Part of specific groups with specific interests
D) As many people as possible

Answer 1

C

Question 2

____________ are the clients of public relations and include large corporations, small businesses, nonprofits, schools, and government agencies.

A) Organizations
B) Media contacts
C) Investors
D) Facebook commenters

Answer 2

A

Question 3

The classic textbook definition of public relations, written by James Grunig and Todd Hunt in their classic public relations text Managing Public Relations, is _________________.

A) Attempts to spin the narrative for social media followers
B) Execution of damage control
C) Skilful fixing of problems with strategic deception
D) Management of communication between an organization and its publics

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The American Red Cross sent volunteers to areas severely affected by floods today. Emily and Elizabeth, two volunteers, went to help victims. This illustrates how public relations is based more on ____________.

A) What an organization does than on what it says
B) What an organization says than on what it does
C) Whitewashing than on accountability
D) Greenwashing than on communicating what the organization actually does

Question 5

A guiding principle of good public relations is to ________ tell the truth.

A) Sometimes
B) Never
C) Shrewdly
D) Proactively

Question 6

__________ is defined by Pavlik and McIntosh's Converging Media textbook as "the process of creating in the consumer's mind a clear identity for a particular company's product, logo, or trademark."

A) Marketing
B) Social Media
C) Branding
D) Communication

Question 7

Listening to the customer is more than just hearing. It means considering what the feedback means for the organization and ___________.

A) How to spin it
B) For customers
C) What it means for competitors
D) What can be done about it

Question 8

When public relations people are called in after a major screw-up to clean up the mess, their role is mostly _____________.

A) Transparent
B) Reactive
C) Operational
D) Proactive

Question 9

After a Crock-Pot was blamed for the death of a beloved fictional television show character on NBC's This is Us, the Crock-Pot company tried to respond rationally and technically. But advice from its PR agency, Edelman, was to _________________.

A) Remain calm, patient, and good-humored
B) Initiate a law suit against NBC
C) Hold a press conference to defend the product's safety record
D) Discontinue the product's manufacturing

Question 10

___________________ is when public relations responsibilities are shared among a broad cross section of an organization's members or employees.

A) Conversational public relations
B) Transactional public relations
C) Offline public relations
D) Distributed public relations

Question 11

The president of a university is part of the ____________, which is the group of people with the greatest influence in how an organization operates.

A) Top brass
B) Board members
C) Dominant coalition
D) Donor class

Question 12

Ethics are moral principles that govern a person's or group's behaviour. You organized your church's rummage sale based on good ethical principles. Doing the right thing helps you _______________.

A) Learn how the end justifies the means
B) Feel better about yourself
C) Manipulate ethical people
D) Cover up unethical behaviour

Question 13

Ethical dilemmas have arisen with the growth of social media. For example, it is easy to be deceptive online. If you work for a local restaurant, and your boss asks you to post a review of your meal on food-reviewing websites, what do you do?

A) You post an honest review
B) You post a fabricated review
C) You ignore the request
D) You quite your job

Question 14

To practice public relations as a professional, ___________.

A) You need a PR license
B) You do not need a PR license
C) You may need a PR license depending on which state in which you work
D) You may need a PR license depending on what aspect of public relations you practice

Question 15

Susie is facing an ethical dilemma. She uses a system of decision making that focuses on the moral principles of duty and rules known as _______________ ethics.

A) Deontological
B) Professional
C) Dominant
D) Accredited

Question 16

In the definition of public relations, the term "publics" refers to _____________.

A) Everyone in the world
B) Groups of people with shared interests related to organizations
C) Groups of people who communicate through mass media
D) General public

Question 17

Jean works for the Board of Tourism in France, responsible for showcasing her country as an appealing destination for vacation. She mainly posts photos and videos to the "Visit France" Facebook page and interacts with commenters on the page. Who is Jean's primary public in this public relations scenario?

A) Hotels and restaurants throughout France
B) "Visit France" Facebook page fans and commenters
C) The French government and tourism board
D) Potential tourists considering vacation destinations

Question 18

The classic definition of public relations from Cutlip and Center's Effective Public Relations, defines public relations as ____________.

A) An essential function that serves to limit damage to an organization's reputation
B) A strategic function that facilitates communication from an organization to the general public
C) A management function that establishes and creates mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and the publics on who its success or failure depends
D) An executive function that manipulates key audiences into buying products and services from, or donating to, any organizationss

Question 19

Public relations is most effective when it is a ______________ function, meaning it is part of an organization's overall leadership and decision-making process, helping to guide how the organization operates in its environment, rather than merely following the instruction of others.

A) Management
B) Dictator
C) Principle
D) Governed

Question 20

Why did the PR crisis with Papa Johns founder and chairman John Schattner also have a negative impact on the pizza company as a whole?

A) Schattner's leadership was the sole reason for the company's previous success
B) The marketing and public relations agencies for Papa John's resigned the account.
C) The NFL was upset with Schattner for debating about national anthem protests.
D) Schattner's personal brand and actions were tied in with the Papa Johns company and its relationship with key publics

Question 21

_______________ obtains information for a particular task or project by enlisting the services of a number of people, either paid or unpaid, typically via the Internet.

A) Crowdsourcing
B) Data mining
C) Branding
D) Hacking

Question 22

When an organization's communication is more focused more on image and less on what the organization is doing, its public relations can earn a negative, yet accurate connotation like ______.

A) Deceive
B) Spin
C) Incite
D) Design

Question 23

The keys to successful social media influence are _____________.

A) Visual appeal and design aesthetic
B) Price and number of posts
C) Likes and followers
D) Reach and authenticity

Question 24

____________ is the degree to which one communicates reliably, accurately and true to his or her own character and the character of the organization he or she represents.

A) Authenticity
B) Transparency
C) Influence
D) Principled

Question 25

In an effort to show ____________, a politician releases his tax returns for public viewing.

A) Opacity
B) Mirroring
C) Diverting
D) Transparency

Question 26

There are times when secrecy might make sense to publics. For example, Apple denied requests from the FBI to hand over the required code to unlock their phone so the company could protect its proprietary information. In cases like Apple's, organizations can still ____________.

A) Divert attention away from the issue of secrecy
B) Never tell the truth about what they are keeping secret and why
C) Tell the truth about what they are keeping secret and why
D) Carry on as if there is no problem

Question 27

British Petroleum rebranded its company with a new logo and a public image as being environmentally friendly. Why did critics question the campaign soon after?

A) The colors of the logo were not as cheerful and appealing
B) The company's investments in oil extraction far exceeded those in renewable energy
C) Management did not explain the thinking behind the new brand
D) The online contest about going "Beyond Petroleum" did not raise awareness

Question 28

Listening, or paying attention to and processing what others are communicating, is at the heart of ______________.

A) Two-way communication
B) Authenticity
C) Organization
D) Influence

Question 29

Matthew is a public relations practitioner for a large non-profit organization. He uses traditional research methods like surveys, monitors what people are saying on social media and in the news, and talks to employees and donors about the organization. Not only is he looking for feedback to help improve the organization, this type of listening will help _________________.

A) Avoid surprises that could lead to a crisis
B) Save on budget costs
C) Do a better job with spinning
D) Improve his time management

Question 30

Page's principle _______________ means building goodwill, avoiding business practices that will lead to unfavorable business conditions, and anticipating how publics will respond to business decisions that will have negative consequences.

A) Tell the Truth
B) Remain Calm, Patient, and Good-Humored
C) Manage for Tomorrow
D) Listen to the Customer

Question 31

Strategic public relations is ____________, meaning it takes the initiative in planning the nature of the relationships desired with publics and executes programs, campaigns, or activities designed to achieve the desired ends.

A) Complicated
B) Creative
C) Expensive
D) Proactive

Question 32

Max works in a factory that produces coffee mugs. During the weekend, Max attends a barbecue in his neighborhood. Friends at the barbecue ask about work, and Max tells them about the new mug he's assembling, but also about how tired he is from long hours he is working. This illustrates the importance of ___________.

A) Company management should do the right thing by the public
B) Public relations as a management function
C) Conducting public relations as if the whole company depends on it
D) Top managers are the only ones responsible for public relations

Question 33

Jassim, a PR manager for a chain of shoe stores, aims to make sure he uses a _______________ when communicating with social media followers and people who leave customer service reviews. He found that by communicating with a sense of humor, admitting mistakes, and even providing links to competitors, he can make communication enjoyable and maintain good relationships with his online publics.

A) Conversational voice
B) Commitment voice
C) Colloquial voice
D) Chatty voice

Question 34

Karyn works for a company that owns 30 different restaurants in New England. She is responsible for monitoring and responding to online reviews. Karyn has set up a business account for each restaurant group and regularly encourages positive reviews. She also responds politely and constructively to critics, just as if they were in her restaurant face-to-face. She works hard to create a welcoming environment online and does not engage in ____________ people who leave negative feedback.

A) Fueling
B) Flaring
C) Flaming
D) Flaying

Question 35

Maya oversees public relations at a large pharmaceutical company. She devotes a significant amount of resources to strengthening relationships with all employees. She knows they will be managing their own relationships with various stakeholders, and therefore, are the most powerful points of contact others have with the company. What Page Principle does this behavior support?

A) Remain calm, patient, and good-humored
B) Manage for tomorrow
C) Prove it with action
D) Realize the company's true character is expressed by its people

Question 36

______________ play an essential role in good, proactive public relations, helping to give meaning to day-to-day work. Key values such as honesty, loyalty, transparency, and social responsibility help practitioners avoid reactive damage control and deceptive spin.

A) Plans
B) Ethics
C) Assumptions
D) Regulations

Question 37

Alicia felt she was doing the right thing by telling her supervisor that Anna was not doing her job, but, Alicia did not know what Anna's job responsibilities were. Good people make bad decisions all the time. Resolving ethical problems is a matter of the heart, but it is also _________.

A) Like throwing darts
B) A guessing game
C) A matter of the gift of gab
D) An intellectual activity

Question 38

In addition to having a clear conscience, what other benefit will you enjoy if you follow good ethical principles?

A) You can always tell who is lying
B) Your lunch will taste better
C) You will be better at your job and more important to the organization
D) You will be able to have more vacation time

Question 39

Blake and Jeff are on the public relations staff of a large non-profit organization. They use social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat, which have made ethical communication __________.

A) Easier
B) Harder
C) Impossible
D) Confusing

Question 40

Isabella, a public relations practitioner at a cable news station, arranges a news interview with a person she does not agree with personally. She weighs the importance of free speech and vigorous debate as much more important in society than her personal opinion about the station's host and format. This kind of ethical dilemma is an example of _____________.

A) Unethical behavior
B) A lack of training
C) A disjointed value system
D) Competing duties

Question 41

When asked to tweet from his client's Twitter account during a tradeshow, Todd Defren of SHIFT Communications faced an ethical dilemma. Using Kathy Fitzpatrick's Guide for Ethical Decision-Making to work through this ethical conflict, how did Todd ultimately resolve this dilemma?

A) He refused to compromise his own standards and said he would not tweet under false circumstances
B) He weighed his choices and felt this wasn't a significant conflict worthy of damaging his relationship with the client
C) He compromised, promoting in advance and throughout the event that these tweets may be composed by other team members
D) He chose not to tweet, but composed a blog post after the event on behalf of the client

Question 42

John is a PR executive at a Fortune 500 company and a member of the Public Relations Professional Association, which has in its code of ethics, a prohibition against dating or having relationships with his co-workers. John has an intimate relationship with a co-worker. He retains his job, but loses his membership in the association. What is one of the criticisms of having a code of ethics?

A) The rules are too numerous to remember
B) The rules lack enforceability
C) The rules are sometimes contradictory
D) The rules are ones only a lawyer can understand

Question 43

PR Practitioner Martha disclosed her stock ownership in her client's organization. She consulted the PRSA Code of Ethics, "designed to be a useful guide for PRSA members as they carry out their ethical responsibilities." What is one of the advantages of having a code of ethics?

A) Provides solid guidelines for decision making and action
B) Forces employees to follow all the rules
C) Keeps critics from lodging complaints
D) Gives the impression you are better than others

Question 44

What are two major professional public relations organizations that have developed a code of ethics?

A) OSHA and HUD
B) EPA and ADA
C) PRSA and IPRA
D) FDIC and SEC

Question 45

Galen has just started his first job in public relations at a small PR agency and already feels stressed out. He found out one of his clients is an e-cigarette vaping company, and his manager has told him to do whatever it takes to get reporters to call him back. Galen personally disagrees with the client he must represent, and the tactics his boss wants him to use. This is creating _____________for Galen, and now he must decide if he is willing to continue at this job.

A) Internal dissonance
B) Deception
C) Greenwashing
D) Transparency