BCM 3700: Ethics in Crisis Communications and Public Relations (a “6%” assignment)
Background: Review the Bonus Chapter about crisis communications and public relations messages
attached to this assignment (in Elearning).
Learn how crisis communications messages impact reputation and the nature of crisis management,
including pre-crisis planning, crisis responses, and post-crisis actions.
Apply the AIM process (Audience Analysis, Idea Development, Message Structuring) to crisis
messages
Respond to external complaints and handle rumors in the Social Age
Understand public relations (PR) messages
Role of public relations (PR)
Gain credibility through PR
Next, look at the Code of Ethics for the Public Relations Society of America (you can find it at
www.prsa.org/AboutPRSA/Ethics/CodeEnglish/ ).
The PRSA advocates six professional values:
1. Advocacy
2. Honesty
3. Expertise
4. Independence
5. Loyalty
6. Fairness
Task: Choose two (2) of the (above) six values and do the following:
1. Elaborate on your two chosen values. Provide details about their meaning and how you can
ensure that your crisis communications and PR messages comply with these two values.
2. Explain the primary challenges in living up to your two chosen professional values.
3. Choose a company of interest to you. What specific steps can this company take to live up to
your two chosen professional values?
Format your response as a professional business letter (1-2 pages, single spaced) to your instructor.
Responses should be carefully constructed, accurate, and original. Be attentive to how you use
credibility, evidence, etc.
Evaluation: All grading criteria/aspects of communication matter. “Context” and “Audience” won’t
count since this isn’t a traditional piece of business correspondence. Instead, “Format / Visual
Impression” will be about getting the letter format correct. Format your letter correctly; develop your
ideas thoroughly, organize and present your information in a logical manner, build sentences
accordingly and proofread.
