Record of Learner Achievement

Unit: / Understanding Public Relations L4 CV4
Ofqual Unit Reference Number: / M/504/0884
Unit Review Date: / 31/12/2016
LEARNING OUTCOMES / ASSESSMENT CRITERIA / EVIDENCE LOCATION /
The learner will: / The learner can: /
1.  Understand the purpose of public relations / 1.1. Compare how different organisations define public relations
1.2. Explain the links and differences between advertising, marketing and public relations
1.3. Explain how public relations professionals affect the success of businesses
1.4. Describe the range of different public relations specialisms
1.5. Explain the impact of legal constraints on public relations activities
1.6. Assess key tactics used in public relations
2.  Understand the current nature of the public relations industry / 2.1. Analyse the importance of the public relations industry to the global and national economy
2.2. Discuss the current structure of the public relations industry
2.3. Describe the job roles of public relations professionals for different organisational structures
2.4. Assess industry trends in public relations for current and future opportunities
3.  Understand the importance of ethics in the public relations industry / 3.1. Analyse ethical dilemmas faced in the public relations industry
3.2. Assess the importance of ethical behaviour in public relations
3.3. Assess the purpose of an ethical business code for public relations

Assessment Requirements

Learning Outcome 1

1.1  Organisations define public relations: definitions of public relations, e.g. professional bodies including Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and Public Relations Society of America (PRSA); development of public relations, e.g. from wartime propaganda, from influencing public opinion during the Depression.

1.2  Links and diffferences: relationship with corporate communications and marketing, e.g. how public relations fits into and alongside advertising, sales and marketing; relationship with journalism; relationship with public affairs; relationship with internal communications.

1.3  Public relations: importance of industry: importance of public relations function to businesses, e.g. to overall company or agency success; commercial relationships.

1.4  Public relations specialisms: e.g. branding, crisis management, event planning, public affairs, media relations strategy planning, reputation management, stakeholder management, lobbying, corporate social responsibility (CSR), issues management, internal communications, external communications.

1.5  Legal constraints: contract law; intellectual property rights; defamation law; libel law; data protection; privacy law; bribery law; other, e.g. Financial Services Authority (FSA) regulations, advertising regulations.

1.6  Key tactics used in public relations: events, e.g. familiarisation (fam) trips, desktop tours, new product launches; media relations, e.g. press office functions, press releases, press briefings, surveys, photography, features, background briefing, fielding spokespeople; sponsorship; special promotions including competitions and advertorials; digital public relations practice, e.g. placing content, website monitoring, attracting traffic, meta-tagging, harnessing advocacy, maintaining social media site presence, managing and monitoring viral messaging.

Learning Outcome 2

2.1 Public relations industry: size of industry; economic contribution, e.g. national, international, Gross Domestic Product (GDP); structure of industry (in-house teams, agencies, public sector, charities, government, integrated communications); PR consultancy operation (internal, external), e.g. reasons to bring in specialist agency for project work, process for selecting and commissioning agency work, project contracts and ongoing contracts; different ownership of public relations agencies; diversity of sectors, e.g. consumer (B2C), business to business (B2B), financial, public affairs, fashion, pharmaceutical, sport, technology.

2.3 Job roles of public relations professionals: roles of public relations professionals, e.g. different job titles, responsibilities at different levels, interaction between different levels; roles within different sectors, e.g. in-house, integrated communications agencies, large and small agencies.

2.4 Public relations industry trends: areas of growth and decline; current trends, e.g. search engine optimisation (SEO), online public relations; employment trends, e.g. numbers employed, types of employment (freelance).

Learning Outcome 3

3.1 Ethical dilemmas: professional ethics in public relations: definitions of ethics and morality; personal values and principles, e.g. honesty, accuracy, judiciousness, responsiveness, respect; legal responsibilities; professional body codes of conduct, e.g. Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA), Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), Guild of Public Relations Practitioners; importance to public relations industry, e.g. trust, reputation, social responsibility, conflict resolution, commercial impact; duties and responsibilities, e.g. to self, organisation, clients, profession, society; whistleblowing; dealing with the media.

3.2 Ethical behaviour: e.g. personal relationships, preferential treatment, hospitality, payments to journalists, respecting intellectual property of suppliers, exploiting the media, difference between gloss and spin, decision-making processes.

3.3 Ethical business code: confidentiality; conflict of interest; personal conflicts.

Evidence Requirements

For Learning Outcome 1, learners need to demonstrate an understanding of the role of public relations across the whole industry, and this should be illustrated by the use of a suitable range of examples.

For Learning Outcome 2, learners should again include the whole industry rather than focusing entirely on the sector or specialism in which they work.

Final Tutor Feedback (Strengths and Areas for Improvement):

Learner Submission Disclaimer

I declare that this is an original piece of work and that all of the work is my own unless referenced.

Assessor Disclaimer

I confirm that this learner’s work fully meets all the assessment criteria listed above at the correct level and that any specified evidence requirements have been addressed.

Assessor / Learner / Date

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V1 – June 2014