Knowledge

The student …

understands the complex communication environment created by the intersection of legacy and social media platforms used strategically by journalists, activists, organizations, and different stakeholders to achieve each of their own objectives
knows how to identify the inter-relationships between social responsibility, risk communication, issues management, reputation, and building crisis capacity
understands the complex relationships shaping organizations, issues, and stakeholders within the context of reputation management and crisis communication
understands the theory and practice of developing an adaptable crisis communication strategy

Skills

The student …

can select the correct communication channel(s)
can use social media critically
can map an organization’s stakeholders and the relationship between those stakeholders and the organization
can use a risk register to identify credible threats to an organization’s reputation
can develop a crisis plan for an organization
can implement a crisis response strategy, including ethical and transparent processes, organizational learning through crises, strategic listening and adaptation to active crises, and persuasive messaging, during and post crisis outcome measurement

General competence

The student . ..

has expertise in various communication channels
can use mass media in strategic communication
has an understanding of how the media and the media landscape work
has a critical view of social media
has knowledge of the relationships between organizations’ behavior and communication and market access, sales, reputation and attractiveness
has critical views of how private and public actors work systematically to build their own reputations
has knowledge on identification of and response to various crises organizations may face

Subject description MKO2100

Media, Crises and Reputation