Assignment
Write a report in Word and submit it on Canvas. Consider the appropriate layout and pay close attention to grammar, spelling and punctuation. Follow these seven steps:
STEP 1: Industry
Consider what industry (or specialization) you are most interested in and prepare a report to provide a glimpse into how public relations works in that industry. Ideally, this will be the "industry" or "specialty" you want to work in, but if you aren't sure what you are most interested in pick one that seems "fun." Consider the following (but you are not limited to these):
Agricultural/Mining
Energy
Media/Entertainment
Technology
Automotive
Environmental
Nonprofit/Association
Telecommunications
Banking
Fashion
Pharmaceutical
Transportation
Brokerage/Investment
Food/Beverage
Professional Services
Travel/Tourism/Hospitality
Construction
Government/Military
Real Estate
Utilities
Consumer Products
Health/Medical
Retail
Educational Institutions
Insurance
Sports
Start your report with a brief overview of the industry you select. Describe what it is and why you selected it. Then, identify at least five organizations in that industry (provide a brief description of each). If you need help identifying organizations, Fortune 500 has a good list that you can search by industry.
STEP 2: Company Overview
Once you pick your industry, pick an organization to focus on for the bulk of your report. For continuity, the company should be one of the five you listed for step 1. Begin with an overview of the company. What do they do, who is part of the C-suite, where are the headquarters, where do they conduct business, etc.? Who are their customers? Do they provide a mission statement - what is it? How about a code of ethics? Review their "About us" section of their website and also check their "Investor" section for other important information.
STEP 3: Current News
Set a Google Alert for your company to keep an eye on any new news about your company over the rest of the semester. In this section of the report you should review what topics have been covered in the recent media and what the general reputation of the organization (as told through the media) seems to be.
STEP 4: Website Review
Review what they have on their website. Of most importance is a section likely called "Press," "Media," or "News." Do they provide their press releases? If so, what are some of the recent topics? Do they have any press kits, if so on what? Do they have any video or audio available?
How about sustainability efforts, if so what? Who are the media contacts?
STEP 5: Purpose and CSR
Do they lead with purpose, if so what is that purpose? Do they do CSR, if so what? What materials are available for their corporate purpose or CSR efforts?
STEP 6: Social Media
Review your organization's social media presence. This is first done by identifying what accounts they have then complete a thorough review of how they are using their account(s). This should include but is not limited to identifying: frequency of posts, common post topics, typical post format (text, video, pictures, or any combination), typical time of day, number of followers/page likes, if they engaging, etc.
Review what people are saying about your organization on social media. This includes info on their accounts - comments on their Facebook page and @replies on Twitter, etc. Also, consider what people are saying on their own accounts. Specifically, look at how people are talking about them, what the tone is (are people happy or mad are the comments/posts positive, negative, neutral or mixed, etc.), what are they talking about (common topics), etc.
STEP 7: Finalize the Report
Be sure to stay focused and organized. Include links and citations (any style). Include visuals and highlight the big important stuff. There is not a length requirement, but I expect to see a good overview of your organization! You have weeks to work on this report so don't wait until the last minute.
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.