ASSIGNMENT-
The aim of this assignment is to give students some practice at writing the same message to different audiences. The assignment requires students to create a communications strategy to deal with a significant organisational issue that will be requiring communications to both internal and external audiences. We see examples, both positive and negative, regularly in the media. These may include, but are not restricted to such instances as:
Organisational Change:
Negative: closing down a department, off-shoring
Positive: expansion of the organisation, takeover, restructure
Organisational Embarrassment or Celebration:
Negative: faulty goods or services, internal issues;
Positive: celebration of milestones or Innovations.
Image Management for Person with a Public Profile:
Negative: redemption after a personal embarrassment
Positive: launching the media profile of a person (eg seeking office)
The potential audiences for the communication can be:
1. Internal Management / Board / Parent Company
2. Government / Industry Regulator
3. Staff / Supervisors / Employees
4. Consumers / Public
5. Local Hospital / Health Services / Emergency Services
6. Media - Radio / TV / Chat Shows / Popular Magazines
The range of media to be used for the communication can range from Press Releases, Statements on the Company Website, to YouTube announcements, FB campaigns, and PowerPoint presentations (with recorded voice).
Process of Completing the Assignment-
Step 1: Context and Situation:
Choose the 'situation' that you are going to address in this assignment. If possible select an industry about which you have some inside information and understanding so that you are attuned to the dynamics of the industry and the various stakeholders that will need to be addressed in the Communications Strategy.
Step 2: Stakeholders:
Identify the 3 stakeholder groups that you will address in your communications strategy.
Stakeholder 1 Employees
Stakeholder 2 Government Body
Stakeholder 3 General Public
Step 3: The Media for your Messages:
Once you have chosen the stakeholders, select 3 different media to communicate your message. While the content to each of the groups will be similar, the form and tone of the message will be quite different. You will need to select different media for each Stakeholder. So, as an example, from above:
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Stakeholder
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Media
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1
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Employees
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PowerPoint (PPT) Presentation (no more than 500 Words, with 5 mins recorded narration)
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2
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Government Body
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Written Report (no more than 500 Words)
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3
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General Public
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Press Release to Daily Newspapers (no more than 500 Words)
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Specific Requirements of the Three Messages
While there are no limitations on the type of media chosen for the assignment, at least one of the communications must be a formally written piece (500 words) and one of the communications must be a multi-media presentation (graphics, sound and voice) that will be either a 5 minute YouTube clip (POSTED TO DEAKIN'S SITE), or a PPT presentation which includes recorded audio embedded into the slides). Students need to present a 5 mins Podcast along with the report to be submitted on CloudDeakin for assessment.