Question 1

Some crises, such as natural disasters, are unavoidable, whereas other crises are not. One of the toughest jobs in public relations is being called on to help organizations navigate crises __________.
A) That come from hackers
B) That come from competitors
C) That are fabricated
D) They created themselves

Accepted Answer

Organizations often face significant challenges when dealing with crises they have created themselves, as these situations can damage their reputation and trust with the public. Public relations professionals must work to manage and mitigate the fallout from such self-inflicted issues.

Question 2

Public relations professionals must respond quickly and appropriately to challenges on social media to prevent issues from becoming __________.
A) An embarrassment
B) A point of no return
C) A situation
D) A crisis

Accepted Answer

Public relations professionals aim to manage and protect the reputation of an organization. Responding quickly and appropriately to challenges on social media is crucial to prevent these issues from escalating into a crisis, which can significantly harm an organization's reputation.

Question 3

Missouri Professor Glen Cameron and his colleagues developed the theory that proposes that the best course of action in any situation depends on the specifics of the situation known as __________.
A) The emergency theory
B) The contingency theory
C) The predicament
D) The ground-zero theory

Accepted Answer

The contingency theory developed by Missouri Professor Glen Cameron and his colleagues suggests that the most effective communication strategy or organizational behavior depends on the specifics of the situation, indicating that there is no one-size-fits-all approach.

Question 4

__________ is an area of public relations that focuses on proactive monitoring and management to prevent crises from happening.
A) Issues management
B) Contention management
C) Deprecation management
D) Vilification management

Accepted Answer

Issues management is the aspect of public relations aimed at proactive monitoring and management to avert potential crises before they occur, by identifying and addressing issues that could escalate if not managed properly.

Question 5

Jacob is the head engineer for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. As the conducting expert on a collision crash test, his team noted that the gas tank located in rear of the Chevy Vega sometimes exploded on impact, which was not previously known or expected. He alerted General Motors, who makes the Vega, of the problem. At this point, General Motors has a _____________.
A) Practical issue
B) Potential issue
C) Dormant issue
D) Current issue

Accepted Answer

General Motors has a potential issue because the problem with the gas tank exploding on impact has been identified but not yet resulted in any known incidents or consequences.

Question 6

Diana is responsible for monitoring Nike's internal and external operating environments from a PR standpoint. However, a public relations crises emerged when news broke that their supply chain included child labor and sweatshops. This crisis could have been avoided by applying __________.
A) Responsible supply chain management
B) Authoritative management
C) Social media communication
D) Effective media censorship

Accepted Answer

Responsible supply chain management involves ensuring ethical practices throughout the supply chain, including labor practices. By applying this, Nike could have avoided the PR crisis related to child labor and sweatshops.

Question 7

When investigating an active E. coli outbreak in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control released a report that linked 53 illnesses in nine states, with 47 people who said they had eaten at a Chipotle restaurant. Twenty people were hospitalized. Chipotle was then criticized by some for paying more attention to GMO (genetically modified organism) issues than the more immediate issue of restaurant food-safety procedures. A big part of the "management" in "issues management" is deciding which issues require resources and when. This tactic is known as ___________.
A) Identification
B) Analysis
C) Prioritization
D) Calculation

Accepted Answer

Prioritization is key in issues management, as it involves deciding which issues need immediate resources and attention. In the context of the E. coli outbreak linked to Chipotle, the criticism was about the company not prioritizing food safety over other concerns like GMOs.

Question 8

Tim Coombs defines _____________ crisis as "a significant threat to organizational operations or reputations that can have negative consequences for stakeholders and/or the organization if not handled properly."
A) An original
B) An uncontrollable
C) An organizational
D) A consequential

Accepted Answer

Tim Coombs defines an "organizational crisis" as a significant threat to organizational operations or reputations that can have negative consequences for stakeholders and/or the organization if not handled properly.

Question 9

Janet is a PR specialist for the city of Mountain View, California. The Los Angeles Times reported that Mountain View was issuing fines to residents who used chemical weed and feed products on their lawns, which resulted in angry e-mails and calls. The story contained a factual error when it identified Mountain View instead of Mountain Home as the city issuing the fines to residents. Janet was dealing with what type of crisis?
A) Rumor crisis
B) Victim crisis
C) Accident crisis
D) Preventable crisis

Accepted Answer

The answer of Janet is a PR specialist for the...

Question 10

Exxon experienced an unforeseen oil rig malfunction in the Gulf of Mexico. A connection at the floor of the gulf ruptured, pouring millions of gallons of crude oil into the gulf waters and causing extensive damage to shorelines and wildlife. What type of crisis did Exxon face?
A) Corruption crisis
B) Victim crisis
C) Preventable crisis
D) Accident crisis

Accepted Answer

The scenario describes an accident crisis, where an unforeseen malfunction leads to significant damage, distinguishing it from crises caused by intentional wrongdoing (corruption), crises where the organization is a victim, or crises stemming from avoidable actions (preventable).

Question 11

Qatar Airlines suffered an airline crash. Investigators determined that an act of terrorism did not take place. They determined that a mechanical failure was the cause and was a result of improper maintenance by the ground crew or a skipped preflight inspection by the pilot. Publics would see the crisis as ________________.
A) An accident crisis
B) A preventable crisis
C) A victim crisis
D) A political crisis

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is B) A preventable crisis because the mechanical failure that caused the crash was due to improper maintenance or a skipped preflight inspection, indicating that the crisis could have been avoided with proper procedures and checks.

Question 12

The Atlanta-area school systems received media attention for low scores on national standardized tests. They questioned the validity of the tests, claimed that the school system is under-resourced compared with that of other states, and focused on how hard teachers are working with so little compensation. This is an example of what crisis response strategy?
A) Diversion strategy
B) Strengthen strategy
C) Diminish strategy
D) Retrench strategy

Accepted Answer

The diminish strategy is used here as the Atlanta-area school systems are attempting to lessen the perceived severity of the issue (low scores on national standardized tests) by questioning the validity of the tests, highlighting resource constraints, and emphasizing the hard work of teachers despite low compensation.

Question 13

Wayne and his PR firm offered advice to Taka Incorporated about manufacturing defective airbag deployment systems for automobiles. He advised that they offer a genuine apology and a promise to make it right for their customers. This is an example of what crisis response strategy?
A) Rebuild strategy
B) Constructive strategy
C) Diversionary strategy
D) Double-apology strategy

Accepted Answer

The Rebuild strategy involves offering apologies and corrective actions to repair the organization's reputation and relationship with stakeholders, which is what Wayne advised Taka Incorporated to do.

Question 14

Reminding people of all the good things your organization has done in the past is one way to reinforce a relationship during or following a crisis. In PR, this is called __________.
A) Bolstering
B) Buttressing
C) Upholding
D) Recommending

Accepted Answer

Bolstering is a public relations strategy used to strengthen an organization's image by highlighting positive actions or contributions, especially useful during or after a crisis to remind stakeholders of the organization's value and good deeds.

Question 15

Bud Fox, a public relations officer for Blue Star Airlines, has learned from upper management that they are going to sell the company. He has family and friends who work at Blue Star. He is asked by the company to keep the information confidential so they will not lose their last major contract and set of work orders. In this obvious conflict-of-interest case, he follows a tenant of crisis management that states "tell it all and tell it fast." This strategy is known as __________.
A) Dropping the bomb
B) Out of whack
C) Stealing thunder
D) Walking on thin ice

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is "Stealing thunder," which refers to the strategy of disclosing potentially damaging information oneself before opponents have the chance to do so. This can help control the narrative and potentially lessen the negative impact of the information.

Question 16

When Dave Carroll saw his $3,500 Taylor guitar being tossed around by baggage handlers at Chicago O'Hare International Airport, he spent nine months trying to reach an acceptable resolution with the airline. Carroll published a video on YouTube called "United Breaks Guitars" that earned more than 19 million views, and United coincidentally saw a $180 million drop in market valuation. This example illustrates _____________.
A) The importance of insuring baggage when flying
B) The fact that catchy YouTube videos perform better than talking heads
C) The holes in customer service at airports
D) The power of individuals to confront large powerful organizations on social media

Accepted Answer

This example illustrates the power of individuals to confront large powerful organizations on social media, as Dave Carroll used a YouTube video to bring significant attention to his issue with United Airlines, demonstrating how social media can amplify individual voices against large entities.

Question 17

A famous photographer found out New York-based fashion powerhouse DKNY used one of his photos in a store without his permission. He raised the issue on Facebook and asked for restitution in the form of a charitable donation. DKNY admitted its mistake and donated to a local non-profit. This example shows that even __________ can be raised and settled on social media.
A) Artistic crises
B) Trademark violations
C) Legal issues
D) Accidents

Accepted Answer

This example illustrates that legal issues, such as unauthorized use of intellectual property, can be raised and settled through social media platforms.

Question 18

Employees at a local factory are going on strike to protest their wages. Paloma, a public relations manager for the factory, uses contingency theory to determine the best course of action. After evaluating all the internal and external factors in this strike, she advises the company to award the workers the higher wages they seek. According to contingency theory, this course of action can best be described as ___________.
A) Pure advocacy
B) Pure accommodation
C) Pure containment
D) Pure collaboration

Accepted Answer

Contingency theory suggests that the best course of action depends on the specific circumstances of the situation. In this case, Paloma advises the company to fully meet the demands of the workers, which aligns with a pure accommodation strategy. This approach involves adjusting or accommodating the organization's actions to satisfy the concerns or demands of publics or stakeholders.

Question 19

When an angry customer called Little Italy Restaurante in Anchorage, Alaska, to complain about a delivery driver, the owner chose a response strategy of "advocacy." What action best supports this response strategy?
A) Firing the employee
B) Punishing the employee
C) Firing the customer
D) Offering the customer a discount

Accepted Answer

Advocacy involves standing up for one's employees and showing them support, especially in situations where the customer may not always be right. By "firing the customer," the owner is demonstrating loyalty and support for the employee, assuming the complaint was unjustified or the employee's actions were in line with company policy.

Question 20

Public relations practitioners should use effective communication and issues management with all publics. The best public relations "crises" are ___________.
A) The ones that never happen
B) The ones where nobody loses a life
C) Hidden so publics do not know about them
D) Those affecting only one public

Accepted Answer

The best public relations crises are the ones that never happen because effective communication and issues management aim to prevent crises before they occur, maintaining a positive image and avoiding negative impacts.

Quiz 12: Issues and Crises

Some crises, such as natural disasters, are unavoidable, whereas other crises are not. One of the toughest jobs in public relations is being called on to help organizations navigate crises __________.

Public relations professionals must respond quickly and appropriately to challenges on social media to prevent issues from becoming __________.

Missouri Professor Glen Cameron and his colleagues developed the theory that proposes that the best course of action in any situation depends on the specifics of the situation known as __________.

__________ is an area of public relations that focuses on proactive monitoring and management to prevent crises from happening.

Diana is responsible for monitoring Nike's internal and external operating environments from a PR standpoint. However, a public relations crises emerged when news broke that their supply chain included child labor and sweatshops. This crisis could have been avoided by applying __________.

Tim Coombs defines _____________ crisis as "a significant threat to organizational operations or reputations that can have negative consequences for stakeholders and/or the organization if not handled properly."

Exxon experienced an unforeseen oil rig malfunction in the Gulf of Mexico. A connection at the floor of the gulf ruptured, pouring millions of gallons of crude oil into the gulf waters and causing extensive damage to shorelines and wildlife. What type of crisis did Exxon face?

Wayne and his PR firm offered advice to Taka Incorporated about manufacturing defective airbag deployment systems for automobiles. He advised that they offer a genuine apology and a promise to make it right for their customers. This is an example of what crisis response strategy?

Reminding people of all the good things your organization has done in the past is one way to reinforce a relationship during or following a crisis. In PR, this is called __________.

When an angry customer called Little Italy Restaurante in Anchorage, Alaska, to complain about a delivery driver, the owner chose a response strategy of "advocacy." What action best supports this response strategy?

Public relations practitioners should use effective communication and issues management with all publics. The best public relations "crises" are ___________.