INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

(OFAD – 105)
Principles of Public and Customer Relations

Compiled by

Asst. Prof. Jessie I. Quierrez

Department of Office Administration
College of Business Administration
Polytechnic University of the Philippines
Sta. Mesa, Manila

Enhanced by:

DR. ELIZABETH L. PAMBUENA

PUP-Paranaque Campus

2025

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Dear Students

Please handle this material with care.

This Instructional Material was provided to you with all the necessary learning that
you have to gain for the subject Principles of Customer and Public Relations (OFAD
105). After each module, a corresponding activity/ies has to be accomplished
accordingly. Please note that each module needs to be done completely based
on each week assigned. Please refer to the Course syllabus for the subject. All
completed activities must be compiled in a portfolio type with proper labeling.
Once completed, you must submit this in a long/short brown envelop addressed to
your subject adviser of the concerned College.

Happy reading and enjoy learning!

DR. ELIZABETH L. PAMBUENA

Associate Professor IV

Course Objectives

At the end of the semester, the student is expected to:

1. Demonstrate deeper understanding of the concepts, principles and the essence

of public relations in communicating the goals and objectives of the program as
part of the community and organization.

2. Develop and establish good human relations with self and others.

3. Apply basic principles of public and customer relations.

4. Appreciate the importance of developing the personal qualities and skills

required of a public relations personnel as one of the role of an administrative
professionals.

5. Demonstrate self-confidence in the practice of establishing good customer

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relations and goodwill in an offline or online environment.

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 Table of Contents

Module 1 The Administrative Assistant‘s Role in

Promoting the Organization’s Goodwill

a. Different types of stakeholders.....................................................7

b. Understanding the different stakeholders....................................8
c. Strategies in promoting goodwill...............................................10

Assessment/Evaluation............................................................................................. 12

Module 2 Building Goodwill through Public Relations

a. Definition of public relations.....................................................14

b. Principles of effective public relations.....................................16
c. Planning for public relations....................................................16
 Needs of the environment
 Goals and objectives of the business
 Objectives/strategies of PR
 Designing PR programs

d. Essence of public relations in the performance of the duties

of an Administrative Professionals................................................17

Assessment/Evaluation........................................................................................... 18

Module 3 Relevance of Public Relations to Customer Relations

a. . Definition of customer relations...............................................21

b. . Handling customers in extraordinary situation........................21

 Different types of difficult customers.............................22

i. Aggressive
ii. Persistent
iii. With special request
iv. Short/high tempered
v. Fickle-minded
vi. Defensive
vii. Others

 Approaches to customer complaints.............................23

Assessment/Evaluation...................................................................................... 26

MIDTERM EXAMINATION.....................................................................27

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Module 4 The Administrative Assistant as a Press Relation Officer

a. Effective press relation manager............................................32

b. Essential qualities needed......................................................34
Right attitudes
Skills
competencies

Assessment/Evaluation....................................................................................... 36

Module 5 Ethical Dimensions of Public Relations

a. Code of Corporate Ethics..........................................................38

b. Code of Corporate Conduct......................................................39
c. Corporate Social Responsibilities.............................................41

Assessment/Evaluation....................................................................................... 45

Module 6 Responding to Social Change.......................................................46

a. Politics...................................................................................... 48
b. Economics............................................................................... 51
c. Education................................................................................. 56
d. Technology............................................................................... 57

Final Assessment/Evaluation........................................................................... 65

FINAL EXAMINATION............................................................................66

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 Module 1

The Administrative Assistant’s Role in Promoting the Organization’s

Goodwill

Objectives

At the end of this module, students are expected to:

1. Appreciate the role of an Administrative Assistant in the promotion of

goodwill in the organization;

2. Demonstrate familiarization on the different types of stakeholders;

3. Able to properly apply the different strategies in promoting goodwill

on different situations.

Module 1 covers the following topics:

1. Different types of stakeholders

2. Understanding the different stakeholders

3. Strategies in promoting goodwill

Assessment/Evaluation

1. Free writing/Reflection on selected topics discussed

2. Essays

3. Submission of quizzes (Portfolio)

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 Overview

Defining Stakeholders and Publics

Stakeholders and Public are two identical terms which are usually similarly on various
situations, though it should not be. As we speak of ‗Stakeholders‘, we refer to
individuals who are recognized or acknowledged to be related in a particular
business or organization. On the other hand, ‗Public‘ is commonly used as we
speak of the people in general who are recognized based on the messages they
transmit or convey to anybody.

As cited by Rawlins (2006), Freeman defined stakeholder in a wide sense as ―any

group or individual who is affected by or can affect the achievement of an
organization‘s objectives.‖ Another definition he gave was ―any identifiable group
or individual on which the organization is dependent for its continued survival.‖
The latter definition has covered a wide scope where groups who have interests in
a particular company are included.

Stakeholders. The most quoted definition of a stakeholder in business literature is that

given by Freeman, who says a stakeholder is ―any group or individual who is
affected by or can affect the achievement of an organization‘s objectives.‖ This is
what Freeman refers to as the wide sense of a stakeholder; however, he also spoke
of the narrow sense of a stakeholder when he described it as, ―any identifiable
group or individual on which the organization is dependent for its continued
survival.‖ The definition has been expanded to include groups who have interests
in the corporation, regardless of the corporation‘s interest in them.

Publics. according to Laurie Wilson, there are three types of publics involved in
communication strategies: key publics, intervening publics, and influentials. Key
publics are those whose participation and cooperation are required to accomplish
organizational goals. In relation to the first two steps, they are the stakeholders
who have the highest priority according to their power/dependency/influence
attributes, the urgency of the issue, and their level of active involvement in the
issue. In this model, the key publics are called priority publics. To communicate
effectively with these stakeholders, an organization must understand them as much
as possible. Priority publics can be profiled by their demographics, lifestyles and
values, media preferences, cooperative networks, and self-interests. Effective
strategies appeal to the self-interests of the priority publics and reach them
through the most appropriate channels.

The intervening publics pass information on to the priority publics and act as opinion
leaders. Sometimes these publics, such as the media, are erroneously identified as
priority publics. If an organization is satisfied when the message stops at a public,
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then it is a priority public. If the expectation is that the message will be
disseminated to others, it is an intervening public. In most cases the media are
intervening publics. Other influentials can be important intervening publics, such
as doctors who pass information on to patients, and teachers who pass

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information on to students. The success of many campaigns is determined by the
strength of relationships with intervening publics.

Influentials can be intervening publics, but they also affect the success of public
relations efforts in other ways. Influentials can either support an organization‘s
efforts or work against them. Members of some publics will turn to opinion leaders
to verify or refute messages coming from organizations. The opinion of these
personal sources is much more influential than the public relations messages
alone. Therefore, successful campaigns must also consider how messages will be
interpreted by influentials that act as either intervening or supporting publics.

Understanding the different Stakeholders

In order to understand the different stakeholders, identifying who they are and
what are their relationship to an organization. Certain criteria were made focusing
on the characteristics of these stakeholders where a model developed by Grunig
and Hunt was presented to clearly understand these stakeholders.

The model as presented is divided into four identifying the relationship of

stakeholders to an organization. These are:

1. enabling linkages

The enabling linkages identify stakeholders who have some control and
authority over the organization, such as stockholders, board of directors,
governmental legislators and regulators, etc. These stakeholders enable an
organization to have resources and autonomy to operate. When enabling
relationships falter, the resources can be withdrawn and the autonomy of the
organization restricted. The enabling linkages are dominant stakeholders by
definition, because groups such as stockholders and regulatory agencies have
power over the organization and their interests are usually legitimate. If the
issue affecting enabling stakeholders is urgent, then they become definitive
stakeholders and would be given highest priority.

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2. functional linkages
Functional linkages are those that are essential to the function of the
organization, and are divided between input functions that provide labor and
resources to create products or services (such as employees and suppliers) and
output functions that consume the products or services (such as consumers and
retailers). Functional input linkages, such as employees, suppliers, and unions,
have a legitimate claim on the organization and high levels of involvement. They
are economically dependent on the organization, and as such, the power resides
primarily with the organization. Therefore, the organization has a moral and
legal responsibility to those stakeholders that also increases their priority. The
relationship of employees is also critical to the effectiveness and efficiency of
the organization.

Functional output stakeholders consume what the organization produces, and

include consumers, distributors, and retailers. Companies know that long-term
customer relations are necessary for financial success. Because these
stakeholders have power, legitimacy, and economic influence, any issue that
imminently affects their relationship gives them high priority. Savage, et al.
considered consumers and employees as mixed blessing stakeholders
because they can be supportive or non-supportive depending on the actions of
the organization.

3. diffused linkages

Diffused linkages are the most difficult to identify because they include
stakeholders who do not have frequent interaction with the organization, but
become involved based on the actions of the organization. These are the publics
that often arise in times of a crisis. This linkage includes the media, the
community, activists, and other special interest groups.

Diffused stakeholders are the most problematic, because they do not have
direct relationships with the organizations. Because these stakeholders are
reactive to organizational actions, they are harder to predict and to recognize.
Diffused stakeholders are usually situational and their relationship temporary.
These stakeholders do not have a lot of power over the organization, and their
legitimacy is sometimes suspect. What they have is urgency, making them a
demanding stakeholder under the model proposed by Mitchell et al. If they also
have a legitimate concern, they become dependent stakeholders and rise in
priority. Because they lack the power and direct influence of other
stakeholders, diffused stakeholders will attempt to affect the organization by
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working through members of the enabling or functional linkages. In these
cases, the diffused stakeholders can shift from dependent stakeholders to
definitive stakeholders by forming coalitions with other powerful and legitimate
groups, namely the enabling and functional linkages. Activist groups ask
consumers to boycott products, or NGO‘s ask government to increase
regulations to prevent certain activities. Because of the appeal process of the
diffused stakeholders, these groups can move quickly from latent to definitive
stakeholders. For this reason, there is a need for further research on network
analysis with these stakeholders. The author recognizes the importance of
understanding the networks of the stakeholders to verify the third-party
involvement of other key groups, but that analysis goes beyond the scope of this
paper.

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 4. normative linkages.

Normative linkages are associations or groups with which the organization has
a common interest. Stakeholders in the normative linkage share similar values,
goals or problems and often include competitors that belong to industrial or
professional associations.

Normative linkages, such as competitors, have little direct power over the
organization, but are considered a non-supportive threat by Savage, et al. Most
organizations devise ways to eliminate competition them rather than foster
positive relations. The only time competitors become important for cooperative
purposes is when the industry is facing an issue with economic or regulatory
impact, in which the peer organizations develop a contingency compatible
relationship until the issue is resolved. For example, chemical manufacturers
may rally together to fight increased environmental standards that would
damage their profitability.

Going through the linkage model should help the organization identify all its
stakeholders. The diffused linkage stakeholders would be different according to the
situation, but the enabling, functional, and normative linkage stakeholders are
likely to be constant.

Grunig and Hunt (1984) developed a Four Models of Public Relations framework, which helps in
understanding how organizations communicate with their stakeholders. Stakeholders, in this context, can
be categorized based on their level of engagement, influence, and response to public relations efforts.

Characteristics of Stakeholders in Relation to Grunig and Hunt’s

Models

1. Press Agentry/Publicity Model

1. Stakeholders are typically passive audiences who receive one-way

communication.
2. They are often influenced by sensationalism, propaganda, or attention-
grabbing tactics.
3. They may not seek verification of the information and rely on media hype.
4. Example: General consumers influenced by advertisements, entertainment
news followers.

2. Public Information Model

1. Stakeholders are information-seekers who value factual, objective

communication.
2. They respond well to transparency, credibility, and news-style content.
3. Typically includes journalists, analysts, regulatory bodies, and the
general public.

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 4. Example: News readers, public service audiences, and consumers looking for
brand transparency.

3. Two-Way Asymmetrical Model

1. Stakeholders are persuadable but not entirely passive.

2. They are influenced by research-driven communication and tailored
messages.
3. Organizations use this model to shape stakeholder opinions in their favor,
often without considering mutual benefits.
4. Example: Targeted customers in marketing campaigns, investors receiving
corporate briefings.

4. Two-Way Symmetrical Model

1. Stakeholders are active participants in communication and decision-

making.
2. They expect dialogue, feedback, and ethical engagement.
3. They value mutual understanding and problem-solving approaches.
4. Example: Employees in organizational discussions, advocacy groups,
engaged customers, and business partners.

These models help in segmenting stakeholders based on their level of interaction and communication
preferences, allowing organizations to develop strategic approaches to engage with them effectively.

After synthesizing the Grunig and Hunt linkage model with the Mitchell et al.
attribute model, a stakeholder priority hierarchy becomes apparent. The
organization has a moral and legal responsibility to those stakeholders that also
increases their priority. The relationship of employees is also critical to the
effectiveness and efficiency of the organization.

To sum, the enabling and functional linkages have the greatest priority as
stakeholders because their power/dependency/influence relationship is frequent
and critical to the regular operations of the organization. Although they are
constantly on the mind of the organization, normative linkages as competitors are
considered not as groups that have a stake in the operations of the organization.
This only changes when the industry or profession is faced with a crisis that
requires cooperative effort. The diffused linkages do not require as much attention
and have a lesser priority, except when they react to an organization‘s action or
policy. Urgency is the variable that increases the priority of any of these
stakeholders. However, this method of prioritizing does not answer the question of
who will become the active groups in urgent situations.

Ref. : Rawlins, B. L. (2006). Prioritizing stakeholders for public relations. Institute for
public relations, pp.2-8.

Strategies in promoting goodwill

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Strategy. A means to an end (Oliver, 2009; Swanda Jr., 1990; Thompson, 1995).

The direction that the organization chooses to follow in order to fulfil its
mission. (Oliver, 2009; Bennett, 1996)

Five uses of the word Strategy (Mintzberg et.al, 1998):

1. a plan as a consciously intended course of action.

2. a ploy as a specific manoeuvre intended to outwit an opponent or competitors.
3. a pattern representing a stream of actions.
4. a position as a means of locating an organization in an environment.

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 5. a perspective as an integrated way of perceiving the world.

Goodwill. (Noun) friendly, helpful, or cooperative feelings or attitude: "the plan

is dependent on goodwill between the two sides"

The established reputation of a business regarded as a quantifiable asset,

e.g., as represented by the excess of the price paid at a takeover for a
company over its fair market value.
(Oxford Dictionaries)

Goodwill in the world of business refers to the established reputation of a company as

a quantifiable asset and calculated as part of its total value when it is taken over or
sold. It is the vague and somewhat subjective excess value of a commercial
enterprise or asset over its net worth. It is a vital component for increasing a
company‘s customer base and retaining existing clients. It also attracts investors
and encourages stakeholders to forgive you if you make a mistake. When a
company is being acquired by another one for a premium value, that amount,
above what it is believed to be truly worth – its book value – is known as goodwill.
(Bennett,2020)

Goodwill – an intangible asset – is the value of business‘ brand name, good customer
relations, extensive customer base, excellent employee relations and any
proprietary technology or patents. These assets are not separately identifiable.

In a successful business, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. The
difference between the value of the whole and the sum of its parts is its goodwill. It
is all about the nature of the business and the ethics and integrity with which
people conduct their business. It is an honor that is impossible to imitate.

Factors contributing to the creation of Goodwill (Bennett, 2020)

1. Expectation of future economic benefits

The owners of a company believe that it has additional value because they think it
will continue creating new products and services, attracting new customers, and
merging with other businesses.

2. Excess business income

It Implies the existence of earnings in excess of a fair return on all the other
business assets. The belief is that this extra income is due to goodwill.

3. Going concern value

It is the existence of business assets ready for use in generating income. The value
is created because the company can effectively apply its financial resources &
equipment, manpower, and management to generate economic benefits for its
owners.

Types of Goodwill

1. Institutional Goodwill – this is related to the company, its position in the

marketplace, and how well it serves its customers.

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 2. Professional Practice Goodwill - this relates to professional practices such as
engineers, accountants, lawyers, doctors, architects.
3. Practitioner Goodwill - this is related to the reputation and skill of
the individual professional.
4. Practice Goodwill - arises from the practice itself, its track record,
institutional reputation, location, and operating procedures.

Ref.: Bennett, Tim (2020). What is goodwill? Definition and meaning. Market
Business News. Retrieved at
https://marketbusinessnews.com/financial-glossary/goodwill-definition-meaning/

The moral bases of Goodwill

The morally based efforts on the part of the responsible organization can lead to
mutually compatible responses from external recipients, i.e., customers, suppliers,
competitors, agents, etc. All of this hopefully will lead to intrinsic and extrinsic
benefits. The net results of the various positive ethical outcomes attributed to a
specific firm provide that firm with an enviable resource on which to capitalize. To
the accountant, such opportunities can be translated into financial values ?
specifically when the firm wishes to sell or combine itself with another firm. It
should be quickly noted that financial return should not be the main reason for
espousing moral standards, but, it can't hurt if financial benefits are a part of the
larger picture. The value of the firm's moral character (along with other
attributes), however, can result in a market value of the firm that is greater than
the firm's net assets. This may be construed as goodwill (Moss, 1981; Needles,
1989).

For generations to come, Goodwill will remain relevant to the communities we serve,
and exert a positive impact on the lives of thousands of people. Goodwill couples
greater self-reliance and an enterprising spirit with enthusiastic community
support.

Strategies may differ from one organization to another. It is a usual practice for
strategy making to take place at three levels such as:

1. the macro or corporate;

2. the micro or business unit;
3. the individual/team or operational level.

Whatever the structure it may be, the procedures must be consistent and logically
sound and so does the strategies applied in communicating between different
levels of people in and out of the organization. It cannot be avoided that
sometimes there are lapses or lack of recognition of strategic decisions made on
various levels so that is where the role of the public relations specialist comes into
play by ensuring that consistency applies in all aspects.

Assessment/Evaluation

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Question (1): What are the different strategies that you can apply to promote
goodwill on the following situation?

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1. People who need you the most, making a positive impact on neighborhoods of
high poverty, crime and unemployment.

2. Retaining you company status as the area‘s largest private employer of people
which is as an indispensable community partner.

3. Maintaining your company‘s best reputation and name recognition

compared with similar agencies in the community.

4. Being known as an employer of choice, one of the best places to work in the area
through an unwavering commitment to employee engagement and core values.

5. Continuous survival and thrive long into the future due to effective and
values-driven management, leadership, governance and business
practices.

Question (2): What does ―the whole is greater than the sum of the parts‖
means in a successful business? Explain your answer for a minimum
of five (5) sentences.

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 Module 2

Building Goodwill through Public Relations

Objectives

At the end of this module, students are expected to:

1. Understand what is public relations and its principles

2. Demonstrate how a public relations‘ activity is planned

3. Express on their own words the essence of public relations when applied
to them as future Administrative Professionals

Module 2 covers the following topics:

1. Definition of public relations

2. Principles of effective public relations

3. Planning for public relations

 Needs of the environment

 Goals and objectives of the business
 Objectives/strategies of PR
 Designing PR programs

4. Essence of public relations in the performance of the duties of an

Administrative Professionals

Assessment/Evaluation

Free writing/Reflection on selected topics

discussed Short quizzes

Case study

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Overview

At the center of all public relations is the effective and creative planning and not to
mention related activity. Our environment is a playing field that is constantly
changing. This is why it is not enough for the businesses to how to do things but it
should also know the whats, whys, and how to evaluate the effectiveness and
accuracy of the approaches chosen for a particular task. It is at this point that a
need for strategic communicators who are either a public relations practitioner,
technician and manager.

Communication Technician. The role of a public relations professional as

communication technicians includes tasks such as news writing releases, drafting
of speeches, video productions, newsletter editing, displays organizing and so on.
They are specialists in public relations and marketing communications who usually
perform these tasks at the direction of others. Often these tasks are associated
with jobs which are on an entry-level.

Communication Manager. As a communication manager, he or she must be

competent in directing research, make decisions, plans projects and campaign, and
solve problems. He or she may be classified either a tactical manager or a
strategic manager. As a tactical manager, he is responsible for the day-to-day
decision on many practical and specific issues of the organization. On the other
hand, a strategic manager is mainly concerned on the management trends, issues,
policies and corporate structure. (Smith, 2013)

Definition of Public Relations

The formal practice of Public Relations as noted by the Public Relations Society of
America dated as early as the twentieth century. It has been understood in many
different ways since then with its definition evolving as the practice of public
relations has changed. In 2012, the PRSA members has voted with one definition
of Public Relations:

Public Relations is a strategic communication process that builds

mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.

PRSA emphasized that it is a process of communication, strategic in nature, with a

focus on mutually beneficial relationships.

Three important reasons to do PR in a business.

 Damage Control: Fake news can negatively affect a business very quickly, so
PR personnel must implement their crisis management tactics in order to
minimize the damage this news can have on the business.

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 Branding: Sharing news, being transparent, and reporting positive figures
regularly can build a world-class brand that is recognized across the globe,
and can sell products without the need for marketing and sales.

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  Internal Communication: As a company grows and opens offices in many
different locations it can be hard to share the same values and keep
employees up-to-date with everything that is happening. A Public Relations
department can help to manage this relationship to ensure that employees
are all working toward a common goal.

Public relations functioning as a management incorporates the following (Smith, 2013):

1. Anticipate, analyze and interpret public opinion, attitudes and issues that might
impact, for good or ill, the operations and plans of the organization.

2. Counsel management at all levels in the organization with regard to policy

decisions, courses of action, and communication, taking into account their public
ramifications and the organization‘s social or citizenship responsibilities.

3. Research, conduct and evaluate, on a continuing basis, programs of action and

communication to achieve the informed public understanding necessary to the
success of an organization‘s aims.

4. Plan and implement the organization‘s efforts to influence or change public policy.

5. Setting objectives, planning, budgeting, recruiting and training staff, developing

facilities.

Principles of effective public relations

The 10 public relations principles every PR practitioner should consider as they go

through the process of assembling an effective plan.

1. Know your audience.

2. Be a patient storyteller.
3. Focus on outcomes over activities.
4. Know the difference between stories and news.
5. Go beyond the echo chamber.
6. Be humble.
7. Under promise and over deliver.
8. Have a call to action.
9. Public relations is not an island.
10. Require the requirements.

Planning for public relations

a. Needs of the environment

 Serve as the mediator between the environmental issues and to public

 They are the one who assist in managing tough environmental conflicts
 They are known as ―Environmental Specialist‖
 They are the one who explain complex problems to a skeptical public
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 b. Goals and objectives of the business

Goal writing does not have to be overly complicated. But, it does require
commitment and the discipline to follow through and complete the required
action steps. Spend time to think through you goals so that you can have
enough detail to achieve your desired results. To do this, many organizations
use the SMART goal model to articulate their goals.

c. Objectives/strategies of public relations

Objectives are tangible and should be achievable within a year or two. When
creating an objective, keep the SMART acronym in mind.
Strategies are general approaches used to achieve objectives. A PR plan typically
includes three to eight strategies, depending on how complicated the objectives
are. Strategies should be actionable and explain how you will accomplish the
objective and why you are taking that approach.

d. Designing PR programs

Phases of designing PR

programs

1. Identifying and listing out the information or message to the communicator.

2. Ascertain the existing image or awareness level about the issue in the
target group or common public.

3. Developing of communication objectives and priorities.

4. Developing the message and choosing the media to transmit.

5. Implementation of the message and media, coordination or the dissemination of

message.

6. Communication process to check whether message reached properly and the

expected action or behavior or knowledge on image factors.

7. In case the message did not reach properly identified the reason for the
ineffectiveness and rectification of the same and disseminate the revised
message.

Ref: Smith, 2013. pp. 15-18

Essence of public relations in the performance of the duties of an

Administrative Professionals

Administrative professionals or sometimes called as administrative support specialists

perform various kinds of administrative assistance such as handling office tasks,
such as filing, generating reports and presentations, setting up for meetings, and,
reordering supplies, transcribing minutes from meetings, creating presentations,
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conducting research and meet-and- greet and sometimes assists different visitors
and guests of an organization. All these tasks that an administrative professionals
perform usually require an effective public relations communication to help an
institution create a social climate favorable for its growth.

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As the International Public Relations Association (MT UVA BMS, 2012) said,
―Public relation is a two way process. On the one hand it seeks to interpret an
organization to society while on the other it keeps the organization informed about
the expectation of the society. Fundamentally public relation is a means by which
an organization improves its operating environment‖.

Similar to the principles of public relations mentioned earlier, the following can be
considered as the essence of PR in the performance of an Administrative
professional.

1. Public relations deal with reality, not false fronts, and so does AP should be
honest at all times in the performance of his duties.

2. Public relations is a service-oriented profession in which public interest, not

personal reward, should be the primary consideration and AP should welcome
and treat visitors, guests, and employees of the organization without bias and
prejudice.

3. Since the public relations practitioner must go to the public to seek support for
programs and policies, public interest is the central criterion by which he or she
should select these programs and policies and therefore AP should have the
guts to disagree or refuse a false representation or an ill-minded ideas or
programs which may bring bad image to the organization.

4. Because the public relations practitioner reaches many publics through mass
media, which are the public channels of communication, the integrity of these
channels must be preserved.

5. Because PR practitioners are in the middle between an organization and its

publics, they must be effective communicators and therefore AP as PR officer
should convey information back and forth until understanding is reached.

6. To expedite two-way communication and to be responsible communicators,

public relations practitioners must use scientific public opinion research
extensively and AP should only provide information with concrete basis.

7. Intuition is not enough.

8. The PR person must adapt the work of other related disciplines, including
learning theory and other psychology theories, sociology, political science,
economics and history. And so does AP should also able to do multidisciplinary
tasks like research work as needed.
9. Public relations practitioners are obligated to explain problems to the public
before these problems become crisis and as AP, he/she must be alert and
advise the right persons ahead of time before the situation becomes worst.
10. A public relations practitioner should be measured by only one standard:
ethical performance and an AP should have a good reputation and integrity he
or she deserves.

Assessment/Evaluation

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Case Study: As a Public Relations Officer, how are you going to deal with it and
execute a 4- point action plan with four key goals?

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A small Franciscan school somewhere in New York was rocked by basketball
eligibility scandal in 2005, the flap drew the scrutiny of the national media. The
ensuing scandal toppled the coaching staff, athletic director, even the president,
and the figured in the suicide of a university trustee. The National Academic
Council gave the school a three-year suspension.

The small public relations staff moved quickly to respond to the sweeping crisis,
which in just one week triggered more than 200 media inquiries and hundreds of
call from outraged alumni. The vice president of marketing and public relations of
the school told reporters that they just simply communicated their actions and said
that ―It is important to state that our Board of Trustees do the right thing‖ and he
also added that it is vital that the way they communicate reflects their core values
of community and respect for all.

At this point, you were now hired by the school to lead a team on this matter.

27
 Module 3

Relevance of Public Relations to Customer Relations

Objectives

At the end of this module, students are expected to:

1. Understand and define customer relations and the role of PR in customer

relations in the development of an organization.

2. Demonstrate skills in resolving conflict and confrontation, identify a plan

to apply and enhance communication skills in the workplace to address
existing conflicts

3. Develop skills and practices that are essential elements to customer relations

Module 3 covers the following topics:

1. Definition of customer relations

2. Handling customers in extraordinary situation
3. Different types of difficult customers
i. Aggressive
ii. Persistent
iii. With special request
iv. Short/high tempered
v. Fickle-minded
vi. Defensive
vii. Others
4. Approaches to customer complaints

Assessment/Evaluation

Free writing/Reflection on selected topics

discussed Short quizzes

Case study

28
Overview

A customer is someone or an establishment receiving, consuming, or buying

products and/or services and has the freedom to choose between various goods
and supplies available in the market. Commercial establishments‘ main objective is
to The main goal of all commercial enterprises is to entice customers or clients,
and manage them to purchase what they have on sale. These establishments also
attempt to persuade them to keep coming back.(MBN, 2020)

Customers are often also consumers in such a way that when a person buys
something and he himself consumes or uses what he bought. Unlike vendors or
resellers, Customers are usually (but not always) the end users of any good or
service that they have paid for. Yet, there is a difference as Customers are human
beings, companies, or entities that purchase goods and services. As soon as
customers consume what they purchased, they are also consumers. For us to class
anybody as a consumer, there must be some consumption or usage.

There are many different types of customers (Business Models):

1. B2C. Business-to-Customer. For example, when I buy a coffee at a stall at the

train station, it is a B2C event.

2. B2B. The term stands for Business-to-Business. For example, when the coffee
stand owner buys coffee from a supplier; both of them are businesses.

3. C2B. Customer-to-Business. For example, when I sell my gold ring to a

pawnbroker or jewelry store.

4. C2C. Customer-to-Customer. For example, when I want to sell my car privately

to another person. eBay is a huge C2C and B2C marketplace.

A. Definition of Customer Relations

Customer relations is the process and manner by which a business develops,
establishes, and maintains relationships with its customers. In every success and
failure of a business, it is based on the support of its customers and it is therefore
necessary that an effective customer relations must be developed.
a. On a practical level - listen to your customers!
b. On a strategic level - see the world through the eyes of the customer!
B. Handling customers in extraordinary situation

Some people believe that if there are no complaints from customers, that means
that their products or services being offered are satisfactory and it meets the
expectation of its clients. However, companies should not be contented on this
scenario. Survey shows that there are:
29
73% of the people who will tell that they are dissatisfied

30
 48% of the most serious problems are sales and delivery related
52% of those who do not complain believed it wouldn‘t help to contact the
retailer
66% of those who complained were not satisfied with the way their complain
was handled 90% of those who were dissatisfied will not purchase from you
again
Each dissatisfied customer is likely to tell five others of their bad experience
Source: office of Fair Trading (2019)

C. Different types of difficult customers

Although "the customer is always right," they may not always be easy to deal
with. Learning how to deal with difficult customers is an important step for any
business owner, especially those who work in the customer service industry.
Even businesses with the best products and services are bound to have
occasional run-ins with angry customers. Consumers expect businesses to
provide good customer service, now more than ever. According to
https://www.businessnewsdaily.com, To build a positive reputation with
consumers, it is important to have properly trained staff who can handle
difficult people and resolve customer complaints.

source: https://smallbiztrends.com/2018/06/how-to-deal-with-difficult-customers.html

1. Aggressive Customer

Customer aggression is defined as unacceptable hostile behaviour exhibited by a

current or former customer of an organisation towards an employee that creates
an intimidating, frightening or offensive situation.

2. Persistent Customer

A persistent customer is defined as someone who does not waver until they don‘t
get served or get what they want when availing for something. This type of
customer is often unreasonable.

31
 Situations: where sometimes a customer gets persistent.

 Requesting for a refund

 Requesting for a return of product
 Warranty ○ Change of product
 Discount

3. With Special Request

One actually made, at a particular time and place; this term is used in
contradistinction to a general request, which need not state, the time when, nor
place where made. customer request Means a complaint or work request made
to Council: by any person through the CRMS and includes complaints or
requests made in person; by letter; by facsimile; by e-mail; by telephone; or by
two-way radio the details of which are entered into the CRMS.

4. Short Tempered

Someone who is quick to get mad. A person who is easily angered, who is known
to frequently lose his or her temper.

5. Fickle Minded

Fickle minded person is the one who is prone to casual change or inconstant, in
short the person is not able to concentrate on one thing. An individual who cant
decide what to choose and buy. This type of person jumps from one topic to
another without deciding, completing, mastering (at a reasonable level) in the
earlier topic.

Possible reasons that could make some people so fickle:

 Low self-esteem.
 Unrealistic expectations.
 Insecurity and fickleness.
 They don't know what they want in life.

6. Defensive Customer

"Help me and rebuild my trust in your brand." The truly memorable response
includes empathy for the inconvenience, attention to fixing it now, and in some
cases, compensation for the inconvenience and trouble. Once you have solved
the issue in question, you might provide information on how this error will be
prevented in the future if it was a serious error. This impresses the customer.
This brings them back to your brand for more memorable experiences.

REFERENCE:
https://www.smallbusiness.wa.gov.au/business-advice/avoiding-and-managing-
disputes/handling-customer-complaints https://eoc.sa.gov.au/about-equal-
opportunity/services/toolkit/developing-complaint-handling-procedure
https://trainingmag.com/content/how-handle-customer-complaints/
https://eoc.sa.gov.au/about-equal-opportunity/services/difficult-customers

32
D. Approaches to customer complaints

In a nutshell, customer relations centers on corresponding with the current and

possible customer for better understanding of how a particular organization can
develop and grow in various areas of its operation. With this mind, the company
should realize that complaints from various customers and on different situations
may come and they should be ready to welcome it as a challenge and deal with it
diligently.
Most complaints of people fall into the following groups:

1. Value for money whether the product they receive is worth and meaningful
specifically in terms of its use and quality

2. Price overcharge as compared with other products which are available in the
market.

3. The product itself.

4. Bad customer service which is sometimes being neglected based on how the
employee perceived the customer

(For online students only) Watch video: Customer Service Training | Dealing With
Difficult Situations & Handling Complaints (learning fever, 2019)

Following are the approaches that can be used on different types of difficult
customers:

a. for Aggressive customers

H: Hear – Let your customer know they are being heard. Be patient, and don‘t cut
them off.

E: Empathize – Having empathy in business pays off in all relationships—

practice understanding and compassion when listening to your customer‘s
grievances.

A: Apologize – Even if you were not at fault, after empathizing with the
customer, you should be able to sincerely apologize. Nobody likes being
inconvenienced; you should understand that. It‘s like replying to a negative
review IRL. (Pro tip: there are reputation management tools to help with
angry customers online.)

R: Resolve – Come to some sort of common ground with the customer. Ask how
you can help. Find a way to make things right—whether this means you give
them a discount on future purchases or a free product.

D: Diagnose - After the issue has been resolved and both parties are amicable,
get to the bottom of the issue. Who or what really caused this to happen?
This way both you and the customer benefit from new information that can
help it from happening again.

33
b. for Persistent customers

1. Stay calm. First, don‘t panic. You might feel like you‘re on the spot as this is
one of the questions that creates a feeling of dread among salespeople. But
that‘s only because you‘re

34
 associating it with something negative. Instead, look at it as a possible step closer
to getting a deal made, and be confident that you‘ll handle it correctly.

2. Confirm that price is the only obstacle. When you‘re asked for a discount, it‘s a
great opportunity to confirm that there aren‘t any other obstacles to moving
forward and to get a firm commitment from the buyer. This way, you can agree
that once you come to an agreement on the price, any other major concerns
have already been addressed and you can move forward with the deal.

3.Turn it around. If you‘re asked for a discount and it‘s not feasible or realistic,
don‘t be afraid to steer the prospect into something more in line with their price
range. Of course, depending on what you sell this might not be an option. But if
you have a cheaper option than the one you‘ve been discussing and the prospect
is really set on a particular budget, build value in the more affordable choice
and make them happy that they were able to save money and get something
valuable.

4. Ask for something in return. If you are going to bend on the price, then you
should get something in return. The prospect is asking for you to change the
terms, so it‘s perfectly acceptable for you to do the same. Whether it‘s signing a
longer contract to get the reduced price, removing a certain feature or service,
or expediting payment, if you‘re going to give up money, you shouldn‘t do it for
nothing.

5. Be willing to say ―no‖. You and your company are in business to make money,
and there comes a point where even a closed deal no longer makes sense. If this
is the case, or if you (and your management) simply don‘t think the prospect
deserves a break on price for whatever reason, then don‘t be afraid to say no
and be willing to walk away from the deal. In many cases, the prospect will balk
and you will have a full priced deal on your hands. Of course, sometimes they
will walk away.

c. for Short-tempered customers

1. Listen to him/her
2. Make him feel acknowledged-just as important as listening is showing
him that you're listening.
3. Try to avoid telling him what to do.
4. Don't take it personally.
5. If it gets untenable, suggest a different way of non-verbal communication.

d. for Defensive customers

You will regain customer‘s trust when you take ownership of your mistakes, offer a
sincere apology for the trouble, and fix the errors. It sends out the cheer of
integrity, the warmth of caring, and loads of professional competence. It is worth
celebrating. It is truly memorable. It will echo in customers‘ minds for quite some
time. It delivers progress to your business and sets you apart.

35
Assessment/Evaluation

1. When you are faced by a frustrated customer who claimed of being double-
charged on his account and this problem has not yet been resolved for the last
two months, how are you going to handle this situation. Explain your
strategies and the values that you have to employ on this matter.

36
 Midterm Examination
1st Semester, SY 2020-
2021

Name Section Score/%

Note: Erasures not allowed

I. Multiple Choice: Please encircle the letter of your choice for each item

1. Among the four (4) types of stakeholders according to their relationship to the
organization, which are the most important for an organization to maintain
long-term success?

a) Diffused linkages
b) Enabling linkages
c) Functional linkages
d) Normative linkages

2. Linkages who do not require as much attention and have a lesser priority,
except when they react to an organization‘s action or policy.

a) Diffused linkages
b) Enabling linkages
c) Functional linkages
d) Normative linkages

3. Linkages, as competitors, are constantly on the mind of the organization, but

not as groups that have a stake in the operations of the organization.

a) Diffused linkages
b) Enabling linkages
c) Functional linkages
d) Normative linkages

4. Employees, customers, shareholders, communities and suppliers are those most

commonly classified as stakeholders within an organization

a) Co-owners
b) External and internal linkages
c) Publics
d) Stakeholders

5. Their self-interests, as they become active on issued that involve them, must be
addressed in any kind of stakeholder or public relations strategy

a) Co-owners
b) External and internal linkages
c) Publics
d) Stakeholders

37
6. Stakeholders that become active publics and that can influence the success of
an organization, or can appeal to the other stakeholders with that influence,
should still not be priority publics for communication strategies.

a) True
b) False
c) Sometimes
d) Either True nor False

7. It is a reputation built by a company on a generally positive rapport with the

communities in which you do business.

a) Corporate Image
b) Face value
c) Goodwill
d) Public Relations

8. The values associated with increased sales, market size, worker efficiency, and
financial rates of return all are connected to the firm's overall state of
moral conduct.

a) directly
b) indirectly
c) directly or indirectly
d) directly and indirectly

9. The value of the organization‘s ethical personality and other attributes may
bring in a market value of the organization that is more than the its net assets.

a) True
b) False
c) Sometimes
d) Either True nor False

10.PR practitioners often find themselves in a position where they are the ones to
decide how, when and where a news announcement takes place.

a) True
b) False
c) Sometimes
d) Either True nor False

38
 II. Matching Type:

The 10 public relations principles every PR practitioner should consider as they go

through the process of assembling an effective plan. Match each principle to the
statements stated on the right side by writing the letter of your choice for each
item.

Answer PR Principles Statement

1. Know your audience a PR is far more than a vehicle that creates
awareness at the end of a product cycle.
Some of the best stories will come from
those closest to the product

2. Be a patient b Try and align to a long term plan and work

storyteller towards creating a set of desired outcomes
and key moments in time that create waves
over ripples.
3. Focus on outcomes c PR practitioners often find themselves in a
over activities. position where they are the ones to decide
how, when and where a news announcement
takes place and it become your rules of
engagement, giving you the confidence you
need to know your plan is sound.
4. Know the d This can come in the form of a pointer that
difference brings the reader back to your website.
between stories
and news.
5. Go beyond the echo e Take your time and don‘t succumb to the
chamber pressure of ―doing something.‖ Tell the
right story, at the right time, to the right
people.
6. Be humble. f PR should recognize when to dismiss noise
versus something of substance that can be
taken with
interest, shared and followed by their
readers.
7. Under promise and g Utilize partners and customers to tell your
over deliver. story.

8. Have a call to action. h Do your research and ensure that whatever

products or services you support, actually
fulfill a customer need.

9. Public relations is i If you stick to the basic benefits and resist the
not an island. urge to speak in far flung generalizations,
you won‘t run the risk of getting out over
your skis.
10. Require the j Don‘t dismiss what competitors do. Take
requirements. an interest in learning and reading about
others.

39
III. Identify the following statements based on the four business models
presented on this topic. (Choose among the 4 models: C2C, C2B,
B2B, B2C)

1. Merging customer feedback with customer service Key

Performance Indicators (KPIs) helps guide companies‘ attention to areas
where customer data can make a positive impact.

2. Airbnb is a platform that allows users to post their residence for

short-term lodging to other users for a nightly rate.

3. Websites, such as eBay, have both streamlined and globalized

traditional person-to-person trading, which was usually conducted through
such forms as garage sales, collectibles shows, flea markets and more, with
their web interface. This facilitates easy exploration for buyers and enables
the sellers to immediately list an item for sale within minutes of registering.

4. Food bloggers being asked by food companies to include a new

product in a recipe, and review it for readers of their blogs.

5. Companies typically implement client services or customer care

processes to address customer concerns and enhance customer satisfaction.

6. Online intermediaries such as online travel sites like Expedia and

Trivago and arts and crafts retailer Etsy.

7. An online auction, in which a consumer posts an item for sale

and other consumers bid to purchase it; the third party generally charges a
flat fee or commission.

8. Amazon buyers review products or TripAdvisor users review

hotels, or Yelp visitors review restaurants and other venues.

9. Fee-based site, they typically include publications that offer a

limited amount of content for free but charge for most of it – such as The
Wall Street Journal – or entertainment services such as Netflix or Hulu.

10. Customer relationships generally feature high brand loyalty due

to the amount of time and money invested during the sales cycle.

Good luck!

40
 Module 4

The Administrative Assistant as a Press Relation Officer

Objectives

At the end of this module, students are expected to:

1. Recognize the characteristics and importance of an effective press relations

manager

2. Identify the different qualities needed of an effective PRO in terms of attitudes

and skills

3. Assess oneself on the qualities they have at present and how are they going
to enhance it to become an effective PRO in the future

Module 4 covers the following topics:

1. Effective press relation manager

2. Essential qualities needed

a) Right attitudes
b) Skills

competencies

Assessment/Evaluation

1. Free writing/Reflection on selected topics discussed

2. Short quizzes

3. Essay

41
 Overview

Every business, whatever industry it may be, has administrative duties that need
to be handled in order for the company to run effectively and efficiently. These
duties are often performed by a secretary, receptionist, administrative assistant,
executive assistant or office manager. In smaller companies, where such roles may
not exist, employees must work together to ensure that administrative duties are
completed.
Administrative Assistant duties and responsibilities include providing administrative
support to ensure efficient operation of the office; supports managers and employees
through a variety of tasks related to organization and communication; responsible for
confidential and time sensitive material; familiar with a variety of the field's concepts,
practices and procedures; ability to effectively communicate via phone and email
ensuring that all Administrative Assistant duties are completed accurately and
delivered with high quality and in a timely manner; may direct and lead the work of
others; rely on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals and a wide
degree of creativity and latitude is expected; typically reports to a manager or head
of a unit/department.
(https://theinterviewguys.com/administrative-assistant-job-description/.
With all these tasks noted, it can be summed up that being a press relations manager,
his main goal is to provide effective communication from the lower level up to the
mid or upper-level management of the organization. He is an important link to have
better understanding between the rank-and-file employees and the management
level of the company.

A. Effective press relation manager

From creating the brand ―story‖ that they want to tell and fielding media inquiries to
responding to crisis situations, public relations or press relations officers are on
the front lines of creating and maintaining public perception and helping
businesses reach their goals. According the Institute of Public Relations, USA,
―Public Relations is a deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and
maintain mutual understanding between an organization and its public.‖ And as an
Administrative Assistant functioning as a Press Relations Officer of the company,
he should be able to accept the challenges and effectively handle the following
situations, events, or activity of his company as follow:

1. Reputation management
Creating, maintaining and enhancing the reputation of an organization. It is the
responsibility of him as PRO to promote the people, products, services or
solutions of the establishment he works for.

2. Goodwill creation
A seasoned PRO should not only manage and maintain reputation, but should also
continuously work towards creating and ameliorating the good will of the
organization. His will help in creating a favourable public image of the
42
organization by strengthening its credibility.

43
3. Crisis management
One of the most crucial and difficult duties of a PRO because the need for such
communication arises when the stock position of the company is not favourable,
mitigation of losses is required, during a takeover situation, dissolution of joint
venture, change management, etc. or there may be a conflict of interest
between the public and the company. A PRO should be capable enough to deal
with such problems without causing damage to the reputation of the company.

4. Press relations strategies and campaigns

A PRO should constantly look out for opportunities to present the organization
in a positive light; come up with different PR strategies that will lead to easy
acceptance and appreciation of an new move by the organization. He also has
to plan promotional strategies, keeping the target audience and desired result
in mind.

5. Press conference
He has to invite the press beforehand, make arrangements at the venue,
manage catering, audio-visual facilities, stage set-up, ambiance etc., preparing
a press kit and request the press to ask their questions. He should be very
careful and clever in answering their queries.

6. Preparing media plan

Prepare an event-wise media plan, detailing and shortlisting the journalists
from publications and electronic media for gaining substantial visibility.

7. Coordinating interviews
Coordinate the communication between the senior management and the
journalists.

8. Communication budget
Prepare a communication plan at the beginning of the year giving details of the
activities along with the budget allotted to them individually. Contingency plan
for emergency communication should also be done in the budget.

9. Cordial relations
Special efforts need to be taken in maintaining cordial relations with the clients,
potential clients, media persons, top management of the company, employees,
etc. He should have knowledge about every single news regarding the
organization.

10.Excellent communication
He must be well versed in corporate jargon as he has to draft speeches for the
senior Management, and might have to address the press himself. He also has
to prepare publicity brochures, press releases, newsletter for employees,
handouts, company magazines, etc.

11.Effective marketing
Sound sales and marketing skills is needed to help effectively promote the
products and services of the company. He should be creative and able to come
up with new and innovative ideas to attract the public; mass media films and
videos in promoting or enhancing the sales of a particular product, and may
have to assist in market research.

44
12.Internal communication

45
 Work closely with the Internal communications team and an instrumental in
communicating a single message throughout the organization which can
impact the employee engagement effectively.

13.Communicating with senior management

Keeping the senior management abreast about the moves made by competitors and
should have up-to-date information on the prevalent market conditions.

14.Answering queries
It is the duty of a PRO to answer queries diplomatically without divulging
unnecessary details.

15.Corporate identity
The PRO has to check the company‘s own set of corporate brand identity and
should be verified before a public event.

16.Translating content
Sometimes the content on the website, press releases, press notes, brochures,
leaflets, etc. needs to be in different languages for easy readability and
comprehension of people in a particular country. It is the duty of a PRO to get
the content translated from an agency and verify it before communicating the
same.

17.CSR activities
Organizations across the world are increasingly waking up to the idea of
environmental sustainability and corporate social responsibility. It is expected
from the PRO to give impetus to such activities and provide them good publicity
b utilizing various platforms of communication.

18.Anthropology and Psychology

A knowledge on this matter will help him understand and plan different kind of
strategies that would work for varied group of people.

19.Other functions
A PRO has to conduct events, exhibitions, road shows, parties, tours, conference,
etc. and other allied activities that the firm supports in order to gain public
attention. It is his responsibility to get the website and social networking pages
of the organization updated from time to time.

B. Essential qualities needed (Naveed, 2013)

An Administrative Assistant acting as a Press Relations Manager is a very interesting

career option where he will have an opportunity to have exposures to various
events and conferences and other events and situations which may be needing his
skills and competencies. Having the right attitude plus the skills required to
function as Press Relations Manager, he will definitely ensures that company
leaders can concentrate on the bigger picture, drive innovation, or keep the
company moving in the right direction.

46
 a) The right attitude

Source: PR Code 968

b. Qualities and Skill Sets of a PRO

As a Public Relations Officer (PRO), it is his/her duty to convey the policies and
interests of the organization to the public through various modes of media. For
an organization, ‗public‘ refers to the existing customers, potential customer,
shareholders, financiers, media, government bodies, employees, etc. The need
for a PRO can be found in almost all sectors, including private companies,
advertising agencies, financial organizations, government agencies, charities,
etc.

A PRO has to be dedicated 24/7 to protect the interest of a company. It can be a

very demanding job. However, it is also a lucrative and interesting means of
making a career.

1. Professional approach
2. Networking skills
3. Interpersonal skills
4. Written and oral communication skills
5. Analytical skills
6. Emotional intelligence
7. Innovating and troubleshooting skills
8. Organization and management skills
9. Leadership qualities
10.Creativity
11.Storytelling traits
12.Curiosity
13.Knowledge of current affairs
14.Result oriented
15.Self-disciplines
16.Tech-savvy
47
17.Competitive
18.Constructive thinker

48
As Alan Harrington has rightly quoted, ―PR specialists make flower arrangements of
the facts, placing them so that the wilted and less attractive petals are hidden by
sturdy blooms‖. Therefore, it would not be wrong to say that the job of a PR
specialist entails great responsibility.

Assessment/Evaluation

1. You are tasked to prepare for a Press Conference which will be covered by tv,
newspapers, and radio. What are the necessary steps that you have to consider
in order to have a successful press conference for your boss?

2. As a future Administrative Assistant, what are certain qualities and

competencies that you should have to perform as a press relations officer.
Explain.

49
 Module 5

Ethical Dimensions of Public Relations

Objectives

At the end of this module, students are expected to:

1. Recognize the different roles of the CCE, CCC, and CSR as

dimensions of Public Relations

2. Able to relate on the significance of having these dimensions present in the

organization

3. Create or draft own version of CCE,CCC, and CSR as applied to an

organization

Module 5 covers the following topics:

1. Code of Corporate Ethics

2. Code of Corporate Conduct
3. Corporate Social Responsibilities

Assessment/Evaluation

1. Recitation/participation during discussion

2. Free writing/Reflection on selected topics discussed

3. Short quizzes

4. Submission of assignment from time to time

5. Case Studies/Analysis

50
 Overview

Ethics is related to the concepts like right or wrong, or good or bad human behaviour
in different social and organizational settings. In specific term, it is set of criteria
by which the decisions are being made about what is wrong (Gower, 2003). Since
ancient times, many different views about ethics were made. Utilitarians‘
theoretical models advocated that the ethical act is one that produces the greatest
possible balance of good over bad for anyone affected. This is also called Robin
Hood ethics.

Continue reading: (for online students)

https://www.civilserviceindia.com/subject/General-Studies/notes/ethics-in-private-and-
public- relationships.html

A. Code of Corporate Ethics

Code of Ethics is a document issued by the top-level management, which consist of a

set of principles, designed to guide the members of the organization to carry out
business honestly and with integrity. It describes the core values of the
organization that guides the decision- making. It provides ethical standards which
are to be followed by the members. It sets out general guidelines to assist
individuals to apply their judgment, concerning a suitable behavior in a given
situation.

Code of ethics helps members in understanding what is right or wrong. The codes are
disclosed publicly and hence addressed to the interested parties to know the way
the company does business. Violation of the code of ethics by any member may
result in termination or dismissal from the organization.

Five codes of ethics

1. Integrity.
2. Objectivity.
3. Professional competence.
4. Confidentiality.
5. Professional behavior.

Three main categories or types of codes of ethics

1. Duties to clients and customers.

2. Duties to the public.
3. Duties to company.

What is included in a code of ethics?

This depends on your business policies and industry. Generally, a code of ethics
should include the six universal moral values, where you state that you expect an
51
employee to be trustworthy,

52
respectful, responsible, fair, kind and good citizens. Honorable mentions include
adding that your business celebrates diversity, green practices, and proper dress
codes.

Additional Readings:

Corporate ethics statements: Current status and future prosp: JBE. (1995).
Journal of Business Ethics, 14(9), 727.

Murphy, P. E. (2005). Developing, communicating and promoting corporate ethics

statements: A longitudinal analysis. Journal of Business Ethics, 62(2), 183-189.

https://www.betterteam.com/code-of-ethics-and-professional-conduct

Mette Morsing and Majken Schultzn. Business ethics: A European review, Vol.
15 No. 4, 323-338, 2006

https://www.civilserviceindia.com/subject/General-Studies/notes/ethics-in-private-
and-public- relationships.html

B. Code of Corporate Conduct

Code of Conduct is a document that expresses the practices and behavior of a

person, required or restricted as a condition for becoming a member of the
organization or profession. The code sets out the actual rules, so it lays down the
do‘s and doesn‘t s of an employee. The members are responsible for its adherence
and held accountable for its violation.

Every organization has its code of conduct issued by the Board of Directors (BOD)
that determines the social norms, regulations and responsibilities. It is in the form
of written statement; that contains rules for behavior, which are supposed to be
followed by the employees of the company. The document directs and guides the
employees in various matters.

A professional code of conduct is a document that explains to employees how they

are expected to act on behalf of their company. A code of conduct can include
elements like the values of the business, disciplinary steps, and responsibilities.

Purpose of a code of conduct

A company's code of conduct is meant to develop and maintain a standard of

conduct that is acceptable to the company, its vendors, customers, and employees.
Businesses usually use their code of conduct as a self-regulatory tool rather than a
legal instrument. Unless a company specifically references the code of conduct in
a legal instrument, such as a contract, and requires all parties to abide by its
terms and conditions, it will not always legally bind any parties.

Possible conflict of interest topics in relation to code of conduct

1. Corporate asset contributions.

53
2. Running for public office.
3. Insider trading and financial interests.

54
 4. Investments in companies employees do business with.
5. Employee political interests.
6. Significant financial interests in other companies.
7. Securities transactions.
8. Taking out loans.

Work Environment Code of Conduct Topics

1. Equal opportunity.
2. Discrimination and harassment.
3. Violence policy.
4. Safety policy.
5. Substance abuse.
6. Gambling policy.
7. Privacy policy.
8. Misconduct explanation and policy.

An employee code of conduct is a legal document that provides guidelines on

acceptable behaviors of individuals in an organization.

The employee code of conduct defines acceptable behavior and social norms that
individuals in an organization should adopt on a day-to-day basis. It should reflect a
company‘s vision, core values and the overall culture of a company.It is a legal
document that outlines a set of correct behaviors individuals need to follow
towards others and the organization as a whole. The code of conduct is a set of
standard social norms, regulations and responsibilities of each individual in the
company. It is important it is clear and comprehensive covering all the important
areas for your organization. The code of conduct becomes a legal agreement
between the company and the employee upon its signage by a new recruit.

Commonly, the business code has to be accepted by new joiners upon recruitment
because it helps companies to lay the foundation for the core company values and
to maintain its standards. The code of conduct is an essential part of company‘s
employee handbook.

Importance of Code of Conduct

The main purpose of a code of conduct is to set and maintain a standard for
acceptable behavior to all stakeholders in a company. It is a reminder to the
employees of what is expected from them. It further highlights that their actions
should be always aligned with the ethos of the business. In addition, it should
provide understanding of consequences and disciplinary actions if the conduct is
broken.

It is often believed to be the same as code of ethics. However, that is not the case. A
code of conduct provides guidelines about acceptable behavior, while a code of
ethics is a set of principles about a company‘s judgment.

55
As previously mentioned, code of conduct for employees is likely to differ across
industries, although it should reflect on;

 The professional standards and behavior expected from the employees,

freelancers, partners and other relevant stakeholders in the organization.
 Integrity and ethical standards of the company demonstrating the core
values of the business which may include integrity itself, transparency or
honesty among others. It is imperative the document clearly outlines how to
handle any conflict and what is expected if conflict of interests occurs from
the stakeholders.
 Level of professionalism, the employees should adopt in following the
reputation and standards of the business. The expected behavior should be
aligned to the nature of the profession itself. Thus, the tone of the document
will vary across different industries as some require more attention and
comprehensiveness of the contents of a code of conduct.
 Code of conduct also acts as a public statement providing the users and
customers of a business with understanding of the ethics of the company,
how they data is being handled and other information and standards that
might concern the public.
 The document serves as a protection from fines regarded to ethical
misconduct as is proves the effort to prevent illegal behavior and follow best
practices in the industry.

Additional Readings:

Council, S. B. (2012). Code of conduct. London: GOC.,(The Fourth

Principle only) https://www.betterteam.com/code-of-ethics-and-
professional-conduct https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/employee-code-
of-conduct

C. Corporate Social Responsibilities

THE MODERN ERA OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY BEGINS

THE 1950S In the early writings on CSR, it was referred to more often as social
responsibility (SR) than as CSR. Perhaps this was because the age of the modern
corporation‘s prominence and dominance in the business sector had not yet
occurred or been noted. The publication by Howard R. Bowen (1953) of his
landmark book Social Responsibilities of the Businessman is argued to mark the
beginnings of the modern period of literature on this subject. As the title of
Bowen‘s book suggests, there apparently were no businesswomen during this
period, or at least they were not acknowledged in formal writings.

One of the first and most prominent writers in that period to define CSR was Keith
Davis, who later wrote extensively about the topic in his business and Davis set
forth his definition of social responsibility in an article by arguing that it refers to
―businessmen‘s decisions and actions taken for reasons at least partially beyond
the firm‘s direct economic or technical interest‖ (Davis, 1960, p. 70). Davis (1960)
argued that social responsibility is a nebulous idea but should be seen in a
managerial context. Furthermore, he asserted that some socially responsible
56
business decisions can be justified by a long, complicated process of reasoning as
having a good chance of bringing long-run economic gain to the firm, thus paying
it back for its socially responsible outlook (p. 70). This is rather interesting
inasmuch as this view became commonly

57
accepted in the late 1970s and 1980s. Davis became well known for his views on
the relation between social responsibility and business power. He set forth his
now-famous ―Iron Law of Responsibility,‖ which held that ―social responsibilities
of businessmen need to be commensurate with their social power‖ (p. 71).

Another major contributor to the definition of social responsibility during the 1960s
was Joseph
W. McGuire. In his book Business and Society (1963), he stated, ―The idea of
social responsibilities supposes that the corporation has not only economic and
legal obligations but also certain responsibilities to society which extend beyond
these obligations‖ (p. 144).

Another significant writer on CSR in the 1970s was George Steiner. In the first
edition of his textbook Business and Society (1971), Steiner wrote extensively on
the subject. Steiner tended to defer to Davis‘s and Frederick‘s definitions of CSR,
but he did state his views on the subject: Business is and must remain
fundamentally an economic institution, but . . . it does have responsibilities to help
society achieve its basic goals and does, therefore, have social responsibilities. The
larger a company becomes, the greater are these responsibilities, but all
companies can assume some share of them at no cost and often at a short-run as
well as a long-run profit. The assumption of social responsibilities is more of an
attitude, of the way a manager approaches his decision-making task, than a great
shift in the economics of decision making. It is a philosophy that looks at the social
interest and the enlightened self-interest of business over the long run as
compared with the old, narrow, unrestrained short-run self- interest. (Steiner,
1971, p. 164)

In 1980, Thomas M. Jones entered the CSR discussion with an interesting

perspective. First, he defined CSR: Corporate social responsibility is the notion
that corporations have an obligation to constituent groups in society other than
stockholders and beyond that prescribed by law and union contract. Two facets of
this definition are critical. First, the obligation must be voluntarily adopted;
behavior influenced by the coercive forces of law or union contract is not
voluntary. Second, the obligation is a broad one, extending beyond the traditional
duty to shareholders to other societal groups such as customers, employees,
suppliers, and neighboring communities. (Jones, 1980, pp. 59-60)

In 1987, Edwin M. Epstein provided a definition of CSR in his quest to relate

social responsibility, responsiveness, and business ethics. He pointed out that
these three concepts dealt with closely related, even overlapping, themes and
concerns (Epstein, 1987, p. 104). He defined CSR as the following: Corporate
social responsibility relates primarily to achieving outcomes from organizational
decisions concerning specific issues or problems which (by some normative
standard) have beneficial rather than adverse effects on pertinent corporate
stakeholders. The normative correctness of the products of corporate action
have been the main focus of corporate social responsibility. (p. 104)

In addition to defining CSR, Epstein (1987) defined corporate social

responsiveness and business ethics and then brought them together into what he
called the ―corporate social policy process.‖ He added, ―The nub of the corporate
social policy process is the institutionalization within business organizations of the
following three elements ...business ethics, corporate social responsibility and
corporate social responsiveness‖ (p. 106).
58
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a self-regulating business model that helps
a company be socially accountable—to itself, its stakeholders, and the public. By
practicing corporate social

59
responsibility, also called corporate citizenship, companies can be conscious of the
kind of impact they are having on all aspects of society, including economic, social,
and environmental.

To engage in CSR means that, in the ordinary course of business, a company is

operating in ways that enhance society and the environment, instead of
contributing negatively to them.

Understanding Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Corporate social responsibility is a broad concept that can take many forms
depending on the company and industry. Through CSR programs, philanthropy,
and volunteer efforts, businesses can benefit society while boosting their brands.

As important as CSR is for the community, it is equally valuable for a company.

CSR activities can help forge a stronger bond between employees and
corporations; boost morale; and help both employees and employers feel more
connected with the world around them.

Ref: Carroll / CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY 287 Downloaded from

http://bas.sagepub.com at Biblioteca di Ateneo - Trento on April 28, 2010

All businesses must do more than seek strong profit margins for success; being
socially responsible is part of business survival in today's economy. Companies
should take a stance on important social issues to build a brand that consumers
trust and respect. As a business leader, consider these four types of corporate
social responsibility and how you can implement programs that are good for the
community and good for your company.

Four types of Corporate Social Responsibility are philanthropy, environment

conservation, diversity and labor practices, and volunteerism.

1. Philanthropic Efforts

The largest companies in the world are aligned with philanthropic efforts.
Microsoft works closely with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to bring
technology to communities around the world. The company understands that its
success requires not just continued innovation, but building a next generation
capable of understanding, using and improving technology.

Even small companies benefit from aligning with philanthropic causes. A local
car wash might offer schools a platform to host fundraisers for sports teams.
Restaurants have fundraising nights when proceeds benefit a local school or
charity. Supporting these causes happens to also be good marketing, because
the community is invited into the business, has a good experience and sees the
company in a positive light.
2. Environmental Conservation

Environmental concerns regularly make the headlines, whether a long-term

problem like
global climate change or a more local issue such as a toxic chemical spill.
Companies that
60
 align themselves in these efforts help minimize environmental problems by
taking steps
such as reducing their overall carbon footprint. Although major corporations get
most of
the attention for their environmental commitments — General Mills has
committed to a 28

61
 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, for example — there are plenty
of opportunities for small and mid-sized business as well.

Does your business have an active recycling program on site? Have you
considered using alternative energy sources like solar and wind to help power
your operations? There are plenty of "green cleaning" alternatives that can
help reduce your use of harsh toxic cleaning chemicals. All these steps can
make a small but significant contribution to improving the environment. You can
also ask your suppliers to do the same, letting them know that their
environmental measures will be a factor in your purchasing decisions. By doing
so, your environmental commitments are multiplied along the supply chain.
3. Company Diversity and Labor Practices

Business leaders realize that diversity in the workplace is beneficial when

everyone is getting along and working as a team. However, labor policies must
apply to all employees, even those at the highest levels of the company. The
scandals with Harvey Weinstein and Steve Wynn show that no company is
impervious to the ramifications of sexual harassment. This movement has also
given rise to other diversity issues in the workplace that need attention and
consistent action. As a business leader, review your own diversity policies and
protocol to address any complaints and violations. This is not only good for your
company image, it also helps build a positive company culture with good morale
and high productivity.
4. Supporting Volunteer Efforts

Local communities and charities always need help. Smart business leaders
know that being involved in the community in a productive way is good for the
company too. Give employees the opportunity to help a local school plant trees
or work with the city council on addressing homelessness in the area. Business
leaders have the opportunity to choose where to spend volunteer efforts to best
help the local area along with the company. The important thing for businesses
is to choose a cause and contribute time.
The 3 CSR Communication Strategies

The The The

stakeholder stakeholder stakeholder
information response involvement
strategy strategy strategy
Communication Public Two-way Two-way
ideal: (Grunig & information. asymmetric symmetric
Hunt, 1994) One-way communication communication
communication
Communication: sensegiving Sensemaking Sensemaking
sensemaking
Sensegiving Sensegiving -
and sensegiving in
iterative

progressive
processes
Stakeholders Request Must be Co-construct
reassured that corporate CSR
62
 more the company is efforts
information on ethical and
corporate CSR socially
efforts responsible
Stakeholder role Stakeholder Stakeholders Stakeholders

influence: respond to are involved,

support or corporate participate and
oppose actions suggest
corporate
actions
Identification of Decided by Decided by top Negotiated
CSR top management. concurrently in
locus management Investigated interaction with
in stakeholders
feedback via
opinion polls,

dialogue,
networks
and
partnerships
Strategic Inform Demonstrate Invite and
Communication stakeholders stakeholders establish
Task about how the frequent,
company systematic and
favorable pro-active
corporate CSR integrates their dialogue with
decisions and concerns stakeholders ie.
actions opinion

makers,
corporate
critics, the
media, etc.
Corporate Design Identify Build
Communication relationships
Department Task appealing relevant
concept message stakeholders
Third Unnecessary Integrated Stakeholders
element of are
Department surveys, themselves
Endorsement of rankings and involved in
CSR Initiatives opinion polls corporate

CSR
messages

Reading:
Morsing, M., & Schultz, M. (2006). Corporate social responsibility communication: stakeholder
information, response and involvement strategies.
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/four-types-corporate-social-responsibility-54662.html

Assessment/Evaluation
63
1. Free writing/Reflection on selected topics discussed

Have a free discussion in writing. Elaborate on the five codes of ethics.

2 . Does code of ethics vary by profession? Explain in brief and give an example.
3. Among the four types of CSR, choose one and come up with a
program/project where you will be doing the CSR for your company.
Explain how you will execute your CSR in details including your target
beneficiaries and its impact to your organization.

64
 Module 6

Responding to Social

Change

Objectives

At the end of this module, students are expected to:

1. Identify social changes in the four (4) areas of focus of public relations

2. Differentiate the different responses on the social changes and how it

impacts to the lives of the people

3. Craft own ways on how to effectively respond on the various social changes
specifically on the four areas.

Module 6 covers the following topics:

Responding to social change in terms of the four areas:

1. Politics

2. Economics

3. Education

4. Technology

Assessment/Evaluation

1. Recitation/participation during discussion

2. Free writing/Reflection on selected topics discussed

3. Short quizzes

4. Submission of assignment from time to time

65
 Overview

The external business environment consists of economic, political and legal,

demographic, social, competitive, global, and technological sectors. Managers
must understand how the environment is changing and the impact of those
changes on the business. When economic activity is strong, unemployment rates
are low, and income levels rise. The political environment is shaped by the amount
of government intervention in business affairs, the types of laws it passes to
regulate both domestic and foreign businesses, and the general political stability of
a government.

PR has changed dramatically through the ages and will continue to do so. PR
practitioners have coped well with this change, especially considering the speed at
which it has affected the industry in the last thirty years.

History suggests that even as we race to be first to the next bit of tech or digital
innovation (or at least avoid riding someone else‘s coattails), what remains more
important than the devices and the channels are the people who work in the PR
industry and drive its response to change. It is their choices and outputs that make
the technological advances work at a human level.

Even if the train seems to go a bit too fast at times and PR practitioners finds
themselves balanced for a moment on one foot, they are what will continue to
shape the future of the industry—even when those robots come along.

Ref. https://www.agilitypr.com/pr-news/public-relations/how-traditional-pr-has-
changed-and- where-we-are-today/

Factors responsible for social change:

1. Natural Factors: A storm, earthquake, flood, drought, disease and similar natural
events even today can disrupt the social system. Natural calamities like floods,
earthquakes, draughts, famines and other natural disasters always force
changes in the social conditions and life of the affected people.

2. Cultural Factors: The cultural factors also play a role in bringing about social
change. Our social life depends upon our beliefs, ideas, values, customs,
conventions, institutions and the like. When there is a change in these, it
influences the social life. For example, let us (consider the system of marriage.
The relations between the parents and children have undergone a big change.
The new love and need for working couples has acted j as a source of big change
in family relations and culture. Thus, socio-economic and cultural factors always
act as big and formidable factors of social change.

3. Science and Technology factors. In contemporary times science and technology

happens to be the most important factor of social change. New scientific
inventions and technologies always greatly influence the social life. ―The most
wonderful and universal phenomenon of modern life is not capitalism, but
science and technology and capitalism is only it‘s by product.‖ Technology

66
brings about changes in the physical environment and the material culture of
each society which in turn gives birth to social change.

67
 4. Biological Factors: Biological factors also affect social change. Biological factors
are those factors which determine the structure, selection and hereditary
qualities of generations. The human element is ever changing. Each new
generation is different from previous generation. It is different in form, ideas
and in many other ways from the one gone before.

5. Demographic Factors: The Demographic factors always influence the process

and nature of Social Change. The population increase or decrease always brings
social problems. When the birth-rate in a society exceeds death-rate, population
begins to rise. A constantly rising population gives birth to poverty,
unemployment, disease and several other related problems. On the other hand, a
low birth-rate means leads to decrease in the size of the population. When
population is low, there are fewer skilled hands available and the country cannot
make full use of the natural resources. The social conditions deteriorate the size
of families shrink and it affects the social relations.

6. Socio-economic Factors: The economic factors constitute an important factor of

social change. Marx said that the entire social structure of a country is
determined by economic factors i.e the means of production and distribution of
material means of production and distribution. When there are changes in the
means of production i.e the material productive forces of society, it is always
changes the social organization. The birth of the institutions of marriage and
family took place under the influence of the means of production of material
means of livelihood. With the birth of family wealth and possessions became
important

7. Geographical Factors of Social Change: The geographical conditions always

affect the social system and act as factors of social change. The cultural life of
the people depends upon the physical environment. Progress also depends upon
the availability of natural resources, their exploitation. The climate always
affects the socio-economic activities of the people. For instance, there is little
economic activity at both poles (North and South) due to intense and long spells
of cold the speed of social change remains negligible. On the other hand, there
is always an intense activity in temperate regions (neither too cold nor too
warm), and consequently the speed of social changes is quite fast.

8. Other factors: Population changes: Isolation and Contact: Attitudes and

Values: Available online:

https://www.slideshare.net/irshadirshad75457/education-and-social-
change-46780951

A. Politics

Movements for social change are products, producers and resolvers of conflict. By
joining together to bring about change, their members affirm the positive, creative
role that conflict can play in calling attention to injustices, applying pressure to
support needed social changes, reinforcing progressive values, halting censorship
68
 and retaliation, and resolving the chronic, systemic sources of social conflict. Yet
these same movements are often plagued with their own internal conflicts, which
are routinely handled in negative and socially regressive ways.

Internal conflicts in social movements are commonly resolved using a range of highly
destructive methods, including avoidance, apathy, accommodation, screaming,
suppression,

69
enforced silence, personal insults, mass resignations, gossip, ostracism,
unnecessary splitting, sectarian behaviors, angry denunciations and public
humiliation, none of which maintain unity, encourage principled opposition, or
demonstrate an ability to solve larger social problems.

The emotions that occur naturally in the course of these conflicts are frequently
repressed -- partly in deference to a higher goal, political ideal or principle, or
immediate practical priorities; partly out of disrespect for subjective weakness,
which can be seen as a form of political vacillation; and partly out of a fear of
cooptation and capitulation.

Personal needs are then equated with selfishness and self-indulgence; or a lack of
commitment, or identification with opposing political interests, so that toughness
and insensitivity can come to be regarded as positive attributes, and essential
accommodations to the rough-and-tumble of political activity.

Maintaining unity in the face of an organized and repressive opposition is of

paramount importance. In decisive moments, everyone understands that nothing is
achievable in the absence of unity, and that everything is possible with it.

The Politics of Conflict

Every conflict takes place not only between individuals, but within a context,
culture, and environment; surrounded by social, economic, and political forces;
inside an organizational system, structure, and technological setting; among a
diverse community of people; at a particular moment in time and history; on a
stage, milieu, or backdrop; within a relationship.

None of these elements is conflict-neutral. Each contributes – often in veiled,

unspoken, yet significant ways to the nature, intensity, duration, impact, and
meaning of our conflicts. And each element, depending on circumstances, can play
a determining role in the conversations, interventions, and methods required to
settle, resolve, transform, or transcend it.

Every conflict, no matter how petty, therefore possesses hidden social, economic,
and political elements that inform and influence its evolution and outcome. More
critically, social inequality, economic inequity and political polarization raise the
intensity of even the least significant interpersonal conflicts, and these forces are
experienced personally as conflict. Nonetheless, it is rare that any of these
systemic background elements are noticed, analyzed, discussed, or subjected to
problem solving, negotiation, or conflict resolution by those whose daily activities
bring them into existence.

In addition, social, economic, and political dysfunctions trigger or aggravate

interpersonal and organizational conflicts, and these conflicts contribute to the
maintenance of oppressive, social, economic and political systems, in part by
generating chronic conflicts, and with them, a culture of avoidance and aggression,
and a set of adversarial attitudes and behaviors that limit the ability of individuals
and groups to work together to improve their lives.
70
We can identify a number of sources of chronic conflict throughout history, and
among these are social inequality, economic inequity, political autocracy and
environmental change. Therefore,

71
every effort to end or ameliorate these sources of conflict by individuals or
movements for social change can be regarded as a form of conflict resolution.

The Mediation of Politics

The goals of peace, equality, democracy, and justice require collaboration, respect,
honesty, fairness, and empathy – not only in abstract political theory, but as
integral parts of practical problem-solving, negotiation and conflict resolution that
allow diverse communities to unite and co-exist.

Mediation, together with dialogue and other collaborative processes, should

therefore, be a long-term goal of progressive movements, for at least the following
reasons:

1. Mediation is the modern version of an ancient tradition invoking wisdom and

fairness to heal the repairable rifts that divide people. Indigenous tribal elders,
representing forgiveness and regeneration, empathy and wisdom, are
represented today by mediators.

2. Mediation is the reconciliation principle, and a means of social repair for people
whose disagreements are beyond their ability to resolve.

3. Mediation is the most democratic method of conflict resolution possible, as the

parties control both the process and the outcomes.

4. Mediation encourages responsibility for one's actions. It is problem solving

without hierarchy, power without autocracy, structure without bureaucracy, and
justice without the state.

5. Mediation is the transformation of external into internal constraints. It is

individual and group self-determination in practice.

6. Unresolved conflicts are costly to any society, whether they be social conflicts
that arise from inequality and empire; economic conflicts that arise from scarcity
and a hierarchical division of labor; or political conflicts arising from autocracy,
graft and the corruption of elites. Mediation, dialogue and conflict resolution
systems design offer ways of discussing, addressing, and resolving all of these.

7. Pretending that there is no conflict or that it will resolve itself is like ignoring an
illness and hoping it will go away. Mediation is the ounce of prevention that is
worth a pound of cure.

9. Mediation is entirely without coercion. It is the ―withered-away‖ judicial state,

and the judicial future of civil society.

10. Principles of political and social democracy as a whole can benefit substantially
from large and small scale peer mediation programs that use elected volunteers
from neighborhoods, work units, schools and communities to settle disputes
voluntarily, quickly, and confidentially.

11.The obstacle is the path. By resolving conflicts at their chronic sources, we

72
make it possible for individuals, groups and societies to evolve to higher levels of
conflict and more advanced techniques for resolution.

73
12.By affirming and creatively combining complex, contradictory, paradoxical
truths, we make it possible to identify complex, higher order, synergistic
solutions.

A living organism like a social movement cannot exempt itself from the cumulative
effects of its decisions regarding process, and sooner or later these effects begin
to show themselves in burnout, fatigue, in-fighting, destructive relationships,
apathy, cynicism, and a loss of effectiveness and unity. Valuable contributions in
time and effort then predictably decline as money is not donated and a cycle of
blame and recrimination begins, ending in a hardened, adversarial exterior for
those who remain, and bitterness and enmity against their former comrades for
those who leave.

Read:

Kenneth Cloke (July 2013). Conflict and Movements for Social Change: The
Politics of Mediation and the Mediation of Politics. Accessed at
https://www.mediate.com/articles/ ClokeK16.cfm

Tom Murse (August 2019). How Social Media Has Changed Politics: 10 Ways
Twitter and Facebook Have Altered Campaigns. Thought Co. Accessed
https://www. thoughtco.com/how-social-media-has-changed-politics-
3367534

B. Economics

The current COVID-19 pandemic is a reminder of the intimate relationship

among humans, animals and the environment. The transmission pathways of
diseases, such as COVID-19, from animals to humans, highlight the extent to
which humans are placing pressures on the natural world with damaging
consequences for all. Once the health crisis is over, we cannot have
business-as-usual practices that increase emissions and other environmental
externalities like pressure on wildlife and biodiversity. The performance and
resilience of our socio-economic systems depend on the state of the natural
environment and ecosystems. A mutually beneficial symbiotic relation
between humans and their surrounding ecosystems is inter alia the answer
to more resilient economies and societies.

The devastating short-run and medium-term social and economic effects of

COVID-19 will be felt with great intensity in all developing countries
irrespective of their income level. At the same time, capacities and resources
to confront these impacts vary across the world. While many Middle-Income
and High-Income Countries have larger capacities to confront the crisis,
these countries will also benefit from access to the collective know-how and
convening power of the UN to address the multidimensional consequences
of the pandemic on their societies and economies.

74
75
The COVID-19 crisis impacts the world‘s poorest and most vulnerable hardest, with
significant intergenerational implications for poor families. As demonstrated
during the 2008 financial crisis, countries with strong social protection systems
and basic services suffered the least and recovered the fastest. Over the next few
months, governments around the world will need to adapt, extend and scale-up
cash transfers, food assistance programmes, social insurance programmes and
child benefits to support families, among others.

However, 4 billion people – accounting for 55 percent of the world population,

including two out of three children – have no or inadequate social protection to
start with. Social protection responses must consider differentiated impacts of
COVID-19 on vulnerable groups, women and men and those surviving on income in
the informal sector, as well as those now shouldering additional unpaid care work.
Therefore, the scope of the challenges ahead requires an extraordinary scale-up of
support

UNDS ECONOMIC RESPONSE AND RECOVERY: PROTECTING JOBS,

SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED ENTERPRISES, AND VULNERABLE
WORKERS IN THE INFORMAL ECONOMY

The COVID-19 crisis is plunging the world economy into a recession with historical
levels of unemployment and deprivation. The crisis could lead to a decline in 195
million full-time equivalent workers in the second quarter of 2020 alone.

Hence, this pandemic is also a jobs and livelihoods crisis that threatens the SDG
progress. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), farm workers, the self-
employed, daily wage earners, refugees and migrant workers are hit the hardest.
Jobs in the service industries are affected, including in culture and tourism. A
global economic recession will impact global population movements and hence
affect countries with high levels of migration and high remittance flows compared
to their GDP.

Most vulnerable workers are in the informal economy, constituting 60 percent of

the global workforce. They have no or limited access to social protection, nor do
they have the economic security to take sick leave, get treated if required, or cope
with lockdown.

New business models, such as the platform and gig economy with non-standard
employment relationships, also tend to reduce benefits and protection for workers.
This has created the risk of growing informality, which underscores the need to
redefine social protection systems to guarantee universal coverage of the basic
elements associated to decent work.

There are also important gender dimensions. Because of pre-existing gender-

based inequalities, women will likely experience more difficulty finding new jobs or
entrepreneurship opportunities for their economic recovery. Women are
overrepresented in some services most impacted by the crisis, mostly lacking
social protection. They bear a disproportionate burden in the care economy.
Women also represent approximately 70 percent of frontline workers dealing with
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the pandemic in the health and social sector, many of whom are migrant workers.

Economic recovery is about protecting jobs and workers; ensuring decent work;
and protecting productive assets, productive units and productive networks
during the crisis. Ensuring the

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continued or improved functioning of small producers, informal workers and SMEs
across sectors is vital to ensure production of, and access to, food and other
essential goods and services.

Policy decisions across multiple sectors and mitigation of adverse policy effects,
including on essential services, are needed to avoid disruption and permanent job
losses. Supporting income and employment for workers needs to be a core element
of stimulus packages along with promoting decent work. These policy actions,
based on social dialogue, would be critical in preventing disruptions in massive
employment sectors that would present immediate existential threats to essential
services; and hence could result in riots, violence and erosion of trust in
institutions and governments.

Environmental considerations should also be taken on board across all sectors of

response and recovery efforts. Stimulus packages should support the transition to
a healthier, resource efficient green and circular economy, founded on sustainable
consumption and production patterns anchored to sustainable value chains.

The Response: What the UNDS will do

The UN´s response in the field of economic recovery will focus on protecting and
improving the productive sectors, protecting jobs and promoting decent work. The
UNDS response will include:

1. Integrated, country-specific policy advice and programme support.

Focussing on protecting workers and sectors who are most impacted by the
crisis and on how to prevent the collapse of economic activity and jobs, i.e.
by assisting businesses to contain massive layoffs and protecting
households and individuals through expanding social protection, teleworking
and work sharing polices. Furthermore, the UN will put at the service of
countries its know-how on how to stimulate a more inclusive economy and
boost employment once the recovery is underway.
2. Scaling-up employment intensive programming. Examples of the key service
lines that can be rapidly repurposed and scaled-up include the Employment-
Intensive Investment Programme, which operates in immediate aftermaths
of shocks. It can immediately scale up activities in about 19 countries,
creating about 55,000 short-term jobs (average 40 working days),
benefitting about 270,000 vulnerable people. Another example is the Better
Work Programme, a partnership between the ILO and International Finance
Corporation (IFC) to improve working conditions in the ready-made garment
industry for
2.4 million workers (80 percent female) in 1700 factories across nine
countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. It is currently repurposing to
prioritize factories that continue production or resume production after a
temporary suspension. The joint programme
―Promoting Decent Employment for Women through Inclusive Growth
Policies and Investments in the Care Economy‖ will be re-positioned and
scaled up to understand the gender employment impacts of COVID-19 and to
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design gender-responsive fiscal stimulus packages, including investments in
the care economy.

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 3. Support to young people and social partners in entrepreneurship and social
innovation in response to COVID-19, building on its youth leadership and
volunteer empowerment programmes. The Global Initiative on Decent Jobs
for Youth is a recent example of the UN‘s efforts to coordinate action at
global, regional and local levels. This includes strong engagement of, social
partners, governments, civil society, youth organizations, volunteer groups
and the private sector for crisis response and sustainable development. The
UNDS also provides links with labor market institutions such as Public
Employment Services to implement relevant mitigation programmes such as
the Youth Guarantee that was implemented after the 2008 crisis.
4. Support on strategies to green fiscal stimulus packages. The UNDS will
mobilize the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) that provides
integrated support on green jobs, economic and environmental issues to
plan early response and recovery phase of the crisis. PAGE is operational in
20 countries worldwide and could be used as a vehicle to support peer
learning and knowledge transfer on policies that stimulate growth and
recovery in the wake of COVID-19.
5. Rapid and gender-responsive socio-economic assessments and labor market
and business environment diagnostics. The UNDS response can support
assessments of unemployment benefit programmes, using behavioral
insights to measure improvements needed to effectively reach informal
workers, as well as a survey of responses by Public Employment Services for
labor markets adjustments during the current crisis. The UNDS is currently
conducting a Global Survey on Youth Employment and COVID-19 to bring
youth voices to the forefront of action and policy responses.

The COVID-19 crisis will engulf some of the world‘s poorest and most
malnourished populations, in a context of scarce public resources, weak public
health systems and insufficient social protection. 821 million people suffer from
chronic hunger, of whom more than 100 million people in over 50 countries
already suffer from crisis or emergency levels of hunger. Containment and
suppression measures are likely to be less effective among the chronically hungry
and the consequences of their imposition far more severe. Safeguarding food value
chains has special urgency in these countries. Preserving access to food for rural
and urban populations who are already malnourished and physically less robust is
an essential part of the health response. Food production, and related informal and
formal labor, transportation, and marketing services are principal sources of
income and livelihoods for more than two-thirds of the populations in the LDCs and
several large middle-income countries. Even local disruptions to food systems can
lead to political crises with lasting repercussions.

The UNDS, in partnership with governments, donors, research institutions, NGOs

and many other development partners from both North and South, has developed
an array of standards, tools and mechanisms for monitoring, compiling data,
conducting rapid assessments and analyses to monitor food value chain
functioning at all levels of the global economy and to provide ready mechanisms
for triggering and coordinating rapid policy response.

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Ref.: United Nations (April 2020). A UN framework for the immediate socio-economic
response to COVID-19.
Available online:
https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/un_framework_report_on_covid-19.pdf

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 Focus Economics: Economic forecasts from the world‘s leading
economists. Accessed at
https://www.focus-economics.com/countries/philippines

C. Education

Education and Social Change

The role of education as an agent or instrument of social change and social

development is widely recognized today. Social change may take place - when
humans need change. When the existing social system or network of social
institutions fails to meet the existing human needs and when new materials
suggest better ways of meeting human needs. Education scan initiate social
changes by bringing about a change in outlook and attitude of man. It can bring
about a change in the pattern of social relationships and thereby it may cause
social changes. Earlier educational institutions and teachers used to show a
specific way of life to the students and education was more a means of social
control than an instrument of social change. Modern educational institutions do
not place much emphasis upon transmitting a way of life to the students. The
traditional education was meant for an unchanging static society not marked by
any change. But today education aims at imparting knowledge. Education was
associated with religion.

Education and Culture

Education encompasses teaching and learning specific skills and also

something less tangible but more profound: the imparting of knowledge good
judgment and wisdom. Durkheim sees education as the socialization of the
younger generation .It is a continuous effort to impose on the child ways of
seeing, feeling and acting which he could not have arrived at spontaneously.
Education has as one of its fundamental goals the imparting of culture from
generation to generation. Culture is a growing whole. There can be no break in
the continuity of culture. The cultural elements are passed on through the
agents like family, school and other associations. All societies maintain
themselves through their culture. Culture here refers to a set of beliefs, skills,
art, literature, philosophy, religion, music etc. which must be learned. This social
heritage must be transmitted through social organizations. Education has this
function of cultural transmission in all societies. The curriculum of a school
,its extra-curricular activities and the informal relationships among students and
teachers communicate social skills and values. Through various activities school
imparts values such as co-operation , team spirit ,obedience ,discipline etc.
Education acts an integrative force in the society by communicating values that
unites different sections of society. The school teach skills to the children which
help them later to integrate within the culture of the society. Education in its
formal or informal pattern has been performing this role since time immemorial.
Education can be looked upon as process from this point of view also. Education
has brought phenomenal changes in every aspect of man's life.

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Relationship between Education and Social Change

Education and social change is a two - way traffic. While education preserves,
transmits and disseminates the whole culture. social change is the instrument
and precondition of educational thought.

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Education as a condition of Social Change

It is noted that social change is impossible without education. Education makes

the people aware of the inadequacies of the existing system and creates a craze
for social reform. Many of the old superstitions, beliefs and outdated customs.
Which is retard social progress, can be prevented by education.

Education as an instrument of Social Change

Education is considered as a powerful instrument for social change, because it

deals mainly with the thought patterns and behavior patterns of younger
generation. The axe of education can cut down the thick roots of traditional
superstitions, ignorance and the backwardness. Education prepares the people
for social change.

Education as an effect of Social Change

In the wake of social change, people become aware of the need for educational
progress. The changes caused by the political upheaval, industrialization,
technological progress and religious reform movements naturally demands more
education in order to maintain social equilibrium. In India the enrolment in
educational institutions has increased enormously since independence. It can
summarize the following relationship between education and social change in
the following ways: Education initiates the social change and gives them
direction and purpose. Education creates the social reformers and leaders who
consciously make all the efforts to bring about social changes. Education
prepares the individual for social changes. It brings a change in the need -
dispositions and also creates frustrations with the status quo. Education
determines the nature of social changes, which ought to be brought about.

Ref: https://www.slideshare.net/irshadirshad75457/education-and-
social-change-46780951 Read:
https://www.aresearchguide.com/education-facilitate-social-
change.html
https://www.slideshare.net/irshadirshad75457/education-and-social-change-
46780951

D. Technology

Technology advantages are gains that are enjoyed by a society, community,

organization or individual by using technology. Technology I the application of
science and engineering to create value such as products, services, buildings
and infrastructure. This is a basic characteristic of human civilization that is a
persistent feature of history.

Advantages of technology

1. Productivity. It is the amount of value that you create in an hour, month,

or year of work. For example, a farmer who creates enough food to feed
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thousands of people because she uses large scale machinery such as a
combine harvester.

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2. Efficiency. It is the effective use of resources to produce value. Modern
technology is often extremely efficient. For example, the luminous
efficacy of a candle is around 0.04 while the luminous efficacy of a LED
light bulb can exeed 25% such that they are around 625x more efficient
at producing light from energy.

3. Prices. Technology can reduce the prices of things due to productivity and
efficiency.

4. Scale. Technology allows products and services to be produced at great

scale to provide goods for large populations. For example, a factory that
washes and packages 200,000 pounds of fruit a day with automation and
a few dozen workers. It would likely be difficult to support the current
quality of life of populous nations without using technology.

5. Risk Management. Technology can create a number of risks and

problems such as environmental problems. However, it is equally
possible and common for technology to reduce risks. For example, a
smoke detector that reduces the risk of harm to people from fire.

6. Safety. Infrastructure, equipment and services that improve safety such

an aircraft that allows passengers to cross oceans safely.

7. Health. Technologies that prevent, cure or trat health problems. For

example is an incubator for premature infants.

8. Communication. The ability to communicate wit anyone anywhere using

a large number of mediums and tools. For example, the ability to keep
in touch with distant family members by telephone, email and videa
chat.

9. Knowledge. Technologies that facilitate the sharing and consumption of

knowledge. For example, the internet represents the largest collection of
information ever assembled and it is accessible to large populations.

10. Discovery. Tools for discovering new knowledge such as a scientific

instrument, sensor or computer that can be used to discover and analyze
information.

11. Exploration. Tools for exploring such as a sailboat with a navigation

system or a space craft.

12. Entertainment. Entertaining experiences such as streaming media or a

nightclub that uses digital music technologies.

13. Epic meaning. Pursuits that feel meaningful to a person such as a video
game that fulfills a sense of adventure.
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 14. Culture. Technology is often presented as a threat to traditional culture.
However, technology also is the foundation of culture such as film,
photography and digital music.

15. Connectedness. The ability to connect with people on a grlobal basis.

For example, an individual in a small remote town who can connect to
other people in social media who share an enthusiasm for an obscure
type of music.

16. Learning. Education technology such as digital media that is extremely

engaging such that students find it effortless to learn things. For
example, a game that makes learning vocabulary in a second language
fun and fast.

17. Variety. The ability to access an incredible variety of products, services,

media, knowledge, social connections and experiences. For example, an
individual in a small town who can purchase millions of items from a
single e-commerce service.

18. Comfort and Convenience. Reducing negative stimuli, challenges and

effort to make life easy. For example, an advanced material that is used
to make a pillow that is softer on the head than any natural material.

19. Architecture. Technologies that create comfortable, safe and efficient

habitats and workspaces for people. For example, smart glass that helps
to cool, heat and ventilate a room by responding to weather and internal
conditions.

20. Designs. Tools for creating things. In future it may be possible for
regular people to design extremely complex things such as medicines,
buildings and spacecrafts by using design tools that do most of the
heavy lifting.

21. Managing Complexity. Information technology allows for the analysis,

management, control, design and production of extremely complex
things. For example, an earthquake detection system that can sense an
earthquake near its source, calculate its impact and attempt to warn
people and systems of the earth before it arrives at a location. This
information can be used to automatically secure things such as applying
the breaks on a high speed train.

Read: https://www.sociologyguide.com/social-change/impact-of-
technology-change. php) John Spacey (2019). Accessed at
https://simplicable.com/en/technology-advantages

Responding to change in technology

We all know that technology is changing the world from artificial intelligence to big
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data to the ubiquity of smart phones, but many of us working to change society are
just starting to understand how to harness tech forces for good.

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The stakes are high: Some 2 billion people continue to live on less than $2 a day.
Millions of women and girls around the world lack basic human rights. Forty
percent of children in U.S. urban school districts fail to graduate. A slew of
initiatives address these and other intractable social issues, yet often, even the
most successful ones only address a fraction of the problem.

The good news is that a number of cutting-edge leaders and organizations are
shifting their focus to ask: ―How can we help to have impact at a scale that
actually solves the problem?‖ And they are finding that technology, particularly
information tech, offers answers. As Ray Kurzweil, Google‘s director of
engineering and a renowned expert on artificial intelligence, has observed, ―Once
any domain, discipline, technology, or industry becomes information-enabled and
powered by information flows, its price/performance begins doubling
approximately annually.‖ This phenomenon opens up the potential for exponential
growth in reach and impact.

Here are six ways that information technology is breaking through

scale barriers: 1: Empower people with information

Significant impact can be achieved in certain cases simply by making
information more
readily accessible to a larger audience. Consider how Wikipedia has empowered
self- education across thousands of topics. Or take Esoko, a Ghanaian
technology firm‘s impact on food security, as it provides small-holder African
farmers and businesses with timely crop information via SMS.

2: Teach and Engage through e-learning

Numerous organizations are going beyond informing to experiment with deeper
means of improving practice and/or behavior. Some are using e-learning
solutions—e.g., Khan Academy‘s free YouTube lessons and leading universities‘
massive open online courses–to flip the classroom, let students learn at their
own pace at home, and bring their questions to class physically or virtually.
Technology can also help shift behavior. For example, HopeLab‘s mobile apps
engage kids to take more healthy actions–be it taking their medicine or
exercising–by tapping into something deeply innate and emotional.

3: Make matches
Tech solutions also enhance impact by making quicker and better matches in a
particular market. For example, VolunteerMatch.org connects volunteers with
causes and roles that suit them. RLab‘s JamIIX matches troubled youth
anonymously to counselors, located all over the world, through a series of text
messages. The technology allows counselors to help 30 to 40 kids per hour,
versus just one or two, and removes stigma by using a process– texting–that
feels invisible.

4: Crowdsource hot spots

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In many cases, individuals and communities see parts of a situation, that pieced
together create a pattern that can inform social action. Technologies that
support aggregation and

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 analysis pull together scattered evidence that can surface election fraud, oil
spills or earthquake victims. For example, Janagrahaa‘s ―I paid a bribe‖
platform collects and aggregates data related to abuse of power, so that
citizens can avoid traps, and authorities can zero in on culprits.

5: Reach the underserved

In some cases, technology improves the reach of products and services that can
improve lives. MicroEnsure leverages the mobile telecommunications system to
provide insurance products to millions of low-income customers in Asia and
Africa, who otherwise would not have access to risk mitigation.

6: Raise cash for good

Technology is now playing a hand both in creating capital markets for social
good, and in connecting beneficiaries with funding streams. Indiegogo provides
a platform for organizations and individuals to create ―family and friends‖
fundraising campaigns around causes that they care about or are involved in.
Charity Water creates campaigns around birthdays, holidays and other life
events where people can raise money to provide clean water to communities in
need.

Technology surely has the potential to enable solutions to some of the most pressing
issues the world faces, not to mention making getting the word out on what works a
little easier.

Ref: Abe Grindle (2015). 6 Ways

Technology is Breaking Barriers to Social Change. Available
online: https://www.fastcompany.com/3043761/6-ways-technology-is-breaking-
barriers-to-social-change

Responding to Technology Change

Technology and the Response to Covid-19: Our

Approach Briefing Posted on: 3rd April 2020
Chris Yiu
Executive Director, Technology and Public Policy
Ref: https://institute.global/policy/technology-and-response-covid-19-our-approach

Covid-19 has caused a global crisis that is tearing through a world more
interconnected by technology than ever before. But compared to previous
outbreaks of disease – even those as recent as SARS, MERS and Ebola –
technology also provides leaders and their countries with new tools to respond
effectively.

The speed and scale of the Covid-19 pandemic requires leaders to reorganize their
governments to focus intensively on crisis response, prioritizing testing and scaling
up essential technology and medical equipment.

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All countries have their own unique circumstances when responding to the crisis,
but ultimately, they also face the same two challenges. First, they have to
organise to fight the virus and

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prevent loss of life. Second, they have to navigate the enormous economic and
social disruption caused to cushion the impact.

How leaders and their countries choose to approach technology, and the policies
they put in place around it, will make the difference between outcomes that are
bearable and outcomes that are catastrophic.

The Technology and Public Policy team at the Tony Blair Institute for Global
Change was established to help leaders master the revolution in technology –
accessing its benefits and mitigating its risks. Now, in the new Covid-19 reality, we
have refocused our mission on answering this question: How can the world use
technology to respond to the virus and the crisis it has caused? Over the coming
weeks and months, we will be considering the answer using a two-part-framework.

1. Using technology to fight the virus. Policymakers need to harness

technology across all fronts, from testing and tracing to therapeutics
and equipment, so that the spread of Covid-19 can be slowed and
ultimately stopped.

2. Using technology to cushion the impact. Policymakers need to

support the ways people and organizations are using the internet to
come together and deal with new pressures as our lives shift abruptly
online.

Using Technology to Fight the Virus

The immediate objective around the world is to suppress the virus, which means
detecting it quickly and breaking the chain of transmission. For those who have
contracted the virus and become unwell, we will need treatments for potentially
life-threatening conditions. And in the long run, the goal is of course a vaccine.

Much of this work is the domain of medical experts and clinicians, scientists and
epidemiologists. The role of technology is to support them in their work, and where
possible to give them new tools, new options and new ways to go further, faster.

We know, for example, that extensive testing and rigorous contact tracing is an
essential part of the suppression strategy. Traditionally contract tracing is done by
interviewing people who have tested positive, in order to piece together a picture
of who else may have been exposed. This procedure can be unreliable, however,
and is very labor intensive.

In Singapore, the government‘s Trace Together app takes advantage of the

Bluetooth functionality of modern smartphones to detect and securely record when
two devices have been in close proximity. When someone who has been using the
app tests positive for Covid-19 they are asked to share their data, which in turn can
be used to alert other people who may have been near them recently.

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On the issue of mass-testing – which is essential to returning to a state of normality
by easing widespread lockdowns and social-distancing measures – technology can
be harnessed to help scale-up rapid-testing capabilities, and new digital tools will
be vital to support the delivery of large-scale community testing and to triage
cases.

There are many other applications of technology in the fight against the virus. On
the hardware front, technology can support everything from searching for
equipment suppliers and distributing tests and medicines quickly, through to 3D
printing emergency valves for ventilators.

Back in the digital realm, other applications range from using machine learning to
spot and predict patterns, through to providing digital ―immunity passports‖ for
people who have had the virus and the repurposing of existing digital apps and
services to share public-health information and serve patients.

Technology also has a powerful role to play in organising collaboration between

technologists and practitioners; the Coronavirus Tech Handbook is one example of
how massive, decentralized participation can be made possible by technology.

"The role of technology is to support medical experts in their work, and

where possible to give them new tools, new options and new ways to go
further, faster."

Using Technology to Cushion the Impact

At the same time as suppressing the virus, technology gives us new and sometimes
surprising tools to manage the economic and social disruption that have become
part of our daily lives.

Right now, this is mostly about cushioning the impact as economies abruptly
contract and communities go into lockdown. Over time, technology will also have
an important role to play in helping us recover and move on to a post-Covid-19
world.

The internet was designed to be robust, and we have already seen a dramatic shift
from the offline to the online world. For people confined to their homes, the ability
to stay in touch, stream entertainment, and order food and other household
essentials over the internet is a lifeline.

Tech companies have stepped up to manage the surge in demand for video
conferencing and messaging services. Content providers and networks have
worked together to keep people online and reduce the impact of high-bandwidth
services.

Office-based companies are discovering they can still operate with staff working
remotely, and they are learning from companies that have been successfully
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working like this for years. The same is true for governments and charities where,
in the face of huge disruption, moving traditional services to digital channels
where possible will be essential to maintain some availability.

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 Many other organizations, from shops and restaurants to fitness studios and
museums, are adapting their businesses and migrating to the internet to stay
active.

And of course schools and universities around the world have been leading the
way. Virtual classrooms and collaboration technologies have allowed many to
adapt their teaching, group work and student interaction for a world where people
can only gather online. At TBI, we have also joined UNESCO's Global Education
Coalition, which seeks to facilitate inclusive learning opportunities for children and
youth and provide appropriate distance education during this unprecedented
disruption.

"The right policy approach in relation to technology is our best chance

to escape the otherwise impossible choice between saving lives or saving
our way of life."

Three Guiding Principles for Policymakers

Technology is not, of course, a silver bullet – no country can face the Covid-19
crisis without the right leadership and effective, organized government. But it
gives leaders options and can buy their countries time, both of which are
immensely valuable.

Nor should technology be used unquestioningly. Operating in a crisis does not

remove the practical and moral obligations on leaders to act responsibly. Novel
applications of technology should, however, be explored and used imaginatively
and with an open mind.

Some might argue that now is the time to focus on what we know and not take any
risks. New technologies must be carefully studied and decisions taken consciously,
but now is not the time to let the best be the enemy of the good.

The way to walk this line is for leaders to hold firm to their values, and to reflect
these openly and honestly to the people they serve. The need for optimism has
never been greater; the right policy approach in relation to technology is our best
chance to escape the otherwise impossible choice between saving lives or saving
our way of life.

Three key principles that leaders and policymakers must keep in mind when
considering the role that technology should play in confronting Covid-19.

1. Turn the networked public into an advantage.

In a networked world, our connectivity can be used as an advantage – to

minimize disruption, work together, share information and keep people safe.
Policymakers need to leverage these upsides, conceiving new institutions, new
ways to communicate and new approaches to working with the reality of the
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internet rather than trying to fight it. In particular, given how fast the situation
is evolving, people in positions of authority should speak with humility about
the state of their knowledge. The information environment was

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 already chaotic before Covid-19, and pretending to know that which is actually
uncertain only compounds the problem.

2. Lean in to innovation and experimentation.

The cost of a global lockdown is astronomically high; investments that might
shorten it even slightly have a huge expected social return. Policymakers need
to ramp up support and funding aggressively across the board – from
accelerating innovative approaches to delivering the volumes of tests and
equipment required, through to backing startups and entrepreneurs with ideas
to keep the economy going and safely ease the lockdown. Policymakers must
also be prepared to adapt regulation quickly so that unconventional but proven
solutions to immediate problems are not held up by unnecessary red tape.

3. Be more transparent with the public than ever – especially when putting
measures in place that might be considered intrusive.

One consequence of a wartime mindset is putting options on the table that

would not normally be considered. This throws up particular policy dilemmas in
domains like privacy, data sharing, intellectual property and content
moderation, where open societies traditionally place a high value on individual
rights and freedoms. In the face of an urgent and unprecedented global crisis, it
will be appropriate to reconsider how these policy trade-offs are calibrated, but
we must do so consciously. Policymakers must ensure transparency over both
decisions and consequences, and impose systematic sunset clauses to avoid
crisis powers becoming the new normal.

Assessment/Evaluation

1. How would you assess the Philippine government in its response to the
different social changes on these four (4) areas?

2. As a future public relations officer, what are the different approaches that you
have to take to enable to help the government regain its previous status and
attract investors to do business in our country?

3. How would you assess the steps taken by the Department of Education on its
new approach to educating our students on the New Normal?

o0o-

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 Final Examination

1st Semester, SY 2020-2021

Name Section Score/%

I. Fill in the Blanks

1. efforts are the least ―controllable‖ of all the tools

of promotion, and a great deal of effort and relationship-building is required to
develop the ongoing goodwill and networking that is needed to enhance the
image of a company.

2. Creating and maintaining connections is a number

one priority for a PR specialist, as connections have the potential to turn into
?.

3. is a set of principles which influence the judgment

while the code of conduct is a set of guidelines that influence employee‘s
actions.

4. They have the right mix of brains, heart, and

courage, allowing them to navigate complex situations, make the most of the
tools they have available, and deliver the needed results.

5. The best administrative assistants are technically adept and ? , having

the right mix of brains, heart, and courage, allowing them to navigate complex
situations, make the most of the tools they have available, and deliver the
needed results.

6. An important link to have better understanding

between the rank-and-file employees and the management level of the company.

7. Public Relations is a deliberate, planned and

sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an
organization and its ? .

8. This type of customer is often unreasonable and

does not waver until they don‘t get served or get what they want when availing
for something.

9. are usually (but not always) the end users of any

good or service that they have paid for.

10. As the public relations practitioner reaches many

publics through ? , which are the public channels of communication, the
integrity of these channels must be preserved.
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11. In decisive moments, everyone understands that nothing
is achievable in the absence of ? , and that everything is possible with
it.

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 12. is the crisis that plunged the world economy into a
recession with historical levels of unemployment and deprivation

13. is an example of a group who is at risk and particularly

vulnerable and marginalized because laws, policies and practices do not protect
them from discrimination and exclusion.

14. is a reminder of the intimate relationship among humans,

animals and the environment.

15. is a new form of the contemporary adaptation of a primal

tradition imploring knowledge and fairness to heal the repairable gaps that
divide people.

16. Its role is to support medical experts in their work, and

where possible to give them new tools, new options and new ways to go further
and respond the soonest possible time.

17. Companies providing online videos such as basic exercises

for adults and the elderlies or a new game for them to follow and use their
thinking skills is an example of how to respond social change using technology.

18. As public relations practitioner must go to the public

to seek support for programs and policies, ? is the central criterion by
which he or she should select these programs and policies.

19. Goodwill couples greater self-reliance and an enterprising ?

with enthusiastic community support.

20. All tasks that an administrative professionals perform

usually require an ? to help an institution create a social climate
favorable for its growth.

21. A is broad, giving employees or members a general

idea of what types of behavior and decisions are acceptable and encouraged at a
business or organization.

22. A is more focused. It defines how employees or

members should act in specific situations.

23. one of the most popular company in the world with

it great example of company values in its code of conduct stated as ―it‘s built
around the recognition that everything we do in connection with our work at
Google will be, and should be, measured against the highest possible standards
of ethical business conduct.‖

24. should be considered a necessity for each and

every business. It showcases the core values and mission of a company
through actionable rules.

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 25. Ford‘s recalling of 292,311 F-150 pickup trucks
from the 2014 to 2017 model years due to concerns that they may leak brake
fluid, affecting brake pedal feel and potentially brake function is an example of
what type of CSR?

26. . It is assumed to be of more of an attitude, of the

way a manager approaches his decision-making task, than a great shift in the
economics of decision making.

Instruction: Identify what fundamental principles of the Corporate ethics

applies to the following statement. Write the letter only which corresponds to
your answer.

A B C D E
(Integrity)(Objectivity)(Professional Competence) (Confidentiality) (Professional
Behavior)

27. Respecting the value and ownership of information they receive

and do not disclose information without appropriate authority unless there is a
legal or professional obligation to do so.

28. Being straightforward and honest in all professional and business

relationships.

29. Not allowing bias, conflict of interest or undue influence of others

to override professional or business judgments.

30. Maintaining professional knowledge and skill at the level required to

ensure that a client or employer receives competent professional services based
on current developments in practice, legislation and techniques and act
diligently and in accordance with applicable technical and professional
standards.

31. Exhibiting the highest level of professional objectivity in gathering,

evaluating, and communicating information about the activity or process being
examined. Internal auditors make a balanced assessment of all the relevant
circumstances and are not unduly influenced by their own interests or by others
in forming judgments.

32. Respecting the sensitivity and value of information acquired as a

result of professional and business relationships and, therefore, not disclose any
such information to third parties without proper and specific authority, unless
there is a legal or professional right or duty to disclose, nor use the information
for the personal advantage of the professional accountant or third parties.

33. Establishing trust and thus provides the basis for reliance on their
judgment. Integrity

34. Complying with relevant laws and regulations and avoid any
action that discredits the profession.

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35. Applying the knowledge, skills and experience needed in the
performance of internal auditing services.

Goodluck!

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