Step 2 Analyzing the Organization Self-awareness A thorough and factual understanding of their organization—its performance, its reputation and its structure. Are there any factors that might limit the campaign's success?

Step 2 Analyzing the Organization A public relations audit An analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the organization SWOT analysis, the organization's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

Step 2 Analyzing the Organization A detailed analysis focusing on three aspects of the organization: Internal environment Public perception External environment

Step 2 Analyzing the Organization

Step 2 Analyzing the Organization Internal Environment Performance The quality of the goods and services The viability of the causes and ideas The audit looks both as it is now and as it was in the past. The level of satisfaction that the organizational leadership has. Benchmarking helps an organization improve its performance.

Step 2 Analyzing the Organization Internal Environment Niche the organization's niche—its specialty, the function or role that makes the organization different from similar organizations.

Step 2 Analyzing the Organization Internal Environment Structure The structure of the public relations operation within the organization. The role public relations plays within the organization's administration. Also inventories organizational resources that can be used for the communication program as personnel, equipment, time and budgets. Identifying the organization's available resources as they relate to the situation to be addressed.

Step 2 Analyzing the Organization Internal Environment Internal Impediments Any impediments or obstacles within the organization that might limit the effectiveness of the public relations program? Wounded egos, shortsighted executives, other barriers must be considered as you develop the program.

Step 2 Analyzing the Organization Public Perception What people think about the organization Visibility: the extent to which an organization is known. Do people know about the organization? What do they know about it? How accurate is this information? Reputation: How people evaluate the information about the organization. Based on both word and deed (both planned and unplanned verbal, visual and behavioral messages)

Step 2 Analyzing the Organization Public Perception The stronger the organization's visibility and the more positive its reputation? Low visibility suggests the need to create more awareness A poor reputation requires rehabilitation of the public perception Should offer quality performance, Bring awareness into harmony with that performance.

Step 2 Analyzing the Organization External Environment PEST Analysis Supporters: people and groups who currently or at least potentially are likely to help the organization achieve its objectives. Opponents: people or groups who are against your organization, and they have the potential to damage the organization by limiting its ability to pursue its mission and achieve its goals. A store selling fur coats An animal-rights group Competitors: people or groups who are doing the same thing as you are in essentially the same arena In a highly competitive environment ↓ Persuasive messages and communication tactics Lower levels of competition →more relationship building.

PEST Analysis PEST analysis: done in order to analyze the external environment. PESTLE is a variant with Legal and Environmental issues separated out.

YAREN PEST ANALYSIS

Tiny Tykes Toys Internal Environment Tiny Tykes Toys manufactures toys for babies. It recently voluntarily recalled one of its toys, a plush animal doll with a shiny nose. When babies chewed on the nose, it secreted an green dye into their mouths and on their faces that lasted for several months. The dye was harmless, but the consumer lawsuits (minor) and resulting publicity (major and sensationalized) have caused a decrease in sales of other Tiny Tykes toys.

Tiny Tykes Toys Internal Environment The company has 130 union workers and 27 management staff. It also has a two-person public relations/marketing staff. Unrelated to the recall, but happening around the same time, a small but vocal group of employees began agitating for increased pay and shorter working hours.

Tiny Tykes Toys Public Perception The recall endangered the company's reputation for quality among stockholders, consumers, pediatricians and other interest groups. The defect has been eliminated in new versions of the toy. The company perceives its image as fun, low tech, inexpensive, beneficial and safe.

Tiny Tykes Toys External Environment The business environment for children's toys is highly competitive, and it has become more so due to increasing international rivals and the expansion into the toy market of domestic companies once associated primarily with children's clothing. Tiny Tykes has several competitors, some of them nationally known companies with huge promotional budgets.

Tiny Tykes Toys External Environment Several of these companies have products of similar quality and cost to Tiny Tykes; they currently enjoy a more favorable reputation because of the recall. The overall business environment for toys is a growing and highly competitive market. The dissident employee faction has the potential for contributing to a wider consumer backlash against the company.

Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing the Internal Environment Basic Planning Questions 1. What is the quality of your organization's performance? 2. What communication resources, including budget, are available? 3. How supportive is the organization of public relations activity?

Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing the Internal Environment Expanded Planning Questions A. Existing Information Performance 1. What service/product do you provide related to the issue identified in the Strategic Planning Exercise in Step 1? 2. What are the criteria for determining its quality? 3. What is its quality?

Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing the Internal Environment Expanded Planning Questions A. Existing Information Performance 4. Within the last three years, has the quality improved, remained unchanged or deteriorated? 5. How satisfied is organizational leadership with this quality? 6. What benefit or advantage does the product/service offer? 7. What problems or disadvantages are associated with this product/service?

Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing the Internal Environment Expanded Planning Questions A. Existing Information Performance 8. What is the niche or specialty that sets you apart from competitors? 9. How has the service/product changed within the last three years? 10. How is the service/product likely to change within the next two years? 11. Should changes be introduced to improve the service/product? 12. Are organizational leaders willing to make such changes?

Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing the Internal Environment Expanded Planning Questions A. Existing Information Structure 1. What is the purpose/mission of your organization related to this issue? 2. How does this issue fit into the organizational vision? 3. Is this expressed in a strategic business plan for your organization? 4. What communication resources are available for potential public relations/marketing communication activity: personnel, equipment, time, money and/or something else? 5. Within the next three years, are these resources likely to increase, remain unchanged or decrease? 6. How strong is the public relations/communication staff's role in the organization's decision-making process?

Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing the Internal Environment Expanded Planning Questions A. Existing Information Internal Impediments 1. How supportive is the internal environment for public relations activities? 2. Are there any impediments or obstacles to success that come from within your organization: Among top management? Among public relations/marketing staff? • Among other internal publics? 3. If you have identified impediments, how can you overcome them?

Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing Public Perception Basic Planning Questions 1. How well known is your organization? 2. What is the reputation of your organization? 3. How do you want to affect this reputation?

Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing Public Perception Expanded Planning Questions Existing Information Reputation 1. How visible is your service/product? 2. How widely used is your service/product? 3. How is the product/service generally perceived? 4. How is your organization generally perceived? 5. Is the public perception about your organization correct?

Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing Public Perception Expanded Planning Questions Existing Information Reputation 6. What communication already has been done about this situation? 7. Within the last three years, has your organization's reputation improved, remained unchanged or deteriorated? 8. How satisfied is organizational leadership with this reputation?

Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing Public Perception Expanded Planning Questions Existing Information Image Index

Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing the External Environment Basic Planning Questions 1. What is the major competition for your organization? 2. What significant opposition exists? 3. Is anything happening in the environment that can limit the effectiveness of the public relations program?

Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing the External Environment Expanded Planning Questions Existing Information Competition 1. How competitive is the external environment of your organization? 2. What other organizations compete on this issue? 3. What are their performance levels? 4. What are their reputations?

Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing the External Environment Expanded Planning Questions Existing Information Competition 5. What are their resources? 6. What does the competition offer that you don't? 7. How has the competition changed within the last three years? 8. Within the next three years, is the competition likely to increase, remain unchanged or decrease?

Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing the External Environment Expanded Planning Questions Existing Information Opposition 1. What groups exist with a mission to resist or hinder your organization? 2. How effective have these groups been in the past? 3. What is their reputation? 4. What are their resources?

Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing the External Environment Expanded Planning Questions Existing Information Opposition 5. How have these groups changed within the last three years? 6. How have their tactics changed? 7. Within the next three years, is the opposition likely to increase, remain unchanged or decrease?

Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing the External Environment Expanded Planning Questions Existing Information External Impediments 1. Is the environment in which you are operating currently growing, stable, declining or unpredictable? 2. What changes, if any, are projected for this environment? 3. What impediments deal with customers?

Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing the External Environment Expanded Planning Questions Existing Information External Impediments 4. What impediments deal with regulators? 5. What impediments have financial or economic origins? 6. What impediments have political origins? 7. What impediments originate in society at large?