SCC 100 Midterm Comprehensive Notes

SCC 100 Midterm Guide

  • Midterm Overview

    • Total Points: 50 Points

    • Chapters Covered: 1 - 6

    • Content Covered: Readings and Class Discussions

    • Point Breakdown:

    • 18 Multiple Choice Questions (2 pts each)

    • 5 True/False questions (1 pt each)

    • 3 Short Answer Questions (3 pts each)

    • Midterm Day:

    • In-Person Exam on Canvas

    • Requirement: Bring a laptop or tablet/iPad to class

    • Rental Information: If you do not have your own laptop, you can rent one from the Student Union

    • Clarification: This exam cannot be taken on your phone

    • Exam rules: Closed book, no internet access.

Chapter 1: Understanding the Communication Process

  • Definition of the Communication Process:

    • A purposeful, research-driven, and cyclical process aimed at achieving specific organizational goals by delivering consistent, tailored messaging to targeted audiences.\n- Key Stages of the Communication Process:

    • Research & Situational Analysis

    • Defining Goals & Objectives

    • Strategic Planning

    • Implementation

    • Evaluation

  • Components of the Communication Process:

    • Sender

    • Encoding

    • Message

    • Channel

    • Receiver

    • Decoding

    • Feedback

    • Noise

    • Context

Strategic Communication

  • Definition:

    • The purposeful communication of an organization in order to advance its mission.

    • Note: The organization is responsible for communication in this narrative.

  • Foundational Assumptions of Strategic Communication:

    • Assumption #1: Enacted by individuals in ALL types of organizations including:

    • Non-Profits

    • Public

    • Small

    • For-Profit

    • Private

    • Large

    • Assumption #2: Strategic Communication is NOT inherently negative or manipulative; instead, it is planned, mindful, and engaged in by many in organizations.

    • Assumption #3: It is inherently interdisciplinary (i.e., e.g., strategically communicating about patient care).

    • Assumption #4: It focuses on messaging, often as part of campaigns for internal & external audiences.

Chapter 2: Organizational Fundamentals

  • Four Dimensions of Organizations:

    1. Comprised of people who must interact with one another.

    2. Embedded within external environments that extend beyond their boundaries.

    3. Impact both internal & external environments.

    4. Have a goal that binds members together.

  • Three Broad Types of Organizations and Their Attributes:

    • For-profit Organizations:

    • Purpose: Generate profit for owners.

    • Examples: Retail, hospitality, manufacturing, technology.

    • Non-profit Organizations:

    • Purpose: Promote a cause, advocate a viewpoint, or advance a mission.

    • Examples: Healthcare, education, environmental conservation (e.g., UNICEF, Greenpeace, Doctors Without Borders).

    • Government Organizations:

    • Definition: Means through which a community, state, or country is organized & regulated.

    • Purpose: Deliver goods/services that benefit stakeholders rather than generate profit (e.g., Defense Logistics Agency).

  • Concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR):

    • Involves policies & practices enhancing the company’s impact on environmental & social well-being.

Chapter 3: Mission Statements

  • Definition:

    • A formal, stable declaration of an organization’s purpose, representing its “voice” to both members and external entities.

    • Can include:

    • The intended beneficiaries.

    • Geographic domain.

    • Central products/services.

    • Elements of growth, innovation, profit.

    • Key values, philosophy, & desired image.

  • Benefits:

    • Enhances employee morale, aligns teams toward common goals, attracts talent, clarifies objectives for stakeholders, and differentiates brand from competitors.

    • Characteristics of an Effective Mission Statement:

    • Length: 15-20 words.

    • Transparent.

    • Specific to target audience.

    • Updated regularly.

    • Positive tone.

Chapter 4: Branding and Legal Definitions

  • Brand Definition:

    • A name, term, design, symbol, or artifact used to distinguish an organization from competitors.

  • Brand Awareness:

    • Quantifiable trends in consumer knowledge & awareness of the brand, measured through:

    • Google Trends data.

    • Social Listening.

    • Surveys on brand awareness.

    • Social Media Engagement.

  • Brand Equity:

    • Overall value of the brand which includes:

    • Widespread awareness.

    • Credibility.

    • Loyalty among members.

  • IDEA Framework for Brand Equity:

    • Integrity: Alignment between internal identity and external image.

    • Ethics: Reflection of core values in the brand portrayal.

    • Democracy: Trust in organizational members to communicate mission.

    • Affinity: The brand's esteem and respect, particularly in partnerships.

  • Legal Definitions:

    • Trademark: A legally registered name, symbol, or design that distinguishes an entity.

    • Patent: The exclusive legal right to make/sell an original invention for a specified time.

    • Copyright: A legal right to determine the use of your work by others.

Chapter 5: Strategic Planning

  • Definition:

    • A reflective process to identify the organization’s future direction and outline how to achieve it.

  • Nine Steps of Strategic Planning:

    1. Background Research:

    • For-Profit (relating to consumption).

    • Non-Profit (issues related).

    • Government (data prevalence & percentages).

    • Types of Research:

      • Secondary: Reviewing existing data.

      • Primary: Collecting new data.

    1. Identify Long-Term Goals:

    • Common goals shared by organizations:

      • Increase stakeholder awareness/commitment.

      • Enhance name recognition.

      • Improve team productivity and efficiency.

      • Recruit members, volunteers, staff.

      • Improve team culture.

      • Increase brand loyalty, sales, donations, or funding.

    1. Identify Short-Term Goals:

    • Smaller steps to achieve long-term goals by quantifying and specifying them.

    • Types of Objectives:

      • Informational: Educate.

      • Attitudinal: Alter beliefs.

      • Behavioral: Change actions.

    1. Conduct SWOT Analysis:

    • Assess strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

    1. Analyze Target Audiences.

    2. Develop Messages.

    3. Select Channels.

    4. Consider Community Relationships, Stakeholders & Partnerships.

    5. Develop Implementation & Evaluation Plans.

  • Difference Between Primary and Secondary Research:

    • Secondary Research: Involves reviewing existing data.

    • Primary Research: Involves collecting original data.

  • Long-Term Organizational Goals (reiterated):

    • Support overall objectives and mission, including stakeholder engagement, recognition, and team management.

Chapter 6: Target Audiences and Research

  • Definition of Target Audience:

    • Intended recipients of a strategic communication campaign.

  • Segmentation:

    • Process of defining subgroups of the population based on common characteristics.

    • Demographics:

    • Age, gender, number of children, household income.

    • Psychographics:

    • Lifestyle habits, moral values, interests/hobbies, health, attitudes, customer service opinions.

  • Transtheoretical Model:

    • Stages of behavior change:

    • Precontemplation: Unaware of need for change.

    • Contemplation: Thinking about change but not yet changing.

    • Preparation: Planning to change soon; may take initial steps.

    • Action: Actively changing behavior.

    • Maintenance: Sustaining behavior change and avoiding relapse.

  • Definition of Formative Research:

    • Conducting research to understand target audience’s characteristics.

    • Common Topics Examined:

    • Knowledge, attitudes & beliefs, behaviors, preferred communication channels, reactions to the message.

  • Methods of Conducting Formative Research:

    • Surveys, interviews, focus groups, observations, secondary analysis.