APR Risk Management & Mitigation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which framework is most commonly referenced in PR risk management for categorizing risks by likelihood and impact?
- SWOT analysis
- Risk probability-impact matrix (Correct answer)
- PESTLE analysis
- Balanced scorecard
Correct answer: Risk probability-impact matrix
A risk probability-impact matrix maps risks by how likely they are to occur against how severely they would affect the organization.
Question 2: A company's executive is arrested and media calls flood in simultaneously. The FIRST step for the PR team should be:
- Issue a full press release immediately
- Activate the crisis communication plan (Correct answer)
- Decline all media inquiries indefinitely
- Transfer all calls to legal counsel
Correct answer: Activate the crisis communication plan
Activating the pre-established crisis communication plan ensures a coordinated, consistent response rather than ad-hoc reactions.
Question 3: In risk communication, the term 'outrage factor' refers to:
- The volume of negative media coverage generated
- Public anger amplified by perceived unfairness or dread beyond actual hazard level (Correct answer)
- The number of stakeholders demanding a response
- Revenue lost due to a reputational crisis
Correct answer: Public anger amplified by perceived unfairness or dread beyond actual hazard level
Peter Sandman's outrage factor explains why public perception of risk often exceeds technical hazard because emotional factors like fairness and dread amplify concern.
Question 4: Which action best demonstrates 'risk transfer' as a mitigation strategy in a PR context?
- Training spokespeople to handle tough questions
- Purchasing crisis management liability insurance (Correct answer)
- Issuing a proactive press release before an issue emerges
- Building a social media monitoring dashboard
Correct answer: Purchasing crisis management liability insurance
Risk transfer shifts financial exposure of a risk event to a third party, commonly achieved through insurance products.
Question 5: A pharmaceutical company faces a product recall. Which message element is most critical to include in the first public statement?
- Company stock performance history
- Clear instructions on what consumers should do next (Correct answer)
- Names of employees responsible for the error
- Projected cost of the recall
Correct answer: Clear instructions on what consumers should do next
Actionable guidance protects public safety and demonstrates accountability, which are the two highest priorities in a product recall communication.
Question 6: Environmental scanning in risk management primarily serves to:
- Audit internal communications policies
- Identify emerging issues before they escalate into crises (Correct answer)
- Measure the ROI of PR campaigns
- Select appropriate spokespeople for media events
Correct answer: Identify emerging issues before they escalate into crises
Environmental scanning monitors external trends, stakeholder sentiment, and emerging signals so risks can be addressed in the issue stage rather than the crisis stage.
Question 7: When a PR practitioner uses 'bridging' during a hostile media interview related to a risk event, they are:
- Connecting the organization to community partners
- Acknowledging a question then redirecting to a key message (Correct answer)
- Linking two separate press releases for context
- Coordinating between legal and communications teams
Correct answer: Acknowledging a question then redirecting to a key message
Bridging is a media training technique where the spokesperson validates the reporter's question and then pivots to the organization's prepared key messages.
APR Risk Management & Mitigation 2
Which framework is most commonly referenced in PR risk management for categorizing risks by likelihood and impact?