Strategic Communication Flashcards
7 cards from real ABC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Strategic Communication flashcards as text
Which concept describes the gap between what an organization claims to stand for and how stakeholders actually perceive it?
Answer: Identity-image gap
The identity-image gap captures the discrepancy between an organization's self-defined identity and the image held by external stakeholders.
A government agency must communicate a new regulation to both technical experts and the general public. The best approach is to:
Answer: Develop tiered messaging that translates technical content for lay audiences without sacrificing accuracy
Tiered messaging serves diverse audiences by preserving accuracy for specialists while making content accessible and actionable for general publics.
In framing theory, a communicator who emphasizes economic job losses from an environmental regulation is using which type of frame?
Answer: Economic consequence frame
An economic consequence frame highlights financial and employment impacts, shaping how audiences evaluate the costs and trade-offs of a policy.
Which metric is most appropriate for evaluating the OUTCOME (not output) of a strategic communication campaign?
Answer: Change in target audience attitudes or behaviors
Outcomes measure actual changes in awareness, attitudes, or behavior among target audiences, which is the true measure of communication effectiveness.
A corporation's CEO unexpectedly resigns amid controversy. The communications team should FIRST:
Answer: Release a brief holding statement acknowledging the situation while full messaging is developed
A holding statement fills the information vacuum quickly, signals awareness, and buys time for a complete, accurate response without creating a perception of evasion.
What distinguishes 'strategic communication' from 'tactical communication' in organizational practice?
Answer: Strategic communication is aligned to long-term organizational goals; tactical communication executes specific tasks
Strategic communication operates at the organizational level, linking messages to mission and goals, while tactical communication implements specific activities that serve those strategies.
When using the two-way symmetrical model of public relations, an organization primarily seeks to:
Answer: Understand and respond to public concerns, adjusting organizational behavior when warranted
The two-way symmetrical model treats communication as a dialogue that can result in mutual adjustment, not just audience persuasion.