AMN468 Crisis and risk: Communicating for brand trust and reputation
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | AMN468 |
|---|---|
| Antirequisite(s): | CON408 |
| Equivalent(s): | AMX468 |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
|
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $4,416 |
| International unit fee | $4,944 |
Unit Outline: Semester 1 2025, Gardens Point, Internal
| Unit code: | AMN468 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Equivalent: | AMX468 |
| Anti-requisite: | CON408 |
| Coordinator: | Robert Mitchell | r20.mitchell@qut.edu.au |
Overview
Crises and risk like product failures, cyber security incidents, and accidents affect brand and organisational trust and reputation. In this unit, you will learn how to communicate before, during, and after crisis and risk events to support stakeholder trust and mitigate long-term implications on sales and market value. Learning how to navigate crisis and risk is an important skill for business and communication professionals.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Select and apply key theoretical concepts and frameworks relating to crisis and risk to historical and current cases, evaluating the effectiveness of crisis response.
- Develop and justify actions to manage crisis and risk in the context of brand and organisational strategy.
- Identify and examine how personal biases influence decision-making during risk, crisis, or uncertainty
- Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively to different audiences using a range of genres.
Content
This unit comprises two modules of learning, each structured around an assessment item. Module 1 introduces risk and crisis and ways they can impact brands and organisations and identifies how to communicate before, during, and after these events. This first module analyses existing case studies of risk and crisis. Module 2 leverages foundational knowledge into a crisis simulation, reflecting real world practice.
QUT Business Capabilities (Postgraduate)
The content and assessment in this unit are aligned to a selection of the following set of QUT Business Capabilities, also known as Assurance of Learning Goals (AoLs). Developing these capabilities will assist you to meet the desired graduate outcomes set at QUT and equip you with the knowledge and skills to succeed in your chosen career.
Knowledge & Technical Skills (KS)
1.1 Demonstrate and apply integrated and advanced discipline and professional practice knowledge, including knowledge of relevant research principles and methods.
1.2 Apply technical, technological and technical research skills to organise and interpret discipline knowledge, including theory and practice, to investigate business issues.
Higher Order Thinking Skills (HO)
2.1 Critically investigate real world business issues and problems drawing on analysis, evaluation and synthesis of discipline knowledge, including theory and practice.
2.2 Exercise creativity and intellectual independence and make informed decisions and judgements in planning, designing, and executing strategic and research-based responses to address real world issues and problems.
Professional Communication (PC)
3.1 Use information literacy skills and communicate effectively and professionally in written forms and using media appropriate for diverse purposes, contexts and audiences.
3.2 Use information literacy skills and communicate effectively and professionally in oral forms appropriate for diverse purposes, contexts and audiences.
Teamwork & Self (TS)
4.1 Exercise self-reflection and accountability in applying knowledge and skills for own learning and effective practice.
4.2 Apply teamwork knowledge and skills for effective collaboration across a range of complex activities and contexts.
Social, Ethical & Global Understanding (SE)
5.1 Demonstrate and apply knowledge of ethical and legal principles and practices of business in critically analysing and effectively responding to complex business issues.
5.2 Demonstrate and apply knowledge of socially responsible behaviour in analysing and addressing business issues and critically reflect on the responsibilities and impacts of organisations in national and international business contexts.
Learning Approaches
Learning and teaching in this unit builds foundational knowledge of risk and crisis communication through real world case studies, industry professionals, and contemporary theories. Multiple resources including videos, texts, and journal articles reinforce lecture and tutorial content. Learning also involves the experience of crisis with students cast into crisis decision-making roles during an extended crisis simulation (within semester). This experience builds student understanding of time-bound decision-making.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Students will receive verbal and/or written feedback on their learning during the semester. Students will also receive formal written feedback on their assessment.
Assessment
Overview
Students may be required to attend campus or an assessment centre for the purposes of assessment, regardless of the attendance mode for the unit.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Case Study
Students will select a resolved crisis and analyse the brand or organisation's crisis response and recovery strategies. Students will also reflect on the appropriateness of these responses and provide recommendations for future practice.
Formative or Summative: Summative
Business Capabilities (AoL goals): KS (1.1), HO (2.1), PC (3.1)
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Report
Students will be involved in a crisis simulation that applies preparatory work in the semester such as risk and crisis planning in a simulation involving multiple points of contact as a crisis evolves and escalates over a two week time frame. In this real world assessment piece, students will be presented with information and asked to make and justify a decision about the evolving risk or crisis. At the completion of the simulation, students will reflect on their professional and personal experiences and the class will come together for a debrief and focus on organisational recovery.
Formative or Summative: Summative
Business Capabilities (AoL goals): HO (2.2), PC (3.1), TS (4.1)
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Risk Assessment Statement
There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with lectures or tutorials in this unit. You should, however, familiarise yourself with evacuation procedures operating in the buildings in which you attend classes and take the time to
view the Emergency video.
Unit Outline: Semester 1 2025, Online
| Unit code: | AMN468 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Equivalent: | AMX468 |
| Anti-requisite: | CON408 |
Overview
Crises and risk like product failures, cyber security incidents, and accidents affect brand and organisational trust and reputation. In this unit, you will learn how to communicate before, during, and after crisis and risk events to support stakeholder trust and mitigate long-term implications on sales and market value. Learning how to navigate crisis and risk is an important skill for business and communication professionals.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Select and apply key theoretical concepts and frameworks relating to crisis and risk to historical and current cases, evaluating the effectiveness of crisis response.
- Develop and justify actions to manage crisis and risk in the context of brand and organisational strategy.
- Identify and examine how personal biases influence decision-making during risk, crisis, or uncertainty
- Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively to different audiences using a range of genres.
Content
This unit comprises two modules of learning, each structured around an assessment item. Module 1 introduces risk and crisis and ways they can impact brands and organisations and identifies how to communicate before, during, and after these events. This first module analyses existing case studies of risk and crisis. Module 2 leverages foundational knowledge into a crisis simulation, reflecting real world practice.
QUT Business Capabilities (Postgraduate)
The content and assessment in this unit are aligned to a selection of the following set of QUT Business Capabilities, also known as Assurance of Learning Goals (AoLs). Developing these capabilities will assist you to meet the desired graduate outcomes set at QUT and equip you with the knowledge and skills to succeed in your chosen career.
Knowledge & Technical Skills (KS)
1.1 Demonstrate and apply integrated and advanced discipline and professional practice knowledge, including knowledge of relevant research principles and methods.
1.2 Apply technical, technological and technical research skills to organise and interpret discipline knowledge, including theory and practice, to investigate business issues.
Higher Order Thinking Skills (HO)
2.1 Critically investigate real world business issues and problems drawing on analysis, evaluation and synthesis of discipline knowledge, including theory and practice.
2.2 Exercise creativity and intellectual independence and make informed decisions and judgements in planning, designing, and executing strategic and research-based responses to address real world issues and problems.
Professional Communication (PC)
3.1 Use information literacy skills and communicate effectively and professionally in written forms and using media appropriate for diverse purposes, contexts and audiences.
3.2 Use information literacy skills and communicate effectively and professionally in oral forms appropriate for diverse purposes, contexts and audiences.
Teamwork & Self (TS)
4.1 Exercise self-reflection and accountability in applying knowledge and skills for own learning and effective practice.
4.2 Apply teamwork knowledge and skills for effective collaboration across a range of complex activities and contexts.
Social, Ethical & Global Understanding (SE)
5.1 Demonstrate and apply knowledge of ethical and legal principles and practices of business in critically analysing and effectively responding to complex business issues.
5.2 Demonstrate and apply knowledge of socially responsible behaviour in analysing and addressing business issues and critically reflect on the responsibilities and impacts of organisations in national and international business contexts.
Learning Approaches
Learning and teaching in this unit builds foundational knowledge of risk and crisis communication through real world case studies, industry professionals, and contemporary theories. Multiple resources including videos, texts, and journal articles reinforce lecture and tutorial content. Learning also involves the experience of crisis with students cast into crisis decision-making roles during an extended crisis simulation (within semester). This experience builds student understanding of time-bound decision-making.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Students will receive verbal and/or written feedback on their learning during the semester. Students will also receive formal written feedback on their assessment.
Assessment
Overview
Students may be required to attend campus or an assessment centre for the purposes of assessment, regardless of the attendance mode for the unit.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Case Study
Students will select a resolved crisis and analyse the brand or organisation's crisis response and recovery strategies. Students will also reflect on the appropriateness of these responses and provide recommendations for future practice.
Formative or Summative: Summative
Business Capabilities (AoL goals): KS (1.1), HO (2.1), PC (3.1)
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Report
Students will be involved in a crisis simulation that applies preparatory work in the semester such as risk and crisis planning in a simulation involving multiple points of contact as a crisis evolves and escalates over a two week time frame. In this real world assessment piece, students will be presented with information and asked to make and justify a decision about the evolving risk or crisis. At the completion of the simulation, students will reflect on their professional and personal experiences and the class will come together for a debrief and focus on organisational recovery.
Formative or Summative: Summative
Business Capabilities (AoL goals): HO (2.2), PC (3.1), TS (4.1)
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Risk Assessment Statement
There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with lectures or tutorials in this unit. You should, however, familiarise yourself with evacuation procedures operating in the buildings in which you attend classes and take the time to
view the Emergency video.