Some public relations solutions for FPT University in 2011-2012= Một số giải pháp PR cho đại học FPT trong giai đoạn 2011-2012

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS







PHAN DINH HOANG




SOME PUBLIC RELATIONS SOLUTIONS FOR
FPT UNIVERSITY IN 2011 - 2012




Major: Business Administration
Code: 60 34 05



MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION THESIS

SUPERVISORS: Dr. TRAN DOAN KIM






Hanoi - 2011

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS







PHAN DINH HOANG




SOME PUBLIC RELATIONS SOLUTIONS FOR
FPT UNIVERSITY IN 2011 - 2012




Major: Business Administration

Code: 60 34 05



MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION THESIS




Supervisors: Dr. Tran Doan Kim






Hanoi - 2011

vi

TABLE OF CONTENT
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT i
ABSTRACT ii
LIST OF FIGURES viii
LIST OF ABBREVIATONS ix
INTRODUCTION 1
1. The problems 1
2. Objectives and aims 3
3. The scope 3
4. Data sources 3

5. Study method 3
6. Contributions to the essay 3
7. Main structure of the essay 4
Chapter 1: PR theoretical bases 4
CHAPTER 1: PR THEORETICAL BASES 5
1.1 PR theory 5
1.1.1 PR concept 5
1.1.2 PR’s principles 8
1.2 Importance of PR 20
1.2.1 Role of PR in enterprise 20
1.2.2 Roles of PR in marketing 20
1.3 Development and implementation procedure of a PR program 22
1.4 – Procedures of a PR program 31
1.5 – Implementation methods 34
1.5.1 –Publications 34
1.5.2 - Events 35
1.5.3 - News 37
1.6 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and PR’s responsibility 39
CONCLUSTION OF CHAPTER 1 41
CHAPTER 2: ANALYSIS OF CURRENT PR SITUATION IN FPT
UNIVERSITY ( FU ) 42
2.1 Brief of FPT University 42
2.2 Operation principles of FPT University 43
2.3 Assessment on messages sent to customers 44
2.3.1 Interview the public about FU objectives 44
2.4 Target community group of FPT 47
2.5 Analysis of current PR situation in FU 50
2.5.1 Current PR situation in FU 50
2.5.2 “Go Mass” strategy of FU 60
2.5.3 CSR development and application in FU 61

2.6 - PR situation assessment in FU 62
2.6.1. Advantages 62
2.6.2 Shortcomings 63
CONCLUSTION OF CHAPTER 2 65
CHAPTER 3: SOLUTION PROPOSAL OF NEW PR PROGRAM FOR FPT
UNIVERSITY IN 2011-2012 66
3.1 Proposal of solution 66
3.2 Building program for FPT by PENCILS 67
3.2.1 - Define targets for PR program 67

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3.2.2 Define the community groups and propose execution methods 68
3.2.3 Propose execution methods 68
3.2.4 Budget planning 69
3.2.5 Result evaluation 70
3.3 Implementation method 70
3.3.1 Publications 70
3.3.2 Events 72
3.3.3 News 72
3.3.4 Community relations 73
3.3.5 Identity tools 75
3.3.6 Lobbying 77
3.3.7 Social investments 78
3.4 CSR in FU 79
CONCLUSTION OF CHAPTER 3 79
CONCLUSION 80
REFERENCE 81

viii

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Model of an event organization 36
Figure 2: 6C model 38
Figure 3: Pie chart 59
Figure 4: Pencils model 67

ix

LIST OF ABBREVIATONS

PR: Public relations
CSR: Corporate social responsibility
FU: FPT University
HSB: Hanoi School of Business
SEO: Search Engine Optimization
RSS: Really Simple Syndication
IT: Information technology
BBA: Bachelor of Business Administration

1

INTRODUCTION
1. The problems
PR has been established and developed for a very long time, it always
develop in parallel with sales and trade of human beings under different forms
and names. It plays an important role in enterprise. To survive and develop,
the enterprise shall have a strong PR which works on the base on operational
principles and will be changed from time to time due to the actual
circumstances.
In globalization progress, PR plays more and more important role in
broadcasting brand and building prestige for the business. Nowadays with
information technology boom, invention and development of internet are the
major factor altering PR activities, making it changed and create new trends
in operations. In order to be able to exploit effectively PR’s benefits, the
enterprise shall be aware of new trends to have absolute exploitation method.
Our country currently has transferred to market economy. competition
requirements has made the branding be considered as the top priority of the
enterprise, to the capture of new trends of PR therefore is imperative issue
that businesses in our country need to perform. Integration into large trade
organizations such as WTO, AFTA makes commercial activities more
freedom, businesses must compete fairly, so building a position for business
name plays more and more important role in their survival and development
in all sectors.
Education business is a sector with new and special characteristics
emerged in recent years in our country. During subsidy period, brand
promotion, prestige building in the education institutions was not paid
attention to because at that time all of them were under the control of the

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state. With the development of the country, however a series of semi-public
and public institutions have been established. The brand promotion and
prestige building for training institutions are gradually concerned and play an
important role in any institution from public to semi-public institutions. PR
however has been recognized in training facilities for a relatively short time,
the awareness of PR is not sufficient. The growth speed of the existing
training institutions has been gradually results in “the competition of
institutions”, thus requirements for brand promotion and prestige building of
these institutions shall be paid special attention.
FPT University is a private training institution which was newly
formed for short time but base on documents I found that FPT University has
recognized the importance of building brand, build credibility and given the
right assessment on PR roles, thence it sets up programs to bring high
efficiency. However as a newly formed institution, FPT University is still
facing many challenges, PR problems need effective implementation methods
in order to help it develop more strongly in future, becoming the best training
university in Vietnam.
From the above requirements, through the time of study and learn at
FPT University, I choose the topic of my graduation thesis: “Some PR
solutions for FPT University in 2011 – 2012.” I hope that the topic will
contribute a solution to help FPT University develop strongly and sustain
ably.
Due to limited understanding and a personally subjective perception
there are still inevitable shortcomings in this essay. I am very happy to
perceive contribution of teachers and friends to complete and put it into
practice.

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2. Objectives and aims
The essay aims at:
Assessing current situation of PR at FPT University and giving
solutions to PR program for FPT University in 2011 – 2012.
3. The scope
In study scope, the essay focuses on issues related to construction
method of a PR program for enterprises and organizations.
Study PR in FPT University.
4. Data sources
Use and present information and statistics of University of FPT used to
study and main figures in the period 2005 – 2009.
5. Study method
The dialectical materialism and historical materialism method are
applied throughout the essay In addition to documentation study
methodology, statistical analysis, typical comparison and survey, collection
and real data analysis methods (both secondary and primary data). Besides
secondary data (secondary data), the author also collected primary data
(through in-depth interviews of a number of subjects as described in Chapter
2) used to achieve the objectives of the thesis.
Methods: analysis, synthesis, statistical data and actual survey data
processing, interview is considered the most basic methods.
6. Contributions to the essay
The essay is contributed theoretically and practically by:

4

Applying general PR ideas, principles and theories to analyze theoretic
issues in business administration.
Pointing out and analyzing the most critical and imperative PR issues

needed to be solve in FPT University.
Analyzing, forecasting and proposing to select the most important
viewpoints, objectives of FPT University.
Proposing PR program as well as a breakthrough solution to develop
PR programs at FPT University.
7. Main structure of the essay
The essay is made of 85 pages, including: Introduction, conclusion
and reference documents. The essay is composed as follows:
Chapter 1: PR theoretical bases
Chapter 2: Analysis of the current PR situation in FPT University
(FU)
Chapter 3: Solution proposal of new PR program for FPT
University in 2011-2012








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CHAPTER 1: PR THEORETICAL BASES
1.1 PR theory
1.1.1 PR concept
We can see the presence of PR in many different aspects from Dong Ky
Firecracker Festival, Lim Festival of Love Duet village which are traditional
cultural activities but still perform PR for local industries, “Movement of
singing dominates bombs”, “Youth with three readiness” - Women with three

charges” which are very effective PR activities to propagate optimistic,
patriotic spirit as well as policy orientation of the state in wartime. Tree
Planting Tet initiated by Uncle Ho is also a community activity to advocate
environmental protection in a very attractive, alluring and successful way. So
what is PR? There are many different concepts of PR, the reason for this is:
PR is quite large, present in many living areas, all commercial or non-
commercial organizations. It exists whether we want it or not, otherwise it is
out of our decisions. PR includes all communications with people who contact
organizations. All individuals in the society is using PR, unless they are
completely isolated and without contact with humans.
So far, there are many definitions of PR, according to the book of
Frank Jefkins [3] stated 3 definitions which are accepted internationally and
familiar with PR professionals.
The definition of the Institute of Public Relations (IPR - Institute of
British Public Relations) as follows:
“PR is a deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and
maintain understanding between an organization and its public."

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This definition emphasizes PR activities which are organized as a
campaign or program therefore continuous effort; it is unable to exist without
a plan.
The second definition is Frank Jefkins [3]:
“PR includes all forms of planned communications, both inside and
outside the organization, between an organization and its public in order to
achieve specific goals related to mutual understanding.”
Frank Jefkins wanted to highlight aspect in which PR activity is
operated with specific objectives (not just the mutual understanding in
general) and so we can evaluate success or failure of a PR campaign based on

goals already set.
In a meeting between PR press correspondent academics from many
countries took place in Mexico City in August 1978, everyone agreed the
following statement:
“PR is the art and social science of analyzing trends, predicting their
consequences, counseling organizational leaders, and implementing planned
programs of action, which will serve both the organization and the public
interest”
This definition focuses on application of study methods prior to plan
PR and social aspects of an organization. An organization will be assessed by
its interest and responsibility for public interests. PR related to the credibility
and reputation of the organization.
However there are some PR viewpoints of some other researchers as
follows:

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According to Fraser P. Seite [9], an American expert on PR, the PR is
a process which establishes influence on thinking, awareness of the
community through positive qualities presented in an appropriate style, based
on the communication of two-way satisfaction.
Point view of Vi.wikipedia.org [16] encyclopedias page as follow:
Public relations or communication or public (Public Relations, PR for short)
is the fact that an agency or business organizations actively manage public
communication relationships to build and maintain its positive image. The
public relations activities include promotion of success, mitigation of failure
impacts, announcement of changes, and many other activities.
From the point of views stated we can summarize general concept of
PR as follows: PR is a system of principles and activities linked organically
and consistently to build:

- An image: such as Kentucky Fried Chicken's image of Colonel
Senders - a an old man with white hair who is honorable, gentle, easygoing
with all family members from small to the elderly like Kentucky Fried
Chicken products.
- One viewpoint: I.e. ”drugs are bad”, PR campaign which is to
popularize this concept can use images of suffering addicts, families of
addicts as well as assessment of professionals (doctors, police ) to highlight
bad effect of drug addiction. It is possible to use one or more famous people
who are adored as a young singers, musician, and successful businessmen to
raise their voice of against drug addiction.
- An impression: I.e. Heineken is the beer brand of successful people.
To achieve this impression Heineken is consistent in all its activities: sponsor
“King” sport as golf and tennis, classical music.

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- A trust: “Please select Hillary Clinton to be the New York senator
because she cares about women rights.”
But to be succeed, then the above activities must be towards a specific
target group and focused on a specific subject which can make a product
(milk), or a brand (Vinamilk) a company (Unilever), a policy (regulation on
wearing helmet while driving a motorbike), a country (Vietnam - Destination
of the new millennium), even a personal (Singer - Lam Truong). The
professional PR is not a demagogic activity because one of the first PR
standards is the moral standard. A good PR activity is an activity which make
objects understand and evaluate exactly and positively nature of the subject of
such activities. The basic principle of PR is to inform the right object, in right
place, right time, right manner by using suitable means.
PR is a two-way communication process. The PR consultants not only
provide information to their audience but also listen and understand

psychology, ideas and trends of the community to be able to predict possible
reaction, then continue building their PR strategy appropriately.
1.1.2 PR’s principles
PR is activities aimed at:
* Contact (meeting, customer meeting)
* Listen (Customers tell about products)
* Exchange, impart (impacts of products to consumers…)
* Build impressive image (sponsor scholarship to students, organize
TV Cup …)
* Activities toward to the public planned due to time: small or large
scale to objects.

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PR PRINCIPLES
The formation of website has been changing basic principles of
traditional PR activities.
The principles of communication and contact with the public have been
changed step by step in the past 10 years, since website was used as a PR tool
to transmit press releases, information of new products Meanwhile, PR
officers who are familiar with old principles, slowly adapt to this change.
It is the time we need to care about PR principles of new era. To do
this, firstly we need to change our PR perception.
1.1.2.1 The traditional PR principles
Before website was built, PR officers worked through a public media
only. Hereafter are traditional rules of PR:
 The first reader of press release were editors or newspaper reporter.
 The PR officers must have important information before
approaching media to send out PR tool.
 PR tools such as articles, press releases must include quotes from

third parties, such as customers, analysts or expert.
* The only way for people to know about the company through
PR by PR officers is whether the media is accepted to post these
information, articles or not.
* The only way to evaluate the effectiveness of PR tool is based
on archives, article collection whenever the media “condescends”
information of the company that advertised by PR officers.

10

Nowadays, PR experts well-experienced in use of press releases to
approach directly and quickly to different customers. Most of marketing and
PR professionals understand PR impacts expressed over internet are instant.
Newspapers and television are no longer the only intermediate media. Buyer’s
directly access to information about the company.
It does not mean that media relations are no longer important. The press
and commercial release through mass media to become part of an overall
public relation strategy. For some companies, traditional PR still plays a
rather important role.
But the first reader of PR are no longer journalists, editors. PR readers
are millions of people who have internet connections and know how to use
online search tools.
1.1.2.2 New principles of PR
It is unnecessary to wait until important events are hold up to send new
press release. Let look for any valid reason to send them at all times.
Instead of targeting a number of journalists, let build PR strategies
directly towards to buyers.
Write press releases with many keywords to search online.
Build links to your website in PR tools to send potential customers.
Optimize press releases, PR articles so as to be the most suitable

with online search and browsing.
Direct people to sales process of the company through PR campaigns.
Directly access to buyers.

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To take maximum efficiency of online PR method, PR officers write
press releases, PR articles about anything that the company is implementing:
CEO presents in a conference.
Obtain award.
Give solution for an old issue.
Supplement features for products.
Have new customers.
Publicize a white book.
Think as a publisher
To execute a successful PR campaign, PR officers need to think like a
publisher. The marketing experts of the enterprises all realize that they now
are the providers of information and manage their information content as a
valuable asset like publishers.
One of the most important activities of publishers is to start from the
content and then focuses on design and construction plan on disseminating the
content. Publishers determine audience, targets, while building appropriate
contents to meet their needs.
Like a publisher, PR officers need to ask themselves questions such as:
Who is your audience? How to approach them? What are issues you can help
them solve? How to make readers willing to read your information? Which
content will be so attractive that they are willing to spend money to buy what
you offer?

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Finally, PR officers never wait for help of the media. If PR officers
write and send press releases, PR articles through website, i.e. PR officers
have directly approached to many customers.
1.1.2.3 New tendency of PR
In this era, internet with premium features has a large effect on roles
and implementation mode of PR. Hereafter is some new techniques which can
quickly become powerful tools to support PR activities in the near future.
In recent years, online marketing professionals recognize the
importance of position of products/businesses in rank over the internet which
is the most searched. In fact, a new industry called Search Engine
Optimization (SEO) was formed when technology professionals find that the
control of some certain aspects of website is able to build high ranking.
PR is an activity through which, the mass media will cover issues
related to product name, company name or name of a certain individual. The
goal of PR is to promote names of companies and individuals through media
without direct payment for such media. In general, many scripts are created
on newspapers, magazines or on television which often starts from suggestion
of PR officers (it is may be a book, a song, a movie, a consumable product ).
If the script is successful, reporter or editor will “followed” it to write
articles about the company, or at least can mention names in the field the
company operates in. In this way, the use of media can also affect reader's
perception of that company. Why? Because the mass media are often seen as
a “referee” with no bias in posting news, because opinions about and mention
to the company to the do not based on financial purpose (different from
advertising) rather than based on evaluation of the media.

13

When mentioning to SEO, the majority of marketers say that this is an

advertising way through search engines. In fact, there is a significant
difference. The major search engines like Google, MSN and Yahoo, or social
networks as Facebook, Twitter does not allow ranking sales. The ranking is
based on standards set by search engines.
However, like the person in charge of PR who influences on launching
news on traditional media, SEO experts can also affect results of search
program by using techniques so that website is suitable with changeable
standards of search engines (webpage optimization). From this view, SEO
does right things that a public relations specialist should do, that are to
become “arbitrator” - for search websites to set high rank.
RSS - A new method to deliver advertising messages - Another
important trend which is more prevalent today - is that PR professionals
disseminate information about their company or products through a
technology named RSS (Really Simple Syndication). This is a technology
which can help people easily to identify new content posted on website. With
the use of information generalization program (can be downloaded from
Internet or searching through search engine to track RSS feeds, such as
Feedster), those who care about content in a certain number of websites will
be notified immediately whenever a new content is posted, so there will not
be on those sites to search for new information.
Although, there are different versions of RSS, but the basic program
includes content providers such as news sites, corporate websites thereby
creating RSS documents that provide details of new content such as content
name, author information, descriptions and links to the full content. The

14

nature of this technology is to allow anyone linked to RSS can immediately
receive information about new content.
Many journalists and members of other mass media as the technology

consider it as a convenient method to access to information, especially when
they are keeping track of a certain branch and can monitor information
website. With suitable RSS subscribers, they get necessary information faster
than that they spend their own time to find information. Although this
technology offers significant benefits PR officers need to realize that the
media still tries to subscribe RSS sources. To let them do this, PR officers
need to use the classic skills of PR activities.
Monitor forum and control rumors.
Lastly, PR officers should closely monitor forum on website, where
information and paper flows are posted freely by anonymous authors, which
can cause risks for businesses. The immediate feedback of an incorrect
comment on these forums will help the company discard rumors before they
spread to the community. There are thousands of forums like this, so it is the
best option to select and supervise some forums under your industry through
the search engine. This tool can be: Board Reader or Lycos Discussion.
Besides, you also have another choice which is Google groups – a tool
allows customers to search selected information which is pushed up to Usenet
group - a long life online community on the Internet. Unlike other forums on
websites, readers can access Usenet group via Google, Bing or email. In
addition, with the emergence of information extraction services on Internet,
PR professionals can also monitor forums and send reports via email.

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With these functional tools used for PR, there is currently a product of
internet which is social network of Facebook, Twitter to bring and transfer
information to customers.
1.1.2.4 Specific characteristics of PR in training
It is 8 years since Express news, American announced the famous
remark of Mr. Lee Elliot, the head of PR in Alberta University; it seem that

the media and PR have become one of the leading concerns of modern
universities.
According to his view on the role of PR in Education "PR - not only
helps us attract more funds but also help us attract more students, talented
staff to study and work"
On the websites of universities around the world from prestigious
universities such as Harvard University to “average” universities as
Loughborough or even small universities in developing countries such as
Birzeit, Palestine, University all of them also have one or more department
specialized in advertising on their brand and images, hidden under different
names but with a common purpose: the public relationships center, Office of
Communications, Public Affairs Department
PHYLOSOPHY: UNIVERSITY – ENTERPRISE
Communications & PR is essential products of market mechanisms and
today almost modern universities have one or more departments in charge of
public relations. Thus, the hidden robe binding communications & PR with
universities is the philosophy: American universities - businesses. The leaders
of U.S universities right from the beginning have claimed that knowledge
cannot be stored in “ivory tower” forever; it shall be transferred to life as
much as possible. To do, it is necessary to take advantage of more and more

16

support and attention of the social community. Communications & PR
become more and more important when governments invest less and less in
science and university education.
“In the past, universities did not need to concern much about
expressing themselves. Currently the government does not steadily spending
money for colleges and universities as in 1960 - 1970. Times have been
changed and we cannot sit on the banks of river to see its flow forever”- Dr.

Ken Norrie, the Head of Faculty of Arts, Alberta University stated. Even,
even when the Government continues allocating fund for universities every
year, the university leaders cannot ignore the numerous benefits of association
with private enterprises. Communications & PR play a very important role in
achieving the successful cohesion.
Whether companies brave to invest money in university projects if
universities do not have an active plan on promoting such projects? Parents
will certainly like to send their children to a college which has a good
relationship with businesses and external companies. “What We Do?” is the
slogan of PR Department, Loughborough University (UK)? Leadership of this
university believes that “reputation: all staff and students say and do, all what
society thinks - is an essential part of our success”. Also in India, the
Association of Universities has established a Council of PR which always
helps and train PR staff at universities here. “Each university is doing PR by
their own way, but to exploit the full potential of higher education in India, it
is necessary to have a long-term strategy to uphold its full PR impact in
education”- Dr. Vishwanath Pandey, the Head of PR Department, Banaras
Hindu University, one of the founding members of the Council of PR
affirmed.

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… Currently in Vietnam
In the early 1990s, along with development of market economy, like
many businesses and other organizations at that time, Vietnam universities
began paying attention to their brands: Universities began to organize contest
of logo or printing calendar to send to students in Tet holiday with this logo,
or celebrations, ceremonies, tournaments not only are organized in
universities, they begin being widely announced in newspapers and on
television. But it is clear that it is still not enough to create a brand for

universities where their logos are too sketchy, same, only a page, torch or
some symbols on the field they train, while events are still mainly reported
uncreative on means of communication. In fact, universities still do not have a
brand positioning set including their logo, predominant color, standard forms
of envelopes, letterhead or slogan businesses have done (such as Viettel or
Coca Cola for example).
In this context, private or international universities which do not have
regular budgets of state are a pioneer in actively building communication &
PR strategy. Even though FPT University was newly formed, it has inherited
a lot from the parent company - FPT Corporation which is very active in
building its image and suitable PR strategies.
CHALLENGES…
The more and more complicated and diversified market is, the clearer
role of PR is and this certainly also results in requiring communication and
PR officers to be more and more creative and professional. However, human
resources for this sector are still severely lacking, even in the business in the
world. In Vietnam, this is still a relatively new field, fewer universities have
this major. There are some universities training this major but their lectures

18

are mainly from journalism, socialism factories (i.e. Department of Media &
External Affairs Culture of Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam established
2008).
Universities basically still carries typical characteristics of a non-profit
organization with numerous, diversified and complex customers. A student in
amphitheatre is a customer of the university, but when in life, contacting with
society, he (she) plays a role as “ambassador” advertising for the university –
a typical example of the complexity of the university that very few enterprises
encounter. However, one undeniable thing is in order to develop, minimize

negative impacts and, above all expects to bring knowledge from “ivory
tower” as fast as possible; these universities cannot care about the role of
media & PR. In order to do well, it is not only able to rely on efforts of
university leadership, PR department, but also involve in any member of these
universities.


7 groups of organizations/customers/main clients of universities
nowadays
1) Government: Although investment in education is an indispensable
task of any government in the world. But clearly, maintenance and
establishment of good relationships with members working in government,
Ministries or Industries will certainly cause more positive impacts for current
universities not only in term of finance but also in spirit.
2) Student: the free and best “ambassador” and a “PR officer” for
universities. Whole society will look at students to assess how universities
are.

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3) Lecturers, administrative professionals: both worker and “internal
customers” of that university. They can be divided “the special customer” into
3 types:
i) Type 1: Those who always concern protect and build images of
universities. They should be encouraged and supported in order to enlist their
enthusiasm to help build images of universities with society;
ii) Type 2: Those who ignore all things outside their job. These people
often have high commitment and always do their good job they are assigned,
but you should not put too much hope in them;
iii) Type 3: Those who are pessimistic on their future as well as the

future of the university. Leaders need to be careful with people like this.
4) Alumni: A great resource that many universities in the world have
forgotten or not fully exploited. None of any alumni does not want to come
back his old school to develop and become prosperous. American universities
have done well this job. And it is easy to understand why the off-budget
financial resources of American universities usually are plentiful and diverse.
It is a very large contribution from their alumni.
5) Enterprise and Community: The inevitable relationship between
universities - business has been and will demonstrate its superiority. This is
one of the most positive elements which may help knowledge soon escape
from “ivory tower”.
6) Public media: Taking advantage of the support of these “customers”
will bring many benefits to universities, especially in case of crisis.