Public Relations in Agricultural and Food Industries

44B0723

Bachelor

German

5.0

only winter term

1 semester

Public relations is becoming increasingly important in agriculture and the entire Agri-Food-Business sector as well as the retail business. Opinions and sentiments on topics such as animal husbandry, crop protection, and food safety not only influence agricultural policy but also impact marketing opportunities and other strategic questions for agricultural enterprises, food producers, and trading companies along the value chain. The aim of this module is to acquire a solid understanding of the economic significance of public relations in agricultural enterprises, food production, and the Agri-Food trade. Additionally, the module will address the specific challenges of organizational communication in the industry using media and communication theories, methods, and proven tools from practice.

1. Agricultural and food communication as a professional field,
2. Developments in agricultural communication,
3. Media and public relations,
4. Tools of public relations,
5. Risk communication,
6. Crisis communication,
7. Sustainability communication,
8. Financial communication,
9. Customer communication, change communication,
10. Project communication

The total workload for the module is 150 hours (see also "ECTS credit points and grading").

• Written examination or
• oral exam

The standard form of examination is the written examination (alternative form of examination may be chosen by the examiner and then announced at the beginning of the course)

written exam, 2 hours

Participation in the module "Grundlagen der Kommunikation" is recommended, as this course builds upon selected seminar content.

They can describe in detail the various instruments of public relations in the field of agricultural communication and characterize the features of successful sustainability communication in agriculture. Furthermore, they are capable of explaining complex concepts and connections in agricultural communication in an understandable manner and discussing various approaches and strategies in risk communication and sustainability communication. Moreover, they can illustrate the importance of sustainability communication for agricultural enterprises and integrate various communication instruments into a holistic communication approach for the agricultural sector. By applying these skills, they are able to showcase successful communication strategies in agriculture through case studies.

They are able to differentiate and describe various approaches and methods of crisis communication, project management communication, and change communication, as well as characterize the underlying principles. Furthermore, they can explain and elaborate on complex concepts and strategies in these areas, and discuss different approaches in crisis communication, project management communication, and change communication. Additionally, they can illustrate the importance of these communication forms for agricultural enterprises and integrate various communication tools into a holistic approach for the agricultural industry. By applying these skills, they are able to demonstrate successful communication strategies in the agricultural sector through concrete examples.

They analyze and evaluate professional and practice-relevant statements in various situations, critically reflecting on their epistemological correctness. By weighing and assessing different arguments, they can make informed judgments and substantiate their assessments through rational argumentation. They are capable of interpreting and interpreting complex issues by relating various perspectives to each other and critically questioning them. Additionally, they can compare and analyze different approaches to ultimately arrive at well-founded decisions. Through these abilities, they are able to critically reflect on their findings and continuously expand and deepen their knowledge base.
 
 
 
 

Students enrolled in the "Agricultural Communication" module are empowered to gather, critically evaluate, and interpret relevant information, particularly within the context of their study program. They are capable of deriving scientifically sound judgments and devising innovative solutions to application-oriented problems in agricultural communication that align with the current state of science. Through the execution of application-oriented projects, they can actively contribute to addressing complex challenges and collaborate effectively within a team. Additionally, they autonomously shape ongoing learning processes to continuously expand and deepen their knowledge and skills to successfully tackle future challenges in agricultural communication.

Moreover, practical application is facilitated through close collaboration with agricultural enterprises, associations, agricultural media, and influencers within the agricultural community. This allows students to gain direct insights into the practical implementation of their acquired knowledge and skills, strengthening their connection to the real-world work environment of agricultural communication.

The module enables students to gain deeper insights into various issues of agricultural communication and explore them on a scientific level. In doing so, they apply their acquired skills to identify and define specific research questions, such as those related to risk communication, sustainability communication, societal acceptance of agriculture, industry transformation, and communication regarding investment projects in agriculture.

Students are capable of explaining and justifying the operationalization of research in these specific areas. They select appropriate research methods and apply them to, for example, investigate the impact of communication strategies on risk perception in agriculture or evaluate the effectiveness of sustainability initiatives. They collect relevant data, analyze it critically, and interpret the results to draw well-founded conclusions.

Students present their research findings in a clear and understandable manner, elucidating complex relationships and engaging in discussions. By employing these research methods, students deepen their understanding of various aspects of agricultural communication and contribute to developing innovative solutions for the challenges facing the agricultural industry.

The module provides students with a variety of competencies that enable them to operate successfully in their professional environment and responsibly solve complex tasks.

Upon completion of the module, students can formulate technical and subject-related problem solutions in agricultural communication within their professional activities and justify them through theoretically and methodically sound argumentation in discourse with specialists and non-specialists. They are capable of reflecting on and considering different perspectives and interests of other stakeholders, particularly when dealing with contentious issues such as agricultural structural change, transformation of animal husbandry, smart farming technologies, and precision fermentation.

Furthermore, students master the ability to effectively communicate and cooperate with other specialists and non-specialists to collaboratively develop responsible solutions for agricultural communication tasks. They can convey their thoughts and ideas clearly and precisely, both in writing and orally, and actively engage in discussions.

The module is specifically designed to prepare students for professional activities in the diverse fields of agriculture and food industry, where communication skills play a central role.

Upon completion of the module, graduates are able to realistically assess and question their own communication competencies. They critically reflect on whether and to what extent they are capable, for example, of representing company positions externally and managing tensions between personal beliefs and the company's communication strategy. Additionally, they evaluate their ability to handle conflicts between industry, companies, and societal stakeholders constructively, and to develop viable solutions.

Furthermore, students develop a clear professional self-image aligned with the goals and standards of professional conduct in the agricultural and food industry sectors. They can leverage their own abilities to address communication challenges in the mentioned professional fields and act responsibly.

• Kussin, Matthias

• Kussin, Matthias