How familiar does a publicist need to be to do their job effectively?

Very familiar. It's the publicists job to make their client or company look good, with knowing past discrepancies of their client, they must do everything to keep up their client's image, as well as handling all their affairs in regards to, well, publicity, and getting their client known.  

answer; (1) blank; decreases; ///blank(2) increases; ///blank(3)increases;

answer; ///(d); determining who competes most closely   with whom evaluating whether industry driving forces and competitive pressure favor some strategic groups and hurt others, and ascertaining whether the profit potential of different strategic groups varies due to the strengths and weaknesses in each groups respective market positions;