1. Issues Management: Best Practice
Approach for Effective Corporate PR
Bisi Olawuyi, PhD
Research and Strategy Unit
The Quadrant Company, Nigeria

3. “An issue ignored is crisis ensured.”
(Regester and Larkin, 2008)

4. Less action-
oriented and
more
anticipatory
Proactive
Issues
management
Needed after
public outrage
Reactive
Crisis
management

5. Issues Management: An Overview
Shifts in public values, rising expectations, demands for public
consultation and intrusive media present greater challenges
Handling of issues can mean the difference between a crisis out
of control and proactive solution—between profit and loss
Howard Chase coined the term, Issues Management in 1977 as
a corporate shift from information base to advocacy position
Important strategic factor in reputational and financial
performance

6. Issues Management: Conceptual Definition
Managing “corporate response to changes in operational environment” (Cutlip et
al. 1985).
“a gap between corporate practice and stakeholder expectation” (Regester and
Larkin, 2002)
“the process of identifying issues, analysing those issues, setting priorities,
selecting programme strategy options, implementing a programme of action and
evaluating effectiveness.” (Cutlip et al. 1985)

7. Issues Management: Conceptual
Definition (Cont)
Issues management is the
practice of working socio-
political issues for the advantage
of an organisation. Encompasses
lobbying and wider
communication tools of a
campaigner, but also focuses in
at the organisation itself to
understand what may need to
change internally as well as
seeking to influence the external
world (Simon Bryceson)

8. • Slow burn, with a potential
for crisis
• Things to watch that can
affect the industry
• There is still an opportunity
to influence and manage it
Issue
management
is
understood
and
interpreted
as follows:

9. Managing issues involves dealing with
change. Its ultimate goal is to shape public
policy to the benefit of the organisation
through:
Early identification of the potential impact of
the change
Organised activity based on sound
management principles and techniques, and
allowing time for analysis and creative
thinking to influence the evolution and,
ultimately, the outcome of that change

10. Issues Life Cycle
Emergence
• Identification of trends by expert
• Lines become drawn and conflict emerges
Dissemination
• Intense pressure
• Media coverage
Establishment
• Groups seek resolution
• Pressure on involvement of regulatory organs
Erosion
• Legislation and regulation
• Unconditional acceptance by organisation

11. Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4
Emergence Dissemination Establishment Erosion
The issue Spreads into is well known, its relevance
Is other areas becomes declines
generated generalised
Figure 1: The Issues Life Cycle

12. Functions of Issues Management
• Smart planning and operations
Critical changes in the public policy environment are integrated into
the strategic business plan and corporate management strategies
• Tough defence and smart offence
– Involvement of companies before issues solidify in order to
enhance successful campaign
• Getting the house in order
– Examining the requirements to achieve appropriate
commitments to matters of CSR
• Scouting the terrain
– The use of social scientific techniques to offer valuable
insights into the way issues can be identified, monitored
and analysed

13. • Makes it possible for organisations to shape
government policy on issues which affect
them, rather than just to adapt to policy
changes. The interactive corporation tries
to get a reasonably accurate agenda of
public issues that it should be concerned
with ...and develops constructive
approaches to these issues (Bucholz,
quoted in Grunig and Hunt, 1984, pg. 296)
Public Issues
Management

14. Issue Management Techniques
Lobbying
Direct attempts to
influence legislative and
regulatory decisions in
government
Public
Affairs
Specialised public
relations effort designed
to build and maintain
community and
government relations

15. Types of Lobbying
Defensive
designed to abolish or
amend an existing
law, or offensive, aimed
at pushing the
authorities to create a
law.
Offensive
aimed at pushing the
authorities to create a
law

16. Factors for Successful Lobbying
Access to decision makers
Background research
Good timing
Communication skills
Knowledge of government procedure
Public interest
Support of opinion leaders
Effective targeting
Favourable media coverage
Knowledge of government structure

17. Lobbying: A Caveat
Every hour
spent on
research and
monitoring is
worth ten on
lobbying
(Charles Miller).
The later a
campaign
begins, the
fewer choices
are open
(AlisonTheaker,)

18. Benefits of Effective Issues Management Techniques
Increase in market
share
Enhance
corporate
reputation
Save money
Build important
relationships
Protect business
continuity
Mitigate risk and
associated
regulatory impact

19. Pressure Groups and Issues
“Emotion has a place in
public policy debate but if it
becomes a substitute for
rational consideration, we
are in very deep trouble
indeed. The end does not
justify the means, even
where the end is the saving
of the world.”
(www.bryceson.com)

20. Best Practice Approach
• Two-communication to learn the consequences of what
they are doing on all of their relevant publics
Listening to all strategic
constituencies
• Two-way communication to tell the publics about the
organisation is doing about negative consequences
Talking with all strategic
constituencies
• Continuous effort at communicating with activists are
necessary to contend with their shifting stances
Continuous communication
with activists
• Acknowledgement of all constituent groups regardless of
size
Acknowledging the legitimacy
of all constituencies
• Engaging competent and skilful personsExpertise of the communicator
• Effectiveness measured more than in short-term gains or
losses
Evaluating effectiveness in the
long run
• Monitor environment and interact with dominant coalition
internally
Public relations in the
dominant coalition

21. TQC and IM: Raising the Game
Help clients to understand
the nature of an issue, the
actors involved and which
combination of politics /
media / pressure groups /
public opinion is the
critical driving force
Work with clients to
develop both business
strategies and
communications
strategies
Help the client reach
internal alignment
Work with the client team
on implementation

22. Case Study
• http://www.b-prod.be/hlc/2013/05/14/so-
long-and-thanks-for-all-the-fish/