An issues-crisis perspective

Local, national, and global issues affect every aspect of our lives. Many of these issues not only affect people as individuals, but also the corporations for which people work, the governments we elect, and the multiple groups we belong to. Issues such as climate change, loss of habitat and animal species throughout the world, uprisings against governments in many countries, the global financial crisis, childhood obesity, natural disasters, changing mining practices, racial and religious prejudice, excessive alcohol consumption, and the use of child labour have influenced public policy globally. Shifts in public opinion on issues such as these influence how government and business respond, which means that people who feel strongly on an issue and are motivated to take action can quite often bring about change. Once in the public arena, an issue is typically discussed and debated in traditional and online media forums. Opinions are formed by individuals and groups of like-minded stakeholders joining together to discuss, debate, and engage with the issue. As advocacy groups and key publics affected by an issue attract more participants, the intensity of the debate and the profile of the issue are raised. Organisations that have a proactive public relations approach recognise the importance to their operational success of sound reputation and community standing, and value the strength of productive relationships with multiple publics and audiences. They also recognise the risks that unmanaged issues could present to these relationships and to their reputation. This chapter presents the view that issues management requires constant commitment from organisations and public relations practitioners to identify and understand issues, to monitor their growth, and to take action to minimise potential impacts on the organisation.