Crisis and Issues in Public Relations - Essay Example

Running Head: Crises and Issues in Public Relations Name Lecturer Date Crises and issues in public relations While in engaging in public relations, there are different crises and issues that are imminent at any time in the life of an organization. These crises and issues require to be handled with care for a successful transition through them otherwise their occurrence may mean an end to a firm or organization. In this paper is a discussion on the various characteristics of crises and issues. Furthermore, the increasingly persistent issue of gender will be discussed in detail. On top of that, the steps on how that issue has been handled will be put into consideration to demonstrate a practical example of how various issues can be handled in turn. A crisis is described as an event or a series of several events that can directly destroy the reputation of a facility by directly signifying or implying failure in ensuring safety for the public. Crises can arise from different occasions, which define their characteristics as Jacques (2007) observes. There are natural crises that arise from naturally occurring disasters. Some of these include things like earthquakes, floods, tsunamis and so on. Their happening cannot be stopped except their outcome can be dealt with (Natarajarathinam et al, 2009). Technological crises are another form of crises that arise from the various technologies that have been invented by humans. They can originate from the complexity of the operation of the technology or from breakdowns. Furthermore, these crises can result from carelessness in the operation of the technology or situations of poor operation that distort future expansion (Coombs, 2004). Confrontational crises are another form of crises that are witnessed from discontent of individuals, which pushes them to fight over government, businesses and so on. They can be strikes, boycotts, blockades et cetera. Malevolence or bad will is another form of crisis, which can arise from the use of criminal ways by a person or group in asserting themselves. There are also the misdeeds of organizations that can cause harm to members who may not have taken the necessary precautions before the actions were taken. Misdeed crises can manifest themselves in three ways, namely, deception, misconduct and distortion of the values of management. Deception presents itself when important information is concealed or misrepresented about the various products in a firm and dealings with individuals outside the firm (Coombs, 2007). Misconduct of management is amplified in the firm in the culpable ignorance of the values of a firm. Distortion of values of management arises when a firm focuses on the interests of a particular group like the stockholders at the expense of the customers, general community among others. There is also another crisis of workplace violence which occurs when members’ conduct towards others is harsh and violent. Rumours are another form of crisis, which surfaces when false information is relayed against the products, or the performance of an organization (Coombs, 2007). From the above classifications of crises, it can be ascertained that the characteristics occur within a defined area and they differ from each other depending on the underlying factors. James & Wooten (2005) have noted that the above types of crises can be sudden or smouldering. The sudden crises are unprecedented and cannot be controlled thus the organization cannot be held liable in any way. On the other hand, Smouldering crises are internal issues, mainly beginning from the negligence of the managers to gain a status of a crisis. James & Wooten (2005) have purported that the closure of many firms results largely from their overwhelming by smouldering crises. Crisis Management according to Lockwood (2005) is a set of guidelines that have been pre-set as ways of preparing to respond to any forms of crises like those mentioned above. In other words, any unknown threats are always approximately premeditated just in case they occur. Issues are the uprising and contemporary matters that may arise in a business. They affect the business both internally and externally. Issues will rise in the fight to gain profit in the business, as it is the core aim of a business. The managerial team will work to conquer all the risks that are vulnerable in order to attain the reward, which is the profit (Heath, 2009). It is henceforth a workload to institution’s board of directors to work and acquire the balance of both the risk and reward. Due to this, they may be in a position to draw any kinds of helpful advice from other successful marketers. They should also pay keen attention to the operations and their financial teams. Bosses require the big picture view to formulate workable and sufficient decisions and work hand in hand with the advisers to bring out the best result (Heath, 2002). Communication is one of the main issues to be put across in any kind of business. Information is required to keep the business running and in the best position. This is by learning their audiences, markets and the public (Fassin, 2009). It is important that they maintain a close link with their customers, as they are the consumers of the products. Their advisers should advise them on the efficient skills to convey their information to the public. However, challenges and tribulations may arise while trying to reach the public and it is up to the institution to appreciate the differences that may result from the audiences when the opposite result is achieved. They should also identify the right time to convey their message and the right people. This is a rather difficult step since a lot of research and questionnaires ought to be used in this method (Regester, 2009). They should also calculate and analyze the cost required in creating products and the methods required in the brand identity. Realizing the cost will help curb any future losses and will help create a better finance saving methodology (Weiss, 2008). . The issue of gender equality is one that has raised concerns all over the world with women wanting to be treated equally as men especially in senior positions. Approximately women form a half of the world population. In spite of this large number of women, only one in every five people in senior positions holds management roles. The reason for this limited number, it is claimed, is because child bearing as well as raising them holds most of them, and it can be hard for them to handle senior posts effectively (King 2012). It has been observed that stronger markets can only grow at a healthy rate if and only if women have been included in the senior positions, while its imbalance can hinder the prospects of business growth (McKinsey & Company, 2007). Gender equality is an issue of importance that can prove to be effective if well embraced all over the world. Despite the fact that many people have viewed it as a crisis in organization with women fighting for domination, it is actually not so if closer examination can be given to it. The consideration below proves exactly that it is an issue to be incorporated in the already existing organization structures and it needs to be implemented and not to be solved. A research by Simpson (2000) showed that while men doing MBA courses seek better pay and better jobs, women focus on self-development, personal change and the building of confidence. A confident person in performance will be expected to offer the most effective service according to the claim above. This positive drive exerted by women has made many people begin to consider women into the management realm and strategy. An example to this is witnessed especially where boards that are comprised of mixed genders are put together. They have proved to be more attentive to the oversight on risk as well as control as the Conference Board of Canada (2002) observed. Still a research by the University of Leeds indicated that was conducted indicated that the chances of a closure of business are lessened by 20 percent by one woman board member. Still, this lessened further with the addition of another single member (Wilson, 2009). Globally, women lead less than a tenth of businesses. 9 percent of businesses in the world have CEOs who are women. This however is not quite constant it sometimes goes up to 15 percent among the ASEAN countries and as low as 6 percent among the North Americans. The Asia and Pacific region apart from Japan along with Europe, women head 13 percent of businesses. This is slightly higher than the percentages of women in the Latin American countries including like the Nordic and the economies of BRIC that are nine percent. The one of the G7 is eight percent (King 2012). The country with the highest number of CEOs is Australia. At least 30 percent of women have been employed to lead business across the entire country as King (2007) informs. This compared to the global 34 percent of the total number of women who are employed in businesses as managers is a good percentage, which needs appraisal (King, 2007). In general, it is important to observe that the more the number of women is increased in a business, the better the performance. Bearing in mind the above conviction that balancing gender in any firm raises performance of a business, every business should at least seek to realize just in the prevalent competition around the world. There has been a tendency among people to handle issues in different ways, which is allowed because different issues surface under different contexts and circumstances. There are those who handle issues as objects and not as sources of pressure to inspire change. Handling issues as sources for change and development and not as specific objects is a good way to manage them better and satisfactorily. The issue of gender balance is therefore not a specific object but a sort of realization that has been introduced by different groups. Activists and the media have been in the forefront to bring the issue into the light. Whenever it is not recognized anywhere, there will always be pressure by these two groups such that the issues will be recognized. When a firm or organization waits for the media or activists to make issues, then if they do not make them, affecting any of them will be very uncertain and stagnation will be common outcome (An & Gower, 2007). Some countries in Europe have made proposals that a quota system of 40 percent has been introduced. These have been introduced as a way of addressing and implementing the issue of gender equality (King, 2012). It is one of the best ways as noted in Norway where women have indicated a big number in boards among other countries of the developed world as King (2012) observes. According to a report delivered during the Worlds Women’s day 2012, Spain passed a law in the year 2007, which obliged businesses that have 250 workers and more to maintain the number of women above the percentage of forty. This was to continue for six years for businesses that are listed as well as nine years for those that are not listed (King, 2012). Italy also following the line of Spain passed a resolution that required every listed company to comply and sanctions imposed in case of failure to do so. This was passed through Consob – the Italian Companies and Exchange Commission. The UK also called for a quarter of FTSE hundred boards are composed of women by the year 2015. The same suit was followed in Quebec where legislation was passed in 2006. The enterprises that were owned by the government consisted of 28 percent of women improved to 50 percent towards the end of the year 2011. Boards in Australia, since 2010, have been required to be indicating the women proportion. In addition, several appeals have been made to introduce a quota of 30 percent. South Africa also sought to realize this idea of quotas. In a Gender Equality Bill that had not been presented yet, top companies were to be required to be giving a fifty percent of the top positions to women (King, 2012). From the above discussion, quotas seem to be the issue of the day among different nations. It is thought that imposing the proposals to companies will make it an easy way of realizing gender equality issue. However, understanding the issue from another angle demands that gender balance be seen from the point of “good in itself.” This will require education as claimed by McKinsey & Company (2007) when they say education will be important because there are some fields in which women are wanting. Notably, management and engineering have very few numbers of women who can be incorporated into the gender balance plan. This makes it hard for the above quota system and it becomes unrealistic to some extend (McKinsey & Company, 2007). Career guide is therefore one of the things that should be checked before looking at how many women have studied in a particular course or profession. McKinsey & Company (2007) also suggest that other means of accessing other careers should be devised on top of educating people to do away with the bifurcated perception of jobs for men and those of women. Family models should also be looked differently because these days’ men are rarely viewed as the sole breadwinners. This is common among the young generation. Division of labour and responsibilities has acquired another form of understanding. The new understanding of freedom (McKinsey & Company, 2007) is nearly phasing the work that was specifically being seen as women’s and which barred them. With these two factors in mind, the steps that have been understood as the only way of issue management need to be redefined. There can be no way out without allowing them be shaped by the changing culture of the world. In conclusion, it is undemanding nevertheless sound to articulate that issues come a long way in management, but has a longer way to go. It declines to be an inert regulation. It has however continued to gain knowledge. It henceforth creates a centre of attention well informed and sagacious players who beyond doubt suppose that if it is not ruined it still can be enhanced. That play on an old saying is premeditated to advocate that natural in imprudent thoughts is the perception that we ought to persistently give the impression of being to its expansion and intensification. The essence of issues management is the intimidating comprehension that there always is a better way of finding, using, and responding to issues. The advantage of such thinking is organizational growth and enthusiasm. Each day should be devoted to looking for ways to improve the organization as its brand equity and issue positioning are the bases for its success. Realizing all that can be done will bring satisfaction to both the consumers and the managers of the institution. Jacques, T., 2007. Issue Management and Crisis Management: An Integrated, Non-linear, Relational Construct, Public relations review. 33(2), 147-157. Lockwood, N.R, (2005). Crisis Management in Todays Business Environment: HR’s Strategic Role. SHRM Research quarterly, web: May 18, 2013. James, E.H, & Wooten L.P, (2005). Leadership as (UN) usual: How to Display Competence in Times of Crisis. Organizational Dynamics. 34(2) 141-152. King, D, (2012). Women in Senior Management: Still Not Enough. Grant Thornton international business report 2012. 1-12. McKinsey & Company, 2007. Gender Diversity, a Corporate Performance Driver. Women Matter, 1- 23. Wilson, N, (2009). Women in the boardroom help companies to succeed. The times March 19, 2009. Conference Board of Canada, (2002). Not Just the Right thing...But the “Bright” Thing. Women on boards. May 2002, 1-17. Simpson, R. (2000). A voyage of discovery or a fast track to success: men, women and the MBA. Journal of Management Development 19(9) 764 - 782. Coombs, W.T. (2004). Impact of Past Crises on Current Crisis Communication: Insights from Situational Crisis Communication Theory. Journal of business communication, 41(3) 265-289. An, S.K, Gower, K.K. (2007). How do the News Media Frame Crises? A Content Analysis of Crisis News Coverage. Public Relations Review, 35(2009) 107-112. Natarajarathinam, M., Capar, I., & Narayanan, A. (2009). Managing Supply Chains in Times of Crisis: A Review of Literature and Insights. International journal of physical distribution and logistics management, 39(7) 535-573. the managers of the institution. Heath R.L. (2002). Issues Management Its Past, Present, and Future Journal of Public Affairs: An International Journal, 2(4) 32-39. Weiss, J. W. (2008). Business ethics: A stakeholder and issues management approach. Southwestern Pub. Regester, M., & Larkin, J. (2008). Risk issues and crisis management in public relations: A casebook of best practice. Kogan Page. Fassin, Y., & Van Rossem, A. (2009). Corporate governance in the debate on CSR and ethics: Sense making of social issues in management by authorities and CEOs. Corporate Governance: An International Review, 17(5), 573-593. Read More

Rumours are another form of crisis, which surfaces when false information is relayed against the products, or the performance of an organization (Coombs, 2007). From the above classifications of crises, it can be ascertained that the characteristics occur within a defined area and they differ from each other depending on the underlying factors. James & Wooten (2005) have noted that the above types of crises can be sudden or smouldering. The sudden crises are unprecedented and cannot be controlled thus the organization cannot be held liable in any way.

On the other hand, Smouldering crises are internal issues, mainly beginning from the negligence of the managers to gain a status of a crisis. James & Wooten (2005) have purported that the closure of many firms results largely from their overwhelming by smouldering crises. Crisis Management according to Lockwood (2005) is a set of guidelines that have been pre-set as ways of preparing to respond to any forms of crises like those mentioned above. In other words, any unknown threats are always approximately premeditated just in case they occur.

Issues are the uprising and contemporary matters that may arise in a business. They affect the business both internally and externally. Issues will rise in the fight to gain profit in the business, as it is the core aim of a business. The managerial team will work to conquer all the risks that are vulnerable in order to attain the reward, which is the profit (Heath, 2009). It is henceforth a workload to institution’s board of directors to work and acquire the balance of both the risk and reward.

Due to this, they may be in a position to draw any kinds of helpful advice from other successful marketers. They should also pay keen attention to the operations and their financial teams. Bosses require the big picture view to formulate workable and sufficient decisions and work hand in hand with the advisers to bring out the best result (Heath, 2002). Communication is one of the main issues to be put across in any kind of business. Information is required to keep the business running and in the best position.

This is by learning their audiences, markets and the public (Fassin, 2009). It is important that they maintain a close link with their customers, as they are the consumers of the products. Their advisers should advise them on the efficient skills to convey their information to the public. However, challenges and tribulations may arise while trying to reach the public and it is up to the institution to appreciate the differences that may result from the audiences when the opposite result is achieved.

They should also identify the right time to convey their message and the right people. This is a rather difficult step since a lot of research and questionnaires ought to be used in this method (Regester, 2009). They should also calculate and analyze the cost required in creating products and the methods required in the brand identity. Realizing the cost will help curb any future losses and will help create a better finance saving methodology (Weiss, 2008). . The issue of gender equality is one that has raised concerns all over the world with women wanting to be treated equally as men especially in senior positions.

Approximately women form a half of the world population. In spite of this large number of women, only one in every five people in senior positions holds management roles. The reason for this limited number, it is claimed, is because child bearing as well as raising them holds most of them, and it can be hard for them to handle senior posts effectively (King 2012). It has been observed that stronger markets can only grow at a healthy rate if and only if women have been included in the senior positions, while its imbalance can hinder the prospects of business growth (McKinsey & Company, 2007).

Gender equality is an issue of importance that can prove to be effective if well embraced all over the world. Despite the fact that many people have viewed it as a crisis in organization with women fighting for domination, it is actually not so if closer examination can be given to it.

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