In the
practice of International public relations research is very important activity
especially in issue management of which Issue management refers to as a strategic
proactive means to counter activist’s groups and influence public policy (Gaunt
&Ollenbourger, 1995)
Research
refers to; In general, scientific research is systematic process of data
collection, data analysis and data presentation
In the
practice of international public relations research can be done for two mainly
purposes;
ü
Contributing knowledge in the field of Public
Relations.
This
kind of research is referred to as the Basic Research and is mostly academic
and does not deal with practical problems. Hence, it is important that Public
Relations practitioners and scholars keep doing academic researches for the
purposes of expanding our understanding on these fields that we have chosen to
dwell in. Additionally, being new in our environment; organizations and
academic institutions, there is much to explore, learn and thus associate them
with our global environment.
ü Solving a real practical problem.
Unlike
the basic/academic research, this category of research is called Applied
Research for its findings are useful in designing programs to be implemented
for responding to a particular problem or opportunity. In that case, when it
comes to practices International public relations practitioners are subjected
into conducting applied researches for being able to design effective
communication programs.
According
to Gaunt &Ollenburger issue management refers to as a strategic, proactive
means to counter activist’s groups and influence public policy.
An
issue is generally looked at as a disagreement, unsettled matter, a conflict or
a difference over a matter of importance among people or between an
organization and some of its internal and external stakeholders (Cornellisen,
2010; Botha, et al., 2007).
It is
the gap between stakeholders’ expectations and corporate operations (Steyn
&Puth, 2005). It is a pressure or a remaining question over
matters that are part of organizational decision (ibid). Issues can be based on
any social, economic, cultural, political and economic spheres. For example,
consumers may not be satisfied with Internet services, employee’s concerns over
the low salaries or poor sanitary system at the university.
Issues
can become threats to the operations of the organizations but may also be the
opportunity for the organization to improve its operations especially in
offering more quality goods and services globally. However, when not managed or
worked on for a long period of time, issues may evolve and become crises
especially to the practice of public relations .
Types of issues
Current
issues, these are concerns that groups of stakeholders are debating at the
moment. They are the presently prevailing problems.
Emerging
issues, emerging issues are those situations which may take time before they
mature into full issues. Problems that have not been realized yet as problems
until a particular period of time passes.
Managing
issues, Issues management is that process of anticipating/monitoring situations
to identify issues, analyzing such identified issues, taking steps to resolve
the issues and then communicating about the steps taken to the target
stakeholders (Botha et al., 2007; Tench&Yeomans, 2006). In other words, in
issues management, international public relations practitioner conduct
researches for the purposes of identifying potential problems and taking
actions to solve such identified problems before they evolve and become crises.
SIRIKWA YASINTA THADEY
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