ISSUE MANAGEMENT

Issue management

Gruing andGruing (1998) defined issue management as the systematic identification and action regarding public policy matters of the concerning to an organization. Issue management involves sevenprocess according to Gruing and Gruing which are issue monitoring, the identification of important issue, prioritize of the key issues, selection and analysis of key issues, decision on strategy, program implementation, program evaluation.

Also W. Howard Chase(1976), who defined issue management as the capacity to understand, mobilize, coordinate and direct all strategic and policy planning functions and all public affair or public relations skills, toward achievement of one objectives meaningful participation in creation of public policy that affect personal and institutional destiny. As Chase management process  model managing issues related to an organization in practices in practices of public relations in international level five steps must be followed including ,identifies issues with which the organization must be concerning, analyzes and delimits each issues with respect to its impact on constituent publics, display  the various strategic options available to the organization, implement an action program to communicate an organization views and influence perception on issues, evaluates its program in terms of organization goal.

Therefore research and issue management are important for public relation practitioner in the practice of public relations activities in international level.

Importance of Research in international public relations

L. Gruing, J. Gruing and Dozier (2002) Public relations practitioners through research can be able to identify best practices for public relations activities in international level related to crisis communication, issue management, environmental scanning, and media relations and then diffused those best practices to practitioners. Other has developed theoretical ideas such as symmetrical communication or a strategic managerial role. These best practices and theoretical ideas then can be used and evaluate in practice of the public relations in international level.

Importance of issue management in practice of international public relations

Instrument for obtain information

Bronn and Bronn (2002) featured issues management as essential instrument by which organizations can obtain information about emerging problems and opportunities in the environment  its occur. Therefore with issue management PROs use it as major instrument for identifies problems and opportunities likely to face an organization in relation to the practice of public relations in international level. Public relations practitioner focus on strategic business planning and being proactive.

It is important and strategic for organizations operating international level to rely on the functions of issue management

functions of issue management

Bardhan and Patwarhan(2004) public relations practitioners should consider functional issue management in practice of public relations in international level which includes strategic planning, environmental scanning and corporate social responsibility. Since issues management likely to affect an organization in next few years and developing awider and positive range of responses toward that future. Therefore in practice of public relations I international issue management helps PROs to be aware with issues like economy, technology and politics.

Crisis management

Regester and larkin (1997) said that issue management is important in image  or reputation management. Therefore issue management is important to public relations practitioner when its comes to dealing or managing image of an organization in international level. Image management initiated by organization to enable them to maintain public trust in the face of potential external threats or to take an advantage of emerging opportunities in global context.

Therefore for the effectiveness practice of public relations in international level public relations practitioner has to consider research and issue management as essential element in their public relations activities.

MADAUDA HANNAH