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Issues management and the use of technologies in public relations
Public Relations Review, 19(3):X-275 ISSX: 0363.8111
Shirley A. tiamsey
Copyright 0 1993 by JAI Press Inc. All rights ofrcproduction
in any form resewed.
Issues Management and the Use of Technologies in Public Relations ABSTRACT: A national survey of 200 public afI%rs practitioners100 of them active members of the Issues Management Association-was conducted. Results indicated that members of the Issues Management Association were more positively involved with two procedures-“environmental scanning for emerging issues” and “developing communication plans about the issues”-than were other public afIGs practitioners. Moreover, most respondents from both groups surveyed viewed future research techniques as important when using issues management. The findings also suggested respondents were highly likely to utilize advanced communication technologies to help them in issues management tasks. Findings show issues management growth toward professional status. Ramsey is an associate professor in the H. H. Herbert School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Oklahoma. Portions of this article were presented as a paper at the national conference of the Public Relations Society of America in Kansas
City in October 1992.
The concept of issues more than 10 years. Many have expressed however, little research has been done on the or of, issues management in corporations,
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management has been discussed for opinions about issues management; degree of awareness of, or acceptance of where these tasks are structured,
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whether in public relations or in public affairs departments. Ehling and Hesse, in a 1983 study of 120 members of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), reported respondents felt issues management was “a new kind of public relations activity that would give practitioners new status and structure in their organization’s managerial hierarchy” (p. 33). However, in Bailey’s study in the same year, of PRSA membership and of the Issues Management Association (IMA), respondents seemed to feel the topic had become important for both public relations and public affairs. When Breen (1989) once again surveyed the membership of IMA, she reported one-third of the respondents said their public affairs department was responsible for issues management, while 24.7 percent of them said public relations managed that responsibility. Thus, while public affairs historically has been viewed as the public relations arm of government, or as the corporate philanthropy arm of business, its function, in many cases, has seemingly evolved into an “issues management” type of function, and it may or may not be aligned with the organization’s public relations function; in some instances the management of issues is part of corporate strategic planning. Breen’s study showed public affairs as having the highest credibility for doing issues management. The term “issue management” originally was coined by Howard Chase and his associate Barrie Jones in 1977, and they concluded their process model combined “a management philosophy with an ongoing systems process to help executives identify, analyze and manage public policy issues in a populist society experiencing discontinuous change: (p. 21). Some critics were not satisfied with this definition, however, because it failed to provide a cornerstone of theory (Meng, 1987). Heath and Cousin0 define issues management as “a product of activism and the increasing intra- and inter- industry pressures by corporations to define and implement corporate social responsibility (CSR)as well as the debate in public about what the standard of CSR should be” (1990, 9-10). Hainsworth and Meng regard issues management as that organizational management function “which seeks to identify potential or emerging issues (legislative, regulatory, political, or social) that may impact the organization, and then mobilizes and coordinates organizational resources to strategically influence the development of those issues” (Hainsworth & Meng, 1988, p. 28). Owing to the lack of consensus on a definition of issues management, scholars and practitioners retain high interest in continuing to refine “issue-oriented communication” (Nelson, 1990). Chase and Jones, when introducing their process model of issues management, described an issue as “an unsettled matter which is ready for decision” (1979, p. 11). Another definition in the literature of issues management says “an issue may be defined as a point of conflict between an organization and one or more of its publics” (Ha&worth, 1990, p. 33). An emerging issue may also be defined as “a trend or condition, internal or external, that, if continued, would have a significant effect on how a company is operated over the period of its business plan. Business plans typically run from one to five years” (Moore, 1979, p. 43). James K. Brown defines an issue as “a condition or pressure, either internal or external to an organization, that, if it continues, will have a significant effect on the functioning of the organization or its future interests” (1981, p. 1). 262
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Ismes Managentent and the Use of Technologies in Public Relations
ISSUE
TYPES
Max Meng (1987) addresses issue types and issue publics. He lists six possible types of publics that make issues: associates, employee associations, the general public, government, media, and special or genera1 interest groups. He says these publics have varying influence on organizations. They may control the operation of an organization and may sometimes form external and internal coalitions to increase the potential influence of an issue. In other words, when issues are “ready for decision” (Chase & Jones, 1979), organizational response can be crucial. Mcng characterizes issues into several types. He recognizes that different types and characteristics of issues can help CEOs and public affairs/public relations practitioners understand the influence of issues which could affect an organization. These different types of issues are: demographics; economics; environmental; governmental; intcrnation~; public attitudes; resources; technological; and values and lifestyles. Richard Crable and Steven Vibbert say that an issue is created when human agents attach significance to a situation or perceive a problem (1985). William Renfro, president of Policy Analysis Company, Inc., emphasizes that emerging issues should be identified in four areas: (1) Social change-life styles, values, demography; (2) Technolo~-interns and external to industry; (3) Economic-both indicators and structure (4) Legislative/regulato~-internation~, national, regional, focal (1983). Rcnfro also states the entire process of issues management should include: (I) scanning for new issues; (2) research/definition/issue briefs; (3) evaluation/prioritizing; and (4) strategy development (1985). At Allstate, for example, issues management is explained as the process of “identifying emerging issues, p~o~tization, policy development, supporting program deveIopment, operational implementation, communication to the appropriate stakeholders, and evaluation of results to determine if further adjustments in policy and supporting programs are required” (Ewing, 1980, p, 14).
TECHNIQUES
IN ISSUES
~AGE~ENT
Some forecasting tools help speed up issues management development. They assist issues managers in analysis of the interrelated issues which may occur in the future. Some techniques and methods of futures research have been used in the field of issues management. Among these are the following: Trend ,cxtrapolution. This technique is based on the hypothesis that future trends will continue to happen in the same direction and rate of change as past trends unless there is a clear change. This tool involves doing some cause-effect analysis of trends through use of regression analysis. This is done by plotting a variable’s evolution up to the present with a solid line on a chart, and then extrapolating it with a dotted line into the future. Trend Impact Analyfis. This technique determines three variables about a trend: probability of occurrence, a time frame for the event and the impact on the longFall 1993
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term trend. The significance of interaction between specific new trends and previously identified trends is determined by computer software. There are three steps in anaIyzing a trend: first, a computer extrapolates a trend’s history; second, some experts list events which would impact the trend; third, impact judgements of the trend will be applied by the computer. Scan?zing. This technique involves using general or specialized publications to identify potential changes that could affect an institution in the finme. The scanners prepare brief abstracts of items of potential interest and give their personai comments on them. These abstracts are reviewed by a committee in the institution. The Delphi tecbniqtie. This is a method to structure expert opinion. A panel of decision-maker representatives are polled to gather feedback on predetermined topics. Topics are narrowed to those that are most likely to occur. In this technique the anonymity of participants can be important. The technique can avoid the influence of authority figures, interpersonal persuasion and bandwagon effects. Carefully designed questionnaires are needed for deriving participants’ opinions. Cross-impact analyst’s,This is done by assuming a trend will occur. The method makes use of a matrix to determine how an event would affect the probability and timing of other events. Ewing says this technique clarifies “underlying assumptions in forecasts, exposes errors and inconsistencies, and eventually contributes to the internal consistency of a set of forecasts” (1979). Computer simulation. This technique allows for use of mathematical models to make predictions. Different variables are introduced into the model and reactions or effects are recorded. In a very short time span a variety of forecasts can be made. Scenario writing. This tool attempts to describe a chronological history written into the future. Scenarios begin by asking “what would happen if came to pass.” Through this technique, any number of possible futures can be conceived. Organizations are permitted to plan for the most likely eventualities. Grunig and Hunt (1984) listed three examples of payoffs from issues management: Whirlpool Corporation’s early recognition of the significance of permanentpress fabrics; a major food processor’s anticipa~on of pubtic furor over red dye #2 and withdrawal of the additive from its product line; and Bank of America identifying credit discrimination against women as an issue and changing its credit policies. In many cases identification of emerging issues is based upon content analysis of identified important media, such as industry journals, publications devoted to issue analysis, legisiative documents, the mass media, and so forth. Priorities may then be set by an organizational issues management task force and strategies devised for dealing with the emergent issues. More and more these days, however, issues management is becoming a computer-driven profession. Janne O’Donnell, who manages Communications Research for the Oklahoma Gas and Electric Corporation, predicts that two types of computer sof%ware will become almost indispensable for managing issues in the future-one type is that which merges national with localized research data, the other type is that which merges primary with secondary research data.
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Management
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As an example of the latter, utility-based Edison Power and Research Corporation offers a computer program to its constituents called Classify and Pulse. This software permits utilization of national data collected annually by Edison Power and Research on a wide variety of utility-intensive issues, such as attitudes toward nuclear power, environmental concerns, and so forth, and permits merging of this data with localized data. In this way, national and local trends may be combined to produce industry-specific analyses of public opinion on a wide variety of industry issues. The Microvision program from Equifax Marketing Decisions Systems is offered as an example of the first type of advanced computer software. Here, as O’Donnell says, all 660,000 OG&E customers will be in a research file, which may be combined in various ways with the Equifax data file, updated every six months, that includes Simmons Reports, Census Data, media marketing research, and credit bureau data, and come up with consumer profiles down to the zip-plus-four codes, or, as O’Donnell says, “an around the cul-de-sac breakout” of about four families, roughly 20 persons, in terms of 56 profiles for demographic and psychographic reference points. Just one example: group 23 here is an Empty Nester, comprising roughly 4.9 percent of the national population, with various economic constraints and attitudes toward issues. O’Donnell’s theory for utilization of such computer-based issues systems is relevancy-based: she believes each customer/consumer does what they do for a reason-that their needs are very specific. She plans on tailoring bill inserts, for example, to clusters of local utilities users based on merged data from these programs. As she put it, “this takes the guesswork out of what issues need to be addressed to which constituents-why send an insert on child safety, for instance, to an Empty Nester? Not only might they suffer some dissonance by receiving such information, subtly affecting their attitude toward the sender, but they are a lot mot-c likely to be interested in reading information on how to improve the quality of their lives, thus positioning them positively toward the organization.” O’Donnell’s plan is to utilize advanced computer software not only to aid in target marketing of services, but also to help the organization address vital national and regional issues on an industry-specific level. Using advanced technologies in issues management programs will help speed up policy procedures. Ewing (1979, p. 18) concluded that “In this environment then, the desideratum for issues managers is to produce timely identifications of emerging issues and timely forecasts of their probable evolutions in order to permit their organizations to develop policy positions and supporting programs for timely intervention in the public policy process.”
ISSUES
MANAGEMENT
RESEARCH
In the Ehling and Hesse (1983) study, respondents’ awareness of issues management was that 58 percent reported “hearing” or “reading” something about issues management, while eighteen percent had “high awareness” of the topic, as compared with 40 percent who had “low awareness.” According to
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Ehling and Hesse’s findings, 47 percent of respondents reported they were not able to recall hearing or reading anything about “issues management” while 53 percent said they had been exposed to the information about “issues management.” Taking the whole sample into account, when the respondents were asked about their comprehension, 42 percent reported that they knew nothing about “issues management,” and 36 percent indicated they had little knowledge about it. About the adoption/utilization factor, 85 percent of respondents of the whole sample reported that no effort had been made by them or anyone else in their organization to apply the principles or perform any activity of “issues management.” Some utilization of “issues management” was regarded as a “limited and restricted type of activity, simplistic and informal in nature” (p. 31). Richard Bailey’s study (1983) indicated issues management had become a very important factor for the public relations and the public affairs professions. The study reported a strong opinion that issues management has sufficient merits to be taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels. In Bailey’s study, 43.3 percent of the sample indicated that their company or agency had been using issues management with varying degrees of sophistication. Forty-four respondents (26.8 percent) reported they were “not familiar with the term or concept of issues management.” Twenty-nine (17.7 percent) participants revealed that they did not use issues management in current practice but planned to adopt the procedure in the future. Adding the 44 respondents who reported they had no knowledge of issues management, a total of 86 participants (52.5 percent) did not use this procedure in their companies. A majority of Bailey’s sample (90.7 percent) regarded issues management as very important (61.1 percent) or important (24.6 percent) for the future of the public relations professionals. Debra Breen’s (1989) results showed that all respondents were personally involved with issues management. Ninety-four percent reported their department was at least “somewhat” involved in the process, and 93 percent reported their corporation was at least “somewhat” involved in issues management. Measurement of the departmental involvement in issues management activities revealed: 44 percent reported they monitored issues a lot; 38 percent reported that they prioritized issues a lot; 36 percent said that they had a lot of involvement in corporate planning for issues; 35 percent reported they had a lot ofinvolvement in communication planning for issues; only 14 percent revealed that they had a lot of involvement in evaluating issues management. Respondents predicted the responsibilities for issues management would shift away from public affairs and public relations to corporate strategic planning or other departments. The central problem the present study addressed is, to what extent have the concepts and procedures defining “issues management” been diffused throughout and to what extent does membership in the Issues public affairs departments, Management Association set these practitioners apart from other public affairs practitioners as issues management professionals. The Issues Management Association was established in 1982 as a formal diffusion mechanism to aid CEOs and public affairs/public relations practitioners understand the process and effects of issues
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management. Theoretically, a body of research developing around the characteristics of a professional helped identify five major characteristics: a set of professional values; membership in strong professional organizations; adherence to professional norms; an intellectual tradition and established bodv of knowledge; and technical skills through professional training (Wile&y et al., 1966): acquired
METHODOLOGY The present
study incorporated
the following
hypotheses:
Members of the Issues Management Association (IMA) will be more significantly involved with the procedures of issues management than public affairs practitioners. Members of IMA are more likely than public aflairs practitioners to believe futures research techniques function importantly in issues management. The more the members of IMA and public atEairs practitioners realize the importance of issues management functions, the more they are likely to use communication technologies to help with the functions.
The method utilized in this study was a mail survey. Items in this survey expanded on the current body of research by focusing on the theories, applications and activities of issues management. Its purpose was designed to describe both public affairs practitioners and issues management professionals and to explore their attitudes and perceptions concerning issues management. It was planned that analysis of the survey results would compare the experience of issues management professionals with the practice of public affairs practitioners and would also explore the possible relationships between the respondents’ current experience and their perceptions. This study involved two national surveys for measuring the use of issues management in corporations. For understanding the present experience that public relations people have, a population of public affairs practitioners was selected. This sample was chosen under the assumption that their jobs were more related to public policy, and that they would be more likely to favor issues management in their organizations. The population of public affairs practitioners was those listed in the 1991 National Directory of Corporate Public Affairs who worked for companies having corporate offices. Each corporation within the states was first assigned a number, beginning with 001 and continuing numerically to 691. The “Table of Random Numbers,” abridged from Handbook of Tables for Probability and Statistics, second edition, edited by William H. Beyer was used. Corporations were then chosen randomly by using the first three numbers in the table. The list began on page 534, column eight, section four, number one, which was 92144. Following this procedure, 100 corporations were chosen (n = 100) as the first sample group in the study. With the permission of the Issues Management Association in Washington, D. C., a sample of 100 members of this association (n = 100) was given a questionnaire.
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The objective of the present study required a population that was knowledgeable about issues management. Thus, to ensure a high Ievef of issues management knowledge, the membership of the Issues M~agem~nt Association became the source of this sample. The random selection process was adopted by Issues Management Association in order to protect the privacy of the directory. The selection process narrowed the sampling universe from 400 to 100 Issues Management Association members. The reason for selecting the sample population in this manner was to gauge any difference between public affairs practitioners overall and professionalism regarding use of issue management processes and procedures, which was believed should be demonstrated by belonging to a professional organization such as the Issues Management Association. The printed survey was sent on May 11, 1991 to 100 public affairs practitioners. On May 23, 1991, another 100 questionnaires were sent to members of the Issues Management Association. Before mailing the questionnaires, the sample units were carefully examined so that the two groups were mutually exclusive. The mailing included a copy of the six-page questionnaire, a personalized cover letter explaining the purpose of the research and the definition of issues management, and a postagepaid reply envelope. About two weeks after the first mailing, 200 follow-up questionnaires were sent to the sample. These questionn~res served as a reminder to those who had not yet responded. On September 2, the last completed survey was returned. Of the original mailing of200,21 surveys from both sample were returned as undeliverable or returned with empty envelopes. There also were 21 surveys in the public affairs practitioners sample answering their organizations didn’t involve issues m~agement programs. A total of 67 usable surveys (30 f?om the public affairs practitioner sample; 37 from the issues management professional sample) made a response rate of 33.5 percent. A Likert scale was used as a measuring device.
FINDINGS Differences between the two sample groups appear in Tables 1 and 2. As can be seen in Table 1, there were significant differences between the hvo groups in the following areas: environmental scanning, developing communications plans on issues, using systems management concepts, forecasting future trends, developing proactive programs, funding IM programs, participation of CEO in TM, and the belief that IM is a socially responsible response. As shown in Table 2 (A) the relationship between involvement in the issues management function and usage ofcommunication technologies in the public affairs practitioner group was statistically significant with all questions except question number four “Developing strategy plans for ~ticipating issues that impact the (p < .OOO) organization” (v = .1628, p < .204, n = 28). The highest correlation showed up in questions number one, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 11, 12 and 13.
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Issues Management and the Use of Technofqies in Public Relations
TABLE Differences between Questions
PA Group
(in brief)
1. Environmental issues
scanning
1
(N = 30) and IM Group
(N = 37)
Cbi Square
DF
Significance
for emerging 10.45360
3
.01508*
2. Issues research
6.16750
3
.I0374
3. Prioritizing
4.13019
3
.24774
1.94409
3
.58409
9.54847
3
.02282*
6.05597
3
.10892
4.
of issues
Developing impact
strategy
plans for issue’s
.5 . Developing about
communication the issues
6. Exfaluating
results
plans
of action
plans
7. Trend
extrapolation
3.11808
3
.37378
8. Trend
impact
5.07558
3
.16635
5.64722
3
.13009
1.61218
3
.65663
analysis
9. Scanning 10. The Delphi
technique
11. Cross-impact 12. Computer 13. Scenario
analysis simulation
writing
14. Other 15. Using systems internal issues
management
16. Scanning governmental rule-making activities 17. Preparing publics
for meeting
19. Developing
proactive
programs
PA effort
22. The best way to drive corporate
comm.
public 23. Managing the leverage
policy by utilizing
24. My organization
funds IM program
1.36977
3
.71264
.
.
.
12.20216
4
.01591*
4.76879
4
.311S5
6.07348
4
.19373
27.23258
4
.00002**
8.1281 I
2
.01718*
1.86004
3
.60196
4.77314
4
.31138
2.95929
4
.56466
8.15270
4
.08614
13.12175
4
.01070**
IM program to our carp.
4.08631
4
.39445
believes TM program our Corp.
8.87370
4
.06433
8.56405
4
a07297
25. My organization believes contributes meaningfully
Fall 1993
.25187
and
20. A new capability to enhance corporation’s self-defense
27. We conduct
.59486
3
with activist
fUture trends
26. My organization positively affects
3
to manage
legislative
1s. Forecasting
21. An important
1.89322 4.09040
1M workshop
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TABLE 1 (continued) between PA Group (N = 30) and IM Group
Differences Questions
Chi Square
(in brief)
(N = 37)
DF
Sihificance
28. My CEO is interested
in IM program
7.26249
4
.12265
29. My CEO participates
in IM program
13.18594
4
.01040**
6.09123
4
.I9244
4.32075
4
.36433
11.22231
4
.02418*
7.72305
4
.10227
30. My CEO
runs IM program
31. TM programs and business
are good
for society
32. IM is seen as part of corporate responsibility 33. IM is a new way to regulate
social business
34. IM strengthens competitiveness
my organization’s
35. PA practitioners
should
36. IM should
be a separate
37. The techs of futures the growth of IM
* = significant at p < .05;
These
variables
a mature
l
were
4
.20951
2.76910
3
.42861
department
4.45119
4
.34837
3.91790
4
.41723
9.00786
4
.06090
6.4412
4
.I6809
research
38. IM will be standardized in academic curricula 39. IM will become function
5.86436 use IM programs
will help
and included management
* = significant at p < .Ol
highly
correlated.
In this
group,
respondent
involvement
in
issues management was also related to his or her involvement in communication technologies. In the issues management professional group, the relationship between issues management and communication technologies is statistically significant with all questions except two items “Issues research” and “Prioritizing of issues.” The highest correlation (p < .OOO) showed only in questions numbered 11, 12, and 13. Compared with the public affairs practitioner group, members of IMA are slightly less likely to use all the communication technologies considered here. Table 3 records responses toward the future of issues management. Table 3 (A) shows that over half of the respondents (51 percent) of the public affairs practitioner group agreed with question 37 “The techniques of futures research will help the growth of issues management in my organization.” Thirty-four percent of these respondents agreed “issues management will be standardized and included in academic curricula around the country.” Forty-eight percent of these respondents believed issues management will become a mature management function. As shown in Table 3 (B), 16 respondents (43 percent) of the issues management group agree that futures research techniques will help the growth of issues manage270
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ment. Twenty-one respondents (57 percent) strongly agreed or agreed that issues nlanagement will become a mature m~ag~ment function. These findings indicate that issues managers have stronger beliefs that issues management will become a mature function in corporations. Public affairs practitioners tend to have stronger beliefs that issues management will be standardized in academic curriculum.
DISCUSSION This study found that there were different degrees of awareness, attitude, perception and usage in issues management concepts between the public affairs practitioners and members of the Issues Management Association. Of the hypotheses tested in this study, one was accepted (null rejected), and two were partially supported.
TABLE between Respondents’
Relationships Technologies
and the
Importance
2A Involvement
Public Affairs Practitioner Importance
of Issues
Management
Questions 1.
Importance
Function
N
(in brief)
Environmental scanning emerging issues
with ~mmuni~tion
of the Issues Management
Fur&on
Group
of Communication Y
Technologies
P
for 30
.6837
.ooo**
2.
Issues research
29
.3871
.019*
3.
Prioritizing
27
.5306
.002**
4.
Developing strategy plans for issue’s impact
28
.I629
.204
5.
Developing communication about the issues
27
.7365
6.
Evaluating
27
.6932
7.
Trend extrapolation
28
.7315
8.
Trend impact analysis
29
.5931
9.
Scanning
29
A373
.ooo** .ooo** .ooo** .ooo** .ooo**
The Delphi technique
28
.5865
.001**
10.
of issues
results of action plans
11.
Cross-impact
12.
Computer
13.
Scenario writing
l
analysis
simulation
= significant arp < .05;
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plans
l
* = significant
29
.8291
.ooo**
28
.7962
.ooo**
29
.9080
.ooo*+
at p < .01
271
TABLE Relationships between Respondents’ Technologies
Importance of Issues
Questions
N
(in briefJ
of issues
Developing strategy issue’s impact
results
r
P
34
.5341
.001**
34
.2712
.060
34
.2162
.llO
34
.4029
.009**
34
.3251
.030*
plans for
5. Developing communication about the issues 6. Evaluating
Technologies
for
2. Issues research 3. Prioritizing
Function
Professional Group
Importance of Communication
Function
1. Environmental scanning emerging issues
4.
Involvement with Communication
and the Importance of the Issues Management Issues Management
Management
2B
of action
plans plans
34
.5384
.001**
7. Trend
extrapolation
34
.5282
.001**
8. Trend
impact
34
5005
.001**
34
.3922
.011*
analysis
9. Scanning 10. The Delphi 11. Cross-impact 12. Computer 13. Scenario l
= significant
technique analysis simulation
writing at p < .05; ** = significant
34
.5119
.001**
34
.6384
.ooo**
34
.8489
.ooo**
34
.9224
.ooo**
at p < .01
The results found the issues managers had more involvement with environmental scanning than the public affairs practitioners. The issues managers also tended to develop more communication plans about the issues than the public affairs practitioners. Respondents were asked if they used computerized research techniques when they ran issues management programs in their organizations. The findings indicated no statistically significant difference between the sample groups. Most respondents viewed these research techniques as important techniques when they were using issues management. Only 30 percent of the public affairs practitioner group (n = 30) felt “cross-impact analysis” was not an important technique to issues management. Forty-one percent of this group believed “computer simulation” was unimportant, and 43 percent of this group regarded “scenario writing” as an unimportant tool. In contrast to public affairs practitioners, the issues managers (n = 37) felt “computer simulation” was the most unimportant technique to issues management. However, both the public affairs practitioner group and the issues management professional
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TABLE
3A
Attitude Toward the Future of Issues Management Public Affairs Practitioner Group
Mean
D
S
SA
A
N
3.5517
3 10%
12 41%
13 45%
0
1 4%
38. IM will be standardized & included in academic curricula
3.0000
3 10%
7 24%
11 38%
3 10%
5 18%
39.
3.1724
1 3%
13 45%
8 28%
4 14%
3 10%
Questions
(in brief)
37. The techs of futures will help the growth
TM will become management
research
IM
a mature
function
group tended to use more communication technologies to help their work in issues management. Statistically significant differences were found between the two sample groups in two important items. Issues managers’ organizations tended to provide more funding in issues management programs, and their CEOs had more participation in issues management programs. Most of the respondents did not conduct issues management workshops in their organizations. Their CEOs seldom ran issues management programs. More members of IMA than the public affairs practitioners believed carrying out issues management programs was part of corporate social responsibility. However, both sample groups have positive attitudes about the future of this concept. There was an important finding that suggests some of the public affairs practitioners still do not use issues management in their organizations. Twenty-one out of 100 of the public affairs practitioner group said they did not use issues management. It is possible that public affairs practitioners still are not highly involved or knowledgeable about issues management.
TABLE
3B
Attitude Toward the Future of Issues Management Issues Management
Questions
(in brief)
37. The techs of futures will help the growth
research
Professional Group
Mean
SA
3.52703
IM
A
N
D
2
14
5%
38%
15 41%
4 11%
2 5%
S
38. IM will be standardized & included in academic curricula
3.0541
0
11 30%
18 49%
7 19%
1 2%
IM will become a mature management function
3.4324
4 11%
17 46%
7 19%
9 24%
0
39.
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In the study, respondents either “strongly agree” or “agree” that issues management is a systems management concept that manages internal issues within the organization. The study also reveals that these two sample groups believe that the role of issues management is to scan governmental legislative and rule-making activities, to meet with activist publics, to forecast future trends, to develop proactive programs, to enhance corporation’s self-defense, to drive the best corporate communications, and to utilize issues-oriented advertising for managing public policy. The respondents also “strongly agree” or “agree” that using issues management programs is good for society and business. They believed issues management is seen as part of corporate social responsibility and issues management can strengthen their organization’s competitiveness. Although most of the respondents’ organizations did not conduct issues management workshops for their employees, the findings showed the organizations still believed issues management programs can contribute meaningfully to the health and the bottom line of the companies. Most of the respondents’ CEOs had interest in issues management programs. Only the respondents’ CEOs of the issues management professional group tended to participate in issues management programs. to The respondents tended to use more “Trend impact analysis” and “Scanning” help them analyze issues. They also followed the six procedures of issues management, “Environmental scanning,” “Issues research,” “Prioritizing of issues,” “Decommunication plans veloping strategy plans for anticipating issues, ” “Developing results of action plans,” when they managed about the issues,” and “Evaluating external or internal issues. In sum, from this study one may conclude there appears to be a growing move toward professional status among issues management practitioners: members of the Issues Management Association generally showed a strong desire to apply specialized skills and knowledge, to gain credibility and provide a valuable and essential service to society and their organizations, and to be recognized as holding special expertise in their field. Furthermore, advanced communications and computer-based technologies seem to be major factors in expanding the role, responsibility, and professional status of issues managers in modern organizations.
REFERENCES Bailey, R N. (1983). Issues management: A suwey of contempovavy practice. Unpublished thesis, University of Florida. Breen, D. A. (1989). Issues management and corporate public relations. Unpublished thesis, Cornell University. Chase, W. H. & Jones, B. L. (1979). “Managing Public Policy Issues.” Public Relations Review, 5(2): 3-23.
Ehling, W. P. & Hesse, M. (1983). “Use of ‘Issue Management’ Relations Review, 9(2): 18-35. Ewing, R P. (1979). “The Use of Futurist RelationsQuarterly, (3): 15-18.
274
Techniques
in Public Relations.” Public
in Issues Management.”
Public
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Ewing, R P. (1980). Issues Management: l? R. Comes of Age. New York: Public Relations Society of America, Counselors Academy. Grunig, J. E. & Hunt, T. (1984). Managing Public Relations. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Hainsworth, B. E. (1990). “The Distribution of Advantage and Disadvantages.” Public Relations Ret&w, 16( 1): 33-39. Define Issue Management.” Hainsworth, B. E. & Meng, M. (1988). “H ow Corporations Public Relations Review, 14(4): 18-30. Meng, M. B. (1987). Issues management theory. Unpublished thesis, Brigham Young University. Moore, R H. (1979). “Research by the Conference Board Sheds Light on Problems of Semantics.” Public Relations Journal, (November): 35,43+&6. Nelson, R A. (1990). “Bias Versus Fairness: The Social Utility of Issues Management.” Public Relations Review, 16( 1): 25-32. Wilensky (1966). In H. W. Vollmer & D. L. Mills (Eds.), Professionalization. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
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Shirley A. tiamsey
Copyright 0 1993 by JAI Press Inc. All rights ofrcproduction
in any form resewed.
Issues Management and the Use of Technologies in Public Relations ABSTRACT: A national survey of 200 public afI%rs practitioners100 of them active members of the Issues Management Association-was conducted. Results indicated that members of the Issues Management Association were more positively involved with two procedures-“environmental scanning for emerging issues” and “developing communication plans about the issues”-than were other public afIGs practitioners. Moreover, most respondents from both groups surveyed viewed future research techniques as important when using issues management. The findings also suggested respondents were highly likely to utilize advanced communication technologies to help them in issues management tasks. Findings show issues management growth toward professional status. Ramsey is an associate professor in the H. H. Herbert School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Oklahoma. Portions of this article were presented as a paper at the national conference of the Public Relations Society of America in Kansas
City in October 1992.
The concept of issues more than 10 years. Many have expressed however, little research has been done on the or of, issues management in corporations,
Fall 1993
management has been discussed for opinions about issues management; degree of awareness of, or acceptance of where these tasks are structured,
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whether in public relations or in public affairs departments. Ehling and Hesse, in a 1983 study of 120 members of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), reported respondents felt issues management was “a new kind of public relations activity that would give practitioners new status and structure in their organization’s managerial hierarchy” (p. 33). However, in Bailey’s study in the same year, of PRSA membership and of the Issues Management Association (IMA), respondents seemed to feel the topic had become important for both public relations and public affairs. When Breen (1989) once again surveyed the membership of IMA, she reported one-third of the respondents said their public affairs department was responsible for issues management, while 24.7 percent of them said public relations managed that responsibility. Thus, while public affairs historically has been viewed as the public relations arm of government, or as the corporate philanthropy arm of business, its function, in many cases, has seemingly evolved into an “issues management” type of function, and it may or may not be aligned with the organization’s public relations function; in some instances the management of issues is part of corporate strategic planning. Breen’s study showed public affairs as having the highest credibility for doing issues management. The term “issue management” originally was coined by Howard Chase and his associate Barrie Jones in 1977, and they concluded their process model combined “a management philosophy with an ongoing systems process to help executives identify, analyze and manage public policy issues in a populist society experiencing discontinuous change: (p. 21). Some critics were not satisfied with this definition, however, because it failed to provide a cornerstone of theory (Meng, 1987). Heath and Cousin0 define issues management as “a product of activism and the increasing intra- and inter- industry pressures by corporations to define and implement corporate social responsibility (CSR)as well as the debate in public about what the standard of CSR should be” (1990, 9-10). Hainsworth and Meng regard issues management as that organizational management function “which seeks to identify potential or emerging issues (legislative, regulatory, political, or social) that may impact the organization, and then mobilizes and coordinates organizational resources to strategically influence the development of those issues” (Hainsworth & Meng, 1988, p. 28). Owing to the lack of consensus on a definition of issues management, scholars and practitioners retain high interest in continuing to refine “issue-oriented communication” (Nelson, 1990). Chase and Jones, when introducing their process model of issues management, described an issue as “an unsettled matter which is ready for decision” (1979, p. 11). Another definition in the literature of issues management says “an issue may be defined as a point of conflict between an organization and one or more of its publics” (Ha&worth, 1990, p. 33). An emerging issue may also be defined as “a trend or condition, internal or external, that, if continued, would have a significant effect on how a company is operated over the period of its business plan. Business plans typically run from one to five years” (Moore, 1979, p. 43). James K. Brown defines an issue as “a condition or pressure, either internal or external to an organization, that, if it continues, will have a significant effect on the functioning of the organization or its future interests” (1981, p. 1). 262
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Ismes Managentent and the Use of Technologies in Public Relations
ISSUE
TYPES
Max Meng (1987) addresses issue types and issue publics. He lists six possible types of publics that make issues: associates, employee associations, the general public, government, media, and special or genera1 interest groups. He says these publics have varying influence on organizations. They may control the operation of an organization and may sometimes form external and internal coalitions to increase the potential influence of an issue. In other words, when issues are “ready for decision” (Chase & Jones, 1979), organizational response can be crucial. Mcng characterizes issues into several types. He recognizes that different types and characteristics of issues can help CEOs and public affairs/public relations practitioners understand the influence of issues which could affect an organization. These different types of issues are: demographics; economics; environmental; governmental; intcrnation~; public attitudes; resources; technological; and values and lifestyles. Richard Crable and Steven Vibbert say that an issue is created when human agents attach significance to a situation or perceive a problem (1985). William Renfro, president of Policy Analysis Company, Inc., emphasizes that emerging issues should be identified in four areas: (1) Social change-life styles, values, demography; (2) Technolo~-interns and external to industry; (3) Economic-both indicators and structure (4) Legislative/regulato~-internation~, national, regional, focal (1983). Rcnfro also states the entire process of issues management should include: (I) scanning for new issues; (2) research/definition/issue briefs; (3) evaluation/prioritizing; and (4) strategy development (1985). At Allstate, for example, issues management is explained as the process of “identifying emerging issues, p~o~tization, policy development, supporting program deveIopment, operational implementation, communication to the appropriate stakeholders, and evaluation of results to determine if further adjustments in policy and supporting programs are required” (Ewing, 1980, p, 14).
TECHNIQUES
IN ISSUES
~AGE~ENT
Some forecasting tools help speed up issues management development. They assist issues managers in analysis of the interrelated issues which may occur in the future. Some techniques and methods of futures research have been used in the field of issues management. Among these are the following: Trend ,cxtrapolution. This technique is based on the hypothesis that future trends will continue to happen in the same direction and rate of change as past trends unless there is a clear change. This tool involves doing some cause-effect analysis of trends through use of regression analysis. This is done by plotting a variable’s evolution up to the present with a solid line on a chart, and then extrapolating it with a dotted line into the future. Trend Impact Analyfis. This technique determines three variables about a trend: probability of occurrence, a time frame for the event and the impact on the longFall 1993
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term trend. The significance of interaction between specific new trends and previously identified trends is determined by computer software. There are three steps in anaIyzing a trend: first, a computer extrapolates a trend’s history; second, some experts list events which would impact the trend; third, impact judgements of the trend will be applied by the computer. Scan?zing. This technique involves using general or specialized publications to identify potential changes that could affect an institution in the finme. The scanners prepare brief abstracts of items of potential interest and give their personai comments on them. These abstracts are reviewed by a committee in the institution. The Delphi tecbniqtie. This is a method to structure expert opinion. A panel of decision-maker representatives are polled to gather feedback on predetermined topics. Topics are narrowed to those that are most likely to occur. In this technique the anonymity of participants can be important. The technique can avoid the influence of authority figures, interpersonal persuasion and bandwagon effects. Carefully designed questionnaires are needed for deriving participants’ opinions. Cross-impact analyst’s,This is done by assuming a trend will occur. The method makes use of a matrix to determine how an event would affect the probability and timing of other events. Ewing says this technique clarifies “underlying assumptions in forecasts, exposes errors and inconsistencies, and eventually contributes to the internal consistency of a set of forecasts” (1979). Computer simulation. This technique allows for use of mathematical models to make predictions. Different variables are introduced into the model and reactions or effects are recorded. In a very short time span a variety of forecasts can be made. Scenario writing. This tool attempts to describe a chronological history written into the future. Scenarios begin by asking “what would happen if came to pass.” Through this technique, any number of possible futures can be conceived. Organizations are permitted to plan for the most likely eventualities. Grunig and Hunt (1984) listed three examples of payoffs from issues management: Whirlpool Corporation’s early recognition of the significance of permanentpress fabrics; a major food processor’s anticipa~on of pubtic furor over red dye #2 and withdrawal of the additive from its product line; and Bank of America identifying credit discrimination against women as an issue and changing its credit policies. In many cases identification of emerging issues is based upon content analysis of identified important media, such as industry journals, publications devoted to issue analysis, legisiative documents, the mass media, and so forth. Priorities may then be set by an organizational issues management task force and strategies devised for dealing with the emergent issues. More and more these days, however, issues management is becoming a computer-driven profession. Janne O’Donnell, who manages Communications Research for the Oklahoma Gas and Electric Corporation, predicts that two types of computer sof%ware will become almost indispensable for managing issues in the future-one type is that which merges national with localized research data, the other type is that which merges primary with secondary research data.
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Imes
Management
and the Use of Technologies in Public Relations
As an example of the latter, utility-based Edison Power and Research Corporation offers a computer program to its constituents called Classify and Pulse. This software permits utilization of national data collected annually by Edison Power and Research on a wide variety of utility-intensive issues, such as attitudes toward nuclear power, environmental concerns, and so forth, and permits merging of this data with localized data. In this way, national and local trends may be combined to produce industry-specific analyses of public opinion on a wide variety of industry issues. The Microvision program from Equifax Marketing Decisions Systems is offered as an example of the first type of advanced computer software. Here, as O’Donnell says, all 660,000 OG&E customers will be in a research file, which may be combined in various ways with the Equifax data file, updated every six months, that includes Simmons Reports, Census Data, media marketing research, and credit bureau data, and come up with consumer profiles down to the zip-plus-four codes, or, as O’Donnell says, “an around the cul-de-sac breakout” of about four families, roughly 20 persons, in terms of 56 profiles for demographic and psychographic reference points. Just one example: group 23 here is an Empty Nester, comprising roughly 4.9 percent of the national population, with various economic constraints and attitudes toward issues. O’Donnell’s theory for utilization of such computer-based issues systems is relevancy-based: she believes each customer/consumer does what they do for a reason-that their needs are very specific. She plans on tailoring bill inserts, for example, to clusters of local utilities users based on merged data from these programs. As she put it, “this takes the guesswork out of what issues need to be addressed to which constituents-why send an insert on child safety, for instance, to an Empty Nester? Not only might they suffer some dissonance by receiving such information, subtly affecting their attitude toward the sender, but they are a lot mot-c likely to be interested in reading information on how to improve the quality of their lives, thus positioning them positively toward the organization.” O’Donnell’s plan is to utilize advanced computer software not only to aid in target marketing of services, but also to help the organization address vital national and regional issues on an industry-specific level. Using advanced technologies in issues management programs will help speed up policy procedures. Ewing (1979, p. 18) concluded that “In this environment then, the desideratum for issues managers is to produce timely identifications of emerging issues and timely forecasts of their probable evolutions in order to permit their organizations to develop policy positions and supporting programs for timely intervention in the public policy process.”
ISSUES
MANAGEMENT
RESEARCH
In the Ehling and Hesse (1983) study, respondents’ awareness of issues management was that 58 percent reported “hearing” or “reading” something about issues management, while eighteen percent had “high awareness” of the topic, as compared with 40 percent who had “low awareness.” According to
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Public Relations Review
Ehling and Hesse’s findings, 47 percent of respondents reported they were not able to recall hearing or reading anything about “issues management” while 53 percent said they had been exposed to the information about “issues management.” Taking the whole sample into account, when the respondents were asked about their comprehension, 42 percent reported that they knew nothing about “issues management,” and 36 percent indicated they had little knowledge about it. About the adoption/utilization factor, 85 percent of respondents of the whole sample reported that no effort had been made by them or anyone else in their organization to apply the principles or perform any activity of “issues management.” Some utilization of “issues management” was regarded as a “limited and restricted type of activity, simplistic and informal in nature” (p. 31). Richard Bailey’s study (1983) indicated issues management had become a very important factor for the public relations and the public affairs professions. The study reported a strong opinion that issues management has sufficient merits to be taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels. In Bailey’s study, 43.3 percent of the sample indicated that their company or agency had been using issues management with varying degrees of sophistication. Forty-four respondents (26.8 percent) reported they were “not familiar with the term or concept of issues management.” Twenty-nine (17.7 percent) participants revealed that they did not use issues management in current practice but planned to adopt the procedure in the future. Adding the 44 respondents who reported they had no knowledge of issues management, a total of 86 participants (52.5 percent) did not use this procedure in their companies. A majority of Bailey’s sample (90.7 percent) regarded issues management as very important (61.1 percent) or important (24.6 percent) for the future of the public relations professionals. Debra Breen’s (1989) results showed that all respondents were personally involved with issues management. Ninety-four percent reported their department was at least “somewhat” involved in the process, and 93 percent reported their corporation was at least “somewhat” involved in issues management. Measurement of the departmental involvement in issues management activities revealed: 44 percent reported they monitored issues a lot; 38 percent reported that they prioritized issues a lot; 36 percent said that they had a lot of involvement in corporate planning for issues; 35 percent reported they had a lot ofinvolvement in communication planning for issues; only 14 percent revealed that they had a lot of involvement in evaluating issues management. Respondents predicted the responsibilities for issues management would shift away from public affairs and public relations to corporate strategic planning or other departments. The central problem the present study addressed is, to what extent have the concepts and procedures defining “issues management” been diffused throughout and to what extent does membership in the Issues public affairs departments, Management Association set these practitioners apart from other public affairs practitioners as issues management professionals. The Issues Management Association was established in 1982 as a formal diffusion mechanism to aid CEOs and public affairs/public relations practitioners understand the process and effects of issues
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IrrrresManagement and the Use of Technologies in Public Relations
management. Theoretically, a body of research developing around the characteristics of a professional helped identify five major characteristics: a set of professional values; membership in strong professional organizations; adherence to professional norms; an intellectual tradition and established bodv of knowledge; and technical skills through professional training (Wile&y et al., 1966): acquired
METHODOLOGY The present
study incorporated
the following
hypotheses:
Members of the Issues Management Association (IMA) will be more significantly involved with the procedures of issues management than public affairs practitioners. Members of IMA are more likely than public aflairs practitioners to believe futures research techniques function importantly in issues management. The more the members of IMA and public atEairs practitioners realize the importance of issues management functions, the more they are likely to use communication technologies to help with the functions.
The method utilized in this study was a mail survey. Items in this survey expanded on the current body of research by focusing on the theories, applications and activities of issues management. Its purpose was designed to describe both public affairs practitioners and issues management professionals and to explore their attitudes and perceptions concerning issues management. It was planned that analysis of the survey results would compare the experience of issues management professionals with the practice of public affairs practitioners and would also explore the possible relationships between the respondents’ current experience and their perceptions. This study involved two national surveys for measuring the use of issues management in corporations. For understanding the present experience that public relations people have, a population of public affairs practitioners was selected. This sample was chosen under the assumption that their jobs were more related to public policy, and that they would be more likely to favor issues management in their organizations. The population of public affairs practitioners was those listed in the 1991 National Directory of Corporate Public Affairs who worked for companies having corporate offices. Each corporation within the states was first assigned a number, beginning with 001 and continuing numerically to 691. The “Table of Random Numbers,” abridged from Handbook of Tables for Probability and Statistics, second edition, edited by William H. Beyer was used. Corporations were then chosen randomly by using the first three numbers in the table. The list began on page 534, column eight, section four, number one, which was 92144. Following this procedure, 100 corporations were chosen (n = 100) as the first sample group in the study. With the permission of the Issues Management Association in Washington, D. C., a sample of 100 members of this association (n = 100) was given a questionnaire.
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Public Relations Review
The objective of the present study required a population that was knowledgeable about issues management. Thus, to ensure a high Ievef of issues management knowledge, the membership of the Issues M~agem~nt Association became the source of this sample. The random selection process was adopted by Issues Management Association in order to protect the privacy of the directory. The selection process narrowed the sampling universe from 400 to 100 Issues Management Association members. The reason for selecting the sample population in this manner was to gauge any difference between public affairs practitioners overall and professionalism regarding use of issue management processes and procedures, which was believed should be demonstrated by belonging to a professional organization such as the Issues Management Association. The printed survey was sent on May 11, 1991 to 100 public affairs practitioners. On May 23, 1991, another 100 questionnaires were sent to members of the Issues Management Association. Before mailing the questionnaires, the sample units were carefully examined so that the two groups were mutually exclusive. The mailing included a copy of the six-page questionnaire, a personalized cover letter explaining the purpose of the research and the definition of issues management, and a postagepaid reply envelope. About two weeks after the first mailing, 200 follow-up questionnaires were sent to the sample. These questionn~res served as a reminder to those who had not yet responded. On September 2, the last completed survey was returned. Of the original mailing of200,21 surveys from both sample were returned as undeliverable or returned with empty envelopes. There also were 21 surveys in the public affairs practitioners sample answering their organizations didn’t involve issues m~agement programs. A total of 67 usable surveys (30 f?om the public affairs practitioner sample; 37 from the issues management professional sample) made a response rate of 33.5 percent. A Likert scale was used as a measuring device.
FINDINGS Differences between the two sample groups appear in Tables 1 and 2. As can be seen in Table 1, there were significant differences between the hvo groups in the following areas: environmental scanning, developing communications plans on issues, using systems management concepts, forecasting future trends, developing proactive programs, funding IM programs, participation of CEO in TM, and the belief that IM is a socially responsible response. As shown in Table 2 (A) the relationship between involvement in the issues management function and usage ofcommunication technologies in the public affairs practitioner group was statistically significant with all questions except question number four “Developing strategy plans for ~ticipating issues that impact the (p < .OOO) organization” (v = .1628, p < .204, n = 28). The highest correlation showed up in questions number one, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 11, 12 and 13.
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Issues Management and the Use of Technofqies in Public Relations
TABLE Differences between Questions
PA Group
(in brief)
1. Environmental issues
scanning
1
(N = 30) and IM Group
(N = 37)
Cbi Square
DF
Significance
for emerging 10.45360
3
.01508*
2. Issues research
6.16750
3
.I0374
3. Prioritizing
4.13019
3
.24774
1.94409
3
.58409
9.54847
3
.02282*
6.05597
3
.10892
4.
of issues
Developing impact
strategy
plans for issue’s
.5 . Developing about
communication the issues
6. Exfaluating
results
plans
of action
plans
7. Trend
extrapolation
3.11808
3
.37378
8. Trend
impact
5.07558
3
.16635
5.64722
3
.13009
1.61218
3
.65663
analysis
9. Scanning 10. The Delphi
technique
11. Cross-impact 12. Computer 13. Scenario
analysis simulation
writing
14. Other 15. Using systems internal issues
management
16. Scanning governmental rule-making activities 17. Preparing publics
for meeting
19. Developing
proactive
programs
PA effort
22. The best way to drive corporate
comm.
public 23. Managing the leverage
policy by utilizing
24. My organization
funds IM program
1.36977
3
.71264
.
.
.
12.20216
4
.01591*
4.76879
4
.311S5
6.07348
4
.19373
27.23258
4
.00002**
8.1281 I
2
.01718*
1.86004
3
.60196
4.77314
4
.31138
2.95929
4
.56466
8.15270
4
.08614
13.12175
4
.01070**
IM program to our carp.
4.08631
4
.39445
believes TM program our Corp.
8.87370
4
.06433
8.56405
4
a07297
25. My organization believes contributes meaningfully
Fall 1993
.25187
and
20. A new capability to enhance corporation’s self-defense
27. We conduct
.59486
3
with activist
fUture trends
26. My organization positively affects
3
to manage
legislative
1s. Forecasting
21. An important
1.89322 4.09040
1M workshop
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Public Relations Review
TABLE 1 (continued) between PA Group (N = 30) and IM Group
Differences Questions
Chi Square
(in brief)
(N = 37)
DF
Sihificance
28. My CEO is interested
in IM program
7.26249
4
.12265
29. My CEO participates
in IM program
13.18594
4
.01040**
6.09123
4
.I9244
4.32075
4
.36433
11.22231
4
.02418*
7.72305
4
.10227
30. My CEO
runs IM program
31. TM programs and business
are good
for society
32. IM is seen as part of corporate responsibility 33. IM is a new way to regulate
social business
34. IM strengthens competitiveness
my organization’s
35. PA practitioners
should
36. IM should
be a separate
37. The techs of futures the growth of IM
* = significant at p < .05;
These
variables
a mature
l
were
4
.20951
2.76910
3
.42861
department
4.45119
4
.34837
3.91790
4
.41723
9.00786
4
.06090
6.4412
4
.I6809
research
38. IM will be standardized in academic curricula 39. IM will become function
5.86436 use IM programs
will help
and included management
* = significant at p < .Ol
highly
correlated.
In this
group,
respondent
involvement
in
issues management was also related to his or her involvement in communication technologies. In the issues management professional group, the relationship between issues management and communication technologies is statistically significant with all questions except two items “Issues research” and “Prioritizing of issues.” The highest correlation (p < .OOO) showed only in questions numbered 11, 12, and 13. Compared with the public affairs practitioner group, members of IMA are slightly less likely to use all the communication technologies considered here. Table 3 records responses toward the future of issues management. Table 3 (A) shows that over half of the respondents (51 percent) of the public affairs practitioner group agreed with question 37 “The techniques of futures research will help the growth of issues management in my organization.” Thirty-four percent of these respondents agreed “issues management will be standardized and included in academic curricula around the country.” Forty-eight percent of these respondents believed issues management will become a mature management function. As shown in Table 3 (B), 16 respondents (43 percent) of the issues management group agree that futures research techniques will help the growth of issues manage270
Vol. 19, No. 3
IssuesManagement
and the Use of Technologies in Publie Relations
ment. Twenty-one respondents (57 percent) strongly agreed or agreed that issues nlanagement will become a mature m~ag~ment function. These findings indicate that issues managers have stronger beliefs that issues management will become a mature function in corporations. Public affairs practitioners tend to have stronger beliefs that issues management will be standardized in academic curriculum.
DISCUSSION This study found that there were different degrees of awareness, attitude, perception and usage in issues management concepts between the public affairs practitioners and members of the Issues Management Association. Of the hypotheses tested in this study, one was accepted (null rejected), and two were partially supported.
TABLE between Respondents’
Relationships Technologies
and the
Importance
2A Involvement
Public Affairs Practitioner Importance
of Issues
Management
Questions 1.
Importance
Function
N
(in brief)
Environmental scanning emerging issues
with ~mmuni~tion
of the Issues Management
Fur&on
Group
of Communication Y
Technologies
P
for 30
.6837
.ooo**
2.
Issues research
29
.3871
.019*
3.
Prioritizing
27
.5306
.002**
4.
Developing strategy plans for issue’s impact
28
.I629
.204
5.
Developing communication about the issues
27
.7365
6.
Evaluating
27
.6932
7.
Trend extrapolation
28
.7315
8.
Trend impact analysis
29
.5931
9.
Scanning
29
A373
.ooo** .ooo** .ooo** .ooo** .ooo**
The Delphi technique
28
.5865
.001**
10.
of issues
results of action plans
11.
Cross-impact
12.
Computer
13.
Scenario writing
l
analysis
simulation
= significant arp < .05;
Fall 1993
plans
l
* = significant
29
.8291
.ooo**
28
.7962
.ooo**
29
.9080
.ooo*+
at p < .01
271
TABLE Relationships between Respondents’ Technologies
Importance of Issues
Questions
N
(in briefJ
of issues
Developing strategy issue’s impact
results
r
P
34
.5341
.001**
34
.2712
.060
34
.2162
.llO
34
.4029
.009**
34
.3251
.030*
plans for
5. Developing communication about the issues 6. Evaluating
Technologies
for
2. Issues research 3. Prioritizing
Function
Professional Group
Importance of Communication
Function
1. Environmental scanning emerging issues
4.
Involvement with Communication
and the Importance of the Issues Management Issues Management
Management
2B
of action
plans plans
34
.5384
.001**
7. Trend
extrapolation
34
.5282
.001**
8. Trend
impact
34
5005
.001**
34
.3922
.011*
analysis
9. Scanning 10. The Delphi 11. Cross-impact 12. Computer 13. Scenario l
= significant
technique analysis simulation
writing at p < .05; ** = significant
34
.5119
.001**
34
.6384
.ooo**
34
.8489
.ooo**
34
.9224
.ooo**
at p < .01
The results found the issues managers had more involvement with environmental scanning than the public affairs practitioners. The issues managers also tended to develop more communication plans about the issues than the public affairs practitioners. Respondents were asked if they used computerized research techniques when they ran issues management programs in their organizations. The findings indicated no statistically significant difference between the sample groups. Most respondents viewed these research techniques as important techniques when they were using issues management. Only 30 percent of the public affairs practitioner group (n = 30) felt “cross-impact analysis” was not an important technique to issues management. Forty-one percent of this group believed “computer simulation” was unimportant, and 43 percent of this group regarded “scenario writing” as an unimportant tool. In contrast to public affairs practitioners, the issues managers (n = 37) felt “computer simulation” was the most unimportant technique to issues management. However, both the public affairs practitioner group and the issues management professional
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TABLE
3A
Attitude Toward the Future of Issues Management Public Affairs Practitioner Group
Mean
D
S
SA
A
N
3.5517
3 10%
12 41%
13 45%
0
1 4%
38. IM will be standardized & included in academic curricula
3.0000
3 10%
7 24%
11 38%
3 10%
5 18%
39.
3.1724
1 3%
13 45%
8 28%
4 14%
3 10%
Questions
(in brief)
37. The techs of futures will help the growth
TM will become management
research
IM
a mature
function
group tended to use more communication technologies to help their work in issues management. Statistically significant differences were found between the two sample groups in two important items. Issues managers’ organizations tended to provide more funding in issues management programs, and their CEOs had more participation in issues management programs. Most of the respondents did not conduct issues management workshops in their organizations. Their CEOs seldom ran issues management programs. More members of IMA than the public affairs practitioners believed carrying out issues management programs was part of corporate social responsibility. However, both sample groups have positive attitudes about the future of this concept. There was an important finding that suggests some of the public affairs practitioners still do not use issues management in their organizations. Twenty-one out of 100 of the public affairs practitioner group said they did not use issues management. It is possible that public affairs practitioners still are not highly involved or knowledgeable about issues management.
TABLE
3B
Attitude Toward the Future of Issues Management Issues Management
Questions
(in brief)
37. The techs of futures will help the growth
research
Professional Group
Mean
SA
3.52703
IM
A
N
D
2
14
5%
38%
15 41%
4 11%
2 5%
S
38. IM will be standardized & included in academic curricula
3.0541
0
11 30%
18 49%
7 19%
1 2%
IM will become a mature management function
3.4324
4 11%
17 46%
7 19%
9 24%
0
39.
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In the study, respondents either “strongly agree” or “agree” that issues management is a systems management concept that manages internal issues within the organization. The study also reveals that these two sample groups believe that the role of issues management is to scan governmental legislative and rule-making activities, to meet with activist publics, to forecast future trends, to develop proactive programs, to enhance corporation’s self-defense, to drive the best corporate communications, and to utilize issues-oriented advertising for managing public policy. The respondents also “strongly agree” or “agree” that using issues management programs is good for society and business. They believed issues management is seen as part of corporate social responsibility and issues management can strengthen their organization’s competitiveness. Although most of the respondents’ organizations did not conduct issues management workshops for their employees, the findings showed the organizations still believed issues management programs can contribute meaningfully to the health and the bottom line of the companies. Most of the respondents’ CEOs had interest in issues management programs. Only the respondents’ CEOs of the issues management professional group tended to participate in issues management programs. to The respondents tended to use more “Trend impact analysis” and “Scanning” help them analyze issues. They also followed the six procedures of issues management, “Environmental scanning,” “Issues research,” “Prioritizing of issues,” “Decommunication plans veloping strategy plans for anticipating issues, ” “Developing results of action plans,” when they managed about the issues,” and “Evaluating external or internal issues. In sum, from this study one may conclude there appears to be a growing move toward professional status among issues management practitioners: members of the Issues Management Association generally showed a strong desire to apply specialized skills and knowledge, to gain credibility and provide a valuable and essential service to society and their organizations, and to be recognized as holding special expertise in their field. Furthermore, advanced communications and computer-based technologies seem to be major factors in expanding the role, responsibility, and professional status of issues managers in modern organizations.
REFERENCES Bailey, R N. (1983). Issues management: A suwey of contempovavy practice. Unpublished thesis, University of Florida. Breen, D. A. (1989). Issues management and corporate public relations. Unpublished thesis, Cornell University. Chase, W. H. & Jones, B. L. (1979). “Managing Public Policy Issues.” Public Relations Review, 5(2): 3-23.
Ehling, W. P. & Hesse, M. (1983). “Use of ‘Issue Management’ Relations Review, 9(2): 18-35. Ewing, R P. (1979). “The Use of Futurist RelationsQuarterly, (3): 15-18.
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in Issues Management.”
Public
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Ewing, R P. (1980). Issues Management: l? R. Comes of Age. New York: Public Relations Society of America, Counselors Academy. Grunig, J. E. & Hunt, T. (1984). Managing Public Relations. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Hainsworth, B. E. (1990). “The Distribution of Advantage and Disadvantages.” Public Relations Ret&w, 16( 1): 33-39. Define Issue Management.” Hainsworth, B. E. & Meng, M. (1988). “H ow Corporations Public Relations Review, 14(4): 18-30. Meng, M. B. (1987). Issues management theory. Unpublished thesis, Brigham Young University. Moore, R H. (1979). “Research by the Conference Board Sheds Light on Problems of Semantics.” Public Relations Journal, (November): 35,43+&6. Nelson, R A. (1990). “Bias Versus Fairness: The Social Utility of Issues Management.” Public Relations Review, 16( 1): 25-32. Wilensky (1966). In H. W. Vollmer & D. L. Mills (Eds.), Professionalization. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
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