Chapter 10-11 part I

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Conflict management dealing with issues, risks and crises.

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Strategic conflict management

Public relations professional must develop communication strategies and processes to influence the course of conflicts to the benefit of the organization and, when possible.

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The proactive phase

• Environmental scanning

• Issues tracking

• Issues management

• Crisis plan

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The proactive phase

• Environmental scanning

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The proactive phase

• Issues tracking

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The proactive phase

• Issues management

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THAI Reassures Passengers of Preventive Avian Flu Measures

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The proactive phase

• Crisis plan

THAI’s “The Most Hygienic in Cabin Environment” is a project that was initiated out of concern for public health in the passenger cabin and food safety, stressing the importance of public health and cleanliness, which all THAI employees hold as a important in their work practice.

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The proactive phase• Crisis plan

THAI introduced various preventive measures to guard against the spread of SARS that includes aviation measures such as spraying Ecotru 1453, thoroughly cleaning all in-cabin aircraft equipment or facilities at 36 touch points, inspection of aircraft air circulation systems, changing air filters prior to expiry, and more. 

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The proactive phase

• Crisis plan

THAI inspected hygiene levels in raw materials and production processes, so that passengers may remain confident in consumption of meals made from poultry that were produced by THAI Catering.

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The proactive phase Issue Management

• Issue identification

• Issue analysis

• Strategy option

• Action plan

• Evaluation

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Issue Management Issue identification

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Issue Management Issue analysis

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Issue Management Strategy option

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Issue Management Action plan

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Issue Management Evaluation

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Strategic phase

• Risk communication

• Conflict positioning

• Crisis management

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Strategic phase Risk Communications

• Begin early and initiate a dialogue with publics that might be affected.

• Actively solicit and identify people’s concerns.

• Recognize the public as a legitimate partner in the process.

Positioningmag 20/2/2005 19

Oichi greentea meets quality standard from Public health Ministry and (GMP : Good Manufacturing Practice

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Risk Communications

• Address issues of concern, even if they do not directly pertain to the project.

• Anticipate and prepare for hostility.

• Understand the needs of the news media.

• Always be honest, even when it hurts.

Bangkokpost September 19, 2006 23

Greenpeace: HP notebooks contain high levels of toxins

• Hewlett Packard (HP) notebook computers contain high levels of hazardous chemicals that pose a threat to human health and the environment, a study by

Greenpeace has revealed.

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• HP, meanwhile, argued that the company eliminated more than 95% of the toxic flame-retardant additives, which are used in the external case parts of its products, more than 10 years ago.

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• The company has also removed PVC from the computer parts, said the company's statement

released after the Greenpeace protest.

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• "However, HP will work with our suppliers to investigate the claim that the toxic substances are found in the notebooks purchased and tested by

Greenpeace," it said.

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The reactive phase

• Crisis communication

• Conflict resolution

• Litigation public relations

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The reactive phase Crisis Communications

• What is a crisis?

• A lack of crisis planning

• How to communicate during a crisis

• How various organizations respond to crises

• How some organizations have handled a crisis

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What is a crisis?

• Crises are forewarning situations that run the risk of escalating in intensity, falling under close media or government scrutiny, interfering with normal operations, jeopardizing organizational image and damaging a company’s bottom line.

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A lack of crisis planning?

• Microsoft, caught in a battle with the U.S. department of Justice and its competitors about monopolistic, received mostly unfavorable publicity throughout 1998 and 1999.

• McDonald’s got negative publicity when an 81-year-old woman won a multi-million-dollar lawsuit against the company because she suffered third-degree burns from a scalding cup of coffee.

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How to communicate during a crisis

• Put the public first.

• Take responsibility.

• Be honest.

• Never say. “No comment”

• Designate a single spokesperson.

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How to communicate during a crisis

• Set up a central information center.

• Provide a constant flow of information.

• Be familiar with media needs and deadlines.

• Be accessible.

• Monitor news coverage and telephone inquiries.

• Communicate with key publics.

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How various organizations responds to crises

• Attack the accuser

• Denial

• Excuse

• Justification

• Ingratiation

• Corrective action

• Full apology

The Nation September 19, 2006 37

• In a bid to prevent the outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease, Caretaker Public Health Minister Pinij Charusombat ordered relevant authorities to check the hygienic conditions of swimming pools frequented by children.

The Nation Jan 29, 2005 38

• A feisty customer’s bold stunt in smashing up her dream car is giving an auto giant a publicity nightmare. But it’s doing its best to contain the damage.

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• Honda Automobile Thailand Co Ltd (HATC) agreed to buy back the battered Honda CRV from Duenpen Silaket.

• According to the terms of an agreement mediated by the Office of Consumer Protection Board (OCPB), Duenpen will be given a full refund by Honda when she returns the vehicle.

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• Duenpen said that while she still had a soft spot for the Honda brand she would opt for a Toyota Fortuner with her refund.

• “We don’t want our customers to feel bad,” Honda said. “If they have any problems, they should feel free to come to us. We will take care of them. There’s no need to initiate legal action.”

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• Yet he called on other Honda car-owners not to damage their vehicles on purpose just because they were unhappy. “Please contact our service centres if you have a complaint.” he advised. “We will review the complaints on a case-by-case basis.”

• Industry Minister said carmakers in Thailand should be required to abide by the same standards as those in the United States. He stressed that recurrent complaints about flawed cars would jeopardise Thailand’s ambition to become the “Detroit of Asia”.

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Recovery phase

• Reputation management

• Image restoration

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Recovery phase The three foundations of reputation

• Economic performance

• Social responsiveness

• The ability to deliver valuable outcomes to stakeholders

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Police reveal a fake card slot and scanner, one of two devices attached to a Patong ATM by criminals to record unsuspecting customers’ bank card and pin number details. Photo courtesy of Kathu Police.

LEFT: The scanning devices included an extra keypad fitted over the original to record PIN numbers entered.RIGHT: The modified ATM looks very similar to the original. Photos courtesy of Kathu Police.

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The audience and how to reach it

• The nature of the public relations audience

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Senior and ethnic markets

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Ethnic groups

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Characteristics of the audience

• The public became increasingly visually oriented.

• Fervent support was generated or single issue.

• Heavy emphasis was placed on personality and celebrity.

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Characteristics of the audience

• Strong distrust of authority and suspicion of conspiracy arose.

• The international audience for public relations expanded swiftly.

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Matching audience and media

• Print media are the most effective for delivering

a message that requires absorption of details and contemplation by the receiver.

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Matching audience and media

• Television has the strongest emotional impact of all media.

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Matching audience and media

• Radio’s greatest advantages are flexibility and the ability to reach specific target audiences.

• The online media are usually used as a supplemental method of reaching a generally well-educated, relatively affluent audience interested in new ideas and fresh approaches.

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Media relations• They are busy.

• Editors pride themselves.

• Stories submitted by nonprofits are better received by editors.

• Able editors and competent public relations people respect each other.

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The print media

• Newspapers

– A commercial institution

– Organization of a newspaper

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Newspaper• Contain information that is newsworthy in that

newspaper’s circulation area

• Be addressed to the city editor if it is of general interest or the appropriate section editor if it contains special-interest material such as sports.

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Newspaper

• Be delivered to the newspaper well in advance of the desired publication date to provide time or processing.