Chapter 1: Outside-in Thinking:

-the principal shifts occuring in society that give rise to concern related to:

• safety&security
• environment
• gender/equality
• service quality/valie for money;
• institutional accountability
• empowerment;

-changes in these an other areas are birnging about a big increase in activism.

Consumer power and the rise of non-governmental order:

-an increasing number of consumers who take social, environmetal and ehtical issues into account when making purchasing decisions;
-they make decisions based on values;

-global companies are the main targets of these demands because of their visibility and their perceived ability to shape economies and politics for their own ends;

-charities, consumer groups and NGOs are building enourmous influence. Direct action campaigns clearly pose threats to reputation risk;

-NGOs have become increasingly sophisticated and powerful in tageting govermnet and businessesa at local, nationa and international levels.

-the boycott is one of the oldest and most effective -a threat that can haunt any company that fails to consider the ethical and environmetal consequences of its commercial activities;

-by refusing to debate issues in oublic a company may suffer significant reputational and commercial damage;

-The effect of these developments has been to shift the power of "voice" in formation of corporate reputations away from companies themselves and towards their stakeholders.

-A Problem has a wide contyext (eg.povery,human rights abuse,hunger,racial discriminatios)//An Issue tends to be more specific, and involves considering potential solutions: (eg.codes of practice to improve worker's right)

--companies should start montiring , the objective is to scan stakeholder attitudes in relation to emerging, current or linkage issues that mnay have the potential to impact on commercial or reputational objectives; and become familiar with the profile , personalties and working practices of activist groups;

-In the same way that an NGO will develop its campaign agenda, a company facing potential direct action from an NGO must analyse the problem and decide what kind of solution to work towards.

-Activists are fa more willing to enter into partnerships with businesss to achieve their objectives - a shift in mindset form "andti-business" towards a more goal-oriented approach that accepts that partnerships can deliver results is not a compromise of principles.

-Companies are seeking NGO advice on strategies for envir,social and supply chain mngt.
-NGO are among the most sophisticated and effective communicators backed up by greater trust from the public;

-Outside-in thinking is an essential prerequisite for achieving the tacit acceptance of society to continue to operate;

Dealing With Risk:

Risk is a measure of the adverse effect of an issue. It is about assessing and communicationg the possible hazards associated with a particular process relative to the safeguards and benefits which it offers.

-Risk assesment is essential when:

• a new risk emerges;
• the degree of existing risk changes
• a new perception of risk occurs

Handling the organizational response:

-focus appropriate reseourse on ealry identification and monitoring of information relevant to the emering issue and organized activity in response.

Advocacy Approach:

Step 1: a key point of conflit is established, generally presented in simple ters.
step 2: onece the issue has been identified as important/urgent it requires legitimacy
step 3: the issue now has a sharp focus and is backed up with scientific reserach.

Public Consuktation-building Dialogue into the communications process:

-public consultations is anincreasingly important facet of outside-in thinking . It is about buildingdialogue into the communications processs to minimize conflit and to acheve as much consensus as possible in balancing the scales..

The Rise of Precautionary Principle:

-A lasi of outside-in thinking by organizations has given rise to the precautionary principle. with potentially disastrous consequences for both business and society.
-Triple bottom line- the achevemnet of balance btw. commerical success, envir responcibility and social justice 0 the takes are becoming mush higher for companies in their dealings with the outside world.

-media coverage  that campaigns rather than reporst- to the extent taht the media was driving the issue to its own agenda.

-In the wider context of corporate responcibility, the precautionary principle is a gift to those camppaigning for greater restraints on business.

Summary:
-Companies- taking an active role in communicating about isses through adopting a more "inclusive" approach in the influencing and cosultation process, will prove to be an essential requirment.

-Outside-in thinking depends on the organization's ability to move away from one-way information flow towards an active dialogue with a wide range of stakeholder groups.