Chapter 3:Planning an issue mngt programme-an issue mngt model

-Meng identifies 6 possible groups or publics that make issues:

1. associates
2. employee associations
3. the general public
4. government
5. media
6. special or general interest groups

Meng characterizes issues intoo several types:

• demographic
• economic
• envir
• governmental
• international
• public attitudes
• resources
• technological
• values and lifestyles

-An issue originates as an idea that has potential impact on some organization or public and may result in action that brings about increased awareness and/or reaction on the part of other organizations or publics.

-In a model developed by Hainsworth and meng this process can be described as a cycle made up of four stages:

1. origin
2. madiation and amplification
3. organization
4. resolution

-At each stage of evolution, pressure mounts on the organization to respond because of the increasing emportance of the issue.

-An issue can fail at any point in the process for any number of reasons, but issues that continue to mature appear to consistently evelve from one stage to the next.

Issue Lifecycle:

Stage 1:-Origin :Potential issue

-An issue arises when an org. or group attaches significance to a perceived problem that is a consequence of a developing political/regulatory, economic or social trend.

-An issue begins to gain definition when an organization or group plans to do smth that has a consequence for another org. or group.

-What we see in the early poterntial stage is a defined condition or event, which has the potential to develop into smth of importance.
-The types of issues which exist in this phase, however, have not yet captured significant expert or public attention, although some specialists will begin to be aware of the.

-Issues that make it past stage 1are alive, have a momentum of their own, and are capable of being modified as they move towards resolution.

Stage 2- Mediation &Amplification ;Emerging Issue

-as groups emerge an lines bevome drawn,  a process of mediation and amplification among other individuals and groups who may have a similar viewpoint and may be expected to react in a similar way; -This takes place within the relevant specialist media of interest groups, industries, professions, and others with comparable opinions, values and concerns.
(As momentum builds within the mass media, the issue becomes amplified into a publi issue that may become part of the public policy process)

-The emerging issue stage, indicates a gradual increase in the level of pressure on the organization to accept the issue.

- At this stage the issue's development is still relatively easy for the org. to intervene and play a proactive role in the preventing or exploiting the evolution of the issue. (however, it is often difficult to determine teh urgency pf teh issue for mngt.)

-A dominant factor in the development of the issue in this phase is media coverage. Freuqnet editiorial,initially specialist/trade and then borader general/business begins..

-usually those involved try to attract the attention of the media as a means of progressing the issue. Sporadic in the beginning , this coverage will eventually become regular and is a critical factor to be considered in the advancement of the issue.

-meidation is criticall and has the effect of accepting the full development of the issue.

Stage 3- Organization : Current and Crisis Issue:

-mediation brings varying degrees of organization..positions solidify...
-Groups begin to seek a resolution to the conflict that is either acceptable to their best interests or at least minimizes petential damage.

-in turn increased public attanion motivates influential leaders to become a part of the emerging conflict and pressure mounts on institutional bodies to seek a resolution to the conflict.

-In the current phase, the issue has matured and is displaying its full potential upon those invloved. It becomes very difficult to affect the issue as it has now become enduring , pervasive  and increased in its intensity.
-the different parties involved recognize itsl full importance and in response, place pressure on regulatory institutions to become involved.

-In no time the issue becomes form current to crisis status toreach a formal institution sucj as a regulatory authority which has power to intervene and impose constraints on the org or industry as a way to resolve the situation.

Stage 4- Resolution:Dormant Issue

-Once issue receive the attention of public officials and enter the policy process, either through changes to legislation and regulatio, efforts to resolve the conflict become protracted and costly, as illustrated by the tobacco industry.

-So once the issue has run the full course of its life-cycle, it will reach a height of pressure that forces the organization to accept it unconditionally. (eg. The prevasiveness of anti-smiking regulations in the US)

The Importance of Early Action:

--The principal goal of issue indetification is to place intial priorities on emergin issues.
-They can be classified by type (social, economi, politicsl, technological) responce source (industry, corp, department) geography span of control and salience (immediacy, prominenece).

-N.B. the longe the issue survives , the fewer choices are available and the more it costs.

Summary:
-Effective issues mngt. response is based on 2 key pronciples:
1.early identification
2. organizaed respose to influence the public policy process.
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-Issues Mngt. is proactive, anticipatory and planned process designed to influence the development of an issue before it evolves to a stage which requires crisi mngt.
-Early action also allows for flexible and creative thinking"outside the bow".

-The advocacy participation in the public policy process is central to issue mngt,