THINK Public Relations WilcoxCameronReberShin Ch 8 Managing Competition

THINK Public Relations Wilcox/Cameron/Reber/Shin

Ch 8: Managing Competition and Conflict (subject to minor editing)

Overview ● ● ● A new way of thinking: Conflict and competition The role of public relations in managing conflict It depends: Factors that affect conflict management The conflict management life cycle Managing the life cycle of a conflict

A New Way of Thinking: Conflict & Competition ● Public relations can be defined as the strategic management of competition and conflict. ○ Competition ○ Conflict

The Role of Public Relations in Managing Conflict ● Strategic conflict management ○ Conflict is inherent in public relations process. ○ PR professionals must develop communication strategies to manage the conflict.

What Do You Think? ● What are some real world examples of conflict management? Is conflict always bad for organizations? Why or why not?

It Depends: Factors that Affect Conflict Management ● Stance-driven approach in managing conflict and competition External and internal variables Stance Strategy

The Threat Appraisal Model ● PR professionals monitor for threats, assess those threats, arrive at a desirable stance for the organization, and then begin communications efforts from that stance. ○ Situational demands ○ Resources

Contingency Theory ● Contingency factors ○ A matrix of factors drive the stance. ● The contingency continuum ○ The stance is dynamic; It changes as events unfold.

The Conflict Management Life Cycle

Proactive Phase ● To prevent a conflict from arising ○ ○ Environmental scanning Issues tracking Issues management Crisis plan

Strategic Phase ● Emerging conflict is identified as needing action. ○ Risk communication ○ Conflict positioning strategies ○ Crisis management plan

Reactive Phase ● Must react when conflict reaches a critical level of impact ○ Crisis communication ○ Conflict resolution techniques ○ Litigation public relations

Recovery Phase ● Strategies employed aftermath to bolster or repair reputation ○ Reputation management ○ Image restoration strategies

Managing the Life Cycle of a Conflict ● Four systematic processes ○ ○ Issues management Strategic positioning and risk communication Crisis management Reputation management

Issues Management ● A proactive approach to ○ ○ ○ Predict problems Anticipate threats

Strategic Positioning and Risk Communication ● Strategic positioning ○ Communication efforts to position the organization favorably regarding competition and conflict ● Risk communication ○ An attempt to communicate risks to the public that impact health, safety, and the environment

Crisis Management ● Smoldering crises ○ A study by the Institute for Crisis Management found that 86% of business crises were “smoldering crises. ” ● How various organizations respond to crises ○ Coombs’ crisis communication strategies § § § § Attack the accuser Denial Excuse Justification Ingratiation Corrective action Full apology

Reputation Management ● The three foundations of reputation ○ Economic performance ○ Social responsiveness ○ The ability to deliver valuable outcomes to stakeholders ● Image restoration ○ ○ ○ Denial Evade responsibility Reduce offensiveness Corrective action Apology

Déjà Vu—All Over Again ● Conflict management is like déjà vu all over again by starting once again with tasks such as environmental scanning and issues tacking.

Limited resources, different value, advocacy and competition are all associated with ____ strategic conflict management

_______ is the first phase of the conflict management lifecycle. proactive

What strategy is taken in the recovery phase of strategic management of conflict? repairing relations and public image

What are some contingency factors that public relations professionals must take into account in managing a conflict with its public? external threats, top management characteristics, personality characteristics of public relations professionals, organizational-level variables

After carefully assessing a threat, the public relations professional may decide to do what? Such things as ignore a pressure group Or let an issue “die on the vine. ”

As a persuader, which factors are most important to remember when it comes to negotiation? See the reading

What is the basic principle of the contingency theory of conflict management in public relations? A number of factors influence public relations practice.

Managed correctly, the proactive phase of the conflict management life cycle can do what, regarding conflict? prevent a conflict from arising.

In dealing with the public in a conflict, public relations professionals should do what? recognize them as a legitimate partner in the process.

In issues management, if the company decides the emerging issue is potentially damaging, what is the next step? Create a strategic plan

_____ are defined as a “major occurrence with a potentially negative outcome affecting the organization, company, or industry, as well as its publics, products, services, or good names. ” Crises

Related to the example of the BP oil spill crisis, what was the biggest shortcoming in the company’s social media efforts? BP’s social media outreach did not gain enough attention to go viral.

What is the most accommodative response in an image restoration strategy? profuse apology

Coombs lists such things as attack the accuser, denial, excuse and justification as ____. crisis communication strategies

“Déjà vu all over again” … to public relations professionals in the life cycle of strategic conflict management … means essentially that: It is ongoing

Which of the following is True? 1. Risk communication is the first step in the proactive phase of conflict management. 2. The contingency theory of strategic conflict management considers public relations as a continuum process between an organization and its public. 3. In the reactive phase of conflict management, an organization should employ strategies either to bolster or repair its reputation in the eyes of key publics. 4. The first step of issues management is the analysis of issues after they have become crises. #2 The contingency theory…