Managing issues in a new media environment

I gave a lecture on this topic at the University of Sydney yesterday afternoon. Sydney is apparently the only university in Australia which offers a subject on issues management, which I find strange, so it is good that they are encouraging people to think about new techniques and technologies like word of mouth, blogging, social networking and so on.

Here are my five takeout points:

• Think networks not audiences
• Focus on information flows, not 'news'
• Educate your key stakeholders
• Get stakeholders involved, build relationships (the essence of PR)
• Use the technology if you want to understand it

Here is the outline of my chat Download Issuesmanpresent.doc and here are the links to the readings I suggested to the participants:

• Chapter 4 on Markets of the Cluetrain Manifesto by Doc Searles and David Weinberger. The whole book is available online for free   
• Malcolm Gladwell's Tipping Point or one of the summaries available online like this one done for a course at Stanford
• Clay Shirky, "Power Laws, Weblogs and Inequality"
• A recent brief industry white paper 'How B2B Marketers Shape, Measure and Leverage the Power of “Word of Mouth” for Increased Revenue Growth"
  

Comments

[Zoe Hibbert]

I just wanted to clarify Trevor Cook's statement that Sydney University is the only course providing subjects about issues management.

Charles Sturt University's School of Communication (which incidently is the oldest School of Communication in Australia) has been providing both undergraduate and postgraduate subjects in issues and crisis management for at least the past 7 years - I have personally developed and run the subjects. I am also aware that UTS, UWS and Deakin have also issues management subjects in place. Undoubtedly the many other fine institutions across Australia have this important and fundamental aspect of PR covered.

Cheers,

Zoe

[Trevor Cook]

Sorry Zoe - I obviously got the wrong impression

[David Phillips]

Trevor,

I agree, this It would seem that there is little that can be done by way of issues management process. However, one process that Alison Clark put together six years ago for the management of on line issues stands the test of time.

The key is monitoring. The Alison Clark concept was the one should examin posts and track them through the process. In this way it is possible to plan issues management responses

Here shema can be seen at http://leverwealth.blogspot.com/2005/09/managing-issues-in-blogsphere.html