40. One thing that is common to all techniques used for identification of issues is
a. news clipping services.
b. environmental scanning.
c. subscription to forecasting services.
d. a formal, organized effort to gather information on emerging social trends.
41. The most rudimentary form of issue identification entails
a. subscribing to a news clipping service.
b. subscribing to a forecasting service.
c. assigning a member of the organization to continuously scan a variety of publications.
d. relying on the staff of the public affairs office to scan the environment.
42. The immediate result of environmental scanning is often
a. identification of emerging issues.
b. publication of an internal report that is distributed throughout the company.
c. publication of a list of emerging issues for internal and external stakeholders.
d. resolution of some issues.
43. All of the following are predictors of social change EXCEPT:
a. leading events.
b. leading authorities.
c. leading crises.
d. leading organizations.
44. An emerging issue is characterized by all of these EXCEPT:
a. the terms of the debate are clearly defined.
b. the issue deals with matters of conflicting values and interest.
c. the issue is often stated in value-laden terms.
d. trade-offs are inherent..
45. Which of the following is not one of Molitor’s leading forces?
a. leading events
b. leading literature
c. leading economic indicators
d. leading political jurisdictions
46. The most important thing in issue identification is
a. selection of the proper sources to scan.
b. assigning the right person to scan the environment.
c. identification of stakeholders with power, legitimacy, and urgency.
d. getting the people who are confronted with new issues in touch with top managers.
47. Key questions proposed to use in analyzing issues includes all of the following except
a. who is affected by the issue?
b. who is in a position to exert influence on the issue?
c. who can best afford to resolve the issue?
d. who ought to care about the issue?
48. Questions and dimensions can be used to rank or prioritize issues. Which of the following is not included?
a. likelihood of occurrence
b. impact on the organization
c. how much impact will it have
d. knowledge of the business
49. The next stage of formalization beyond having a single person managing issues is
a. hiring outside consultants to handle the process.
b. organizing a new and independent department specifically to manage issues.
c. appointing an assistant to help with the administrative details of categorizing issues and publishing the in-house
newsletter.
d. assigning the issues management function to a team, usually within the public affairs department.
50. The evaluation, monitoring, and control of issues involves
a. continual control of responses to ensure that they remain on track.
b. extensive cost/benefit analyses.
c. deciding what to do about the issues the firm faces.
d. appointing a separate team within the public affairs office to perform the control function.
51. Which of the following is not a stage in the issues development process?
a. felt need
b. resolution
c. media coverage
d. regulation
52. Issues management today can be considered a subset of the activities of
a. public affairs departments.
b. strategic planning staffs.
c. public relations departments.
d. various ad hoc committees.
53. Companies that adopt issues management processes typically develop
a. better reputations.
b. more expertise in identifying issues.
c. better relationships with internal stakeholders.
d. more ethical behavior among their employees.
54. Which is not a key question to help with issue analysis?
a. How did it start?
b. Who started the ball rolling?
c. Who is now involved?
d. Who will get involved?
55. The case that is generally agreed to have “made” crisis management is the
a. Ford/Firestone tire tread separation case.
b. Johnson & Johnson/Tylenol case.
c. Enron scandal.
d. Exxon Valdez oil spill.
56. When Tiger Woods crashed his Cadillac Escalade into a fire hydrant and a tree, he made several errors in managing
that crisis. Which of the following is not one of his mistakes?
a. waiting too long to issue a statement
b. running from the truth
c. hiding away
d. issuing a statement
57. Which of the following is not one of the four stages of a crisis?
a. prodromal stage
b. acute crisis stage
c. chronic crisis stage
d. crisis regulation stage
58. The crisis resolution stage is
a. the first stage of managing a crisis
b. cannot overlap other stages
c. defined in duration
d. the goal of crisis management
59. All of the following are part of the Ten Steps of Crisis Communication except:
a. Identify crisis communication team
b. Train spokesperson
c. Keep arm’s length from your audience
d. Be prepared to ride out the storm
60. Business continuity plans must be expanded to include all, except:
a. technology
b. environment
c. business continuity
d. communications
Provide a short answer to each of these questions. Be sure to fully explain your answer.
61. Distinguish between issues management and crisis management.
62. Discuss what personal stakes managers might have in issues definition.
63. Explain how issues management is related to corporate public policy and enterprise-level strategy.
64. Explain how the ranking and prioritization of issues would occur.
65. Describe the issues development process.
66. Describe what “stakeholder integration techniques” are.
67. Describe some of the major differences between issues management and crisis management.
68. What differentiates a crisis from a problem?
69. Discuss some of the relevant considerations when forming a crisis team.
70. Why is it so important to tell the truth in crisis situations?
Utilize the knowledge you have gained to respond to the following essay questions. Your answers should state your
position and use logical arguments and content from this and other chapters in the textbook to support it.
71. Using an enterprise-level strategy perspective, evaluate Johnson & Johnson’s actions in response to the Tylenol crisis.
72. Describe and give examples of each of the seven types of crises.
73. Compare and evaluate the four crisis management stages and Business Week‘s five-step model.
74. Evaluate the actions taken by Schwan Sales Enterprises, Inc. that allowed it to successfully manage its crisis with the
ice cream it produced.
75. Explain why having a prepared plan for dealing with crises is so important.