978-0205960644 Chapter 10

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CHAPTER 10: CONFLICT MANAGEMENT: DEALING WITH ISSUES, RISKS,

AND CRISES

OBJECTIVES

After reading this chapter the student should be able to:

1. Understand the role of public relations in managing conflict.

2. Describe the two basic principles of strategic conflict management.

3. Identify the four phases of the conflict management life cycle.

4. Understand the issues management process as a key public relations contribution.

5. Explain the relationship between the conflict stance and the communication

strategy.

6. Identify important steps to deal with a crisis as it occurs.

7. Define reputation and the role public relations plays in image repair.

SUGGESTED PROJECTS AND DISCUSSION

This chapter addressed conflict management from a strategic perspective. Contingencies

are a key factor in how an organization develops issues management, crisis management,

risk communication, and reputation management strategies.

1. Oversee a class exercise in “environmental scanning,” in which you might pass out

articles or publicity items over a period of time. “Track” the issue to see how media

coverage and/or public opinion may have changed or intensified. What are some of

the adjustments made by practitioners as the issue developed?

2. Provide the background on a local crisis and ask students to analyze the situation

using the four phases on conflict management. For example, ask students the

following questions relevant to the crisis situation: 1) What could have been done in

the proactive phase in order to prepare for the crisis, 2) What could have been

improved in the strategic phase to better handle the impending crisis, 3) What could

have been done during the crisis to minimize the damage, and 4) Can anything be

done to improve the reputation or image of the organization/situation?

3. Ask students to respond to the following scenario using the concepts presented

through the five steps of issues management (1. issue identification, 2. issue

analysis, 3. strategy options, 4. an action plan, and 5. evaluation of results):

your office and your boss placed an article on your desk that was clipped from

today’s edition of the USA Today. The headline reads, “Something’s Wrong

Here…Unhealthy Hospital Food.” You read on to find the article accusing

hospitals of supporting fast-food chains in their cafeterias and as a result, not

offering healthy food meal options for patients and promoting a healthy lifestyle.

4. Have students bring in examples of risk communication. Examples could include

anything from a hurricane preparation guide to the terror alert level (color) for the

day. Discuss the purpose of the risk communication materials and their

effectiveness in accomplishing that purpose.

5. Ask students to list three health-related concerns, and as a group, attempt to

determine the public perceptions of the listed health concerns by applying the

variables that affect risk perception to the health concerns.

6. Have students look at their campus newspapers, or a local paper, and analyze a

situation that has either become a crisis, or has the potential to develop into crisis.

Cite examples from each of the steps of Coombs’ crisis management continuum.

7. You can assign students to develop mortification or apologetic strategies in the

aftermath of a “regrettable” situation. How does the tone or content of the

communication differ among various key publics?

CASE ACTIVITY: GUN CONTROL CROSSFIRE AT STARBUCKS

This situation is certain to create conflict on several different levels among Starbucks’ key

publics. Choosing the correct ethical course of action is always more difficult than

choosing the legal one, because clear answers are often lacking. The legal right to enforce a

policy in the interest of one’s business does not amount to community permission to do so.

In recommending the best course of action for Starbucks, students should first discuss the

overall role of public relations in managing conflict. The Threat Appraisal Model and

Conflict Management Life Cycle are especially helpful here. For example, how should

Starbucks operate in the proactive, strategic, reactive, and recovery phases of this crisis?

How might public relations professionals utilize conflict positioning to fend off or shorten

the life of this crisis? In making their ultimate decision, students would be well advised to

consider the utilitarian advice of philosopher John Stuart Mill, who suggested pursuing the

greatest happiness for the greatest number of people.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW AND DISCUSSION

1. Do you believe that conflict management is one of the most important functions of

public relations? Why or why not?

2. What are the five steps in the issues management process?

3. How can effective issues management prevent organizational crises?

4. What crisis communication strategies did Benetton use following the collapse of a

garment manufacturing plant in Bangladesh? What strategies do you think were

most effective? Why?

5. What is risk communication? How does it differ from crisis communication?

6. How would you use the contingency theory of conflict management (the continuum

from accommodation to advocacy) in advising management on a growing conflict

situation?

7. How does self-disclosure of an issue or stealing thunder potentially benefit an

organization?

8. Provide an example from the current news to illustrate each of Coombs’s seven

crisis response strategies.

9. What are the three foundations of reputation? How does each one contribute to

building and maintaining a positive reputation?