The crux of Issue Management is closing the gap between stakeholders’ expectations and an organization’s policies. Several important facets of today’s political and socioeconomic environment have increased the visibility of these gaps and rendered the task of closing them more daunting. It is therefore imperative that an organization commit itself to an effective Issue Management policy in order to mitigate some of the negative effects generated by today’s political climate. 

Political Reality and Challenges in Public Affairs 

Due to the highly partisan nature of today’s politics, federal legislative issues that have a great potential for public good move relatively slowly. Politicians’ agendas are often sidetracked by election-year politicking and politicians are forced to compromise on key issues affecting the public interest. As a result, we can no longer exclusively rely on federal remedies.

Direct interaction between citizens and politicians has been hampered by Congress’s inability to handle the sheer volume of mail it receives. Mail volume is up 300% in the last decade, but Congressional staff sizes haven’t changed. Compounding this problem is the fact that security concerns have made it harder to visit Congress, as well as all letters that are now sent to Congress are subject to inspection.

Anti-corporate activism is expanding rapidly. Activists are demanding more transparency and accountability from corporate officers. Many groups are calling for companies to disclose and explain business rationale for political contributions and advocacy. Due to such intense scrutiny, it has become critical for corporations to confront and manage an emerging issue before it results in an enormous crisis.

There is a general distrust of companies, politicians and the news media, which makes it more difficult to raise money for PACs, launch a grassroots campaign, encourage voter turnout, and educate the public about vital issues. If people do not trust politicians, then they will not take the time to vote or learn the issues. If they do not trust the media, the press will lose its watchdog role. Thus, some traditional means of influencing public policy are no longer as effective. 

Because the media are in a perpetual state of competition, they will sometimes put speed ahead of accuracy, which can have a potentially devastating effect on an organization’s reputation. Their audience will almost always hear an inaccuracy but rarely hear a correction (if there is one). Effective issue management using tools like targeted public relations can alleviate the impact of negative press coverage.

Due to these political and socioeconomic trends, issue management should be at the forefront of an organization’s agenda and the organization’s executives should frequently reinforce its importance. If it is neglected, the organization risks a serious blow to its reputation and profitability.