Civilizing the New Century: Managing Conflict Across Cultures

Glen T. Cameron, Ph.D.Gregory Chair in Journalism ResearchMissouri School of Journalism

A Modest Proposal

Strategic communication can play a significant role in civilizing the new century by:

managing conflict to AVOID crisis or ethically and effectively contending tin the marketplace of ideas to resolve conflict

To Do This, We Need a Paradigm Shift

We need to define public relations as strategic conflict management and then work to make the profession a force for good in all aspects of society

We need to be realistic about the intractable or moral conflicts that relflect irreconcilable worldviews

Nationalistic Claims

Faith-Based Clashes

Moral ConflictCatholic Conference states Stem Cell Research is black and white issue

Civilizing Public ConflictAccepting the essential nature of news

Allowing contending voices to be heard

Embracing the wrangle in the marketplace of ideas

BP: Environmental Darling or Felon?  2001 Advertising Activity

BP sponsored three television ads in 2001 that ran a total of 45 times in Washington, D.C. The ads were similar to the 2002 print advertising campaign as each featured one or two people casually discussing energy related issues, such as alternative fuels and clean air. One ad asked the question, "What do you think an oil company should be doing?" A second asked, "If you could say something right now to . . . a big oil company, what would you say?" A third asked, "Would you rather have your car or a cleaner environment?" The ads suggested that bettering the environment and reducing dependence on foreign oil are important issues to BP.

Media Provide a Place!Wrangle in the marketplace of ideas

Do not shoot your television

The wrangle is among people who take genuine, heartfelt stands on issues

Equally principled people oppose them

Muscular Public Relations!

Natalie CoughlinWhat does this world class swimmer have in common with each of you?

Well trainedCompetitiveFair but unapologeticNot brutal and not chauvinisticBut We ARE IN THE BUSINESS TO WIN!

She symbolizes MUSCULAR PUBLIC RELATIONS

My Definition of Public Relations is Muscular

PR is strategic management of competition and conflict in the interests of one’s own organizationAND WHEN POSSIBLE, in the interests of key publics for the organization

A Second Attribute

Complexity

Reason, Emotion, Nuance, Judgment!

Role of Emotion

Emotional laden contingency model presented on a multidimensional plane

COMPLEXITY HAPPENS!

PR PRACTICE IS COMPLEXPRACTITIONERS MAKE SUBTLE JUDGMENTS

WHY SHOULD THEORY BE SIMPLE WHEN PRACTICE IS COMPLEX?WHY NOT 87 FACTORS?

IT’S REALITY – DEAL WITH IT !

FutureEmbrace Complexity!

Occam’s Razor – Yes – But Let’s not be Simplistic and Even Stupid!

A Challenge: Emulate Professions such as Engineering and Medicine

Put Simply:

Muscular Approach

that

Embraces Complexity

Now Let’s Add Integrated Communication

I GRRITG Global/MulticulturalR RelationalR Research-basedI Internet/New Media-drivenT Toolbox

The VisionMuscular Approach to Conflict

Management That

Embraces ComplexityIntegrates Ad, PR, Web, etc

Earns InfluenceOffers Precedent

Two Conflict Management Examples

Escalating Conflict for Global Good – SARS

Public Nudity on Cell Phones in Korea

Managing Conflict Strategically: Escalating Media Pressure for Global Health Interests

Contingency Theory

Public relations as strategic conflict management Stance moves on continuum from pure accommodation to pure advocacyWelter of factors shift stanceStance informs strategy

MethodCase StudyMedia Coverage of SARSEssential Question: how does social conflict emerge, evolve, and settle in a public health crisis?

Timeline

Dynamics of Case

Party A: WHO Party B: Chinese government

A: SelfB: Others

Others Self

A: Contending / AdvocacyB: Yielding / Accommodation

Investigative Media

Active/ Informed Public

ImplicationsStrategic Conflict Management can achieve positive outcomesEthical imperatives to advocacyIn addition to typical public information, more strategic approach is recommendedMultiple tactics followe

Public Nudity on Cell Phones

Semi-nude images popular on Korean cellphonesNetian company shot provocative photos of famous model depicting Comfort WomenComfort women were Korean women captured by the Japanese in WWII for use as sex slavesTerrible, persistent wound on Korean psyche

In the beginning:

* The company: - Strongly advocated its stance - Insisted on continuing the project (Denial, Justification)* The publics: - Sought legal action - Demanded an official apology - Angry Netizens - Public polls: Citizens opposed

* The company softened its stance :- We were not trying to make money out of the

pictures. Rather, we were trying to raise the social consciousness and to protest against Japan.

* The publics:- Sought further legal action- Organized the protest- Netizens’ protest and action became

concrete

In the middle & end of the crisis:* The company announced:

- Suspend any further production and apologized.* The publics:

- Refused to accept the apology and demanded public incineration of all pictures.

On the seventh day of conflict:* The company:

- Proposed an open press screening of all the photographs already taken and asked an unbiased judgment from the media and civic groups.

(AccommodationAdvocacy)

* The publics: - Ardently censured the company,

calling them “liars.”

* Finally… on the eighth day: - The company totally accommodated

its publics’ demand by destroying all photos.

Inspiration from Health Comm

The strategic, integrated approach is widely used in health communication.Conflict is crucial to successAnd health communication works!

40 years ago nearly 50% of adults smoked in U.S.Today the rate hovers around 22%We have cut in half the prevalence of the single largest cause of preventable early death in U.S.

Current Health Projects

NCI-Funded ProjectOzioma! (Good news!)http://oziomanews.missouri.edu/index.htmlConflict based health commMobilizing information

NIH-Funded ProjectTICIPS

Science CommunicationIssues and Crisis Management

Ozioma!

Tailored News ReleasesDisparity as Conflict Frame – Dosage?Good News – Mobilizing informationIncreased news pick-up

Increased news enhances cancer knowledge

How does Ozioma work?

Translating NCI releases into local, race-specific stories

Original NCI source

How does Ozioma work?

Translating NCI releases into local, race-specific stories

Original NCI source Ozioma release

How does Ozioma work?

Translating NCI releases into local, race-specific stories

Original NCI source Ozioma release Newspaper story

Black newspapers Avidly Use the Ozioma News Service

17 releases sent to date9 of 12 newspapers have used the releases47* total stories printed in newspapersPotential audience of 340,000 readers

*As of May 9, 2006

Ozioma Implications

Conflict can serve as a strategic tool to increase cancer awareness and likelihood of mobilization

Black newspapers provide avenue to utilize conflict factors in cancer news stories to motivate community change

Larger Implications of My Work

Conflict is the crux of what matters to people

Conflict research is complex and nuanced

Conflict Escalation can serve both the best and the worst of human inclinationsAs professionals, WE SHOULD convey a vision to our students!

The VisionMuscular Approach to Conflict

Management That

Embraces ComplexityIntegrates Ad, PR, Web, etc

Earns InfluenceOffers Precedent

Strategic Conflict management for greater good!

Let’s Discuss: