ABSTRACT
The first step in any effective public relations plan or marketing communication program is to carefully and accurately identify the situation facing student’s organization. Strategic communicators often give the name risk management to the process of identifying, controlling, and minimizing the impact of uncertain events on an organization. Even in crisis situations, obstacles can be approached as opportunities, if the problem has not been self-inflicted. Organizations under attack may use the public attention generated by a crisis to explain their values and demonstrate their quality. Put simply, a situation is a set of circumstances facing an organization. For a small nonprofit organization dealing with drug rehabilitation among teens and young adults, a situation might be the misunderstanding and fear that some people have of youthful addicts. Researching what others think about the situation and what they have done in related areas can both save valuable time and provide considerable insight into solving the problem at hand.
