Issues and big data in public relations management. The case of the implementation of the new garbage system called "recuperando valor" in córdoba, Argentina

Abstract

The LCM 2016-2017 (Moreno et al., 2017) showed the deficit in the use of big data for making decisions based on issues in Latin America; this is one of the great transformations that we currently envision in public relations. The objective of this research was to analyze the impact of the implementation of Issues Management and big data strategies for the new garbage system in Córdoba (Argentina) - "Recuperando Valor" - during December 2018. More than 10, 000 publications on social networks were analyzed through a system of programmed alerts (QSocial) taking into account topics, actors, impact and frequency through different analytical models: measurement of Management Image; Feelings; Citizen Concerns, Gender, Social Humor and Evaluations. Organizations not only communicate strategically: they are indeed strategic communication (Grandien and Johansson, 2016). This requires a management and advisory function (Zerfass and Franke, 2013) - or political function (Simões, 2001 as inspired by Matrat, 1971) -, considering public opinion through issues management (Nothhaft, 2010). In practice it involves building, managing and monitoring in real time the development and impact of a set of issues that become relevant in the different agendas and, consequently, in the production of contents and the management of relations with the different stakeholders based on their interests.