Research is essential to crafting a public affairs campaign that will truly resonate with target audiences.

This month, I'll shift from internal management to issues management, and our case study comes straight from the past few weeks' headlines:

DKC has worked with The Fund for Veterans Education since November 2007 to educate the public on the gap between the cost of a college education and the funding the GI Bill provides to cover that cost.

Mitra Kalita recently went on a leave of absence from The Washington Post to launch Mint, an Indian business newspaper and Web site, created in collaboration with The Wall Street Journal. Kalita talks to PRWeek about how the American news media contrasts with those of emerging markets.

Gareth Penny, De Beers CEO, voices a devotion to the African economy and a more transparent communications strategy.

Raytheon is one of the top five defense contractors in the world and is well known for its missile, missile defense, radar, and surveillance technologies.

The upcoming Summer Olympics in Beijing have sparked protests across the world. For sponsors and other companies, though, the event is a powerful opportunity to connect with China.

This week's Global Special (see p. 13) reveals that many corporate sponsors of the upcoming Olympics have focused their messaging on supporting the spirit of the Games, instead of addressing the political controversy generated by China's hosting of the Games, and, in turn, the perceived support their sponsorship conveys.

Excitement builds as the world counts down to the Beijing Olympics, now just little more than a month away. More and more US companies are expanding and venturing into China and the greater Asia-Pacific region; Asian companies are also coming here. Where companies go, PR follows.

Olympic sponsors are using a variety of creative tactics to maximize their investment.