SEATTLE, WA: Starbucks' decision to close approximately 600 underperforming stores elicited a round of protests from some of its customers, but the company is moving forward with its plans.

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

This week, Alan Komet, VP at Promisec, a network security company, talks what you can do to protect your company's data and why it's important to the PR industry.

DUNDAS, ONTARIO: Social Media Group (SMG) plans to acquire DC-based Livingston Communications in August, combining two firms focused exclusively on social media marketing and communications.

Human resources consultant

We are at an interesting point in the timeline of persuasion. Long ago, it seems, professionals were considered to be the highest paragon of influence. CEOs could move industries, politicians' words were taken as hard currency, and the words of journalists were viewed as impartial observations, not biased opinion.

Every week, PRWeek reports on new account wins, RFIs, RFPs, and other agency-client relationships. Lately, though, agency executives are complaining more about that process.

In-home promotions might seem like a throwback to 1950s Tupperware parties, but with PR pros at the helm, these brand-building events are cutting edge, with viral marketing and social networking components.

CAMBRIDGE, MA: Sermo, the social networking site for US physicians, launched its first national awareness campaign July 1 to encourage doctors to sign an open letter, created by the site's physician community, which calls for change in healthcare.

NEW YORK: The Center for Communication Compliance introduced an online program for PR professionals to train and receive certification about regulatory issues that affect the healthcare industry. It is the first standardized program of its kind, said Ilyssa Levins, president and founder of New York-based CCC.