eBay in crisis - Social Media Hijacking

The ability of the internet giants to have their users do their promotional work for them through feedback and reviews is well documented. This same platform however can be turned against the company, as eBay recently discovered to their cost.

Read the CGM case study here.

The trials of a Whistleblower

An increasing number of companies are now becoming aware of the need to have and support a Whistleblowing policy. Here at docleaf, our Employee Assistance Programme team receive numerous requests from clients about the creation and implementation of internal systems where company employees can safely and confidently voice their concerns about their company's business.

But there is still a long way to go. As this recent story shows, raising concerns about their colleagues can create a nightmare for the person involved, and even their family.

Read the article from the BBC here:

How NOT to handle the media in a crisis

Although the actual incident may be unfamiliar to most of us, the lessons to be drawn from it are surely not.

When Governor Mike Easley from North Carolina was quizzed about his state's mental health reforms, his press conference was panned by PR professionals, who lined up to offer their suggestions of how it should have been done. See Craig Jarvis's story for The News & Observer here

Personal Injury Clamaints - In it for the money?

In the UK we often hear about the rising tide of people claiming against employers, local authorities or health providers for personal injuries. It is cited as an American trend that is spreading over the water.

But why do people claim? And is it right that these people are often criticised as money grabbers, or are they just trying to seek justice in a system that makes this difficult and expensive?

Read the article from Legal and Medical here:

docleaf Briefs

The mayor of a village in southwest France has threatened residents with severe punishment if they die, because there is no room left in the overcrowded cemetery to bury them. In an ordinance posted in the council offices, Mayor Gerard Lalanne told the 260 residents of the village of Sarpourenx that "all persons not having a plot in the cemetery and wishing to be buried in Sarpourenx are forbidden from dying in the parish."

It added: "Offenders will be severely punished."

The mayor said he was forced to take drastic action after an administrative court in the nearby town of Pau ruled in January that the acquisition of adjoining private land to extend the cemetery would not be justified. Lalanne, who celebrated his 70th birthday on Wednesday and is standing for election to a seventh term in this month's local elections, said he was sorry that there had not been a positive outcome to the dilemma.

"It may be a laughing matter for some, but not for me," he said. (Reuters)

An Australian couple who took a spontaneous weekend beach holiday were stunned to arrive home to find a full-scale homicide investigation underway into their presumed murders, reports said Tuesday.

Roy and Heather Ostell pulled up to their Melbourne home to find police setting up a press conference about their disappearance and forensic officers tearing up their patio searching for signs of foul play. The couple, aged 63 and 58, had made a last-minute decision to take their Volkswagen Kombi to the beach for the weekend but neglected to tell their daughter Angela about their plans, the Australian newspaper reported.

She went for a weekend visit to find the home unlocked and in a mess, with the family dog out on the street fending for itself. Fearing the worst, she called the police, who shared her concerns and were about to address a large media pack at the couple's home when they rolled up in.

Heather Ostell told the reporters gathered on her lawn that her daughter screamed "where have you been?" at her before storming off. "She's very upset naturally and shaking, and so I'm going to have to make my peace with her in a moment," she said.

Ostell said she and her husband had been totally unaware of the fuss their disappearance had caused until they arrived back home.

And the reason she didn't call her daughter about the spur-of-the-moment holiday? "Would you believe we forgot the charger?"

Ostell said there was a bright side to finding herself the subject of a murder investigation. "At least they'd picked out a nice photograph," she said. "I thought 'well if I was dead, I'm glad they picked out a nice picture'." (AFP)