Final answer:
A crisis is characterized by its unexpectedness, urgency, and need for immediate action, differing from predictable and manageable problems. Crises can thrust unanticipated issues into the spotlight, forcing immediate response, unlike problems which may lack such urgency. Global challenges are better seen as predicaments, reflecting their complex and interwoven nature.
Step-by-step explanation:
The characteristics of a crisis include being unexpected, urgent, and necessitating immediate action. This differs significantly from a problem, which may be predictable and manageable. Contrastingly, a crisis can propel unplanned issues onto the policy agenda, requiring immediate attention and intervention that were not anticipated.
It is important to note that crises and problems are not the same in the realm of public relations (PR). A crisis can force challenges of emergency management, poverty, and reconstruction to the forefront, as seen in the aftermath of a devastating hurricane. In contrast, standard problems may require action but not always with the same level of urgency as a crisis.
Moreover, considering global challenges as predicaments rather than problems is advisable because predicaments suggest a complicated, interwoven set of challenges that are not easily resolved, akin to a game of whack-a-mole, where solving one issue may exacerbate another.