UNIT
– 11: PUBLIC RELATIONS CRISIS MANAGEMENT
Contents
11.0 Objectives
11.1 Introduction
11.2 Meaning of Crisis
11.3 Types of crisis
11.3.1 Classification of crisis
11.4 Crisis Management
11.5 Planning for Crisis
11.5.1 Crisis
team
11.5.2 Stages
of crisis management
11.6 Crisis PR Strategy
11.6.1 Crisis
PR planning
11.6.2 Need for PR in crisis managements
11.7 Crisis PR Plans
11.7.1 Background information
11.7.2 Managing information flow
11.7.3 Crisis information centre
11.7.4 Managing Media relations
11.7.5 Official version
11.7.6 Rescue, Relief & Rehabilitation
11.7.7 Crisis no longer local, always global
11.7.8 Accurate information
11.7.9 Learning from case studies
11.8 Media guidelines for a
crisis situation
11.7.1 What can go wrong during a crisis?
11.9 Summary
11.10 Answers to self assessment questions
11.11 Model Examination Questions
11.12 Glossary
11.13 References
11.0 OBJECTIVES
After going through this unit, you will be able to:
·
Explain what is crisis and different types
of crisis
·
Define crisis management
·
Describe the strategy for managing a
crisis
·
Explain the role of media, communication and
public relations in managing the crises
11.1 INTRODUCTION
Crisis
such as Bombay High Oil Rig Blowout (1982), Bhopal Union Carbide Gas Leak
(1984), Tsunami Disaster (2004) or even critical employees strikes that threat
in any organisation clearly pose special problems in terms of public relations
communication for companies and governments. Crisis can occur at any time, in
any form. Crisis management, therefore, has become an essential aspect of
public relations, which is termed as crisis public relations.
The
‘Blow Out’ in Bombay High Oil Well which occurred on the night of 30 July 1982
is a good example of a crisis. It was a challenge to the Oil and Natural Gas
Commission. Bhopal Gas leak in 1984, the most tragic industrial disaster that
occurred in India, was yet another major crisis that the world witnessed.
Expect the unexpected should be the basis of crisis management strategy.
11.2 MEANING OF CRISIS
A
crisis is an event which has possibly serious detrimental effects for an
organization. Register and Larkin (2005) define a crisis as: “an event which
causes the company to become the subject of widespread, potentially
unfavourable, attention from the international and national media and other
groups such as customers, shareholders, employees and their families,
politicians, trade unionists, and environmental pressure groups who, for one
reason or another have a vested interest in the activities of the
organisation”.
A
crisis can be defined as “an unpredictable major threat that can have a
negative effect on the organisation, industry or stakeholders”. It has three
broad features: (i) a crisis cannot be predicted, but it can be expected (one
cannot say when it will occur); (ii) a major threat has the potential to
disrupt organisational operations in some way (closure of production); (iii)
the crisis can threaten the organisation, the industry or the stakeholders.
It is a major event that has
potentially negative results. The event and its aftermath may significantly
damage an organisation and its employees, products, services, financial
condition and reputation. Some authors have also defined crisis as “a time of intense
difficulty or danger, a moment of dissonance”. Crisis means an explosive
visibility. A crisis can be a dramatic change usually for the worse. It may be
a disaster—an event which involves loss of life or extensive damage to
property, or it may be a situation where an organisation finds itself under
unwelcome scrutiny because of its behaviour or that of its employees. Crisis
may also occur as a result of an accident and because of the negligence or
criminal behaviour of an individual or organisation. It may happen to a company
as a result of product tampering or other sabotage. Researchers have written
that a crisis is a disruption that physically affects a system as a whole and
threatens its basic assumptions, its subjective sense of self, its existential
care.
A crisis is also described
from the following three dimensions:
1. That
threatens high priority values of the organisation.
2. That
presents a restricted amount of time in which a response cannot be made.
3. That
is unexpected or unanticipated by the organisation.
The
crisis runs the risk of the following:
• Escalating in intensity.
• Falling under close media or government scrutiny.
• Interfering with the normal operations of business.
• Jeopardising the positive image enjoyed by a company and its
officers.
• Damaging a company’s bottom line.
11.3 Types
of Crisis
In
organisations, as in life, crises come in many varieties. One of the dimensions
useful in classifying crisis is whether it is unexpected or unanticipated by
the organisation. One has to identify the processes through which the
organisation becomes aware of the crisis problem, and then the processes
through which it responds and adapts to the need of the change. As such there
can be crises that are totally unanticipated from those crises which are
predictable and proactively managed.
Broad
categories of corporate crises include the following:
1. Technological
Crisis: When modern technology is the key to success of any organisation, any
failure in the technological process will have catastrophic consequences.
Example of this type of crisis is Bhopal industrial accident when gas leakage
from a Union Carbide Plant caused the death of thousands of people.
2. Management
Failure Crisis: They are caused when management groups within the organisation fail to
carry out their responsibilities. If the computer system is not checked
properly, certain areas of bank services may not function to serve the
customer.
3. Malevolence
Crisis: Such crises are caused by the malevolent actions of individuals or
groups such as militants, terrorists and extremists by placing bombs and
causing maximum disruption to business. (Sabotage – kidnaps)
4. Natural
Calamities: Crises caused by natural calamities such as cyclones, tidal waves,
tsunami, earthquakes and droughts are known as natural calamitous crises.
5. Man-made Disasters: They include plane crashes,
derailments, mining accidents, chemical explosions.
6. Governmental Crises: New legislation, investigations, regulatory
actions can cause crisis situations.
7. Product-related Crises: Defects in products. For example,
the content of pesticides in Coca-Cola and Pepsi soft drinks that led to the
recall of defective products.
8. Takeover and Merger Crises: When unexpected takeover or
merger bids take place, crises are caused. Merger of two banks results in a
crisis.
9. Environmental pollution causes a crisis
10. Fire Accidents
11.3.1
Classification of Crisis
Crisis can also be classified as:
1. The starting crisis—comes in the first or two years of starting
the company with teething troubles.
2. The cash crisis—excessive investment to enlarge sales.
3. The delegation crisis—lack of control over day-to-day operations
after delegating powers.
4. The leadership crisis—because of not developing management team
as next to take charge of top management.
5. The prosperity crisis—over confidence of profits and complacency,
and failing to read the emerging competition.
6. The financial crisis—excessive dependence on loans, frauds.
7. The management-succession crisis—no one groomed to takeover all management
responsibilities.
Self assessment questions
– I
1.
What do you mean by a Crisis?
List out types of crisis
11.4 Crisis Management
Crisis
management by definition is the “planning, application and communication of
strategies and tactics that can prevent or lessen the impact of the crisis on
the company but also maintain its reputation”. It is a way of thinking,
designing and acting, when a crisis hits the organisation. It is also a set of
factors designed to combat crises and lessen the actual damage inflicted by a
crisis.
The basic principle of crisis management
is ‘Expect the Unexpected’. The following is a road map:
• Catalogue the areas of crisis and evolve a policy to manage the
crisis.
• Appoint a crisis committee which will act to both prevent and
manage crisis.
• Put the plan in writing or bring out a crisis manual for the
organisation.
• Define the role of communication and public relations.
• Test the plan, test and test again.
11.4.1 Crisis Team
Who
will implement the crisis plan? Someone has to be in total charge when the
crisis takes place. In most cases it will take the time of all key persons. One
person is designated as the head of the crisis team from the top management.
The Commissioner and Ex-Officio Secretary to Government of Andhra Pradesh for
Disaster Management acts as top management for all natural calamities in the
state. However, the crisis team which handles the crisis is located at the
place of crisis or corporate office, which consists of key representatives of
the organisation from human resources, operation, safety, security, public
relations, legal, finance, etc. If the CEO heads the team, it will be more
advantageous. It is the crisis team that can offer focused, pragmatic, useful
advice to deal with difficult situations strategically and immediately while
limiting collateral damage.
11.4.2 Stages of Crisis Management
How
do you manage a crisis? The three key stages of crisis management are: before
the crisis, during the crisis and after the crisis. In all these stages, the
crisis team should always keep in mind the stakeholders and organisation’s
goals.
1. Before the Crisis: Every
organisation must think, the unthinkable or ‘expect the unexpected’, and
prepare an emergency plan in advance for implementation as and when a crisis
occurs. One should not wait for the public to bring problems to the attention
of the management or media to highlight organisational problems. Organisations
must be proactive and identify issues and problems so that they could not
become crisis situations at a later stage.
One should invite comments at
all times, welcome enquiries and pay attention to what people say. Such
comments might reveal the first hint of a problem taking shape. Create a
reservoir of goodwill with stakeholders that can be tapped if or when times get
tough or crisis occurs.
2. During the Crisis: When the crisis
occurs, implement the crisis plan by telling the people what happened, how it
happened what is the damage, what is the relief, what are rehabilitation
measures. Relief measures and communication get priority in this stage.
3. After the Crisis: When the worst
of the crisis has passed, take a stock of all the steps implemented and prepare
guidelines for the future. By maintaining a profile, being visible, accessible,
involved in industry and community matters and not being known only for having experienced
a crisis, the company has the best chance of regaining any ground lost during
the crisis and winning respect from the industry and community. This could be a
good case study for future.
Crisis management problems and strategies include: decision-making,
dilemmas and moral challenges that managers face, managing crisis victims,
reducing litigations, recovering reputation, healing corporate wounds, dealing
with organised opposition, selectively engaging the media and influencing
employee community. Public attitude solutions to these problems lie in
effective relief and public relations communication strategies.
Self assessment questions
- II
1.
What do you mean by
crisis management?
2.
What are the stages of
crisis management?
11.5 CRISIS PR Strategy
11.5.1
Crisis PR Planning
Public
relations as an anticipatory profession, which attempts to foresee events,
trends and issues that disrupt operations of the company, has a critical role
to play even in crisis situations. Public relations as a two-way communication
process provides an interpretation of crisis situation to which everyone, both
inside and outside the organisation will react. In fact, crisis public
relations is used in a variety of ways in the management of before, during and
after the crisis. The crisis management team of which public relations is a
part must move hand-in-hand for better impact. However, they must work under a
crisis public relations communication policy. As a crisis management plan is
designed, there should be a crisis public relations strategy also for pressing
into action in such situations. Instead of facing tensions, rather becoming
victims of stress, public relations must prepare crisis public relations
communication plan.
What
is crisis public relations communication? It may be defined as a corporate
communication strategy of collecting and disseminating information, when a
corporation is involved in a crisis situation affecting both the internal and
the external public. In simple words, crisis public relations is the collection
and dissemination of information on crisis situation. It is an important
ingredient in crisis management when public relations practitioners use the
information gathered during risk assessment to develop communication strategies
for keeping the key publics informed of the crisis. The role of public
relations in crisis is fire preventive, fire brigade and fire fighting. One
function precedes a conflict while the other comes when the conflict is on.
Two ways of Crisis Communication
According to Coombs (2005), there are two general uses of the term
‘crisis communication’: They are (i) crisis communication as information, (ii)
crisis communication as strategy.
(i) Crisis communication as information: It refers to the need to collect and disseminate information during a
crisis. The information is collected to fill the information void of a crisis
and thereby allows the crisis management team to understand what is happening
and what actions and decisions they need to take in a crisis. Flow of
information and timely information are the key for success in crisis areas.
(ii) Crisis communication as strategy: It refers to the use of communication messages to repair relationships
with stakeholders. What an organisation says and does after a crisis, the
crisis response strategies, affects its relationships with stakeholders. Thus,
the crisis communication is a factor throughout the four stages of a crisis:
prevention, preparation, response and learning. Strategy is a pre-requisite for
handling crisis situation.
In
the before the crisis stage, public relations can identify possible
crisis risks. Collecting crisis risk information is the job of crisis public
relations and that a plan has to be designed for meeting the situation. In the during
the crisis stage which is the most visible and widely studied aspect of
crisis, public relations, the organisation must provide full information and
adjusting information. A crisis manager uses words and actions to shape
stakeholders perceptions of the crisis or the organisation.
In
the final after the crisis stage, the public relations team must collect
information to complete a thorough post-mortem of the crisis management effort.
Moreover, lessons from the post-mortem are used to improve prevention,
preparation and response to the crisis situation. These lessons must be
communicated to the proper authorities in the organisation who can effect
desired changes. The learning stage returns to crisis communication as
information. Crisis public relations communication is the lifeblood of the
entire crisis management effort. It plays a vital role in all the stages of
crisis management.
One of the findings of
research is that when facing a crisis situation, management tends to react in
very restrictive ways. Unfortunately, such behaviour may not prove to be in the
best interest of the organisation. The critical balance, which is so difficult
to achieve, is to ensure a full appreciation of the realities of the crisis
situation and its potential seriousness, and to respond in a calm and rational
way, and not to panic. Therefore, crisis has to be managed very carefully in
the interest of both the organisation and the stakeholders. It is where the
role of public relations lies in managing a crisis.
11.6 Crisis PUBLIC RELATIONS plans
Based on an in-depth analysis, one must prepare crisis public relations
communication plan covering all aspects of information dissemination to cover
internal and external stakeholders. Once a crisis public relations plan has
been formulated, the best way to test it is to rehearse. You are now ready to
implement the plan as and when a crisis occurs. Expect the unexpected should be
the principle for preparing a crisis plan. By the time you hear the thunder, it
is too late to build the ark.
11.6.1 Background information
Every crisis is different but every response, media and methods of
dissemination of information are not. A public relations manager must prepare
background information in advance. However, the material will differ with each
situation. A public relations manager in the AIR India Corporation can get
ready with the basic format of information to feed the media as and when a
accident takes place by giving the details of the incident. The Trade Union
strikes and product failures are other
examples on which advance background material can be prepared.
When
a crisis occurs, everything happens at once and very fast. The readymade
background material with modifications based on the crisis must be provided to
both internal public and media, including the external public. The background
material must always contain information about good things done by the company,
its products, services, safety record and
style of management. Public relations must tell the story of the
company. If public relations does not tell about the organisation, then nobody would tell about the company’s past and
present. A backgrounder will be of great value in such crisis situations, which
should help in fill-in-the blanks for the media.
11.6.2
Managing Information Flow
In
a crisis situation, it is the primary job of public relations to act truly and
manage the two-way flow of information efficiently and effectively. It must
interpret the crisis to which both inside and outside the organisation will
react. A public relations manager while managing the flow of internal and
external information must know—what to react, when to react, whom to react and
when not to react. One must be aware of the information void and rumour mill.
The false rumours spread like wild fire. The vacuum caused by a failure to
communicate will be filled with rumours, misinformation. Avoid information void
by providing full information with one voice. Public relations has to
communicate, positively the organisation’s credentials for not deserving a
crisis. The first response in managing the flow of information must be based on
the ‘3 Rs’. They are: regret, resolution and reform.
Regret is a ticklish
issue. Experts on the subject of crisis management may disagree on regretting.
But there is a view that expressing regret is a difficult matter from making an
apology. In the first act of communication, the management must say ‘we are
sorry’ and convey regret on what happened. This is how the management must
react with first ‘R’, responding to the crisis.
By
Resolution one communicates what action will be taken to resolve the
crisis. Resolution of the organisation on the crisis creates confidence among
the stakeholders. Public relations must communicate such resolution
effectively.
Reform
conveys the message that things will be reformed and such crises
will not happen again. The third ‘R’ reform ensures confidence among the
stakeholders that the organisation is conscious of their internals.
11.6.3
Crisis Information Centre
Establishment
of a crisis information centre with well-informed staff is a prerequisite for
the successful implementation of a crisis public relations communication plan.
Such a centre must be equipped with information technology such as computers,
telephone, faxes, conference hall for media briefings, etc. The centre must act
as a nucleus for all the information on the crisis including pictorial
presentations, which should also function round the clock depending on the
gravity of the crisis.
11.6.4
Managing Media Relations
Napoleon
Bonaparte, the French Emperor, had said, “Four hostile newspapers are more
feared than a thousand bayonets”. As such the media cannot ever be ignored in
crisis situations and one spokesperson should always be designated for the
media. Make sure a spokesperson is always available. It is desirable that the
top management should become the spokesperson during the crisis. Regular media
briefings should be held every evening during the crisis period or as and when
the need arises. Press releases need to be issued regularly giving full facts
and figures. Media should be taken into confidence and be taken to the site of
crisis as quickly as possible for on the spot assessment. Reporters’ questions
should be responded immediately. They expect a return call or an onsite
interview. Never go ‘off the record’. In a crisis there is already much
confusion. Do not add to it. Tell reporters only what you want to tell.
Monitoring
of media reports is an important task of public relations, besides issuing
rejoinders and clarifications on the reports published not based on facts. Keep
a log of all press releases and key stories as the crisis develops and use it
to uphold new reporters of the media as they enter the story. This will improve
the accuracy of the coverage. Public relations professionals must keep the
management informed about the reactions of media on the crisis. Have media kits
already prepared and keep in the crisis information centre ready for
distribution. Such media kits with latest information crisis should be
distributed to media persons.
11.6.5
Official Version of crisis
As
soon as the crisis occurs, the first job of a public relations manager is to issue
an official version media release of the incident giving all details based on
the factual first information report. Such a report must have the approval of
the chief executive. The official version of the press release, if it is an
accident, must cover names of persons dead, injured, condolences, sympathies
expressed, safety record, relief and rehabilitation measures being taken, etc.
Such an official version will avoid speculation by the media. In the absence of
an official version, the media develops stories from different angles from
their own perception. Providing good media service in crises will earn goodwill
and permanent friends in the media.
11.6.6
Rescue, Relief and Rehabilitation
As and when a crisis occurs, it is but natural that the media and others
affected always point out negative aspects of the crisis. Accepting the ground
realities, it is the task of public relations to project the positive work
being done by the management to repair the damage caused by the crisis. That
will create confidence among the stakeholders and also the media.
In
November 1977, about 10,000 people died as a result of cyclone and tidal wave
in Krishna District of Andhra Pradesh. The public relations cell attached to
the then Chief Minister went on highlighting relief and rehabilitation measures
of those affected areas. A segmented approach was adopted in providing
information to the media every day, at about 1.00 p.m. in the Secretariat Media
Room. In this approach, separate media releases were prepared, say one day
agriculture, another day fisheries, handloom, health, education, energy,
industry, transport and so on covering the steps taken to restore and
rehabilitate the people affected. Such positive projection will help maintain
the reputation of the organisation. The organisation must face the crisis and
take a proactive stance against the criticism and reaffirm its commitment to
meet the crisis. Supplement everything you do with third party support. Make
use of experts for third party opinion on relief measures.
In
his memoirs, ‘Dateline Andhra & An Overview of Political Movements in
Andhra’, R.J. Rajendra Prasad, the Deputy Editor of The Hindu, Hyderabad
Edition stated that the Chief Minister J. Vengal Rao, noticed that it was
necessary to present the nation a true picture of the devastation, because
death tolls published varied from one lakh to 10,000 and an issue was made of
dead bodies lying in the villages. “A friendly and competent officer from the
Information Department C.V. Narasimha Reddi was brought to CM’s office to deal
with the press, and he took the press into confidence by daily issuing
statements about the actual state of the relief operations”. Effective media
relations and regular feeding of information and relief and rehabilitation will
earn goodwill for the organisation.
11.6.7
Crisis No Longer Local, Always Global
We
are now in the era of globalisation of economy and information media. With
instant global access to information, news of crisis spans the world in
seconds. Thus, quick responses from international humanitarian organisations
and nations are received as happened in the case of tsunami in 2004. Its effect
could be felt from Indonesia to India. But the spotlight also falls on the
management of these crises. Sometimes nations are criticised for their bungling
of the crisis itself as well as attempts of others to render aid. Therefore, no
longer is any crisis local, they are always both local and global. Crisis
public relations must acquire global capabilities to handle crisis.
11.6.8
Accurate information
The public relations officials should
provide accurate information to create credibility of the organisation. Be
truthful and highlight both the bad and the good aspects of the crisis. Never
concoct stories. Any inaccurate and false information will damage in the long
run the reputation of the company. If a company at the centre of a crisis is
seen to be unresponsive, uncaring, inconsistent, confused, inept, reluctant or
unable to provide reliable information, the damage inflicted on its reputation
will be everlasting and measurable against the financial bottom line.
11.6.9 Learning from case
studies
Each
crisis is a good experience and also a case study to learn for future. By
keeping a log of what happened in the crisis during and after, and by proper
interactions with the crisis team and affected people, conclusions can be drawn
and lessons learnt which will be of great value in the future. Such reports
must be prepared in a case study method. When the crisis is revisited, those
case studies will be invaluable in managing crisis situations.
By
maintaining a public profile, being visible, accessible, involved in industry
and community matters, and not being known only for having experienced a
crisis, the company or organisation has the best chance of regaining any ground
lost during the crisis and winning respect from its industry and community
Self assessment questions - III
1.
What is crisis public
relations strategy?
2.
Describe the key
components of crisis public relations plan in crisis management.
11.7 MEDIA
GUIDELINES FOR A CRISIS SITUATION
Public relations
professionals must follow certain media guidelines in crisis situations in
regard to media conferences and the release of press notes: Here are a few:
·
General guidelines of media relations
should always be followed
·
A policy must be evolved by the management
to allow media/photographers/TV crew inside the plant to see the scene of
accident/crisis
·
Since spokesperson may be a technical
person, necessary talking points may be listed as to how he/she should answer
questions from media
·
Media releases may be got cleared both by
the competent authority (CEO) and the legal cell to avoid complications
·
Tell the Truth, even if it hurts.
Credibility cannot be regained, once lost
·
Keep messages clear and consistent. Don’t
speculate. Be accurate in giving information on relief and rehabilitation
·
Avoid euphemism and jargon in your
writings
·
Don’t make off the record comment
·
Put the date and time at the top of media
release
·
Include the details of contact person who
should be accessible 24 hours a day
·
Provide updates from time to time as new
information becomes available
·
Review your organization’s website and
remove any information which might be inappropriate during the crisis
·
Never say ‘No Comment’; which might fuel
rumour or speculation
·
The last but most important ‘keep a Log’
of what information is released when, and to whom
11.7.1 What can go wrong during a crisis?
Notwithstanding careful
planning, certain things can go wrong during crisis management. Public
relations manager must be aware of such situations and know how to handle them.
A number of issues that can arise on the spot include:
• Mass panic, making nonsense of the best-laid crisis plans.
• Multiple voices going out from different spokespersons on the
crisis.
• Wanting to avoid media enquiries.
• Getting angry with the intrusiveness of the media.
• Suppressing the truth.
• Not being prepared to ask for help.
• Allowing the lawyers to dictate how to deal with the crisis.
• Not taking public relations into confidence.
• CEO meeting media without the public relations manager.
• Blaming the public relations for adverse reporting.
Self assessment question
- IV
1.
Describe the need for
effective media relations while managing a crisis.
11.8 SUMMARY
Crisis
is an event which causes the company to become the subject of unfavourable
attention from society, stakeholders and the media. Proper planning,
application and communication of PR strategies and tactics cannot only prevent
or lessen the impact of the crisis but also maintain the reputation of a
company. “Expect the unexpected” is the mantra of crisis management.
In managing a crisis, Public
Relations is helpful in preparing plans, managing the crisis and for evolving
strategies of communication. Media relations is also aimed at creation of
mutual understanding between an Organisation and the media in times of crisis. Various
aspects concerning crises, the ways and means through which public relations
can be applied in managing a crisis have been explained in this unit. The points discussed are summarized here
under:
·
A
crisis cannot be predicted but can be expected. It can disrupt organisational
operations. It can also threaten the
organisation, the industry or the stakeholders.
·
In
an organisation, as in life, crises come in many varieties both unexpected and
unanticipated.
·
There
are three stages of crisis management i.e. before, during and after the crisis
·
Management
of an organisation in a situation of crisis tends to react in very restrictive
ways and such behaviour may not prove to be in the best interest of the
organisation. Hence the need for PR in crisis management.
·
Proper
planning, preparation and execution strategies with the help of PR will minimise
the damage caused by a crisis apart from gaining reputation.
·
Better
media relations makes the execution of a crisis management plan possible.
11.9 ANSWERS
TO SELF ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS
Self assessment question
- I
1.
A
crisis is “an unpredictable major threat that has a negative effect on the
organization or stakeholders”. A crisis is also a disruption that physically
affects a system as a whole and threatens its basic assumption and objectives. Crisis
can be categorized into eight types. They are technological crisis, management
failure crisis, malevolence crisis, natural calamities, manmade disasters,
government related crisis, defective product crisis, takeovers and mergers
related crisis.
Self assessment question
– II
1.
Crisis
planning is “planning, application and communication of strategies and tactics
that can prevent or lessen the impact of the crisis on the company, but also
maintain its reputation.
2.
Crisis
management has three stages: (i) before the crisis (ii) during the crisis and
(iii) after the crisis
Self assessment question
– III
1.
Crisis
PR strategy is to ‘expect the unexpected’. The road map includes evolving a
policy to manage the crisis, appointing a crisis team to manage the crisis,
preparing a crisis manual, defining the role of communications and pre-testing
the crisis plan. Public relations is an anticipatory profession which must
foresee problems confronting the organisation. Public relations has a critical
role to play even in crisis management.
Public relations, therefore, prepares crisis public relations plan to
keep the media and stakeholders informed about the crisis.
2.
The
plans & preparations to manage a crisis PR are (i) preparing a crisis
public relations plan (ii) compiling background information on the crisis (iii)
managing inside and outside two way information low (iv) establishing a crisis
information centre (v) media relations management (vi) giving official version
o information (vii) projecting relief and rehabilitation measures (viii) crisis
is no longer a local, but always global (ix) maintaining accurate information
(x) learn a lesson from the case study
Self assessment question – IV
1.
Effective
media relations can be maintained in a crisis by providing accurate information
to the media to reach out the stakeholders effected in crisis. The official
version of a crisis is the key towards better relations with the media.
11.10 MODEL
EXAMINATION QUESTIONS
Answer the
following questions in about 30 lines
1.
What
is a crisis? Describe the three stages of crisis management.
2.
Public
relations is an anticipatory discipline. What is the role of public relations
in crisis management?
Answer the following questions in about 15 lines
1.
What
is a crisis communication plan? What aspects do you take into consideration
while preparing a crisis PR plan?
2.
What
can go wrong in crisis management? Explain with examples
11.11 GLOSSARY
Backgrounder = A
document explaining the history of a company/product
Crisis =
An unpredictable major threat (singular
of crises)
Crisis management = Planning
& application of strategies & tactics to prevent or lessen
the impact of the crisis
Case study = A
documented study of a specific real-life situation used as a
training tool
Malevolence =
Malicious behaviour to cause harm
Media release =
A release meant for publication
by any/all of the media
Media relations =
Maintenance of relations with
print media
Press =
Print medium [Newspaper]
Official version = A report given by the authority based on facts &
figures
11.12 REFERENCES
Coombs W Timothy Crisis
communications, Encyclopaedia of Public
Relations - 1997
CV Narasimha Reddi
Dr Effective Public
Relations & Media Strategy, Prentice Hall of India, New Delhi - 2009
Ian I. Mitroff and Gus Anagnos Managing
Crises Before They Happen –
AMACOM -2005
Edward
S Delvin Crisis
Management planning & execution, Auerbach Publications – 2006
Wikipedia
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-
Y.
BABJI
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