crisis pr
Socialmedia -five common characteristics(list only)
(1) Participation (2) Openness (3) Conversation (4) Communities (5) Connectedness
stability
- Counterintuitive meaning in crisis communication - Refers to how frequently an organization has crisis - Company with high stability= weak reputation= should be more responsible for a subsequent crisis - Example: Romaine Lettuce E-Coli (2 events in 2018) o CDC + FDA involved o News coverage for both outbreaks o Romain industry: Now with higher stability
4factors (2P2R) -order and key featuresfor each
1) Crisis Management- Four factors: - Revision o Evaluation of response o Revise all three factors for future crisis o Regenerative!
6 steps of crisis prep -order
1) Crisis Prep- 6 steps: - 1) Diagnosing vulnerabilities - 2) Assessing crisis types - 3) Selecting and training a crisis management team (CMT) - 4) Selecting and training a spokesperson - 5) Developing a crisis communication plan (CCP) - 6) Reviewing the crisis communication system
Socialmedia crisis management#4 Four response rules
Four response rules (1) Be present: no hiding (2) Be where the action is • Use the online origins of the crisis • Increase the exposure of your message to right people • Example: Domino pizza: CEO apology on Facebook after their YouTube crisis (two employees supposedly tampering with food which as posted on YouTube) (3) Be there before a crisis • The existing presence builds credibility and authenticity for your crisis message • Example: When Southwest Airlines and American Airlines had to ground a new safety inspection plan (4) Be polite • Maybe the most important rule • Angry stakeholders may post "mean" posts • Never be rude to stakeholders
Study the Gap Logo caseexample -main idea and what happened,briefly
In 2010, GAP introduced a new logo, sparking an online backlash and ultimately resulting in the reintroduction of the old logo. A new study from Lund University in Sweden argues that this was the first of many cases where brand creation has had to adjust to a complex, interactive, and sometimes unpredictable online environment.
Risk management /Issue management vs Crisis management (comparison-which is more proactive, requires to assess internalor external factors, takes longer time to manage, ...
Issue management sources - External sources, mainly - Traditional and digital media - Subscribing - Follow on social media crisis management
Socialmedia crisis management#1 Never ignore conflicts/crisis on social media
Never ignore conflicts/crisis on social media Usually para social Best to collect warning signs (ideally before a crisis) Effective in preventing a crisis Key Strategy: Listening
nuggets
Nuggets - Specific but vital messages that crisis communicators want to convey to the audience. - Better to identify nuggets that will be relayed to each group of stakeholders and to stay on message - Determine spokespersons messages when communicating with stakeholders
Socialmedia crisis management#3 Salience of negative content
Salience of negative content Negative (vs positive) content popular on social media: WHY? Expect to meet dissatisfied consumers Visibility inherent in social media can hurt reputation • Example: American Apparel & Gap: Hurricane Sandy Ad Fails
Selecting and training CMT -qualifications (functional and soft); Knowledge-Skills-Traits.
Selecting and training a crisis management team (CMT) - CMT: Primary responsibilities o Creating the CCP: after researching vulnerabilities o Enact it: the simulations help o Deal with problems not covered in it: but be flexible! - CMT: Functional areas o Each member represents specific knowledges, skills, and traits. Knowledge: e.g., operation, legal, HR, finance, ... Skills: e.g., media relations, PR, social media, government relations... Traits: e.g., leadership, competence, control, ... - CMT Soft areas: usually political skills o Necessary to work effectively with people o Results Enhance leadership effectiveness, Managerial performance, Reduce job stress, Improve evaluation of team performance - Task analysis: categories: o To identify tasks by the key characteristics needed for job performance 4 tasks (in general): grouping decision-making, working as a team, enacting the CCP, listening 3 key characteristics: knowledge, skills, traits (K-S-T) (functional and soft areas) - Task 1: Group Decision-Making o Selecting an opinion to meet the needs of the situations or reaching a judgement o 3 styles: Intuitive decision-making Rule-based decision-making Analytical decision-making o Intuitive: Pro: Speed Con: Negative results when done improperly Best: When making complex decisions; When proper experience stored o Rule-based: Pro: Simplicity Con: Possible risks for applying the wrong rule Best: Useful for novice o Analytical decision-making Most commonly used A process rather than a confirmed decision Identifying and evaluating options Key element: Vigilance: Applying critical thinking to group decision-making by emphasizing the need for careful and thorough analysis of all information related to a decision - Task 2: Working as a team o Conflict: not always negative; but should be productive rather than destructive! o Common cause: self vs. other conflicts o Integration (high value in self and others)- Best resolution o (Ex): Comfort in communication, the ability to decide - Task 3: Enacting the crisis communication plan (CCP) o Group train by reviewing and practicing the CCP o Enacting Knowledge-Skills (fundamental areas) o Managing the concomitant stress and ambiguous information - Task 4: Listening o Must listen to others! o Separate task, rather than simple skills
Socialmedia crisis management#2 The misuse of social media itself=crisis
The misuse of social media itself=crisis Often misused for consumer relation Easily did without consumer and media research Social media presence only could be risky business Need strategic approaches
Why to manage crisis (5 whys) - (4) Moving toward "Digital Native" Generation
o "Individuals who are comfortable in the online environment, being equipped through experience and exposure to both its cultural norms and the technological competencies required to operate effectively" o Tech savvy-stakeholder o Self-expressive o Going social and then going global o Today's crisis: easily and quickly visible to all
Why to manage crisis (5 whys) "Negligent Failure to Plan"
o A new expanded liability o Failure in 2P's- resulting lawsuits o Legally liable if organizations take precautions to prevent potential crisis and were not prepared to respond o Crisis management as a form of due diligence o Should protect organizations from immediate and secondary harm of a crisis
Why to manage crisis (5 whys) - (3) Greenpeace Pressures on Companies
o Nestle o Chiquita o Coke o Lego
Why to manage crisis (6 whys) Importance of Ethics
o Required for business continuity & stakeholder trust o Easily ignored under a crisis o Moral dilemma often comes with a crisis o Stakeholder values vary! o Adherence to an ethical code can't save you! o Ethics in post-crisis= Too LATE! o Need ethics before, in-the-middle, and after a crisis!
Why to manage crisis (5 whys) - (2) Growth of Stakeholder Activism
o Stakeholders Organizations o Organizations Stakeholders o Could support vs. threaten organizations o Social media = UGC media = Stakeholder media o Empowerment of consumerism/Activism
Why to manage crisis (5 whys) - (1) Importance of Reputation Value
o Valuable intangible organizational resources o Built through direct and indirect experience of stakeholders with organizations. o Crisis= a threat to reputational assets o Crisis management= a means of protecting reputational assets
Organizational crisis -facts,2 types(operational crisis vs paracrisis)
operational crisis: crisis have to respond. paracrisis: Para can mean "like" something. A paracrisis is like a crisis. It can "look like" a crisis and does require action from the organization. However, a paracrisis does not warrant convening the crisis team and operating in a crisis mode
2 types of crisis(organizational crisis vs disaster) and their meaning
organizational crisis: crisis within the company disaster: natural disaster
Primary and secondary stakeholders -meaningsand examples
primary stakeholders: are those who have a direct interest in a company secondary stakeholders: are those who have an indirect interest For instance, the employees and investors who depend on a company's financial well-being for their own are the primary stakeholders. Secondary stakeholders might include residents who live near a company and are thus affected if the company decides to pollute local waterways or local workforce boards that count on the business employing local workers.
Major sources of issue and risk -list
production risk, marketing risk, financial risk, legal risk, and human resource risks.
Crisis types (major/operational vs minor/paracrisis)
Assessing Crisis Types - Why should we identify a crisis type? o An organization has different crises, not just one o Different crises need different crisis managements and communications o (Ex): Rumor vs. Product Harm - Crisis types in organizations o (a) Major crisis: e.g., operational crisis o (b) Minor crisis: e.g., para crisis - (a) Major crisis (Operational crisis) o Operational disruptions from disasters (Ex): Hurricane, flood, cold weather o Workplace violence (Ex): By internal (e.g., harassment) and external (e.g., inner-city store) factors o Unexpected loss of key leadership (Ex): Resignation and death of Steve Jobs o Malevolence: When some outside actor or opponent employs extreme tactics to attack the organization (Ex): Product tampering, kidnaping, terrorism o Technical error accidents and product harm (Ex): Electricity shut off/shortage o Human-error accidents and product harm (Ex): Human-made injury/death o Data breach (Ex): Confidential and sensitive info viewed or stolen o Organizational misdeed: When management takes actions it knows may place stakeholders at risk or knowingly violates the law (Ex): Well Fargo's fake accounts o Special circumstances: Unique crisis forms (3 examples) - Possible special circumstances o Spillover: When a crisis in one organization negatively affects the entire industry o Crisis contagion: Similar to Spillover. When one organization's crisis affects the external industry, such as by country-of-origin and organization type. o (Ex): Spillover VS. Crisis Contagion Spillover: Romaine lettuce's E. coli breakout affected other lettuce and salad product sale Crisis Contagion: Toyota recall affected brand equity of other made-in-Japan and other imported cars o Double crisis: When crisis responses are inappropriate (Ex): BP's CEO's media interview: "I want my life back." - (b) Minor crisis (para crisis) o Faux pas: When managers think an action is positive or neutral, but stakeholders view it negatively (Ex): Advertising messaging insulting certain communities o Rumors: When false/misleading information is purposefully circulated about an organization or its products to harm the organization (Ex) Syringe in a Pepsi can o Challenges: When the organization is confronted by discontented stakeholders which claims that it is operating in an inappropriate manner o Collateral damage: When some negatively viewed actions/mentions or is publicly associated with the organization, thereby creating the risk of guilt by association
Stakeholdertheory and attribution theory-basic definitions
1) Stakeholder Theory: - During crises: o Identify multiple stakeholders o Each discrete group needs to receive different messages o Primary stakeholders: internal vs. external o Secondary stakeholders o Ex: Fire in a dormitory: Who would be discrete shareholders? • Primary: o Students in the dorm o Department o Parents o Campus staff o On-campus residents • Secondary: o Media kit: Campus Local Special 2) Attribution Theory-TH: - Social psychology theory; updated to communication and marketing - Explore the explanations people tend to make to explain a success or failure (more than success!) - Example: We need to know why when we lose in a game - Attribution Theory (During a crisis) o Tend to explain WHY when encountering an unexpected negative event o People attribute causes (proactive) and responsibility (reactive) for it to other individuals or organizations or to themselves. o An organization's crisis communication approach will depend on stakeholders' attributions of responsibility. o Example: +200 people killed. Who's fault? Blame game: Firestone Tire vs Ford Explorers
Why should you study key terms (e.g., jargons) and theories about crisis? -3 reasons
1) Why is understanding KEY THEORIES important? - Understand-describe-predict - Built based on evidence - So, mostly crisis response theories - But still testable - Frequently used at a field - Necessary for better communication with your team - Note: No one has enough time to explain their jargons to you in crisis!
haloeffect
10) Halo Effect - The tendency for some positive attribution of a company to remain with the company subsequently - A logical fallacy; but one of the most common bias in performance appraisal - Determines stakeholders' overall evaluation of an organization 11) Halo Effect in Crisis Communication - Good practice in reputation/crisis management can bring it to an organization - Often established by Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) before/after a crisis - Advantage to manage upcoming crisis - Example: Reminder--- Johnson & Johnson's product and consumer risk management (2010) o Almost 10 years, the company has enjoyed the halo effect.... o Ranked in the top place in corporate reputation: The top 20 in the World's Most Admired Companies; #1 in pharmaceutical category (Fortune list) #38 on the 2018 Employee's Choice Awards for the Best Places to Work (Glassdoor list)
Crisis vulnerability -meaning, differenceby org.type,and how to assess,
2) 1) Diagnosing vulnerabilities - Vulnerabilities o Each organization has specific crisis vulnerabilities o Emerged if a risk is recognized as a crisis o Crisis manager/consultant-list them o Assessed by (10-point scale): Likelihood of occurrence Impact higher scores= higher vulnerabilities (Ex): Vulnerabilities by organization types
3 stages of crisis management
2) Crisis Management- 3 stages: - Precrisis - Crisis - Post crisis
organizational legitimacy
4) Organizational Legitimacy - The assumption that the actions of an entity are desirable, or appropriate within some socially constructed system of norms, values, beliefs, and definitions. - Shaped by stakeholders' perception of an organization. - A Legitimate Organization Is/Does... o Honest in dealing with stakeholders o Complies with the laws o Takes safety precautions o Prices fairly o Treat employees well o ...... 5) Organization Legitimacy During a Crisis - An organization gains or lose legitimacy - Goals of crisis communication: o Restore legitimacy o Not to lose legitimacy o Example: American West Airline: drunken pilots The plane from Miami to Phoenix was ordered back to the terminal Reported the pilots (captain and first officer) were drunk The pilots drank until 5 am; 9:30 am flight Arrested from the plane At first, stakeholders criticized the pilots, not AWA AWA policy: no drinking 12 hours before a flight Later, AWA lost legitimacy: why? AWA filed to check one of the pilot's had alcohol abuse history
Selecting and training spokespersons (study fully) -e.g., what should/shouldn'tdo, how to do, multiples are better than singles, and 4 media tasks.Study their media tasks comprehensively.
5) 4) Selecting and training a spokesperson - Spokesperson o Primary role: Manage the accuracy and consistency of the message coming from the organization o Ideal, but no need to be an organization CEO o Multiple spokespeople rather than one single o Similar to the CMP team, but different in working with media o Media training necessary - Media tasks: (a) Appearing pleasant on camera o Communication style: confirming and compassion o Poor performance causes another crisis = "double- crisis" o Minimizing perceptions of deception o Communication apprehension should be overcome o Voice pitch, speed rate, and face images create perceptions - Media tasks: (b) Answering Q's effectively o 4 answering skills: (1) Think quickly (2) Use the steps to effective listening (3) Use phrases other than "no comment" where an answer is not currently known (4) Stay calm under pressure: no argument with journalists; handle stress Helpful: a mock crisis press conference - Media tasks: (c) Presenting crisis information clearly o Clear= Free of organization jargon o Concise= Free of meaningless details o (Ex): Merck's media task for Vioxx recall decision was not clear to consumers - Media tasks: (d) Handling difficult Q's o Recognize different Q's and respond appropriately + Train o (Ex): Multiple Q's in one Q's: Organize Q's Long, complicated Q's: Ask for it to be repeated, rephrased or explained o Tricky and tough Q's: Convey a longer-than usual answer is needed to address the question; why not to answer now o Q's from erroneous information: Correct it o Multiple-choice Q's: Ensure if response options are fair and reasonable, or appropriate