James E. Lukaszewski Lukaszewski on crisis communication. What your CEO needs to know about reputation risk and crisis management, Rothstein Associates Inc., Publisher, Brookfield, Connecticut 2013, 400 p., ISBN 978-1-931332-57-6 (original) (raw)
Related papers
Features of Effective Crisis Communication Based on Public Relations Profession Research
Social Communication, 2018
The way of conducting communication during the image crisis is a special type of challenge for the company. Lack of preparation of the company for proper communication management may be crucial in averting and/or reducing the effects of crises. The paper presents the results of research conducted among experts from the PR industry and representatives of the largest Polish enterprises from the 500 List compiled by “Rzeczpospolita” daily newspaper. The vast majority of Polish enterprises show an open-minded approach to crisis communication. Companies from oppressive industries, where crises occur more often, are better prepared for crisis communication. The determinants of effective communication in the situation of image threats are, according to the leaders of public relations agencies, anti-crisis preparation, presence of procedures, openness and honesty in communication processes as well as quick response time.
A quantitative review of crisis communication research in public relations from 1991 to 2009
Public Relations Review, 2010
This study quantitatively examines 18 years (1991)(1992)(1993)(1994)(1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)) of data, 66 published articles, from the crisis communication domain in public relations using Coombs' situational crisis communication theory and Benoit's image restoration theory as the theoretical foundation for analysis. Overall recommendations indicate crisis communication research in public relations may be enriched both theoretically and pragmatically through more diverse contextual and methodological applications and could be less descriptive and more prescriptive through richer scholarly commentary and criticism in support for the models.
Studying Crisis Communication: New Theories and Methodologies
The seminar, which spans over three days and is aimed at doctoral students within the social sciences and the humanities, is divided into two parts. Part (I) consists of an advanced presentation and discussion of recent crisis management and crisis communication research. The focus is on how the discipline of crisis management has developed from a narrow to a broad perspective, and from a simple broad to a complex broad perspective; and how crisis communication has moved from a rhetorical and text-oriented approach to a more strategic and context-oriented approach with a view to allied fields such as risk communication, issues management and reputation management. A special interest is devoted to international crises and the role of the new social media. Part (II) consists of an advanced introduction to the methodologies of crisis communication including both quantitative methodologies and research techniques (experimental designs, content analysis, and surveys) and qualitative methodologies and research techniques (especially case studies as a research design). The seminar also includes a one-day long case study-based workshop focusing on theory building. After the seminar, you should be able to • Understand how crisis management and crisis communication have developed as academic disciplines since the mid-1980s • Identify and discuss key concepts, models and theories within the field of crisis management and crisis communication • Understand the mechanisms of theory building or development • Apply various types of research designs and research methods within the study of crises, crisis management and crisis communication Teachers • Professor W. T. Coombs and professor S. J. Holladay, University of Central Florida (USA) • Professor F. Frandsen and professor W. Johansen, Aarhus University (Denmark)
The Role of Organization-public Relationships in Crisis Communication
i I dedicate this work to my parents, Joe and Stavroula Akinyode and sister, Sophia Osawe-Akinyode who contributed immensely to my pursuit of a Masters degree. I would have not been able to reach this far without the support of Maria Berger-Liehm and Peter Liehm and Michaela Berger; thank you. I also extend my gratitude to all the guidance provided by the staff in the Institute of Media and Communication at the Technical University of Ilmenau especially towards the completion of this thesis. Particularly, I would like to acknowledge the most often than not brief, but precise pieces of advice given to me by Professor Martin Löffelholz over the course of my two year study. I hope this work expresses my appreciation for the opportunity to study at the institute. I thank Dr. Andreas Schwarz for his patience and support but most importantly his encouragement during the period of writing this thesis. I also would have never made it this far if not for the help of my good friend Akhil Agrawal who was there when times were rough. In direct support for this research I would like to extend my appreciation to Michaela Berger for the wonderful work in the translation of the survey from English to German; this went a long way to secure the success of the field work. I also express my humble gratitude for her unconditional friendship that ensured the mental support that was crucial for making my stay in Germany a pleasurable one. Also I appreciate Dr. Akinola Akinyemi for his input during our discussions about the scientific method as it applies to the social sciences. Thanks to all those anonymous students who partook in the experiment/survey. Finally, the University Regensburg library for the vast number of material needed for this thesis. ii Two themes run recurrently throughout this thesis that details a theoretical reconstruction of organization-public relationships within crisis situations and its operationalization in current crisis communication research. Implications from the empirical investigation show support for a strategic view of public relations as a proactive management function whose main objective is to balance overall organizational missions with the dynamics that are prevalent in business environments by building and protecting its intangible resource base. The research isolates crises as peak points stemming from the inevitable conflicts of interests during the ongoing relationships that link the organization to its stakeholders. Crisis management is placed as a reactive sub-functionality of an inherently proactive public relation (PR) framework. A between-subject randomized web-based experimental design provides evidence that the primary unit of analysis in PR research-relationships-might be the more important than previously conceived when strategically responding to the threats posed by crises. A student sample (n=290) was exposed to a simulation of a past Deutsche Bahn (DB) crisis trough an article describing a preventable yet challenging situation. A post-crisis response statement given was manipulated. Each participant was randomly assigned to one of four crisis response messages that were configured based on guidelines from the Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT). Prior to experimental manipulation, a pre-test measured perceptions of relationships with DB. Findings indicate that (1) pre-existing perceptions of relationship quality with DB had considerable impact on how participants reacted to crisis response messages on the outcomes of (a) reputation and (b) attribution of responsibility and on (2) the extent of account honouring. That is, the extent to which they (a) accepted the message and (b) assigned credibility/trustworthiness. A relational view to crisis management theoretically welcomes crises as dangerous opportunities to learn, adapt, reconfigure and understand stakeholder dynamics. This thesis which mostly focuses on for-profit organizations offers insights to the strategic effectiveness of crisis response strategies from a stakeholder orientation and concludes that the focus of managing reputation limits the application of public relations theory. A focus on relationships provides valid and reliable performance indicators for the competitive advantage of organizations and the creation of value both for the organization and society as a whole.
Revista de la Asociación Española de Investigación de la Comunicación, 2019
publication of specialized journals such as the Journal of International Crisis and Risk Communication indicate the ongoing institutionalization of the field (Schwarz, Seeger, & Auer, 2016a). Moreover, an increasing number of academic and public research centers, primarily at American and European universities, point to the rapid growth and societal relevance of the field (Palenchar, 2010). Within the field of public relations and strategic communication research the management of crisis communication already counts as a vital sub-discipline (Coombs, 2012b). This gain in importance can also be explained by the numerous devastating crisis events which do not only have tremendous social, political, ecological, and economic impact, but also reveal in many cases the complexity and limitations of managing crisis communication as practiced by organizations in various fields of society. This complexity and scope of crises go along with the interdisciplinarity and multiperspectivity of the research field, which in most cases lacks reciprocal reference (Coombs, 2012a; Löffelholz & Schwarz, 2008). However, the key role of communication in the context of crisis situations and especially the role of strategically planned and research-based communication by organizations before, during and after crisis situations have been recognized in practice as well as in academia. This has stimulated further efforts of developing a stronger conceptual and theoretical basis of crisis communication research. Compared to past ontological descriptions of crises, scholars now emphasize the social construction of crises as well as the role of individual and organizational observers and their perceptions. Pearson and Clair (1998, p. 66) defined organizational crisis as "low-probability, high-impact situation that is perceived by critical stakeholders to threaten the viability of the organization and that is subjectively experienced by these individuals as personally and socially threatening." Hearit and Courtright (2004) argued that communication is a constitutive element of the construction of social reality in crisis contexts. Applying this to organizational crises, the authors concluded that "[c]rises are terminological creations conceived by human agents, and consequently, are managed and resolved terminologically. As such, instead of being one component, communication constitutes the quintessence of crisis management" (p. 205). Hence, crises and their interpretations
What is a Public Relations “Crisis?” Refocusing Crisis Research
2010
Recently, Ki and Khang (2005) reported the results of a bibliometric study of public relations research. Their data indicate that the study of crisis has consistently been one of the three biggest areas of study in public relations for nearly 20 years. Public Relations Review alone has published more than 130 articles over the last 25 years that deal with crisis.
Advancing Crisis Communication Effectiveness
2020
Advancing Crisis Communication Effectiveness shows how crisis communication plans and efforts for complex and challenging issues benefit when academic perspectives are connected with practitioner experiences. The book brings crisis and public relations scholars together with practicing professionals to integrate academic theories and research with the knowledge and lessons learned on the frontlines of crisis communication and management. This book illustrates how having insights and observations from both leading crisis communication scholars and professionals strengthens crisis management and communication strategies, plans, and coordination. Chapters co-authored by leading scholars and professionals highlight how academic theories and research can inform crisis management and response-and how practitioners can utilize, inform, and strengthen academic theories and research. For each topic area covered, examples and applications are provided that show how integrating public relations scholarship with practice can advance crisis communication effectiveness. This book represents a unique and timely contribution to the field of crisis management and communication. It will be an important resource for public relations and crisis management and communication scholars, educators, professionals, consultants, and graduate students.
Into the crisis vortex: Managing and communicating issues, risks and crises.
Journal of Professional Communication 2 (1), 43-52, 2012
This article provides a discussion of the growing importance of crisis communications in communications management practice. Using celebrated examples to set the scene, such as the BP oil spill, Toyota, SARS and the Japanese tsunami, the author describes how crisis communications can be a factor in making organizations more cost effective given the high reputational and legal cost of crises. The author also discusses the distinction between tactics and strategy and how the crisis communications research agenda must move to focus more specifically on crisis preparedness and management.