Crisis Communication Quiz 1

Characteristics of Crisis (that separate a crisis from other unpleasant occurances)

Surprise, Threat, Short Response Time

Early references to crisis

Hippocrates: greek word "Krisis", meaning turning point in a disease

Cosmology Episode

stunned reaction to event; momentary chaos

Focusing Event Theory

Key word: POLICY

when a crisis happens, policy changes causing long term impact (whether good or bad)

Chaos Theory Model

(Cycle from the image shown on class slide)

Bifurcation --> Fractals --> Strange Attractors --> Self Organization --> Strange Attractors --> Fractals --> Bifurcation

Bifurcation (chaos theory model)

event

Fractal (chaos theory model)

evidence

Strange attractors (Chaos theory model)

People coming together to solve

Self-organization (chaos theory model)

Solving the problem

News Framing Theory

Key word: INTERPRETATION

Crises are 'framed' positively or negatively; the initial frame perceived sticks with viewers

Crisis News diffusion

Key Word: CIRCULATION

Impact on crisis/crisis perception based on where you get your news and the constant changing of news

Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT)

Key Word: MATCHING

Matching the right response with situation

Denial, diminishment, rebuilding, bolstering

Image Repair Theory

Key Word: EXPLAINING

explaining crisis through different strategies: denial, evasion of responsibility, reducing offensiveness, corrective action, mortification

Exemplification Theory

Key Word: SHOCKING

Influence someones perception by either spurring attention or (more often) aversion

pull people in with evocative imagery

Intelligent Failures

(1) result from thoughtfully planned actions

(2) have uncertain outcomes

(3) are modest in scale

(4) fast response

(5) have enough familiarity to facilitate learning

Vicarious Learning

learning by observation

organizations learning from other organization's crises and actions

Unlearning

created opportunities for

1. expanding options

2. contraction options

3. grafting (new employees)

stop doing something + do something new

Opportunities in Learning

1. to prevent crisis

2. avoid crisis through vicarious learning

3. memory preserves lessons learned through failure

4. unlearning outdated ideas

5. preserve lessons

Define Ethics

concern basic judgments of right and wrong, good and bad, and desirable and

undesirable.

Values

larger lessons that inform attitudes, beliefs, & judgements

Humanism

Recognize inherent worth in humans, sensitivity to trauma of crisis

Accountability

Who is to blame for the problem, and who is responsible for fixing the problem?

(possible essay question) Key Components of a Working Definition of Organizational Crisis

1. Threat

2. Surprise

3. Short response time

(possible essay question) Chaos Theory

Key word: Cosmology episode

You can't control your environment

(possible essay question) Comparing SCCT with Image Repair Theory

SCCT: MATCHING the right response with the crisis

Image Repair Theory: EXPLAINING the crisis through different strategies

Learning from failure

Predictable Surprises = Failing to learn from failure

Unpredictable Surprises = No clear warning sign