Course : Crisis Communication (1511CC13)

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Master of Arts in Communication : Corporate Communication Studies

LSPR eLearning Program

Session Topic: 7 R
Course: Crisis Communication

By Syafiq B. Assegaff, MA, MD, CBM, IAPR

Content

Part 1

7R

Part 2

Conclusions

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Part1: 7 R

7 R: Remember to Read the Book & Study

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Product Tampering Crises

Environmental Crises
Natural Disasters
Crises of Violence
Celebrities & Crises.

What happened in each case,

what the companies (or the
celebrities) do to overcome the
crises
was it effective; why ?

7 R-Crisis Management
Source: Caywood, Clarke L. &
Englehart, Hud (2003) Crisis
Management: The Model
Unchanged but the Costs Are
Skyrocketing. Web:
http://www.beaconadvisors.us/ne
ws/articles/JICArticle.pdf
Hud Englehart
Adjunct Professor,
Northwestern Univ.
(2003-Present)

Clarke L. Caywood, Ph.D.

Prof. Integrated Marketing
Communications & PR,
Northwestern Univ. School of
Journalism (1989-Present)
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S.5

Crisis: 7 R (Cont.)

No.
1.

2.

Rs
Respond

Regret

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Comm Messages
Some communication is
necessary:
Most responses to
most types of crisis can
be anticipated
a. Some form of human,
concern must be
communicated with or
without accepting
responsibility.

Behaviour Action
a. Not response that
communicates as a
failure to act
b. No no comment.

b. If the facts are not fully

known:
We regret the harm
caused to
our customers & their
families by our
product"

b. "If the facts are as they

seem,
we will not tolerate any
error
that could cause
injury to

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a. At a higher level of it,

may be necessary to
express "outrage" as
a stronger act.

S.6

Crisis: 7 R (Cont.)

No.

3.

Rs

Resolution

Comm Messages

Behaviour Action
Identify experts inside &
outside the company
State promise to insure that
who are
the specific or
cooperating to
general event is being
resolve the problem.
investigated &
Announce when more
some action is being
detailed information
taken to solve a problem.
might be known.
"We are shutting down the
plant".

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E.g. Andersen sought

outside,
3rd parties to lend
credibility
to their firm.

S.7

Crisis: 7 R (Cont.)

No.

4.

Rs

Restitution

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Comm Messages
As the crisis unfolds & facts
are known;
the message must be
conveyed that
the organization is
able & willing to
"make good to those
harmed even if
the promise is simply
one that meets
the normal warrantee
&
guarantees of the
products or services.

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Behaviour Action
a. Any early & rapid
support for victims
(flying of family
members to
an airline crash site)
must be planned &
initiated.
b. Conditions of the
restitution,
may not necessary
commit the company,
but again speak with
actions the best
behavior possible,
e.g. the Catholic Church
settled with some victims
S.8

Crisis: 7 R (Cont.)

No.

5.

Rs

Reform

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Comm Messages
a. As the facts are gathered
& known,
state honest promise of
action that
will prevent any
reoccurrence.

Behaviour Action
a. Take actions that,
demonstrate
commitment to the longterm.
relationships you
wish with stakeholders.

b. "We have found that

currently,
accepted industry &
regulatory standards
are
not sufficient to protect
our employees;
we are improving our
program."

b. Meet & exceed

expectations by,
creating for the firm
standards not yet
required by law.
E.g. the Catholic Church
initiated
new global plans for
protection of children.

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S.9

Crisis: 7 R (Cont.)

No.

Rs
a.

6.

Responsibility

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Comm Messages
At sometime in the midst
or after a crisis,
someone (a person) & the
company must accept
responsibility for either
the specific event or
for a management
process that failed to
prevent the crisis.

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Behaviour Action
a. Beyond reform &
restitution the
organization
must establish &
follow
the highest standards
of transparency.

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Crisis: 7 R (Cont.)

No.

Rs

Comm Messages
b.

6.

b. "As CEO of this firm,

I accept that it was my

responsibility to
ensure that the investors
of this company were
Responsibility
protected"

c. In older terms "the buck

stops here must be

stated.

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Behaviour Action
Accountability &
responsibility must be,
understood as the daily
actions of any
organization that can &
may have caused harm
in its role as a company
existing with
the permission of
society,
e.g. The Catholic
Church,
did accept responsibility
compared
to other crises.
S.11

Crisis: 7 R (Cont.)

No.

7.

Rs

Reputation/
Brand
Rebuilding

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Comm Messages

Behaviour Action
A thorough audit of,
a. To reestablish,
the activities of all
the reputation of the
stakeholders relevant
organization &
to the strengthening
its employee; the
of the reputation &
management must
corporate brand must
reaffirm its intention to
be undertaken to
be considered
identify other
a premier company
weaknesses or
among leaders in the
stress points in the
industry.
organization.
Again, the Catholic
b. "Our reputation,
Church &
will depend on our ability
the NYSE are
to promise &
rebuilding their
deliver the safest"
reputations.
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Part2: Conclusions

7 R: Conclusions

1. Lack of human expression in most

of the company responses or nonresponse (R1).
2. It is okay to be angry, exasperated
& horrified.
3. Evidence:
companies that try to sympathize
with
victims get empathy in return.
4. Expressing regret (R2) is
controversial.
5. Lawyers dont agree to regret
fear that such an expression is
a tacit admission of guilt.
6. Risk managers side with lawyers,
because litigation costs money &
damages can cost more restitution
(R4) money.
7. It is refreshing to hear a concerned,
somewhat angry CEO say:
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"Im not sure,

what caused this problem &
feel the deepest sense of regret for
the victims & their families.
This kind of situation is
unacceptable in our company &
I will personally see to it that we
find the problem & fix it!"
(Resolution, R3).

8. Sometimes, resolution &

then more permanent reform (R5)
can be a sticking point,
particularly when crisis teams are
managing by
incident instead of taking a
broader view.
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S.14

7 R: Conclusions (Cont.)

9. The exercise of looking ahead,

to a desired outcome & adding
up the costs is
a discipline that can recolor a
decision.
10. And speaking of crisis teams,
companies have to charge them
with one responsibility (R6):
protect the brand & reputation of
the company (R7).

12. They are easy questions but,

they are difficult to ask when
egos are in the room & on line:..
Is managements, or labors or
Legals position worth more than
the brand & its customers ?

13. Wonder how Worldcom or,

Andersen or United Airlines
might
ask those questions ?

11. Protecting any other allied entity

or
individual dramatically lessens
the chances of
a satisfactory remediation for
the reputation/brand &
its stakeholders.
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S.15

Case Study: Individual

1. Prepare a Case Study: chose

one.
2. Use sources such as:
a. Kathleen Fearn Banks book.
b. Tymothy Coombs Crisis
Management & Communication;
c. Look for article which related to:
Truth & Transparency &
their roles in Crises.

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Remember
a. Slides would not,
sufficient to explain
everything we need to study.
b.

It helps you only to,

understand several concepts,
study the cases,
strategies & tactics.

c. You must,
once again, you must read
(study) the books,
journals, & other sources.

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Course : Crisis Communication (1511CC13)

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