Response Paper: Industrial Crisis

Introduction

An organisational crisis can be described as a highly ambiguous situation which causes, and effects are usually unknown, primarily characterised by the low probability of its occurrence but posing a rather substantial threat to the viability of an organization. The way the organisation responds to such the crisis determines the damage to the company or its success in boosting its image (Underhill, 2016). Therefore, communication response in the case of a crisis is an essential aspect of crisis management. This essay aims to explain the communication response in case of an industrial accident. It seeks to critique the communication response I would undertake in case of an industrial crisis due to chemical leaks.

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The first factor I would consider to produce effective communication is the determination of the objective of my crisis communication. In the case of an industrial crisis due to chemical leaks, the aim would be to assure stakeholders of the expected effect of the spills. The most critical factor in this scenario is to take responsibility by reacting immediately as well as responding to feedback.

The primary reason for responding to an industrial crisis is to ensure the dissemination of information to the stakeholders. It is important that during a crisis an organization shares critical information with its stakeholders. Communication helps create clarity of matter among the shareholders by confirming or denying information regarding critical incidents; otherwise, the voids will be filled with rumours and threat is amplified (Pearson & Clair, 1998). Essential benefits of sharing information regarding the various aspects of industrial crisis such as causes, coping strategies, and consequences are the possible reversal of the breakdown of social order caused by the crisis, understanding the ways to deal with deal the potential dangers, and helping to reduce self-blame and helplessness in the organization.

Due to the nature and significant implications of the industrial crisis due to a chemical spill, it is crucial that I relay the information concerning the disaster to the stakeholders and those affected. In the communication process, public relations plays a vital responsibility of developing the required messages that are to be sent to various publics (Pearson & Clair, 1998). Therefore, I would ensure that my communication with the public regarding the crisis would be early and quick. It is vital that I acknowledge the uncertainty regarding the situation of the crisis at hand while assuring the stakeholders that the organisation will communicate regularly about the involved current and future risks.

In the case of an industrial crisis due to chemical leaks, it is essential to avoid absolute or specific answers when communicating with the stakeholders about the issue. It will harm the image of the organisation since it gives the affected parties false hope in case the answers I provided will be the correct outcome of the situation. According to Heath & O'Hair, (2010), a better solution would be getting ahead of the story by communicating and apologising to the stakeholders and become the source of their information instead of letting them hear from sources such as the media first.

Conclusion

The paper comprehensively discusses my response in the communication of an industrial crisis due to chemical leaks. The first element is to understand that it is to disseminating information directly, quickly, candidly, and accurately to the critical stakeholders. Besides, the stakeholders should not be given certain or absolute answers to avoid giving them a sense of false hope. The paper has the role of communication sufficiently when responding to the industrial crisis due to chemical leaks. The accuracy and the speed of response on the communication of the several elements of industrial crisis are critical to the success or failure of the organization.

References

Heath, R. L., & O'Hair, H. D. (Eds.). (2010). Handbook of risk and crisis communication. Routledge.

Pearson, C. M., & Clair, J. A. (1998). Reframing crisis management. Academy of management review, 23(1), 59-76.Ulmer, R. R., Sellnow, T. L., & Seeger, M. W. (2015). Effective Crisis Communication: Moving From Crisis to Opportunity (3rd ed.) Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Underhill, G. (2016). Industrial crisis and the open economy: politics, global trade and the textile industry in the advanced economies. Springer.