Degree Type
Creative Component
Semester of Graduation
Spring 2018
Department
Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication
First Major Professor
Gang Han
Degree(s)
Master of Science (MS)
Major(s)
Journalism and Mass Communication
Abstract
Throughout history, we have seen critical moments that defined an individual, group, business or organization. For the most part, British Petroleum was defined by their reaction to the gulf coast oil spills, Tiger Woods’s success on the golf course has been overshadowed by his personal issues, and the Duke Lacrosse team’s championship run was cancelled because of a sexual assault accusation. These are just a snapshot of major crises that we can (and will) examine in this text. Despite the notoriety of these cases, these crises are what form a major part of the public perception of these entities to date.
While some small crises may go unnoticed due to effective communication, others can call for the world’s attention. In either scenario, careful evaluation and consideration must go into the response. Factors such as the events that lead to the crisis, the publics or stakeholders that are following the situation, and the organization’s reputation are just examples of perspectives that need to be considered.
This project will provide a theoretical basis for the decision-making process before reviewing and analyzing three cases that possess various levels of threat to an organization’s reputation. The purpose is to provide an understanding and plan for student organizations to follow in the event of a crisis. The final sections of this text will outline three scenarios of various threat levels and a guide for how to respond to each.
Copyright Owner
Scott Ismond
Copyright Year
2018
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
File Format
application/pdf
Embargo Period (admin only)
5-2018
Recommended Citation
Ismond, Scott, "A Response to Crisis for the General Public" (2018). Creative Components. 4.
https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/creativecomponents/4
Included in
Interpersonal and Small Group Communication Commons, Journalism Studies Commons, Mass Communication Commons, Other Communication Commons, Public Relations and Advertising Commons