Shari Veil

This study examines instructional messages and constraints of health literacy in communicating messages of self-protection in a crisis. Specifically, the identifiable public relations strategies of the FDA, CDC, and other prominent spokespersons were assessed and a content analysis of television coverage during the first week of the 2010 Salmonella egg recall was performed to determine the ability of the accountable agencies and organizations to communicate messages of self-protection through the media. This study contends that practitioners must take health literacy into consideration when developing messages that must first pass through media gatekeepers. Implications are provided for improving media relations in a crisis that increases health risks and expanding the scope of crisis communication research.

Social media outlets are becoming main stream venues for risk and crisis communication, and how information is shared is critical. Analysis of social bookmarks regarding H1N1 demonstrate the CDC was the most popular reference for information, individuals were strongly present, blogs were the most popular type of documents, and Twitter is the most popular source being referenced. The crisis communication literature has just started to address those stakeholders that are creating their own influence and messages online.

This case study examines the postcrisis discourse of Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) and its executives following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant crisis of Spring 2011. Using organizational renewal as a framework, we argue TEPCO communicated a desire to rebuild its reputation by being prospective and focusing on the future, emphasizing rebuilding and growth, providing an optimistic message, and communicating information through its leaders. Although TEPCO's postcrisis communication adhered to the tenets of renewal, stakeholders remained skeptical of the organization—likely the result of an inability to foster a strong precrisis relationship with the Japanese public and its government. This study shows how a company can fail to establish renewal among its stakeholders when renewal discourse is not framed successfully.

This study analyzes the role of third party crisis communication during the expansive food contamination crisis caused by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA). The information void caused by PCA's mismanagement of the crisis and subsequent reticence was filled by third party organizations serving as proxy crisis communicators. The need for organizations to plan for and engage in proxy communication when organizations in affiliated industries fail to communicate effectively during crises is demonstrated.

This study analyzes crisis communication strategies in a transitioning media environment, specifically, Sanlu Group's crisis communication strategies during a quality control crisis in China. Analysis reveals Sanlu manipulated its relationships with local Chinese government and media to reduce media coverage and online searches regarding the contamination of infant milk formula. The case provides evidence that media can be pressured into manipulating information flow through both traditional and online media and suggests a need for additional research on crisis communication in transitioning media environments.

This study explores the relationship between corrective action and rebuilding legitimacy. Specifically, the corrective actions taken by the City of Minot and Ward County officials in response to the emergency communication breakdowns during the 2002 Canadian Pacific train derailment and anhydrous ammonia spill are analyzed. The study concludes that corrective action when employed as organizational learning can expedite image restoration, rebuild legitimacy, and better prepare organizations for future crises.

All crises emit warning signals. And yet, organizations do not typically see the warnings in time to learn and adapt to prevent a crisis. This conceptual analysis bridges a theoretical gap by connecting current crisis management literature to rhetorical theories that identify barriers to organizational learning. Two connecting models are introduced to outline the barriers to learning, propose the inclusion of learning throughout the crisis cycle, and encourage the adoption of a mindful culture. Previous crisis models are described and an explanation of the similarities between Burkean phi­ losophy and crisis research is presented. The Mindful Learning Model demonstrates how, if barriers are overcome, learning can not only lessen the impact of a crisis but also potentially prevent a crisis from occurring. Contentions of this analysis are detailed and a research agenda to extend mindful learning is outlined.

This study bridges a gap between public library and emergency management policy versus practice by examining the role of public libraries in the community resource network for disaster recovery. Specifically, this study identifies the opportunities and challenges for public libraries to fulfill their role as a FEMA-designated essential community organization and enhance community resilience. The results indicate there are several opportunities for libraries to enhance community resilience by offering technology resources and assistance; providing office, meeting, and community living room space; serving as the last redundant communication channel and a repository for community information and disaster narratives; and adapting or expanding services already offered to meet the changing needs of the community. However, libraries also face challenges in enhancing community resilience, including the temptation to overcommit library capacity and staff capability beyond the library mission and a lack of long-term disaster plans and collaboration with emergency managers and government officials. Implications for library and emergency management practice and crisis research are discussed.

Emergency managers and journalists share a goal of delivering vital information to the public in a disaster. Effectively achieving this goal requires that emergency managers and journalists work together. This study examines the discourse between emergency managers and journalists to identify communication challenges and to provide suggestions for improving the emergency managerÁmedia relationship. Communication issues that can affect the relationship and inhibit collaboration include stereotypical judgments, a lack of trust, paradoxical challenges, and unrealistic expectations. Roles with which each is identified and their perceived affiliations to larger government and media structures contributed to a lack of trust. Findings suggest that when emergency managers and journalists are better informed about each others' professions, and when they develop stronger interpersonal relationships, the quality and timeliness of information delivered to the public improves.

Prominent crisis communication researchers have suggested that practitioners should work with the media as partners when managing a crisis (Ulmer, Sellnow, & Seeger, 2007). This study provides an example of a crisis case in which the media was embraced as a partner in the crisis response. Specifically, the partnership established with the media as part of the crisis response following the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City is assessed. Conclusions further the literature on interorga-nizational partnerships while encouraging research and discussion concerning working with the media as a partner instead of an adversary in public relations, generally, and crisis communication, specifically. Organizational leaders often view reporters as nothing more than attack dogs out to get them. The media is the enemy. While academic literature is encouraging relationship building with the media, we have not noticed a reduction in apprehension and anger by organizational leaders during crisis media training and consulting. Overwhelmingly , our participants and clients are concerned that the media will report information incorrectly or even purposefully twist the information to make the organization look bad. There is good reason for concern. After all, research has shown the media frame can greatly influence how an individual understands or experiences a crisis (Hearit

Objectives: Students will demonstrate research, decision making, team building, and public speaking skills, while applying issues management and crisis communication concepts in a realistic settingCourses: Introduction to Public Relations, Public Relations Cases, Crisis Communication

This project provides a framework for establishing a set of best practices for post-crisis communication. The existing research provides a detailed summary of the best practices that are appropriate for crisis communication (Seeger, 2006; Sellnow, Ulmer, Seeger, & Littlefield, 2009). Existing research does not, however, evaluate the effectiveness of these strategies after the acute phase of the crisis. This project

ABSTRACT This study employs instructional communication and crisis communication theoretical frameworks to experimentally examine messages tailored to learning style preferences to determine their effect on receivers’ perceived efficacy to take self-protective measures during a crisis event. In the first phase of the study, participants (N=254) viewed manipulated instructional media messages in the form of simulated news reports that reflected one of four learning styles. Results revealed no significant differences in perceived self-efficacy based on receiver learning style preference or message manipulation tailored to specific learning styles, but there was an interaction effect. In the second phase, participants (N=123) completed pre-test and post-test measures of self-efficacy and watched a message that either matched or mismatched their learning style preference. Overall, participant self-efficacy significantly increased at post-test. However, none of the tailored messages significantly increased post-test self-efficacy over the others. The results extend both instructional communication and crisis management research, and provide avenues for future research utilizing instructional theories and frameworks and message tailoring to influence crisis management, instructional message design and self-protection efficacy.

This study bridges a gap between public library and emergency management policy versus practice by examining the role of public libraries in the community resource network for disaster recovery. Specifically, this study identifies the opportunities and challenges for public libraries to fulfill their role as a FEMA-designated essential community organization and enhance community resilience. The results indicate there are several opportunities for libraries to enhance community resilience by offering technology resources and assistance; providing office, meeting, and community living room space; serving as the last redundant communication channel and a repository for community information and disaster narratives; and adapting or expanding services already offered to meet the changing needs of the community. However, libraries also face challenges in enhancing community resilience, including the temptation to overcommit library capacity and staff capability beyond the library mission and a lack of long-term disaster plans and collaboration with emergency managers and government officials. Implications for library and emergency management practice and crisis research are discussed.

... The details of the crisis were documented, communication failures were identified, and the progression of the city and county officials' image restoration strategies was examined. 3. Findings. ... 3.1. A communication train wreck. ...

ABSTRACT Like the crisis responses to hurricanes, after a tornadic event public libraries play emergency roles both in the short and long term. Community members rely on public libraries for Internet access to request aid, to help find missing family and friends, to file Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and insurance claims, and, in general, to begin rebuilding their lives. This article reports the quality of services and activities public libraries performed in response and recovery in twelve different communities impacted by tornadoes. The discussion includes an evaluation of the quality of the responses and some recommendations to improve preparedness and response.

ABSTRACT This study addresses the paradoxical demands of a hoax perpetrated through social media that require an organization to make a substantial response to an unsubstantiated claim. Dominos’ response to its 2009 YouTube crisis is used as a case study to demonstrate how this paradoxical challenge can be resolved by publicly casting the crisis as a learning opportunity. Analysis reveals that learning manifests in observable actions that further emphasize a commitment to the values and norms the organization originally met to earn social legitimacy prior to the crisis. Also, responding to a hoax through the same medium by which it was distributed is imperative to counter the hoax message for the same audience that received it.

ABSTRACT Purpose – This study aims to use the now-classic case study of American Red Cross's response to Hurricane Katrina to demonstrate the utility of the best practices in risk and crisis communication as an assessment tool. Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative case study methodology is used to provide a thick description of the case based on media analysis and internal and external evaluations. The best practices in risk and crisis communication are then used to assess Red Cross's response efforts. Findings – This study provides contextual support for the best practices in risk and crisis communication and demonstrates their usefulness in post-crisis assessment. Lessons learned specific to the case outline the importance of: maintaining flexibility in the crisis plan; developing a crisis communication protocol with partners; considering the affects of response procedures on the emotional and psychological health of crisis victims; and establishing connections with diverse populations and the communities in which the organization works. Practical implications – As an assessment tool in the post-crisis stage, the best practices provide an outline for organizations to question whether their planning was sufficient and their strategies and responses met the needs of their stakeholders. Originality/value – This study provides reason for continuing to develop, study, and apply best practices in risk and crisis communication across organizations and industries. By using the best practices as an assessment tool post-crisis, organizations can look at each specific practice through the lens of the crisis to stimulate organizational learning.

ABSTRACT To lessen the threat of an intentional or naturally occurring livestock disease, the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture introduced the National Animal Identification System NAIS, encouraging the use of innovative tools such as radio frequency identification RFID tags to track cattle across the country. In this study, the author examines the barriers to adoption of NAIS and RFID technology as risk-reduction tools. Diffusion of innovation literature is used to analyze a case study of a state livestock association advocating the rejection of NAIS and RFID technology. Implications for the diffusion of risk reduction tools are provided.

Some of the most extreme acts of school violence like the Columbine and Virginia Tech shootings have raised awareness of the threats academic settings face. And yet, students continually believe their campus is safer than other campuses across the country. This study places rampage school shootings in the context of terrorism and examines campus safety campaigns through the lens of terror management theory. An analysis of sample campus safety campaign tactics demonstrates the potential for campus safety campaigns to actually decrease safety by spurring attacks on others as a protection mechanism. School violence and terror management literature is reviewed, the phenomenon of optimistic bias is described, and campus safety campaigns are analyzed to make recommendations for future research and campaign development.

... Domingo , BA ( 2003 ). Stop Slammin Sammy: A theoretical approach to the first 24 hours of a communication crisis in sports . ... Local media were also useful to practitioners for responding to rumors and misinformation. (Lundy & Broussard, 200745. ...

... Public relations in the eye of the storm: Lessons from professionals in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Public Relations Review, 33, 220-223. ... Crisis and emergency risk communication as an integrative model. ... Journal of Applied Communication Research, 30, 126-142. ...

ABSTRACT This study analyzes BP's crisis communication related to the Deepwater Horizon disaster. Specifically, we observe how an organization whose priorities are misaligned with the ethic of first and second things has a severely limited capacity for delivering a crisis message that resonates with the general public, and especially those most affected by the disaster. Organizational connectedness and Lewis' essays on the ethic of first and second things are discussed and research on virtuous responses to crisis and renewal discourse is highlighted to explain how BP's focus on maximizing profit over safety and the environment stymied their communication efforts. A discourse of renewal is suggested as essential for the organization to regain connectedness post-crisis.