COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES

COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES IN CRISIS SITUATIONS

According to Benoit, the communication strategy in crisis situations presupposes a general approach to communication in case of a crisis situation intensification and it belongs to a more complex type of communication, the public relations strategy of the organization in discussion. The outlining of this strategy has to take into consideration the area of definition for the public relations activities and for the basic rules used in operation. The very existence of this general approach does not restrict, nor does it determine, at the organization level, a certain type of behavior in its employees, but it offers rules of employment so that each of the employees will know his symbolic position within the organization and, respectively, will know which his area of responsibility is and thus, the final defined action of preparing the crisis communication will not degenerate into some chaotic, disorganized action. Last but not least, this strategy aims at each type of activity, in turn, therefore, each segment of the whole structure will be covered. The public relations strategy, indeed, does not imply a rigid and sophisticated approach, on the contrary, it equals a passage, inside a dynamic frame of development and in the absence of panic, and its finality is meant to offer clarity and efficiency. The best public relations strategy will always be the initial one put into action, while, in order to accomplish this act, there is need for planning in a simulated work frame, as close as possible to a strategic reality. This planning of the public relations strategy constitutes the most difficult part of the entire process of strategic approach of the public relations area. Unfortunately, there are numerous confusions made between the public relations strategy and its necessary tactical steps and within many organizations, such confusions are visible. A strategy that is correctly planned does not limit itself to an algorithm of action, which is supposed to result from a plan of crisis communication or from a crisis management plan, but it has to be included in them. At the same time, a correctly planned strategy involves the concentration of all efforts, for a long period of time and its main objective must be the accomplishment of the desired results. The strategic approach needs to be incorporated into documents showing the action path in gradual steps, namely, in tactical stages, according to the interactive crisis management, and such action requires careful planning or results from a specific decision made by the managers.

According to Benoit  there are certain communication strategies in crisis situations: the negation strategy (by rejecting accusations); the responsibility denial (by declining chargeability with regard to certain events); the lessening of the dangerous action nature (by trying to obtain support, by reducing the negative sentiments, by differentiating, by transcending, attacking or compensating); the correction strategy (involving promises for the purpose of  restauration, decomposition etc.), and the humiliation strategy. According to Coombs, the communication strategies in crisis situations are classified into: negation, outstripping, partiality, humiliation and suffering.

Once the action strategy has been established, the tactical steps need correlation with the action, based on logical sequencing; in other words, the solution to the problem must come into gradual steps (the digital approach), and respectively, for each of these steps, there must be specific objectives and action deadlines.

By:  ULAYA SIJALI (BAPRM 42681)