Crisis Communication & Management Flashcards

Which crisis communication model emphasizes that organizations must take responsibility quickly and communicate openly to maintain public trust?

Answer: Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT)

SCCT, developed by W. Timothy Coombs, links crisis responsibility levels to appropriate response strategies to protect organizational reputation.

During a product recall crisis, a company issues a statement fully accepting blame and offering compensation. This response strategy is called:

Answer: Rebuild

Rebuild strategies, including apology and compensation, are used when an organization accepts high responsibility for a crisis.

A crisis communication team's first priority in the immediate aftermath of a crisis should be:

Answer: Ensuring employee and public safety

Life safety is the foremost priority in any crisis response before communications strategy is executed.

The 'dark site' strategy in crisis communication refers to:

Answer: A pre-built website activated only during a crisis

A dark site is a pre-prepared web page kept offline that can be quickly activated to provide crisis information to the public.

Which factor most commonly causes a crisis to escalate unnecessarily?

Answer: Delayed or inadequate initial response

Slow or inadequate early responses allow misinformation to spread and erode public trust, worsening the crisis.

What is the primary purpose of a crisis communication audit conducted before a crisis occurs?

Answer: To identify vulnerabilities and communication gaps in advance

A pre-crisis audit identifies weaknesses in communication systems, processes, and messaging so they can be addressed proactively.

In crisis communication, 'bridging' is a technique used to:

Answer: Transition from a difficult question to a key message

Bridging is a media training technique where a spokesperson acknowledges a question then pivots to deliver a key organizational message.