Crisis Briefing Assignment Comm 2201 Restoring Organization

Crisis Briefing Assignment Comm 2201restoring Organizational Image W

Respond to a specific organizational crisis event as an organizational spokesperson, creating a media briefing for various media outlets. Select a real organizational crisis from the past 20 years, ideally with local or regional implications. Thoroughly research the crisis, including background, response actions, and public commentary. Assume the role of a corporate representative and develop a media briefing using image restoration strategies discussed in class, choosing those most appropriate based on audience perceptions. This presentation should be persuasive, aiming to repair the organization's image while safeguarding public interests. Support your strategies with unbiased evidence from at least three credible independent sources, citing them appropriately. The speech must follow the N-A-R (Neat, Accurate, Relevant) structure and be delivered extemporaneously within 5 to 8 minutes. Include a cover page with your details, a concise crisis statement, context, and justification for your three chosen image repair strategies targeting the audience. Supporting material must be well-cited and sourced from reputable outlets, and all references should be formatted in APA style and included with your manuscript.

Paper For Above instruction

The role of effective crisis communication in organizational reputation management is paramount, especially in the digital age where information spreads rapidly and public scrutiny is intense. Organizational crises, whether due to accidents, misconduct, product failures, or other incidents, threaten the public image and stakeholder trust. The strategic application of image restoration strategies is crucial not only in mitigating damage but also in rebuilding confidence among affected publics. This essay explores in detail how organizations can effectively respond to crises, using a recent real-life case as an illustrative example, supported by credible academic and journalistic sources.

Consider the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, one of the most catastrophic environmental disasters in recent history. The crisis originated from a blowout on the offshore drilling rig operated by BP, which resulted in the loss of eleven workers' lives and caused one of the largest marine oil spills in history. The spill released approximately 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico over 87 days (Gleick, 2011). This incident led to widespread environmental, economic, and social implications, severely damaging BP's corporate reputation (Fischer & Pollock, 2011). The response from BP and other stakeholders' critiques provide fertile ground to analyze the application of image restoration strategies under intense public scrutiny.

In the immediate aftermath, BP faced intense criticism for its handling of the crisis. The company employed several image repair strategies, primarily focusing on denial, distancing, and mortification. Initially, BP attempted to deny responsibility, asserting that the explosion was due to equipment failure on the rig, which was disputed by investigations (Thomas, 2011). Subsequently, BP attempted to distance itself from the environmental catastrophe by emphasizing that the spill was exacerbated by other parties, including the rig operator Transocean and Halliburton (Davis, 2011). These responses, however, faced public skepticism, leading BP to shift towards condolence and mortification by expressing regret for the disaster and the suffering caused (Van der Meer, 2012). The company's communication displayed an evolving strategy aimed at rebuilding trust and demonstrating accountability, which is a central aspect of the mortification strategy.

Applying the theoretical framework of image restoration, the most appropriate strategies in BP’s case seem to be due to mortification, corrective action, and ingratiation. Mortification involved BP accepting responsibility and expressing remorse, which aligns with the public’s demand for accountability in the face of environmental devastation. Corrective action was evident in BP's efforts to contain the spill and compensate affected communities, although critics argued that these measures were insufficient or delayed. Ingratiation, involving gestures to please the public and stakeholders, was used through letters of apology and public engagement efforts (Coombs, 2014). These strategies aimed to foster a perception that BP was committed to rectifying its errors and restoring trust.

Research indicates that effective use of mortification can significantly mitigate damage by demonstrating organizational responsibility, an essential component when public trust is eroded by environmental disasters (Benoit & Brinson, 1990). Furthermore, transparency about corrective measures fosters credibility, essential for long-term reputation recovery (Ulmer et al., 2010). BP’s subsequent actions, including pledging billions in compensation and investing in environmental cleanup, were aimed at reinforcing these image repair strategies. However, the effectiveness of these responses depends heavily on independent assessments and continued accountability, emphasizing the importance of credible supporting evidence (Fearn-Banks, 2011).

In conclusion, the BP Deepwater Horizon spill exemplifies the complex application of image restoration strategies in a high-stakes crisis. The organization’s initial denial and distancing responses proved ineffective and, in some cases, damaging, underscoring that transparency, accountability, and genuine remorse are more credible and effective. The adoption of mortification, corrective action, and ingratiation strategies, supported by independent validation, played a pivotal role in slowly rebuilding BP’s reputation among stakeholders and the public. Effective crisis communication should always be anchored in honesty, transparency, and consistent action, which are fundamental to restoring trust and protecting the organization’s public image.

References

• Benoit, W. L., & Brinson, S. L. (1990). Image repair discourse and crisis communication. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 18(1), 27-48.
• Coombs, W. T. (2014). Ongoing crisis communication: Planning, managing, and responding. Sage Publications.
• Davis, S. (2011). BP’s crisis management strategies during the Deepwater Horizon spill. Public Relations Review, 37(4), 401-403.
• Fearn-Banks, K. (2011). Crisis communications: A casebook approach. Routledge.
• Fischer, M., & Pollock, D. (2011). The BP oil spill: Crisis communication and environmental accountability. Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning, 13(4), 541-556.
• Gleick, P. H. (2011). The Deepwater Horizon oil spill: An environmental disaster. Environmental Science & Technology, 45(16), 7042-7043.
• Thomas, D. (2011). Corporate responses to environmental crises: The case of BP. Business and Society Review, 116(2), 237-256.
• Ulmer, R. R., Sellnow, T. L., & Seeger, M. W. (2010). Effective crisis communication: Moving from crisis to opportunity. Sage Publications.
• Van der Meer, T. G. L. A. (2012). Crisis communication and reputation management in the age of social media. Journal of Communication Management, 16(4), 332-343.