Response Strategies Used by the Organization - Essay Example

Coombs’s Situational Crisis Communication Theory Student Name Institution Course Date Coombs’s Situational Crisis Communication Theory Introduction Product tampering crises is the adversity that the organization encounters when amenities and mines disintegrate and result to a release of toxic substances in the surroundings or when plant explode to fire and falling apart of infrastructures that the organization is liable for any consequence caused. Smouldering crises may be an end result of failures like human intricate setups and negligence from the management team. According to Zaremba (2009 p. 22), product tampering crises can be handled by the Situational Crisis Communication Theory or the SCCT. It has four approaches namely diminishing, rebuilding, denial and bolstering postures. Response strategies that the organization utilised Seeger (2003 p.16) points out that the organization uses an internally and externally communication approach to discover where the problem evaluated from as a post crisis condition in Odwalla Incorporation. In this, several analysis were carried out as tests to give evaluations of the cause of the disaster. By the Image Repair Theory this process of investigation was enabled by the government bodies in charge of safety and health services to the public. In such approaches the organization holds meeting for board members and analysts or special agents to come up with answers that the public is searching for. The centre of attention of the approach is on the organizational image protection, dependability and administration accountability. According to Ulmer (2010 pg 17), the organization utilised the predicament planning strategy that trimmed down the probability of disastrous events from happening that would eventually created organizational crisis. The institution, company or organization at this stage makes a plan and resolutions that will eliminate the possibilities of regional or bodily crisis in and out of the organization. According to Goel (2009, p. 30) argues that the organization utilized the impressive management approach in typology also referred to as Corporate Apologia. This help in making clarification towards the cause of the disastrous event to keep up the reputation of the organization in the public sector. It guides the public in any type of negative interpretation and impression that was made in reference to the crisis event after or before the crises. In another view, the Organizational Renewal Theory was utilized to expose the organization to learn more about the crisis and develop skills and guidelines to avoid such cases during operations or during the cause of work. This includes the assembling of resources to help out in such a time. Another strategy that was used is the SCCT. The Situational Crisis Communication Theory is meant to satisfy the curiosity of potential stake holders, employees and consumers in the public in reference to (Ulmer 2010, p. 18-19). The dominant and most frequently used crisis communications strategy from the SCCT According to Zaremba, (2009, p.45) SCCT as a strategy holds other preferable approaches in itself. The rebuilding strategy was the dominating approach that was utilized by Odwalla Incorporation back in 1996 according to Flynn, 2009, pg 1. It facilitated historical crisis that had not taken place in the past in and out of the organization. The strategy rebuilt the reputation of the organization and made sure that the organizational image was not permanently tarnishes as the image repair theory emphasizes. Bhasin, (2011 p. 1) argues that historical crisis and a ruined reputation can be a major cause of a downfall to any organization that is stable or unstable. Odwalla Incorporation made its apple juice to rebuild its relationship with customers in trust that was once obtained from the products of quality and reliability. The approach strategizes in making an effort to surety that history does not repeat itself in the near future. In reference to Goel (2009, p.38), the organization put into effect all safety measures and precaution like the thermal process and flash pasteurisation that was not to harm the products flavour in the amends to obtaining the name back. The most frequently used directed speaker In relation to Forman, 2007, pg 1the most frequent speaker in the organization was the CEO who communicated to the media in the Corporate Apologia strategy internally to uplift the organization. Internally he conducted major company conference. It was his responsibility as the company’s representative to defend and corporate with the media so as not to put the company in a fixture. In reference to Seeger, 2003, 49 he used sympathy, honest reports and analysis in separate and common website to keep the consumers at par with the correct company’s proceedings. How did message strategies vary among speakers? The message strategies varied among speaker in the sense that any speaker who wanted to get the attention of the public in expressing the crisis was not restricted from doing so. This was well distinguished in the company through the CEO of the company Stephen Williamson. He made external communication through the press, on TV and websites in direct interviews. One of the major media centres that put Odwalla incorporation on the spotlight was Edelman public relation in reference to Forman, 2007, pg 1 although he was hired by the organization. The health official in Washington D.C. reported their massive form of disappointment to the public on the founding of the E-coli bacteria in the drinks produce. In addition, FAD reported the violation of the health and safety codes in the industrialized plants and reprehensible of sanitation measures and poor worker hygiene. Several media stations had strategies of letting out the information about the effects of the drinks to the society even is meant putting down the company. The victims were announced of developing HUS which is haemolytic uremic syndrome. Such media like Food Safety News (Flynn, 2009 p. 1). How message strategies varied over time The messages varied over time when Odwalla Incorporation accepted its negligent responsibilities and stood up to keeping up its good hidden image in the public. According to CPP (2008, p. 289). The whole idea of Odwalla Incorporation ruining its reputation was put to a standstill when the company compensated the victims of their products and accepted any other responsibilities put by the courts in relation to the harm caused. According to Goel, (2009, p. 30), as the company continues to learn a lesson from their mistakes it has since then tried at all cost to bring out product that are consumable without harm to the consumers. The media complained that the company could have prevented the crisis if they had been attending to complains from the consumers according to Flynn (2009, p. 1). The message changes from time to time, Odwalla Incorporation was recovering from the tragic crisis through crisis management in SCCT. The investors in Odwalla Incorporation were cultivated to stand with the company n the difficult time by their firm acceptance of the grief and harm that they caused in the society. Entine (1999), the social responsible in character towards the accusation and how the organisation engaged in exceptional hard work to get the reputation back marked a new beginning for the company’s products. From time to time the company moved its name from being a disastrous organization to one that could handle its hurdles and still keep up the live spirit of it vision. As time went by, issues changed and the incorporation started obtaining the same names as those owned by the good competitors in business. This attracted multiple stakeholders and investors instead of driving them away from the market. How the organizations follow the SCCT model in response strategy selection The model gives different forms of approached to which Odwalla Incorporation tried to follow in order to gain back its strength among its competitor. Through the denial posture the company’s strategy was to make sure that although the blame was upon them. They clustered themselves to be experiencing unintentional crises. The main intention was to let the public know that they were very much liable for the blame and consequences but they did not purposely intend to do so. The organization denied the intention and general motive in liability for the criminal charges alleged. This extends to the diminishing approach that they used when they excused themselves at the first incident in the view that this was a new event that they had not experienced back in time. They need more time to understand the means through which the strategies chosen can give the desired results. In reference to Ulmer, (2010 p. 77), the strategies was illustrated though mortification approaches in the sense that the company pleaded with victims to accept the compensations and the apologies from the company management. Stephen William gave apologies through many ways in accepting liability over the entire victim’s condition and in legal accountability. Seeger (2003, p. 51) argues that the bolstering posture was reflected in the entire act of reputation being destroyed. William explained how the company had a good reputation before the whole disaster was experienced. He further elaborated that the case could have happened to other organization in different perspectives as clarified by Entine, (1999, p.1). Their whole idea was to drive themselves away from the scum as fast as they could. Evaluation of communication response with regard to its success in protecting the reputation of the organisation The government through FDA communicated the result of their analysis to the media in reference to the accusation. According to Forman (2007 p. 1), FDA found out a conspiracy between E-coli 0515:H7 and the company hence it made several it assessments and came up with a conclusive report. The report stated that the E-coli bacterial resulted into kidney failure in the victim’s body which could have been prevented by healthy safety measures. The internal and external communication response to the company was positively taken by both parties especially when there was a clear review of the organizations faultiness. Ulmer (2010, p. 76) notes that when you look at the communication mode that they put to use the company established communication ethic in the process of retrieving their position in the field of food and drinks. The mode of communication via all accessible networks for media assisted the company in getting the right information to the customers who were following up on the products. According to Bhasin (2011), the main fact that stakeholders avoided counterfactuals at any occasion was a debating factor that communication must come from a spokesperson who was the companies appointed representative. According to Goel (2009, p. 32), the CEO with no regrets took this part and worked out to his very best capacity as the appointed representative. Communication as a response was a success because it did not involve any false interpretation of the scam from the industry. The more open the communication mode is between all parties involved the company before, after and during the crisis the better it was for the organization. The burden shifts from the organisation according to Entine, 1999, pg 1. Conclusion In conclusion, the company should have had better management strategic plans. The management should have been cautious of and not rely on last minutes plan but rather have strategic plans in relation to anticipated problems that the company might face. At the pick of such crisis the external and internal modes of communication from the company to the public and media should not be confusing. All communication arenas should never be turned to confronting site hence it will attract negative impacts that will be reflected back to the organization. A communication crisis is anything that will threaten damage, cause destruction and harm the business. Such crises also affect the product units, monetary performance, clients, workers, and the surroundings which come as a result of the major destruction in the organizational reputation. Measures should be put in place to ensure that crisis in communication is handled in the most appropriate what and on a timely basis. List of References Seeger, M. W., Sellnow, T. L., and Ulmer, R. R. 2003. Communication and Organizational Crisis. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group. Ulmer, R. R., Sellnow, T. L., and Seeger, M. W. 2010. Effective Crisis Communication: Moving From Crisis to Opportunity. New York: SAGE. Zaremba A. J., 2009, Crisis Communication: Theory and Practice. M.E. Sharpe. New York. Bhasin K., 2011, 9 PR Fiascos That Were Handled Brilliantly By Management. http://www.businessinsider.com/pr-disasters-crisis-management-2011-5?op=1#ixzz2mS1h34ny Entine. J., 1999. The Odwalla Affair - Reassessing Corporate Social Responsibility. http://www.jonentine.com/articles/odwalla.htm Goel. S., 2009. Crisis Management: Master the Skills to Prevent Disasters. New York: M.E. Sharpe. Flynn. D., 2009. Odwalla Apple Juice E. coli Outbreak http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2009/09/meaningful-outbreak-4-odwalla-apple-juice-e-coli-o157h7-outbreak/#.Up5ObdKBnoA Forman. A., 2007. Case Study- Odwalla Inc. E-Coli Outbreak http://allisonforman.blogspot.com/2007/03/case-study-odwalla-inc-e-coli-outbreak.html CPP. B. W., 2008. Competitive Advantage-Fixing Small Business Security and Safety Problems. Stanford. Bill Wise CPP. Read More