Analysis of Crisis Communication - Research Paper Example

Analysis of Business Communication Introduction: The outbreak of “Swine Flu” in 2009, which was of epidemic proportions caused pandemonium across the globe, including the UK. The flu had caught up with all nations within a year, causing governments and healthcare agencies scrambling to find solutions to check its spread. The new virus was firstly found in Mexico and the US, during March and April of 2009, and was air-borne as it spread though coughs, sneezes etc. The symptoms resemble that of a regular seasonal fever. When the government saw that the situation was getting out of control, they started to inform the public about it. This type of communication is referred to as crisis communication. This becomes necessary when crises like earthquake, tsunami, pandemic diseases etc occur in the society government or organizational bodies communicate with the public. During this time, the authorities concerned analyze the reasons of publication of information, audience to whom it is to be addressed, level of communication etc. In the context of the epidemic episode, UK government published a leaflet about the swine flu. This paper attempts to analyze the leaflet so published, on the basis of crisis communication theory. Swine flu is a pandemic decease that has spread across the globe. The virus originated in Mexico during April, 2009 has spread rapidly from one country to the other. Swine Flu is a commonly used term for “a relatively new strain of influenza (flu) that caused a flu pandemic in 2009-2010. It is also referred to as H1N1 influenza because it is the H1N1 strain of virus” (Swine Flu (H1N1) n.d.). Initially, it has not been recognized as a new virus and only a few people have been affected with this virus with a very low death rate. However, in August 2010, the World Health Organization declared swine flu /H1N1 influenza as a pandemic. The entire globe began to consider it as an issue of very serious proportions. People considered to be in high risk group were immediately vaccinated against swine flu. Those affected with this disease manifested symptom like fever with temperature around 38 c or 100.4 F, muscles pain and dry cough or sore throat. These symptoms are very similar to seasonal flu. Thus, people run more risk of not recognizing its onslaught. The threat is especially hazardous in the case of people suffering from chronic heart disease, kidney or liver diseases, neurological diseases or the old aged. The means to prevent this menace is by stopping it from spreading to another person. This can be done by using a tissue paper or a handkerchief while coughing or sneezing. It can be put in other words as ‘catch it, bin it and kill it.’ “We live in a society continually affected by natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tsunamis, and forest fires, and by organizational crises, such as food-borne illnesses, corporate malfeasance, and terrorism. Regardless of where you live or the kind of work you do, many different types of crises have the potential to significantly disrupt your life. No community and no organization, public or private, is immune from crises” (Defining Crisis Communication n.d.) This is the time when the government tries to communicate with public in order to fight against the problem. In UK, the swine flu spread during 2009 in a wide magnitude. When so many people started suffering from the flu, the government and NHS tried to communicate with them through the leaflet. This is called crisis communication. “Crisis communication is when an individual or organization communicates a message to the public, usually through the media, during a threatening, tragic or fatal accident that is unplanned or unexpected” (Woodyard 1998, p. 11). Stiven Flink talks about crisis communication “if crises have taught the world anything, it is that a crisis in business can occur today with little or no warning, anywhere, anytime. It can happen to any company, large or small, public or private. The safest assumption is that a crisis looms on the horizon” (Woodyard 1998, p. 1). The aim of crisis communication is to assist government to inform the public about any problem or issue occurring at a particular time. Through this communication the solution is arrived at through a series of quick and effective responses from both the sides. One thing to be remembered is that during any such communication all the things should be told as they are, without making any changes to the truth no matter how harsh it may be. If this step can be accomplished then it becomes very easy to minimize the entire impact of the situation. Information is spread to the public with the help of materials like brochures, fact sheets, leaflets etc. It is also done by mass communication through television, newspaper, radio stations etc so that the people can access information very easily. All these sources can include the dos and don’ts that should be followed by the public. A crisis has seven critical dimensions, namely- behavior, victims, ethics, truth or credibility, professional expectation, lessons learned and operational knowledge. Even if one of the above mentioned characteristics is poorly handled it can lead to destruction of best efforts of managing any remaining facility to recover, resolve or rehabilitate from the situation. Before releasing the leaflet, the government should understand exactly what the crisis is and should know how to handle the issue. The apt example is this case of the 2009 swine flu, in which the news about the proposed criminal was made known to the whole country. World Health Organization declared that the flu is pandemic and that one needs to pay a great deal of attention to this issue. So as part of the preventive measure, the government spoke to the public by way of leaflet and other media. While analyzing the leaflet, it is seen that it deals with the real problem that caused the crisis. Here, the leaflet may not succeed much to provide information regarding the reasons for the spread of virus to the people. Leaflet is more helpful to those who are directly affected the flu. It gives more precautions to take control of the flu in the society and it assists to prevent the spreading of virus to more people. The leaflet also informs the public to use tissue paper while coughing or sneezing and throw it in the bin after use in order to kill the viruses. But even the crisis communication needs more up to-date information to the public. A leaflet cannot provide facility to keep up to dated information. It is prepared for the safety need. It should be more reliable, true and understandable. The content of leaflet is absolutely right. The leaflet provides the reasons and actions against swine flu. In this, they promote the motto ‘Catch it. Bin it and kill it.’ That means by using tissue paper people can control the spread of virus in the air and to other persons. That is a proactive step to control the situation. The leaflet also includes phone numbers, web sites and email ids for public to get up to date information. And it is help people to know more about flu and get on going information etc. The leaflet says that the flu is more pandemic flu, and yet they have no vaccine for the virus. This may make the public feel very tensed and stressed. The leaflet maintains the connectivity with public and government /NHS through websites and phone numbers. It can deliver more volume of communication at a time and it can easily be accepted by the affected persons. This crisis communication method was supported by multi channels. In the crisis communication, the public’s specific concerns must be listed. Leaflet content should be open, frank and honest. UK government shows openness and frankness to the public. In leaflet, it is said that there is no proper answer as to how the virus has circulated to UK. So scientists started investigations to find origin of virus. Even it may lead people to apprehension. The leaflet speaks clearly about flu with their compassion. While the flu started spreading, the UK government collaborated with NHS and campaigned against swine flu. Analysis of Swine Flu: One of the critical characteristics of public commitment, with preventive character, is the awareness of risk. This will be essentially focused to the statement of the hazard with and among the constituent of the menace groups. However, if the significance concerning the threat is not appropriately understood, inconsistency with other statements is initiated from a defective basis, then the probability of winning defensive measures may considerably be reduced. Belief was instituted to contribute a vital position in constructing the risk acuity. Therefore, if an epidemic occurs, the self-confidence that the universal community has in the government authority to manage the epidemic may be the major determinant of a booming health deterrence campaign. Only through the different forms of communiqué, the official health system authority people will be capable to support proficient defensive events and promote practical awareness of risk. Initially, health communicators required recognizing what the role of exact perceptions is in the procedure of making people to organize exacting preventive behaviors. This information will facilitate them to build effective communication notifying them about latest transmittable disease outbreak as well as references to meticulous infections such as the swine flu. Risk Perception: Outburst of pandemic disease is probable to persist and extend through the world. In the occasion of flu pandemic, the authority procedures of power comprise of diverse features like classification of the strain, progress of vaccines, beginning suitable management as well as sending sufficient means of the information to the community regarding risks and defensive behaviors. Comprehension, attitude and behaviors study are necessary in recognizing the pattern of society’s reaction to the increase and prevention of the syndrome. Because swine flu is a comparatively new illness, its classification is a bit difficult. The amount to which populace would supervise the risk of a severe health risk will depend on their observation of its strictness to their own vulnerability to it. Main hypothetical health communication model supposed strictness and professed weakness are factors depending on people’s compliance to fulfill with health communicator’s suggestion and defensive measures. The observation of hazard is supposed to be ethnically intervened, consequently, to organize to completely understand the sense of various types of risk to different groups of people, superior social, educational and economic circumstance are to be considered. Risk perception is supposed to present a vital position in expecting people’s response in a hazardous situation. If altered, the insight of risk may potentially support positive health behaviors. Hence, in the context of pandemic influenza, it is crucial for researchers to recognize the perceptions that people seize in the occasion of an epidemic and then carry them towards which are linked with the agreement with the government guidelines. It has been theorized that the decisions are a product of assessments of chance and interest of options. In agreement to various frameworks, only a high professed risk or harm can cheer up a person to change behavior and take steps to minimize the threat via the adoption of defensive actions, for instance, the cessation of smoking. Risk perceptions are also the main determinant of health- protective actions. Nonetheless, there are some limits in the application of the Health Belief Model and Protection Motivation in the state of a pandemic, due to the existence of an emotional element. This constituent, although makes the above theories fruitfully applicable to chronic diseases or prophylaxis of screening participation, may invoke many unhelpful reactions and behaviors in the face of a pandemic outbreak. A kind of the social and cultural mechanism influencing the perception of health risk is vital in devising effective strategies promoting health behaviors and disease prevention. There are various models of risk applied in social sciences. According to Slovic, people’s perception of risk is not always based wholly on scientific knowledge or a rational deduction. It has been suggested, that even those, whose perceived vulnerability and severity is high, may fail to make realistic decisions and engage into suggested protective measures. Alternatively, the social constructionist loom perceives risk as a threat based on objective facts about threat. The public observance and fulfillment with the recommendations is one of the main factors in preventing the spreading of a pandemic, which has proved efficient in prior outbreak of infectious diseases like SARS. Yet, it cannot be taken for granted. Analysis: Five main themes emerged from the talk: (a) Similarity of swine flu and seasonal flu, (b) Maintenance of hygienic standards is important, (c) Health information is exaggerated, (d) No beneficial and clear communication or risk, (e) Low perceived inclination to swine influenza (a) Similarity of swine flu and seasonal flu The study appeared to have a general kind of swine flu as a severe form of a seasonal flu. This similarity was more tested by exploring people’s knowledge of various aspects of the pandemic disease prevention, symptomatology and treatment. Open comparisons were made in all interviews assessing the similarity between the two types of influenza. On the basis of this comparison, the perceived risk of constricting Swine Flu was often assessed as low, as it was found to be “just another flu.” Most employees shared the belief, that seasonal flu medicines are the primary and appropriate treatment in the event of swine flu infection. References to seasonal flu vaccines as a prevention/ treatment method were also not uncommon. The perceived propensity as well as the perceived importance was consistently described as parallel to seasonal flu. Observers viewed the pandemic virus as similar to “normal flu” and other viruses and, thus, perceived themselves at a similar risk of becoming infected. As a result, many of them plainly stated, that their own likelihood of becoming infected with H1N1 Influenza virus is low. Maintenance of hygienic standard is important. The value of taking preventive behavioral measures to avoid toning Swine Flu was a major theme constantly recognized by people. Further examination and testing of it highlighted complex findings. Most students displayed great alertness of positive role of hygienic behaviors and their importance in shortening the risk of being infected with Influenza H1N1. All believed that strict personal hygiene and adherence to recommended behaviors, such as disposing off tissues after blowing nose or washing hands after sneezing, work as great protective measures against the infection of swine flu. Amusingly, a few participants admitted doing just as recommended by the media and the government ever since the pandemic outbreak in May 2009. To look at this subject area further, each of them was asked whether any changes in their hygienic behaviors resulted from the outbreak of the pandemic of Influenza H1N1. Health Information is Exaggerated: People vitally assess the media and government communication about the outbreak and development of the pandemic H1N1. Though they all pointed to the mass media as a primary source of data, most of them expressed sensible trust in the messages. With no exception, public felt that the data about swine flu, they received from those two sources was at some point exaggerated and blown out of size. Clear Communication Risk: The media displayed messages with position to the content and frequency. Not only did claims of exaggeration of the problem arise, but also general confusion, distrust and scepticism towards the messages and their communicators could also be seen. A few participants pointed to inaccuracies in the content of the media information. In the views of some, the media reports are not precise in delivering full account of the current state of affairs. Discussion: An element of control over own health as well as lack of confidence in government control over the spread of the pandemic, was essential for all employees, telling that this concept is a chief factor for perception of risk and communication. The study results indicate that risk views are a complex psychological notion and as such require extra investigation. The interviewee’s perception of risk in the outbreak of a pandemic influenza of H1N1 was found to be quite low. In spite of strong health promotion programs and communication campaigns undertaken by the government and the mass media soon after the pandemic outbreak, most of the participants recognized the new flu strain as not rigorous and equivalent to seasonal flu. Therefore, their perceived susceptibility to the contagious disease was low and had likely affected the performance of protective behavioral measures. People generally did not bring in any additional hygienic behaviors to stop the infection because they thought their own hygienic standards to be adequate and felt no need for changes. Besides, they expressed small belief and trust into the health message communicated via the mass-media and the government in the pandemic outbreak, pointing shortage of clarity and precision of those. Having such a critical view towards the data conveyed by the main public and health communicators has likely contributed to their general low obedience to the officially suggested health guidelines. As a business association it has been widely studied in the field of social sciences, paving to the establishment of many interpretational frameworks. The communication of risk is strongly said to be a key aspect of health behaviors support, both by the Protection Motivation Theory. Interviewees showed little or no concern about personal risk of becoming infected with the swine flu virus. With the exception of one, none of the study participants reported large concern about own weakness to the swine. Conclusion: The leaflet was titled ‘Swine Flu Information’, by UK government in the special situation of crisis in the society. The swine flu was rapidly conquering people’s health. It is very important to meet the needs of public related with their physical as well as mental interests. Here, this paper, analyzes the leaflet. Its importance, method used to communication and its contents, audience satisfaction etc is considered. These analyses are done on the basis of crisis communication. It understood that UK government had played the proper role of communication while swine flu started to spread to the public. The leaflet was designed very well and easily understandable for the common people. The leaflet includes all the contact details like toll free number, web address of different areas etc. There is also a chart that shows the contents of leaflet. The leaflet tells about swine flu in detail, that is, about its symptoms, characteristics and so on. The topic ‘how does swine flu spread’ shows the way it spreads to other people and information about prevention methods is give as well along with the vaccination details. Information about government taking action against flu may relive people’s fear about flu. The leaflet informed how to stop the virus spreading to self and others. Mainly it gives the advice to use tissue paper while coughing and sneezing, putting the used tissue into the bin that may help to kill the virus. So the leaflet put up the motto ‘Catch it, Bin it, and Kill it.’ It also says to create a network of flu friend and keep up with updated information that will also help in controlling the spread of virus. So the leaflet has done an effective job of providing all information regarding the control of swine flu to the UK citizens. Reference List Defining Crisis Communication. n.d. Print. Available at [Accessed 26 Oct. 2011]. Swine Flu (H1N1). n.d. NHS. Available at < http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pandemic-flu/Pages/Introduction.aspx> [Accessed 26 Oct. 2011]. Woodyard, TM. 1998. Crisis Communication: A Commanders Guide to Effective Crisis Communication. Air Command and Staff College Air University. Available at < http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/acsc/98-307.pdf> [Accessed 26 Oct. 2011]. Read More