Assignment 2: Crisis Analysis

Assignment 2: Crisis Analysis

For this assignment, you are to assess crisis situations and news media coverage of those crises. Research two separate / distinct crisis events that were covered in the news media. Although you might source examples of crises by searching industry bloggers and analyst sources, your individual analysis must be focussed on the impact of the crisis to the organization and the news media coverage of the crisis.

 Each example you choose should have at least two news stories. Four are preferred.

For each situation, explain the crisis type (See Chapter 4). Examine the following for each crisis in your analysis paper:

1. Damage assessment.  Consider the damage to the organization in terms of:
2. Injuries (how many; level of severity)
3. Deaths (how many)
4. Environmental damage
5. Physical damage to buildings or equipment or fines (dollar amount)
6. Operational effects (business shut down, number of days, costs)

Summarize the damage in a table. (see sample below)

List the types of damage that occurred in each crisis. For each type of damage identify if there was no damage; minor damage or major damage. Support your answer by addressing why you feel the damage was minor or major. You can provide your own definition of what you think is “major” or “minor” for each category. The goal is for you to begin to demonstrate critical thinking and reasoning. Assignment 2: Crisis Analysis

Identify the messages each organization sent after the crisis. These include:

1. Verbal (verbal is both spoken and written)
2. List all quotations from people in the organization. (gathered from the news stories you’ve analyzed)
3. List all paraphrases of what people in the organization said or wrote.
4. Nonverbal (behavioural)
5. List all actions taken by the organization. (ie: changes in procedures, paying fines, cleaning up, personnel changes etc. )

Identify the messages from other sources or stakeholders in the news stories.

1. Verbal (verbal is both spoken and written)
2. List all quotations from people outside the organization.
3. List all paraphrases of what people outside the organization said or wrote.
4. Nonverbal (behavioural)
5. List all actions taken by others (ie: imposing fines, overseeing clean up, etc. )
6. Identify the type of stakeholders (ie: customers, government agency, etc. See Chapter 3)

Identify the descriptions of each organization.  “Framing” influences how to interpret an event(s). The words used to describe the organization act as “frames” for the crisis. (See Chapter 6) Assignment 2: Crisis Analysis

1. List the words or phrases used to describe the organization.
2. Assess (explain) whether each word is positive or negative for the organization.
3. Attach a copy of the news articles in your references.

Identify any history. Sometimes a news report provides an organization’s history when reporting a crisis.  Determine if:

1. The organization’s past crises (if any) were mentioned.
2. The organization’s past good works (or any issues) were mentioned.
3. There is no mention of relevant history.

If past crisis or good works are mentioned, list what the crises or good works were.