1. business and industrial
2. business operations
3. business plans

 Crisis Communications Management
PRAD 376 – Section 401 – Fall 2014
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:10-11:40 a.m., 14 E. Jackson, Room 605
Instructor: Jim Motzer
Jim.motzer@gmail.com
Phone: Office – 312-362-7607; Cell – 773-209-5011
Office: 14 E. Jackson, Room 1247 (am) and SAC 589 (pm)
Office hours: Tue and Thu 9-10 am (Loop) and 3-4 pm (LPC) and by appointment
COURSE OVERVIEW
Crisis communications applies the public relations professional’s complete arsenal of skills –
creativity, curiosity, diligence, diplomacy, ethical behavior, humility, strategic thinking, quotable
language, and a very thick skin – and puts them to the test in a scenario with life-and-death
stakes.
All organizations – corporate, government, trade association, non-profit – experience crises.
Crises interrupt organizations’ routines and attract extreme public and media scrutiny. For some
organizations, a crisis may have long-term and even fatal implications – irrevocably harming the
organization’s bottom line, or often worse, its perceived image and reputation. For other
organizations, a crisis can be an expected event for which the organization has planned and
prepared well in advance. The critical difference between a fatal or fleeting outcome is effective
crisis management. And the key to effective crisis management is quick, open and honest
communication of actions that restore credibility, confidence and control.
METHODOLOGY AND OBJECTIVES
This undergraduate-level course covers crisis communications and issues management with an
emphasis on real-world application and case study analysis. Classes will be divided between
lecture, class discussion and student presentations. At the end of the course, you will:
• Acquire an overall understanding of the nature of organizational crises, crisis
management theory, and effective crisis management principles.
•
Understand different types of crises and apply effective crisis communication principles
to develop strategic crisis responses for external and internal stakeholders designed to
minimize the negative impact of a crisis.
•
Become fluent in developing effective messaging and communications techniques
required of a skilled spokesperson.
•
Gain experience in developing a basic crisis management plan (CMP).
•
Recognize potential ethical and legal issues for crisis communications managers.
TEXTBOOKS AND READINGS
Textbook chapters and readings posted on D2L are assigned to complement, not replicate the
material covered in class lectures and discussion. Students are expected to stay current with
1 the assigned readings which will be part of class discussions and written examinations. The
textbook is:
• Fearn-Banks, K. (2011). Crisis Communications, A casebook approach (Fourth
edition). New York: Routledge
ASSIGNMENTS and GRADING ALLOCATIONS
Please see the assessment criteria (distributed in class and posted on D2L) for information on
how to submit the assignment. Please use Microsoft Word (11 or 12-point font, 1.5 line spacing)
and PowerPoint for assignments.
All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the date indicated in the Course Calendar.
Late assignments will be subject to grade penalties of 10% for each day after the due date.
Students are responsible for all assignments given during an absence. Make-up exams and
work are not available without prior instructor permission.
1. Class Attendance – 10%
Your success in this course will depend on attending class. Students are allowed one
unexcused absence during the quarter. Other absences will affect your attendance grade
unless approved by the instructor. Approved absences may include severe illness, funeral
of an immediate family member, or other event with a non-negotiable date such as an
emergency surgery or student athlete competition.
2. Reading Bullets and/or Discussion Participation – 10%
Keeping up with the assigned readings is essential for participating in the class discussion.
While I will make every effort to encourage class participation, my experience is some
students are reluctant to contribute to the discussion. To ensure all students feel they can
succeed, students can earn two points based on the following options per grading period:
• Contribute two significant insights to class discussion or
• Submit typewritten hardcopy of two sets of reading bullets per the class schedule or
• Contribute one significant insight & submit typewritten copy of one set of reading bullets
Grading periods and bullet due dates are as follows:
• Tuesday, September 16, and Thursday, September 18
• Tuesday, September 23, and Thursday, September 25
• Tuesday, September 30, and Thursday, October 2
• Tuesday, October 7, Thursday, October 9, and Tuesday, October 14 (2 sets of bullets due
when not presenting your group’s Crisis Case Study)
• Thursday, October 23, and Thursday, October 30
• Tuesday, November 4, and Tuesday, November 11
To receive credit, students must submit at least five bullets about the textbook or D2L
readings including:
• Key points which you may want to apply to your final PR campaign project
• Questions you have about the text or PR campaign cases
• Something in the chapter or PR campaign cases you’d like to further research.
• What were the most memorable quotes from the book or D2L reading?
Bullets are due as outlined in the course schedule and late bullets will not be accepted.
Active class participation involves more than physical presence since the learning process
not only occurs between instructor and student, but also among students. We’ll begin each
class with a discussion of the assigned readings and current news topics with PR
implications so you have plenty of opportunities to contribute to the class discussion.
2 3. Key Message Writing Exercise – 5%
One of the course objectives is to develop your skills in writing key messages which are a
critical spokesperson tool to ensure the most important messages are communicated no
matter the questions asked. Students will be given a crisis scenario and be asked to
develop key messages.
4. Online Quiz – 10%
To help give students a sneak preview of the midterm exam, students will be assigned a
brief online (D2L) quiz that will cover the assigned readings and lectures through Tuesday,
September 30.
5. Crisis Management Case Study Presentation – 15% (12% team and 3% individual)
To replicate the typical crisis environment in which public relations professionals collaborate
with others within an organization, we will randomly organize students into teams which will
choose a case study to present, evaluate and facilitate discussion with the class.
6. Midterm Exam, Thursday, October 16 – 15%
This exam will cover readings and lectures through Tuesday, October 14.
7. Crisis Management Plan – 20%
First draft – 12% (10% team and 2% individual) – due Friday, Nov 7, at 12 noon (dropbox)
Final draft – 8% (6% team and 2% individual) – due Friday, Nov 14, at 12 noon (dropbox)
Working in the same teams as you did for your crisis case study presentations, you will
develop a crisis management plan (CMP) designed to manage a specific scenario. Teams
and scenarios will be assigned on Tuesday, October 21. The Tuesday, October 28, class
period will be set aside for your team to work on your plan.
8. Final exam: Crisis Simulation Presentation – 15% (12% team and 3% individual)
In lieu of a final exam, you will work in your teams to manage to a hypothetical crisis
scenario related to the CMP your team developed. Your team will receive specifics of your
crisis on Tuesday, November 18, and will spend that class session developing a response
your team will present on Tuesday, November 25, during the scheduled final exam period.
Between November 18 and 25, teams are encouraged to fine-tune their presentations.
9. Extra Credit
To underscore the importance of learning from emerging crises reported by the news media,
you have the opportunity to submit up to four 3-4 page documents that analyze a recent
crisis or emerging issue. Extra credit submissions cannot cover the same cases we
covered in class or the team presentations.
By successfully completing the write-up as outlined in the assessment criteria posted on
D2L, you will receive one additional point toward your final grade for a maximum total of four
grade points. In most cases, completing four extra credit assignments will raise your grade
one level, such as from a B to a B+. Extra credit due by Tuesday, November 18, at 6 pm.
Grading Scale
A
AB+
B
B-
93-100
90-92
87-89
83-86
80-82
COURSE
Wk
Date
C+
C
CD+
D
77-79
73-76
70-72
67-69
60-66
SCHEDULE
Lecture/Discussion
Readings
Submit
3 1
Wk
2
3
Th,
9/11
•
•
•
•
Tue,
9/16
Discussion: Readings and news
Lecture/discussion
• Communications when a crisis
strikes
o Situational Crisis
Communications Theory
(SCCT)
o Communicating with key
stakeholders
• Wendy’s Finger-in-the-Chili case
Date
Introductions
Review course outline
Assign Crisis Case Study groups
Crisis management overview
Lecture/Discussion
D2L
• PRSSA video
Fearn-Banks
• C. 1
• C. 4 (pp. 33-38 & pp.
47-54)
• C. 12 (pp. 252-258)
D2L
• Coombs, Ongoing crisis
communication, Chapter
8
• Coombs video
Readings
• Reading bullets
(hardcopy)
Submit
Th,
9/18
Discussion: Readings and news
Lecture/discussion
• Crisis theories
• Crisis prevention–finding warning
signs
Fearn-Banks
• C. 2
• C. 3
• Reading bullets
(hardcopy)
Tue,
9/23
Discussion: Reading and news
Lecture/discussion
• Taking preventive measures
o Issues management, risk
assessment, reputation
management
o Corporate social responsibility
(CSR)
− Haagen-Dazs bee CSR
program
Fearn-Banks
• C. 9
• Reading bullets
(hardcopy)
Th,
9/25
Discussion: Readings and news
Lecture/discussion
• Crisis management team and
identifying a spokesperson
• Spokesperson media training
• Writing key messages, statements
Group exercise: Key messages
• Reading bullets
Fearn-Banks
• C. 4 (pp. 38-44)
(hardcopy)
• Appendix A (pp 327-328) • Key message
• Appendix C (pp. 354-356)
exercise assigned
Tue
9/30
Discussion: Readings and news
Lecture/discussion
• Tylenol and Exxon Valdez:
Bookends on an ethical
continuum?
• Legal and ethical concerns for
crisis communications managers
Group exercise: Writing
statements
Fearn-Banks
• C. 4 (pp. 44-47)
• C. 7
D2L
• Pauly, J. J. & Hutchison,
L. L. (2005). Moral fables
of public relations
practice.
• PRSA Code of ethics
• WOMMA Ethics Code
• Key message
exercise due
(dropbox)
• Reading bullets
(hardcopy)
• Online quiz
activated
4 4
5
Wk
Th,
10/2
Discussion: Readings and news
Lecture/discussion
• Cybercrises
o Motrin and moms
o Nestle brandjacking
o Progressive Insurance
• Rumors – Tommy Hilfiger
• Communicating with diverse
audiences
Fearn-Banks
• C. 5 & 6
• Online quiz due
• Reading bullets
(hardcopy)
Tue,
10/7
• Textbook crises, rumors and
cybercrises case study
presentations
o Groups 1&2
Lecture/discussion
• Product quality and tampering
cases
o Maple Leaf Foods and listeria
o Gerber: standing its ground
o Pet Food Institute
Fearn-Banks
• C. 12, pp.243-252
D2L
• Gottschalk, J. A. (1993).
Crisis response. In L. J.
Lovejoy, Villains and
victims of product
tampering (Gerber pp.
175-184).
• 2008 Silver Anvil case
o Pet Food Institute
• Case study
presentations
(hardcopy and
dropbox)
• Reading bullets
(hardcopy,
excused if
presenting)
Th,
10/9
• Product quality & tampering or
death & injury crisis case
presentations
o Groups 3&4
Lecture/discussion
• Death and injury crises
o Virginia Tech shooting
o Northern Illinois shooting
Fearn-Banks
• C. 5 (pp. 57-58)
• C. 8 (pp. 145-160)
D2L
• Northern Illinois
University Office of
Public Affairs: Putting
Lessons Learned to
Work
• Case study
presentations
(hardcopy and
dropbox)
• Reading bullets
(hardcopy,
excused if
presenting)
Date
Lecture/Discussion
5
Tue,
10/14
• Organizational mis-deeds, natural
disaster, or transportation crisis
presentations
o Groups 5&6
Lecture/discussion
• Labor – manufacturing facility
closing
6
Th,
10/16
Midterm exam
Tue,
10/21
Discussion: Readings and news
• Assign crisis plan development/
final exam teams and plan
scenarios
Lecture/discussion
• Conducting a crisis inventory
• Develop a crisis management
plan
Fearn-Banks
• C. 15
Th,
10/23
Discussion: News
Guest Lecturer: Cynthia Lawson,
VP of Public Relations and
Communications, DePaul
• Texas A&M bonfire tragedy
• C. 8 (pp. 145-160)
Tue,
10/28
• Class time to work on crisis plans
7
Readings
Submit
•
D2L
• Pryor documents – key
messages, media
statement, media results
report, message tracker •
Case study
presentations
(hardcopy and
dropbox)
Reading bullets
for excused
chapter
• Three questions
for Cynthia
Lawson
(hardcopy)
5 8
9
10
Fin
al
Th,
10/30
Discussion: Readings and news
• Transportation crises
o Metro Transit in Seattle
o Eurostar
o Carnival Splendor 2010
o US Airways Flight 1549
Fearn-Banks
• C. 11
• C. 13 (pp. 275-290)
D2L
• American Airlines Flight
24
• Reading bullets
(hardcopy)
Tue,
11/4
Discussion: Readings and news
Lecture/discussion
• Natural disasters - Hurricane
Katrina
Fearn-Banks
• C. 10
• Reading bullets
(hardcopy)
Th,
11/6
Guest Lecturer: Scott Farrell,
President, Global Corporate
Practice
• Tasty Meats crisis simulation
Tue,
11/11
Discussion: News Lecture/
discussion
• Individuals in crisis: Tiger Woods
• Non-profit crises: Susan G.
Komen
Feedback on crisis plans
Th,
11/13
Discussion: News
Lecture/discussion
• Company misdeeds crises
o Martha Stewart
o Netflix
•
Post-crisis evaluation
•
Final observations and learnings
Final draft crisis
plan due, Fri, Nov
14, at 12 noon
(dropbox)
Tue,
11/18
• Teams formulate responses for
final project – crisis simulation
presentation
Optional extra
credit due, Tue,
Nov 18, at 6 pm
(dropbox)
Tue,
11/25,
8:45-1
1 am
• Teams present crisis responses
First draft crisis
plan due, Fri, Nov
7, at 12 noon
(dropbox)
Fearn-Banks
• C 14
D2L
• Page Society Komen
case
• Reading bullets
(hardcopy)
Any scheduling changes will be announced in class and reinforced on D2L.
CLASS POLICIES
Students will be treated as you can expect to be treated in the work place. As an adult
professional you will be expected to be on the job, on-time every day and responsible for your
own performance. Students are expected to turn off all cell phones in the classroom. Students
who leave while the class is in session will be marked as absent except in the case of extreme
emergency as defined by student and instructor.
Technology-Assisted Learning Policy
You are welcome to use computers to take notes in class. If you are seen using your computer
in class for another purpose, you will have to take notes by hand for the rest of the course.
Desire to Learn (D2L)
I will use the class D2L site as the primary method of communication with you. On D2L, I will
post assessment criteria for all assignments, additional readings, and the Powerpoint slides for
all lectures by 10 p.m. before class days. Please get familiar with the site and check it often.
Guest speakers
6 During the quarter, several guest speakers who are leaders in their fields will share their
insights. Please grant them the respect and attention they deserve, which will also reflect well
on DePaul. Take full advantage of the opportunity: familiarize yourself with their work before
class; take notes during their presentations; ask thoughtful questions; introduce yourself after
class and invite them to be part of your professional network.
Writing
Strong writing and grammar skills including accurate spelling and correct punctuation are
essential to succeed in public relations. Errors undermine the credibility of your documents and
will have a negative impact on your grade. DePaul students looking to enhance their writing
skills have a great resource in the Writing Center. Visit http://www.depaul.edu/writing/ to
schedule 30 or 50-minute appointments to review your assignments or receive other free writing
assistance. Extra credit points may be available for students who work with the Writing Center.
Academic Integrity Policy
Violations of academic integrity, in any of their forms, are detrimental to the values of DePaul.
Plagiarism is a serious form of violation of this standard. Plagiarism involves the deliberate
taking and use of specific words and ideas of others without proper acknowledgement of the
sources. For more information on plagiarism and acceptable paraphrasing, visit: http://
www.academicexperts.us/dl/Plagiarism.pdf
Plagiarism of academic work will result minimally in the instructor assigning the grade of “F” for
the assignment or examination. In addition, all instances of academic dishonesty must be
reported to the appropriate persons within the university. Please refer to the DePaul’s Academic
Integrity Policy for additional guidelines.
Accommodations
Students who feel they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should
contact the instructor privately to discuss their specific needs. All discussion will remain
confidential. To ensure that you receive the most reasonable accommodation based on your
needs, please contact the instructor as early as possible in the quarter (preferably within the first
two weeks of the course) and contact the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD), #370,
Student Center, LPC, 773-325-1677, for support and additional services. Please notify the CSD
with your request in advance of a particular test, assignment or event.
Dean of Students Office
The Dean of Students Office (DOS) helps students in navigating the university, particularly
during difficult situations, such as personal, financial, medical, and/or family crises. Absence
Notifications to faculty, Late Withdrawals, and Community Resource Referrals, support students
both in and outside of the classroom. Additionally we have resources and programs to support
health and wellness, violence prevention, substance abuse and drug prevention, and LGBTQ
student services. We are committed to your success as a DePaul student. Please feel free to
contact the office at http://studentaffairs.depaul.edu/dos/.
7