Crisis Management Advice Offered In New Book

At one time or another, large manufacturing companies will have to deal with a crisis. Rumors, product recalls, accidents, and even violence almost are inevitable. In Communicating in Crisis, a new book by Michel Ogrizek and Jean-Michel Guillery, the authors provide structures for analyzing and understanding the character of different kinds of crisis situations, and for planning actions and communications to address them. Published by Aldine de Gruyter, Hawthorne, N.Y., the book includes specific examples of how companies have dealt with crises. The authors suggest that companies today are much more vulnerable than in the past. The reasons range from changes in social values (e.g., environmental issues, sexual harassment), to changes in economic structure. The extent of media coverage, as well as the speed of that coverage, also has forced companies to be more prepared for potential crises. "Learning crisis expertise, behavior, and communication skills should be a top corporate priority for decision-makers," say the authors.