Crisis Communications ─ A Casebook Approach

No company, organization, or individual whose livelihood depends on public reaction can afford to function without a crisis communications plan. This student workbook reviews the critical terminologies, processes, and skills needed for understanding and responding to crises. It prepares individuals for responding to crises in a variety of contexts, and reinforces strategies and tactics to be used during a crisis. Chapters include instructive case studies of public relations professionals in crises: what they did, what they wished they had done, and what hampered their progress. The exercises provide students with the opportunity to respond to real-world crises, sharpening their own skills and practicing response behaviors. This workbook will serve as a useful tool for all future practitioners.

Kathleen Fearn-Banks is a professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Washington (Seattle) and a crisis communications advisor.