During major technological crisis, involved organizations often find themselves fac ing huge problems of communication. This brings in its wake operational paralysis and a destruction of public image. Lack of preparation, a history of unawareness of risk realities, low internal mobilization, underdeveloped external networks, and poor links with the media and public opinion, lead to spectacular failures in organizations. Organizations must re-examine their repertoire of crisis handling practices in order to develop good communications strategies.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Consiel Des Communautes Europennes—Directive du Conseil du 24 juin 1982 sur les risques d'accidents majeurs presentes par certaines activites industrielles. Journal Officiel des Communautdes Europeennes, 5.8.1982.
Lagadec, P. "Le risque technologique majeur etles situations de crise." Annales de Mines, aout 1984, 41-53.
4.
Lagadec, P.From Seveso to Mexico and Bhopal: Learning to cope with crises. Paper presented at the IIASA Conference on transportation, storage and disposal of hazardous materials, Laxenburg, Vienna , July 1-51985.
5.
Lagadec, P.Communication strategies in crisis situations, Task Force Meeting at IIASA , Laxenburg, Vienna, 25-27 October 1985, (b).
6.
Lagadec, P. and P. Dessaint, Communication in crisis situation—the Rheims transformer affair, video film, March 1986.
7.
Lagadec, P. "L'industrie chimique apres Bhopal, un symposium international de deux jours londres," 7/8 November 1985, Preventique.
8.
Newsweek, December 17, 1984.
9.
Quarantelli, E.L.Evacuation behavior—Case study of the Taft, Louisiana, chemical tank explosion incident. Final report for the Federal Emergency Management Agency . Disaster Research Center, Ohio State University, 1980.
10.
Rubin, D.M. "What the President's Commission learned about the Media." In T. Moss and D. L. Sills (Eds.) The Three Mile Island Accident: Lessons and implications, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences , Vol. 365,1981 pp. 95-106.
11.
Scanlon, J.The Miramichi Earthquakes: The media respond to an invisible emergency. Emergency Communication Unit, ECRU field report 82/1, School of Journalism, Carleton University, Ottawa. 1982 (a).
12.
Scanlon, J.Crisis communications: The ever present gremlins. Emergency Communication Unit, Reference to COMCON'82, Arnprior, Ontario, 26 May 1982 (b).
13.
Scanlon, J. "Police et medias: problemes tactiques propres aux prises d'otage et actes de terrorisme." Journal Canadien de la Police, Vol 5, No. 3,1978 , 39-159.
14.
Scanlon, J. "Crisis communication in Canada," in B.D. Singes, (Ed) Communications in Canadian Society, Toronto, 1975.
15.
Stephenson, D. "Are you making the most of your crises?" Emergency Planning Digest, Emergency Planning Canada, October-December 1984, 2-5.
16.
Union Carbide Corporation, UCE area policy and procedure manual—major accident and serious occurence notification, May 17,1984.
