List of contributors     

Foreword Kathryn Blanchard           

Introduction Peter Frans Anthonissen           

1.         No Thrillers, but Hard Reality        

Peter Frans Anthonissen        

Introduction; There are no guarantees; Stakeholders are everywhere; The accountability factor; Annoying threats; Crises are challenges; Successful crisis communication — principles; Learn lessons from what has happened; A crisis for every day of the week; Conclusion

2.         Proactive Crisis Communication Planning

Nick Leighton and Tony Shelton        

Introduction; Need for a plan; What is a crisis?; What a crisis plan provides; Elements of a plan; People; The plan; Conclusion

3.         Image as a Part of Corporate Strategy      

Tom Gable

Introduction; Reputations add value over time; Determining how you want to be known; Establishing competitive advantage; Communicating what you stand for; Planning to reach all potential audiences; Turning vision into reality; Tell real stories; Appeal to higher standards, bigger ideas; Conclusion

4.         Calamities     

Jerry Hendin, Silvia Pendás and Jim Walsh

Introduction; Aeroplane accidents; Natural disasters; Being prepared: Alaska Airlines 261; When fire strikes — twice; Conclusion

5.         The New Dynamics of Financial Crisis      

Tim Wallace

Introduction; Understanding financial crisis; Institutional investors: potential agents of crisis; Responding to financial crisis; Conclusion

6.         Fraud            

Thom M Serafin

Introduction; Gather the facts; Legal issues must be sorted out; Third-party validation;Delay and denial compound the problem; When your client is a victim of fraud; Implementing an action plan; Conclusion

7.         Reorganization and Restructuring 

Kathryn Tunheim, Marianne de Bruijn and Jim Walsh

Introduction; Swiss purchase of US financial services company; Moving business from The Netherlands to Germany; Goodwill is vital in a closure situation; Conclusion

8.         A Multitude of Challenges for the International Food Sector     

Mania Xenou

Food safety; Health and diet issues; Crisis preparation is the key to success; Stakeholders; The need for proactive communication; The media; Conclusion; Case study

9.         Negative Press and How to Deal with It     

Elizabeth Seigenthaler Courtney

Introduction; Prepare early and often; Mitigate impact with proactive response; Detecting a negative story before it appears; No ostriches need apply; Building bridges toward recovery; Conclusion; Case study

10.       There is No Substitute for Media Training           

Nick Leighton, Steven Pellegrino and Tony Shelton

Introduction; Who should we train?; Who should do the training?; Other resources; Who are the media?; Developing the crisis message; Know the rules of the game; Conducting the training; Conclusion

11.       How Senior Management Can Make the Crisis Worse    

Stuart Hyslop

Introduction; How it can all go wrong; Managing to make it worse; Getting it right; How to demonstrate leadership; Avoidance is endemic; The danger signs; Conclusion

12.       Judgement Days       

Kathryn Tunheim

Introduction; Case study; Conclusion

13.       Environmental Crisis Communications     

Robert J Oltmanns

Introduction; Laying the groundwork: creating a culture of environmental stewardship; When a crisis hits; Conclusion

14.       Crisis Communication and the Net

Roger Bridgeman

Introduction; The nature of the net… fast, expansive, inclusive and a great leveller; New medium, new risks; The power to empower a crisis; New tools, new opportunities; The new ground rules; Crisis communications — engagement versus pronouncements; Conclusion

15.       Organizational Barriers to Crisis and Public Affairs Management        

Roger Bridgeman

Introduction; Dismissing the issue, marginalizing the opposition; Averting a crisis by early action; Corporate resources can’t trump a crisis; Responding to a crisis with real process change; Assuming a quick fix will make the problem go away; Confusing facts with perception; Combating the corporate siege mentality; Conclusion

16.       Risk Managers         

Odile Vernier

Introduction; When brands do not measure up to public opinion; ‘Social autism’;Turning public opinion into an asset; The brand — its financial and social implications; Risks, risk managers and crisis communication; Company governance: a new source of crises; Conclusion

17.       Crisis Communication Checklists   

Peter Frans Anthonissen

1. Preparations; 2. Public groups and stakeholders; 3. Crisis centre; 4. What’s in your crisis-communication survival kit?; 5. Background information; 6. Employee training: dealing with the media; 7. Crisis manual; 8. How to handle a crisis; 9. Crisis strategy; 10. Crisis communication

Appendices

1.         Factual Information Document          

2.         Message Development Document      

3.         Crisis Preparation Document

4.         Special Considerations for Dealing with Reporters in a Crisis          

Bibliography