Crisis Communication Survey

The first section of this survey asks for some general demographic information. Please select or type your response in the appropriate space provided for each question. 

1. What is your branch of service? 

Army
Navy
Air Force
Marine Corps
Coast Guard
2. What is your component? 
Active
Reserve
National Guard
3. What is your status? 
Officer
Enlisted 
Civilian
4. How long have you been in PA? years 

5. Have you dealt with a Public Affairs Crisis in that time?  We define crisis as a major unpredictable event that has potentially negative or positive results. The event and its aftermath may significantly damage an organization and its employees, products, services, financial condition, and reputation. 

yes
no 
If you answered Yes, proceed to question #6 If you answered No, click here.

6. How many crisis communication situations have you handled as a PA? 

Have you experienced any of the following crisis communication situations (check Yes for all that apply):
 
Yes No Number of Times
7. Crashes/accidents 
8. Training injuries/deaths 
9. Racial incidents 
10. Homosexual incidents
11. Sexual harassment 
12. Environmental incidents 
13. Terrorist incidents 
14. Computer hacking 
15 Community related incidents
16. Other: 

The next portion of the survey identifies 12 crisis communication strategies and asks 5 questions about each one.  Please answer each question as accurately and thoroughly as possible:
 
Strategy Definition Example
Openness Releasing all information about an issue immediately. Seek internal and external opportunities to tell your side of the story. Diet Pepsi: Hypodermic needle scare. Diet Pepsi opened its canning lines, its employees, and its CEO to media.

17. Have you used this strategy in a crisis communication situation?

Yes No Unsure  If no or unsure, skip to question 20.

18.  If you answered "Yes", how effective was it?

Extremely ineffective 
Somewhat ineffective 
Moderately effective 
Somewhat effective
Extremely effective

19.  If you answered "Yes", which specific tactic(s) did you employ in support of this strategy?

20. Would you consider using this strategy for future crisis communication situations?

Yes 
No 
Unsure

21.  Additional comments about this strategy:


 
 
Strategy Definition Example
Agenda Setting  Everything is on the record, especially during the beginning phase of a crisis. Communicate your values first, and then worry about what the media is asking. Exxon Valdez oil spill. Exxon DID NOT have an agenda in responding to issues in media, resulting in media-driven issues and information release.

22. Have you used this strategy in a crisis communication situation?

Yes No Unsure  If no or unsure, skip to question 25

23.  If you answered "Yes", how effective was it?

Extremely ineffective 
Somewhat ineffective 
Moderately effective 
Somewhat effective
Extremely effective

24.  If you answered "Yes", which specific tactic(s) did you employ in support of this strategy?

25. Would you consider using this strategy for future crisis communication situations?

Yes 
No 
Unsure

26.  Additional comments about this strategy:


 
 
 
 
Strategy Definition Example
Relevance  Communicate during a crisis the importance of the issue that got you there in the first place. Don't allow the importance of an act to be called into question. Late 1980's BRAC rounds: Pentagon announced base closures by showing the relevance to overall military force strengths and goals associated with BRAC.

27. Have you used this strategy in a crisis communication situation?

Yes No Unsure  If no or unsure, skip to question 30

28.  If you answered "Yes", how effective was it?

Extremely ineffective 
Somewhat ineffective 
Moderately effective 
Somewhat effective
Extremely effective

29.  If you answered "Yes", which specific tactic(s) did you employ in support of this strategy?

30. Would you consider using this strategy for future crisis communication situations?

Yes 
No 
Unsure

31.  Additional comments about this strategy:


 
 
Strategy Definition Example
Legal Limitations  Seek internal legal counsel immediately, however, all advice from counsel must come as fast as media's questions. 1st Lt Kelly Flinn. Legal advice didn't come quickly to public affairs.

32. Have you used this strategy in a crisis communication situation?

Yes No Unsure  If no or unsure, skip to question 35

33.  If you answered "Yes", how effective was it?

Extremely ineffective 
Somewhat ineffective 
Moderately effective 
Somewhat effective
Extremely effective

34.  If you answered "Yes", which specific tactic(s) did you employ in support of this strategy?

35. Would you consider using this strategy for future crisis communication situations?

Yes 
No 
Unsure

36.  Additional comments about this strategy:


 
 
Strategy Definition Example
Legal Implications: Cultural  Counsel addressing crisis must understand legal implications in host country, and how the law will be enforced. Union Carbide gas leak in India, killed thousands. When UC's CEO arrived next day to assist in recovery operations, he was immediately arrested at the airport.

37. Have you used this strategy in a crisis communication situation?

Yes No Unsure  If no or unsure, skip to question 40

38.  If you answered "Yes", how effective was it?

Extremely ineffective 
Somewhat ineffective 
Moderately effective 
Somewhat effective
Extremely effective

39.  If you answered "Yes", which specific tactic(s) did you employ in support of this strategy?

40. Would you consider using this strategy for future crisis communication situations?

Yes 
No 
Unsure

41.  Additional comments about this strategy:


 
 
Strategy Definition Example
Release Coordination  Make sure everyone in coordination process is aware of crisis issue and is not releasing conflicting information.. EA-6B Prowler Italian cable cutting. Release coordination and authority weren't clear during the beginning phase of the crisis.

42. Have you used this strategy in a crisis communication situation?

Yes No Unsure  If no or unsure, skip to question 45

43.  If you answered "Yes", how effective was it?

Extremely ineffective 
Somewhat ineffective 
Moderately effective 
Somewhat effective
Extremely effective

44.  If you answered "Yes", which specific tactic(s) did you employ in support of this strategy?

45. Would you consider using this strategy for future crisis communication situations?

Yes 
No 
Unsure

46.  Additional comments about this strategy:



 
 
Strategy Definition Example
Public Think  What will the public think about the crisis? Address internally and externally what they would want to know from you during a crisis. Exxon DID NOT use public think. Exxon communicators during oil spill only addressed company's concerns.

47. Have you used this strategy in a crisis communication situation?

Yes No Unsure  If no or unsure, skip to question 50

48.  If you answered "Yes", how effective was it?

Extremely ineffective 
Somewhat ineffective 
Moderately effective 
Somewhat effective
Extremely effective

49. If you answered "Yes", which specific tactic(s) did you employ in support of this strategy?

50. Would you consider using this strategy for future crisis communication situations?

Yes 
No 
Unsure

51.  Additional comments about this strategy:



 
 
Strategy Definition Example
Responsiveness  Acting quickly and responding to any requests for information, or requests about issues affecting crisis. Exxon CEO DID NOT respond quickly during the Valdez oil spill. Resulting in media-controlled, one-sided responses in newspapers and television.

52. Have you used this strategy in a crisis communication situation?

Yes No Unsure  If no or unsure, skip to question 55

53.  If you answered "Yes", how effective was it?

Extremely ineffective 
Somewhat ineffective 
Moderately effective 
Somewhat effective
Extremely effective

54.  If you answered "Yes", which specific tactic(s) did you employ in support of this strategy?

55. Would you consider using this strategy for future crisis communication situations?

Yes 
No 
Unsure

56.  Additional comments about this strategy:



 
 
Strategy Definition Example
Message Make sure the appropriate message is being addressed at all opportunities, especially during the initial phase of the crisis. 1st Lt Kelly Flinn. USAF did not emphasize key goals of case, resulting in negative messaging by media.

57. Have you used this strategy in a crisis communication situation?

Yes No Unsure  If no or unsure, skip to question 60

58.  If you answered "Yes", how effective was it?

Extremely ineffective 
Somewhat ineffective 
Moderately effective 
Somewhat effective
Extremely effective

59.  If you answered "Yes", which specific tactic(s) did you employ in support of this strategy?

60. Would you consider using this strategy for future crisis communication situations?

Yes 
No 
Unsure

61.  Additional comments about this strategy:



 
 
Strategy Definition Example
Cultural Being aware of cultural, ethnic sensitivities and language. EA-6B Prowler. U.S. Ambassador to Italy laid wreath at tragedy site, resulting in positive impact on Italian perception.

62. Have you used this strategy in a crisis communication situation?

Yes No Unsure  If no or unsure, skip to question 65

63.  If you answered "Yes" how effective was it?

Extremely ineffective 
Somewhat ineffective 
Moderately effective 
Somewhat effective
Extremely effective

64.  If you answered "Yes", which specific tactic(s) did you employ in support of this strategy?

65. Would you consider using this strategy for future crisis communication situations?

Yes 
No 
Unsure

66.  Additional comments about this strategy:



 
 
Strategy Definition Example
Single Spokesperson Create, train, and equip a single source to answer all internal and external queries regarding your role in the crisis: CEO or wing commander equivalent.  Exxon CEO DID NOT respond to media queries and was no where to be found during first phase of crisis, resulting in negative publicity for company.

67. Have you used this strategy in a crisis communication situation?

Yes No Unsure  If no or unsure, skip to question 70

68.  If you answered "Yes", how effective was it?

Extremely ineffective 
Somewhat ineffective 
Moderately effective 
Somewhat effective
Extremely effective

69.  If you answered "Yes", which specific tactic(s) did you employ in support of this strategy?

70. Would you consider using this strategy for future crisis communication situations?

Yes 
No 
Unsure

71.  Additional comments about this strategy:


 
 
 
 
Strategy Definition Example
Firefighter Someone, or a group of people, who examine issues during a crisis that can flare up and/or intensify the situation further.  Diet Pepsi Hypodermic Needle: Pepsi headquarters put a team together that was charged with finding the latest media reports, and getting that information to others quickly.

72. Have you used this strategy in a crisis communication situation?

Yes No Unsure  If no or unsure, skip to question 75

73.  If you answered "Yes", how effective was it?

Extremely ineffective 
Somewhat ineffective 
Moderately effective 
Somewhat effective
Extremely effective

74.  If you answered "Yes", which specific tactic(s) did you employ in support of this strategy?

75. Would you consider using this strategy for future crisis communication situations?

Yes 
No 
Unsure

76.  Additional comments about this strategy:


 
 

77.  Final comments about crisis communications in the military:


 
 Thank you for completing this survey. 

Your responses and those of your peers will be analyzed to build a crisis communication toolkit for PAs. Please check out the results after August 15, 2000 at:

Department of Communication 
Joint Course in Communication Capstone Website
http://www.ou.edu/deptcomm/dodjcc/groups.htm
For comments or questions about this research project, contact Maj Shelly Stellwagen