Making Communication Strategy Choices in a Fast Evolving Crisis Situation—Results from a Table-Top Discussion on an Anthrax Scenario

Abstract

This paper aims at clarifying a timely topic of how communication strategy choices are made in evolving, complex crises, such as those caused by terrorism involving chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) agents. This is done by examining data gathered from a table-top discussion among crisis communication experts, focusing on a scenario of an anthrax attack and analysed qualitatively. The communication experts followed the evolving crisis situation by gathering inputs from various actors in the crisis management network, thereby creating situational understanding, and interpreted these inputs for decision-making on communication strategies. The underlying process of coping with complexity in evolving CBRN terrorism crises can be described as a continuous, dynamic process that can best be explained with a combination of traditional and more modern crisis communication approaches. Strategy-making in crisis situations by communication experts is still largely a black box. In this study, a novel approach of decomposing strategy-making by observing a table-top discussion is chosen to clarify the process. By identifying the core elements involved, a more detailed picture of communication strategy-making is created, thus promoting preparedness and professional resilience in the field.

Measuring Crisis Communication Preparedness Across Different Branches of Government – Sharing Experiences Gained in Finland

“…Zhang & Vos, 2015), the unpredictable process along which crises evolve also calls for improvisation by communication experts (Falkheimer & Heide, 2010). Monitoring and improvisation go hand in hand during the process of communication strategy making (Ruggiero, 2016). As complex crises call for cooperation among various organizations and public groups (Helsloot, 2008), this requires joint learning.…”