Crisis Communication & Reputation Management Flashcards

Which element is most critical in the first hour of a corporate crisis response?

Answer: Acknowledging the situation and expressing concern

Expressing acknowledgment and concern in the first hour establishes goodwill and demonstrates organizational responsibility before full facts are available.

A 'dark site' in crisis communication refers to:

Answer: A pre-built website ready to activate during a crisis

A dark site is a pre-prepared website that organizations activate during a crisis to provide timely, centralized information to the public.

The 'steal thunder' strategy in crisis management involves:

Answer: Proactively disclosing negative information before others report it

Stealing thunder means self-disclosing bad news first, which research shows results in less reputational damage than being exposed by outside parties.

Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) was developed by:

Answer: W. Timothy Coombs

W. Timothy Coombs developed SCCT, which prescribes crisis response strategies based on the organization's crisis responsibility and history.

During a product recall crisis, which message strategy is most appropriate when the organization bears high responsibility?

Answer: Rebuilding (apology and compensation)

SCCT prescribes rebuilding strategies—including full apologies and compensation—when the organization bears high attributable responsibility for a crisis.

A 'rumor crisis' is best countered by:

Answer: Immediately providing factual information to refute inaccuracies

Providing clear, factual information promptly is the most effective counter to rumors, as silence can allow misinformation to spread unchecked.

Which metric is most useful for measuring reputational recovery after a crisis?

Answer: Pre- and post-crisis stakeholder perception surveys

Comparing stakeholder perception surveys before and after a crisis directly measures whether reputational damage has been repaired over time.