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Crisis Communication and Strategic Conflict Management

Course Description

Introduction to the field of crisis communication, a topic essential to organizational wellbeing and public safety, grounded in crisis communication and strategic conflict management frameworks that aim at strengthening preparedness, resilience, and readiness. Students will examine crisis communication and management theories and applications in an increasingly complex issue landscape and competitive media environment across organizational and public crisis arenas.

Athena Title

Crisis Comm and Strategic Mgmt

Semester Course Offered

Offered every year.

Grading System

A - F (Traditional)

Student learning Outcomes

  • Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to lay a solid conceptual and theoretical foundation of crisis communication and strategic conflict management.
  • Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to develop a holistic and diverse view of approaching crisis communication and strategic conflict management as an ongoing process.
  • Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to relate the readings and insights of the course to industry practices, especially in effective and ethical management of organizational and public crises.
  • Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to integrate theory and practice to identify the forefronts of advanced crisis readiness research and industry innovation.
  • Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to develop crisis communication leadership with essential knowledge, skills, and mindset in diagnosing crisis and conflict vulnerabilities and optimizing crisis readiness strategies and tactics.

Topical Outline

  • Topical Module #1: Frameworks and Foundations Part I: The landscape of crisis communication and strategic conflict management Part II: Key definitions and models: A proactive-strategic-reactive-recovery framework for crisis management
  • Topical Module #2: Proactive Phase Part I: Understanding your organization and organizational leaders Part II: Environment scanning/Issues tracking and understanding your public Part III: Issues management and the crisis plan
  • Topical Module #3: Strategic Phase Part I: Risks communication and use of technology Part II: Conflict positioning: Understanding the factors of accommodation and advocacy Part III: Conflict positioning: Understanding the stakeholders and organization-public relationships Part IV: Working with journalists, the media, and key opinion leaders
  • Topical Module #4: Reactive Phase Part I: Image repair and restoration strategies Part II: Managing emotions in crises and conflicts
  • Topical Module #5: Recovery Phase Part I: Learning from crises Part II: Consolidation Part III: Managing dissensus, understanding ethics, and building readiness

Syllabus

Public CV

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