Effective crisis communication strategies that may influence an organization’s crisis communication response: A case study of national Aluminium Company Limited response

Pages: 237-241
Sradhanjali Mishra (PG Department of Personnel Management and Industrial Relation, Utkal University, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha)

Crisis communication is an integral aspect of public relations that can have either positive or negative repercussions based upon the action that an organization responds. The manner in which an organization handles a crisis determines financial implications that may ensue, public perception and reputation of the organization, as well as the overall success or failure of the organization in the future. This article attempts to summarize the strongest evidence that has emerged from crisis communication research study made on National Aluminium Company Limited. A crisis is the ultimate unplanned activity and the ultimate test for managers. In a time of crisis, conventional management practices are inadequate and ways of responding usually insufficient. No country, company or organization is immune to crisis. Being able to effectively respond in the event of a crisis is relevant to an organizations survival. Meticulously planned crisis communication strategies not only enable organizations to recover from the aftermath of a shock wave but also benefit from the analysis of the dangers and draw consequences for future actions. Corporations with efficient crisis communication teams are able to effectively communicate and respond in the event of a crisis. The article provides guidance for crisis communicators by pointing out what researchers have found to be the most effective crisis communication practices that may influence an organization’s crisis communication response. What makes this story so compelling is the media aspect of both the crisis itself and the strategy for managing the crisis. Using a case study approach, this paper assesses Nalco’s decision to integrate the medium that sparked the crisis into the strategies to manage the situation, and it questions the efficacy of best practices and principles of crisis management. However, crisis management and communication experts’ opinions differed on whether Nalco’s crisis communication was effective or ineffective. This paper aims to assess Nalco’s crisis communication and mainly to point out possible failures through a content analysis of secondary data collected from various sources (newspapers, magazines, annual reports and blogs).