Communication and cultural distortion during crises

Smallman, Clive; Weir, David

doi:10.1108/09653569910258219

Cited by 48 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…News does not appear in a vacuum but is constructed within commercial, social and cultural arenas and consequently the press will report subjects in such a way that readers can relate to them (Hannabus, 1995;Jansson, 2002). Garner (1996) and Smallman and Weir (1999) suggest that in times of crisis news information is distorted as individuals place it within their own personal scheme. Furthermore it can be argued the media can be responsible for amplifying and distorting the true 396 Current Issues in Tourism nature of the incident by selecting how much significance is given to the incident through the amount or type of coverage given (Hall, 2002;McLane et al, 1999).…”

Section: Defining Crisismentioning

confidence: 97%

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Heroes and Villains – Tour Operator and Media Response to Crisis: An Exploration of Press Handling Strategies by UK Adventure Tour Operators

Stanbury¹,

Pryer²,

Roberts³

2005

Current Issues in Tourism

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As news dissemination quickens, and consumer awareness increases, strategies employed to handle press during crisis will have far-reaching implications on the reputations of adventure tour operators, and the industry. Exploring the strategies used by three tour operators who have experienced crisis provides some insight into how press handling can affect subsequent UK press reporting. The research examined notions of crisis, the need to appreciate the existence of crisis, the role of media, the key stakeholders involved, and how actual response to a situation can affect media attention. Qualitative analysis of newspaper articles and interviews with key representatives produced conclusions suggesting that companies must be prepared to acknowledge the potential for crisis, and employ crisis techniques that incorporate a press handling strategy. There are many external factors affecting media reporting; however, when a crisis does occur the way in which the press is handled will affect public perception. While recognising there is no control over the media, a prepared response can result in fair reporting and as such can be argued to form an essential part of business operations.

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Section: Defining Crisismentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Effectively it is recognised that the press have to construct stories their readers can relate to and it is the media's role to inform their readers of the events as they unfurl (Smallman & Weir, 1999). It is the journalist's job to investigate the story:…”

Section: The Media Role In Crisismentioning

confidence: 99%

Heroes and Villains – Tour Operator and Media Response to Crisis: An Exploration of Press Handling Strategies by UK Adventure Tour Operators

Stanbury¹,

Pryer²,

Roberts³

2005

Current Issues in Tourism

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“…Understanding this key principle allows a better understanding of why, during modern crises, the loss of control affects equally the isolated individual, who does not understand what is happening, and the state leaders, who fail to grasp the magnitude of the ongoing crises, leading to global dislocation. This sense‐making invariance is best illustrated (Smallman & Weir, ), by the well‐known blur effect, which has been used to explain how absurd decisions were taken not only by common individuals but also by eminent leaders. It leads to what we like to call ‘information asymmetry’, i.e., the loss of information when one goes up or down the decision ladder, which we shall explain more in depth in the next section.…”

Section: A New Paradigm: Fractal Geometry For Crisis Theorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Fractal Crises – A New Path for Crisis Theory and Management

Topper

Lagadec

2013

Contingencies & Crisis Mgmt

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This paper is a modest contribution to the vast exploration to be embarked upon as our maps appear increasingly outdated. We will first explore some outmoded ‘taken for granted’ assumptions and visions: this section aims to clarify why the crisis management world has profoundly changed and how the current understanding of crises and theoretical frameworks is becoming increasingly less adequate. Then, we will try to meet the second challenge of this special issue, by suggesting innovative approaches that will contribute to elaborate the building blocks of a theory of crisis management. We will propose a new theoretical framework, through the use of a fractal approach, following the footsteps of Benoit Mandelbrot, in order to rethink and capture the essence of the new theatre of operations that must be dealt with. Throughout, we will show how this original framework could be put into practice and what its limitations and perspectives are.

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“…Bureaucrats clung, moreover, with resolute 'continuity' to stereotyped perceptions of black and poor people as criminals who needed control rather than support. Flexibility, however, requires accurate, real-time information-a problem for organisations with 'orderly', formally structured communication (Smallman and Weir, 1999). It requires open mental models, an ability to improvise, a shared conception of the overall system, willingness to question to interact respectfully (Weick, 1993).…”

Section: Flexibilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Contextual Challenges for Crisis Support in the Immediate Aftermath of Major Incidents in the UK

Davis

2012

British Journal of Social Work

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Crisis support teams guide survivors and bereaved through the traumatic first hours and days after disaster. Comprised largely of volunteer social workers, they focus on providing practical, pragmatic support: 'orienting', rather than 'counselling' service users. This article examines the generally unacknowledged contextual challenges of crisis support work in the UK. In time-compressed circumstances, making sense of 'major incidents' requires imaginative and reflexive assessment. First, incidents sit within a potentially wide variety of interrelated dimensions, generating demands across geographical, jurisdictional and organisational boundaries. Second, crisis response occurs within processes of 'sense-making' that often involve controversy and social conflict. Third, intra and inter-organisational factors may pose significant difficulties for crisis support responders. Notwithstanding an overdue official recognition of the 'rights' of disaster victims, other recent developments-within social care, private sector 'customer care' and in policing and security-present under-researched challenges for crisis support teams. It is suggested in conclusion that the role and operation of crisis support teams are overdue for review. Issues pertinent to such review are offered.

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Communication and cultural distortion during crises

Cited by 48 publications

References 16 publications

Heroes and Villains – Tour Operator and Media Response to Crisis: An Exploration of Press Handling Strategies by UK Adventure Tour Operators

Heroes and Villains – Tour Operator and Media Response to Crisis: An Exploration of Press Handling Strategies by UK Adventure Tour Operators

Fractal Crises – A New Path for Crisis Theory and Management

Contextual Challenges for Crisis Support in the Immediate Aftermath of Major Incidents in the UK

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