Building on the READINESS Framework: Cultural Insights from Practitioner and Scholar Experts for Practical Application in Crisis Management Industry

Brittany N. Shivers (Ph.D. student), Grace Mains (M.A. student), Yan Jin, Yijing Wang, River Gracey (Ph.D. student), W. Timothy Coombs, and Toni van der Meer. “Building on the READINESS Framework: Cultural Insights from Practitioner and Scholar Experts for Practical Application in Crisis Management Industry,” paper accepted for presentation at the 75th Annual International Communication Association Conference, Denver, June.

Abstract: Preparing and becoming “ready” for a crisis is a sticky endeavor, as there are obstacles that organizations must adapt to and overcome to effectively manage and engage crises. The purpose of this study is to examine the role of culture in READINESS, indicators of READINESS, attributes of crisis management leadership, and how an organization can build and strengthen READINESS. Through a qualitative research study, 26 crisis communication experts (scholars and practitioners) responded to questions either in a focus group or in-depth interview format. Key findings include the importance for an organization to be prepared and build/foster a culture of READINESS prior to a crisis. Furthermore, cultural differences, such as organizational culture and national culture(s) surrounding a company, can impact how READINESS is carried out, but the base concept remains the same regardless of culture. Lastly, acting quickly, seeing the “big picture,” and exerting emotional intelligence exemplifies optimal crisis management leadership, which contributes to organizational culture and crisis READINESS.