Crisis management becomes crisis : the professional diagnoses of four failed PR cases

“Crisis communication” is one of the most important parts of public relationship. In the past years, researchers have introduced us many crisis management cases to avoiding the same situations, but today, many companies still face the similar crisis. What happened between theory and practice？ Finding out the key elements hidden facial crisis management strategies is the core of the essay.

With communication-processing tools like SNG and network, and the special media environment in Taiwan, crisis is easily spread and causes even more chaos. In the four cases presented in this study, the four companies only noticed two things -- quality of production, and impact of product sales. But they ignored that it is the approach and attitude they show to the public and media, that are the key points to stop crisis damage, and in this era, a company’s image is also crucial to company’s product sales and future.

In this research, the researcher interviewed 18 journalists, several relevant NPOs, including consumers’ foundation and association of Taiwan journalists, and senior, professional workers and professors in the public relationship area. The conclusion of this research points out that the key elements causing crises are : arrogant corporate culture, depreciating public relationship, selfish departmentalism thinking, and lack of crisis sense and preparation.

Truly hope these results will remind more companies to be aware of customers’ feelings and the importance of public relationship.