Remember the Sandman Video? Sandman’s formula is: Risk = Hazard + Outrage. His point was that at times, we need to reduce the outrage as it doesn’t match the actual hazard (we are more frightened of something than we should be); yet sometimes, we need to increase the outrage to match the actual hazard (we are not as frightened as we should be). The take away is that hazards can be measured — in terms of the likelihood that they will happen and the impact they would have if they do happen.
One way to do that is via a risk matrix, as described below:
Risk and How to use a Risk Matrix – YouTube.

In the food industry, one risk is food borne illnesses. To detect and analyze the potential risk to individuals, the HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) system was developed. The video below describes this approach (those of you who work in the food industry may have gone through this training).

What is HACCP? Learn about HACCP in 6 minutes [iQKitchen] – YouTube

Questions for this prompt:

How do the videos add to the discussion in Coombs Chapter #4 about preparing for crisis?
Discuss an industry you might be familiar with and the kinds of risks that may be faced there, how they might be analyzed, and planned for in a Crisis Communication plan.

Assignment Preview:

The videos add to the discussion in Coombs Chapter #4 about preparing for crisis by providing specific examples of how hazards can be measured and analyzed, and how that information can be used to plan for and manage potential risks. Sandman’s formula of “Risk = Hazard + Outrage” highlights the importance of considering both the likelihood and potential impact of a crisis, as well as how people may react to it, in order to effectively prepare for and manage it. The risk matrix shown in the first video provides a visual tool for understanding and analyzing risks, and the HACCP system described in the second video demonstrates a specific application of this approach in the food industry.

In terms of an industry that may be faced with different types of risks, I can think of the banking industry. The risks faced by banks include financial risks, credit risks, market risks, operations risks, and reputational risks among others. These risks can be analyzed in a number of ways, such as by assessing their likelihood and potential impact, or by using a risk matrix similar to the one shown in the first video.

To plan for these risks, crisis communication plan might include strategies such as creating incident response teams, having regular risk assessments, implementing risk management systems, training employees and having a well-rehearsed crisis communication plan. The bank may also have a designated spokesperson to address the media and the public in the event of a crisis, and establish clear lines of communication internally and with regulators, customers and other stakeholders.

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