An Assessment of Crises Communication Practices and Challenges: the Case of the Federal Police Commission
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2020-06
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Crisis communication is tool that enables an organization to respond appropriately in order to
maintain public confidence and minimize the damage. The main purpose of this particular study is
to assess the crisis communication practice and challenge in the case of FPC by taking selected
cases into consideration. This research fills a knowledge gap that exists in practical application of
crisis communication strategy in FPC to tackle crisis. It also provides the FPC with further
information on the importance of designing and applying crisis communication strategy and to
resolve existing challenges. The study has employed descriptive design and qualitative approach to
conduct the study. Accordingly, in depth interview and FGD were applied as instruments of data
collection. Respondents were selected purposively based on their relevant knowledge in relation to
the subject matter. The researcher has conducted In-depth interviews with five senior officials of the
FPC, five senior officials of Addis Ababa and Oromia Police Commissions, seven journalists from
press, electronic media and Ethiopian Broadcast Authority, two Media and Public Relations
Officers from Ministry of Defense (MoD), one officer from the Public Relations Department of
National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) and one officer from the Public Relations
Department of Information Network Security Agency (INSA). Totally the researcher has conducted
with twenty one in-depth interviews and one FGD with ten participants who are residents of Kirkos
Sub City of Addis Ababa City Administration as well as experts with different educational
backgrounds.
The major findings of study show that the FPC has no crisis communication strategy to apply
during critical situations mentioned in the study. As a result tells that the FPC was not able to act in
accordance with the three stages of crisis namely pre–crisis, crisis and post crisis strategy that
should have been applied to tackle the crises; thus the FPC did not evaluate the history of those
crises to find out its strength and weakness. In addition to these the result has indicated that the FPC
hadn’t properly engage and consult its active stakeholders and furthermore, public opinion was not
properly managed by establishing media monitoring and public opinion framework. Based on the
findings, therefore, the researcher forwarded some recommendations.
Description
Keywords
crisis communication practice and challenge in the case of FPC by taking selected cases into consideration.