Crisis Communication Plan Scholars and practitioners alike stress the importance of planning ahead and being prepared for potential crises before they occur. In this assignment, each student will select a company and develop a crisis communication plan based on that company, its industry, culture, potential risks, stakeholders, etc. The company selected can be a current or recent employer, or a company/nonprofit of choice as long as it is large enough to experience a crisis that would impact stakeholders. Once you select the company, analyse a crisis situation and then prepare a message action plan (MAP). This MAP should define the different stakeholder groups to be addressed, the communication goals for each of these target groups, the preferred channel for each communication, and who within the organization will be responsible for delivering each of these messages. You will submit your paper to the Turnitin.com dropbox link within blackboard. Instructions: When a crisis situation develops, time is of the essence. There’s a saying: “If you’re not quick, you’re not relevant.” That’s why companies need to have a crisis communication plan in place BEFORE a potentially hazardous situation arises. But, what does that mean? What elements should be included in your crisis plan? While there’s no such thing as a “cookie cutter” crisis plan, the following information will help your company begin assembling an effective plan. This assignment does not have a page requirement, rather that you create a well thought out plan addressing each of the 5 steps below. (See the Bass Pro Shops Crisis Communication Plan in Blackboard for reference. Your plan does not need to be this detailed, this is only for you to reference). Step 1: Establish the Crisis Team. Before a crisis strikes, think through who needs to have a seat at the table. Consider ALL the aspects of your company — management, operations, internal (including labor relations in union environments) and external communication, customer service, legal. The crisis team could look like this: President of the company, head of communication, legal counsel and heads of the department(s) impacted by the crisis. During the crisis, this team bears the responsibility for making decisions and spearheading communication. In the plan document, include each individual’s name, title, home phone, cell phone and other pertinent contact details. Step 2: Identify and Prepare the Spokespeople. A crisis situation should not be the first time a spokesperson speaks to the media. Identify the person who will be the official “voice” of the company should a crisis develop and make sure that person is trained accordingly. (Note that the spokesperson may not be the same in every situation. You may need to train a few spokespeople. Also have a “backup” person identified … just in case.) Remember that you need to communicate offline and offline. With that in mind, evaluate your online ...