Communication is crucial in the development and running of every organization. In the public relations sector, crisis communication is gathering, preparing, and circulating information to manage a crisis scenario. The presence of the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted various sectors. Organization’s management requires a crisis communication strategy to ensure smooth running in the companies. Different firms use different steps in their crisis communication, which is an ever-dynamic field due to the advancements in information conveying technology (Arokiasamy, 2019). Following Kim (2021), crisis communication is correlated to dynamic capabilities through the types of dynamic capabilities: seizing, sensing, and transformation. Additionally, the dynamic capabilities integrate with the communication theories, as a branch of knowledge concerning the basis and process of transferring information. In essence, this essay will focus on crisis communication, dynamic capabilities, and communication theories. It will also determine how the communication theories integrate with the COVID-19 themes: listening, responding, responsibility, planning, reaction, action-oriented, and agility in the article “Dynamic capabilities: Strategies and tactics for leaders engaging in crisis communications” by KiYong Kim (2021).
Organizations apply dynamic capabilities by building and accommodating the resources available. Following Akpobi (2017), the dynamic capabilities perspective has become one of the most vibrant approaches to strategic management. Understanding the theory of dynamic capabilities assist in adapting to change and carrying out vital measures for the organization. Crisis management capabilities are rooted in the dynamic capabilities of firms (Mansour, 2019). Dynamic capabilities and crisis development correlation assist in the adaptation of the organization in crisis, such as COVID-19.
The dynamic capabilities are divided into three; sensing, seizing, and transformation. Sensing is the initial stage where the organization analyses and determines opportunities externally and acquires information vital for running the organization. Seizing is resource mobilization to acquire value from the identified opportunities. Transformation is the process of managing available knowledge, carrying out innovations, and frequent renewals of the organization. Furthermore, transformation determines the success of the organization in implementing the dynamic capability approach.
With research, there are various communication theories; however, the article has focused on four communication theories; uses and gratification social media model, diffusion theory, the spiral of silence, and situation theory. In the uses and gratifications, social media models focus on the main social media handles; Facebook and Twitter. Diffusion theory aims at the innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards. Spiral of silences aims at opinions from different sources; opinion expresses as dominant by mass media and interpersonal support for the deviant opinion. Also, spiral of silence focuses on the total number of individuals not openly expressing a deviant opinion and/or changing from deviant to a dominant viewpoint. Situation theory explains the relationship between knowledge and involvement besides non-publics.
The dynamic capabilities are divided into three; sensing, seizing, and transformation. Sensing is the initial stage where the organization analyses and determines opportunities externally and acquires information vital for running the organization. Seizing is resource mobilization to acquire value from the identified opportunities. Transformation is the process of managing available knowledge, carrying out innovations, and frequent renewals of the organization. Furthermore, transformation determines the success of the organization in implementing the dynamic capability approach.
Following the article, 8 COVID-19 themes were identified, including listening, responding, responsibility, planning, reaction, action-oriented, and agility. These themes have a direct relationship to the communication theories and dynamic capabilities (Kim, 2021). COVID-19 themes explain the relationship profoundly and how organizations have navigated the COVID-19 times. Additionally, since research is from different sectors and companies, it is broad and can be used for future crisis occurrences.
Listening falls in the category of sense, the initial element of dynamic capabilities. Listening applies in the uses and gratifications social media model through activeness of the organization in social media and spiral silence themes by getting feedback. All organizations need to acquire this skill, which can be achieved through the process of scanning the surrounding environments regarding the consumers and the stakeholders. The organizations can scan the available resources, acquire and distribute them to the consumers, with different strategies in delivering, to ensure customer satisfaction. Through scanning, organizations will better understand their environment and competitors in addition to available challenges. Additionally, listening can be implemented in several sectors and limited to specific sectors.
Responding is a COVID-19 theme; with the pandemic, most organizations have been incapable of responding. Responding is applicable to the situation theory since the knowledge available in the organizations concerning the risks and strategies of responding to the crisis is available. Organizations require a risk management strategy to respond to possible risks that might occur. For instance, most individuals are losing their jobs, causing a threat in organizations due to a reduced labor force. Additionally, with a reduced labor force, companies are incapable of performing to the expected standards. Non-essential sectors such as the tourism sectors were closed down, posing a great loss in the industry. Recovering from the losses requires a quick response from the organization.
Responsibility of the organization applies to the situation theory since there is available knowledge in the present time. In addition, responsibility connects to uses and gratifications of social media models through recognition of their social media handles. For example, Facebook Responsibility is in the sensing stage since organizations externally acquire information for available opportunities, such as new market targets. Responsibility also applies to the role organizations are playing to ensure a highly competitive environment by identifying their niches and setting clear goals.
The COVID-19 theme in the seizing element of dynamic capabilities is planning. Organizations require proper planning for the future. The future is always unpredictable, and with a plan, organizations can manage the impending risks that might occur. Planning applies in the situation theory of communication through the knowledge available on creating a crisis plan that assists in the management of a problematic situation. With COVID-19, most sectors are failing due to a lack of a proper crisis plan. Organizations are incapable of implementing new opportunities and finding their value during a crisis.
The reaction of the organization is a theme evident through the change in management and resource mobilization. Reaction is key for the performance of the organization in the COVID-19 situation. The change in management due to adaptation of the crisis can tremendously impact the organization. Reaction theme applies in the communication theory of diffusion by the process of innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards. The change in management and resource mobilization will determine these individuals.
Human dignity in communication is the last in seizing: it is granting individuals space to communicate both internally and externally in the organization. Human dignity applies in the spiral of silence communication theory. The sources can either be deviant or of dominant opinion. Resources to be used in crisis communication can be provided to the public. Also, the information provided can be taken keenly and of value to the organization by assisting them to make critical decisions.
In the transformation element, an action-oriented theme is considered. It is the action played by the organization in the COVID-19 situation through the implementation of the crisis plan and the adaptation of the changes that might occur. This applies to the diffusion theory since it involves a process, from innovation to laggards. Innovators can be the organization itself, and the laggards can be the indirect consumers. The employees can be trained on the changes made. Also, new infrastructures can be developed applicable to the organization.
Agility is the last theme under the transformation element and falls under the situation theory due to the availability of knowledge to adapt and public involvement. It has been prioritized as an approach to cope with upcoming changes and to ensure organizational effectiveness in times of digitalization (Holotiuk, 2018). With a crisis plan, it is evident that organizations can manage the crisis when it occurs since they have enough knowledge of the crisis and its outcome. The flexibility of the organization to COVID-19 enables constant performance. Additionally, the adaptability to crisis assists in managing the crisis and offering services to the consumers.
From the discussion, it is evident that the COVID-19 themes are connected to dynamic capability and crisis communication. The coronavirus theme is universal and can be applied in different sectors. Organizations can use it to survive in a crisis and perform as usual. The COVID-19 themes assist in proper planning of the future and identifying possible gaps in the organization. Crisis communication can be well planned with the application of the themes and dynamic capability theory.
References
Akpobi, T. C. (2017). Dynamic Capabilities and Strategic Management: Explicating the Multi-Level Nature of Dynamic Capabilities-Insights from the Information Technology Security Consulting Industry. Web.
Arokiasamy, L., Kwaider, S., & Balaraman, R. A. (2019). Best Practices for Crisis Communication: A Qualitative Study. Global Business & Management Research, 11(2), 141-150.
Holotiuk, F., Beimborn, D., & Jentsch, C. (2018). The Determinants And Role Of Agility In Digital Organizations. Web.
Kim, K. M. A. (2021). Dynamic capabilities: Strategies and tactics for leaders engaging in crisis communications. Public Relations Journal, 14(1), 1-13.
Mansour, H. E., Holmes, K., Butler, B., & Ananthram, S. (2019). Developing dynamic capabilities to survive a crisis: Tourism organizations’ responses to continued turbulence in Libya. International Journal of Tourism Research, 21(4), 493-503.