Disney Crisis Mgt. Assignment Communications Writing Assignment

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Disney Crisis Management
Disney did not accept responsibility for the alligator attack. In its response, Disney did not indicate that it was liable for the attack. While the company, through its president and CEO offered a compassionate message to Graves’ family, it did not admit to being in the wrong. Even after employees of the company came out to show that alligators have been a problem for some time, the company failed to acknowledge that the incidence was due to its negligence.
Despite not accepting responsibility for the attack, the company’s response was enough. According to Coombs (2007), the words used in communication and the action taken by management influence the way people perceive a company (169). In this case, the choice of words of the president and CEO of the company in demonstrating sympathy was enough to prevent the crisis from escalating further. They personalized their messages and showed that they understood how the family felt. In addition, the company closed its beaches temporarily and later it set up new warning and fence. It is thus deducible that the response was enough.
The company was able to sustain the negative impact of the incidence as it caused minimal damage. It ensured no lawsuit was brought up against it, which would have further affected its image. Its good relationship with the public helped it sustain the negative impact of the incidence. In addition, it continued to engage in socially responsible behaviors such as donating to victims of Orlando shooting.
The Strategic Crisis Management steps taken by the company are 'plan for the unexpected', 'build reputational currency', and 'establish relationships'. Those that were not taken are 'decide what you are protecting', 'form a crisis team', and 'establish internal co...