Corporate Crisis Management Blog

Here’s a random top ten list of activities that I undertake more quickly, easily and effectively using my smartphone that was imaginable even five years ago.

The pace of technology is reaching a fever pitch, with new innovations, upgrades, and features emerging all the time. As technology evolves in countless ways, it’s vital that your crisis management plan evolves as well. Today, we’ll take a closer look at the dangers of not keeping your plan up to speed with technology changes, which are happening all the time. 

Do you remember Friday June 29 2007?

Do you recall what you were doing that day? No, me neither!

At least some of you began that early summer day standing in line at your local Apple store for the first ever iPhone.

Yes, that was really ten years ago.

Since then there has been 12 billion sales of the iPhone. If you were not in line in 2007 to get the first one, the chances are that you have one now.

When a crisis strikes in the digital age, it moves with dizzying speed. Recent research indicates that more than one-quarter of crises spread to international media within an hour; two-thirds of crises reach media outlets worldwide within the first 24 hours. Meanwhile, the average organization is scrambling to respond and manage the crisis, leaving time for a dangerous and costly “information vacuum” to form.

From Syrian refugees, gay marriage and transgender rights to Black Lives Matter, major social issues seem to be in the news every day. And they are permeating various aspects of our society like never before. Today, a growing number of brands have disregarded the old adage that business and politics don’t mix, thereby causing unprecedented ripple effects that are fascinating to observe.

 Let’s look at a one week’s selection of issues faced by major organizations (the week beginning May 29) and played out in the full glare of traditional media with added spice and commentary from millions across social media.

Not long ago, the main threats to a business were primarily physical in nature: adverse weather, a utility failure, a violent employee. Today, companies must still contend with all of these longstanding threats, while also accounting for the newest—and most significant—source of potential danger: digital technology.

Anyone still remember the Keystone Cops? 

They are a fictional group of policemen who first appeared on film in 1912 and 

became hugely popular as supporting players in movies by the likes of Charlie 

Chaplin. 

They were known for their high energy but chaotic and bumbling response to 

criminal activity, so much so that the phrase ‘Keystone Cops’ passed into the 

common vernacular as shorthand criticism of anyone who put a lot of effort into 

being uncoordinated and ineffective. 

As the use of social media has grown around the world, cyberbullying has become a significant problem for people of all ages. Experts estimate that up to 40 percent of individuals have been the target of cyberbullying.