Crisis Management Glossary

A structured debriefing conducted after a crisis to evaluate performance and identify improvements.

A supplemental crisis response that reminds stakeholders of the organization's past positive actions.

A documented set of procedures for maintaining essential operations during and after a disruption.

An unexpected, non-routine event that creates uncertainty and threatens high-priority organizational goals.

The strategic dissemination of information to stakeholders during a crisis to maintain trust and manage perceptions.

The capacity to guide an organization through a crisis with decisive, ethical, and transparent decision-making.

The phases a crisis passes through: pre-crisis, crisis event, and post-crisis.

A pre-designated cross-functional group responsible for managing organizational crisis response.

A pre-built, unpublished website ready to be activated for crisis communication.

A crisis response claiming no crisis exists or that the organization bears no responsibility.

A crisis response that seeks to reduce the perceived severity of the crisis or the organization's role in it.

The process and policies for restoring IT infrastructure and systems after a major disruption.

The first 60 minutes after a crisis emerges, during which the initial organizational response should be issued.

A pre-approved initial communication acknowledging a crisis while the organization gathers more information.

William Benoit's theory outlining strategies (denial, evasion, reducing offensiveness, corrective action, mortification) organizations use to repair their image after a crisis.

The gap in public understanding that forms when an organization does not communicate promptly, filled by speculation and rumor.

A crisis management framework with five stages: signal detection, preparation, containment, recovery, and learning.

The process of creating, retaining, and transferring knowledge gained from crisis experiences to improve future performance.

A publicly visible crisis threat, often on social media, that charges an organization with irresponsible behavior but may not escalate to a full crisis.

A crisis response where the organization accepts responsibility and offers apology, compensation, or corrective action.

The maximum acceptable downtime for a critical business function after a disruption.

The potential for events or actions to damage an organization's public image and stakeholder trust.

The process of monitoring for early warning signs that a crisis may be developing.

The designated individual authorized to represent the organization publicly during a crisis.

The systematic identification and prioritization of all parties affected by or influential in a crisis.