"No organisation is immune to crisis". This statement is quickly confirmed if you take a look at the organizational consequences of COVID-19, that made not only people but also organizations victim of a pandemic. Pick any day of the week and you will find stories in newspapers or social media about product recalls, accidents, financial scandals, mismanagement, IT-breakdowns, social media “shitstorms", downsizings, MeToo scandals, cyber attacks, terrorism, climate related crises (e.g. floodings), and/or crises related to war and geopolitical conflicts, and the like. Uncertainty and crises have become the new normal. Pandemics, war, economic crises, climate changes, energy and sustainability issues leading to change of consumer habits (flight shame, meat shame, slow consumption, etc.) and polarization are part of this new world. 

The consequences of being unprepared to respond to crises are dramatic. Managing difficult times and crisis calls for a planned approach (preparedness) as well as an emergent approach (improvisation and contingency) to crisis management. Crisis communication is extremely important in order to help people (victims, employees, customers, investors, etc.) cope with a crisis situation and to restore image, reputation and trust of organizations. Knowing how to detect, handle and learn from a crisis is extremely important to SME’s and large companies, and to all functions in an organization (Management, Marketing, IT, HR,  Communication, R&D, Law, Finances, etc.) 

The course consists of an advanced introduction to the principles of crisis management and crisis communication based on a strategic, proactive and process-oriented life-cycle approach to crisis.