Risk communication management in nuclear emergencies and Fukushima

Managing Communications During Nuclear Emergencies

In this study we will look at the various dynamics and components of a large project and its management with respect to risk communication with a variety of stakeholders of a nuclear emergency situation.

Stakeholder management in Programs

Building a Team

Team Building for Large Programs

Communication Team building in case of Nuclear Emergency

Supply Chain Management in Large Programs

Risk Management for Nuclear Emergency Communication

Integrated Information Systems and Knowledge Management

Performance measurement: earned value management

One of the most important challenges in the management of energy is communication which has been highlighted by previous nuclear accidents and emergencies. While improving the response of the population, effective communication in the early stages of a nuclear emergency helps in increasing of awareness and the understanding of the protective actions that are required to be employed. This is advised in the short-term or as an immediate communication necessity in case of a nuclear emergency. The process of remediation and the return to normal life is made possible through effective risk communication with the stakeholders in the medium and long-term range (Perko, 2011).

A central role in this aspect is played by the mass media. The latest nuclear emergency that took place in Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan has brought to light the importance of communication as the incident had induced massive coverage in the media (Perko, Turcanu, and Geenen, 2012). At the contamination phase, the various mass media were used to communicate with the general population and other stakeholders and, later on, played an important role in the cleanup and the recovery stage as well. It needs to be however remembered that for commercial purposes, the media often regards "bad news is good news" and this problem has to be tackled with the overall objective of effective risk communication to help people cope with a nuclear emergency (Perko, Turcanu, and Geenen, 2012).

The above discussion makes it clear that risk communication during a nuclear emergency is a major program and should not thus be considered as a small project. The resources and effort required for this are huge and the time period of the communication, as is evident from the discussions, is also significantly larger. The size and number of stakeholders and stakeholder groups involved are also significantly large. Thus, crisis communication in a nuclear emergency requires a program management approach and should not simply be restricted to as a communication project as it is huge and complex and has to deal with complex issues of lives and livelihood of people now as well for the future generation (Levin and Green, 2014).

Special care is needed first to define a risk communication program and as experts put it, such a program should constitute of a group of projects that are related and implemented in a coordinated manner to achieve a specific result. Hence, it can be said that while projects can exist without programs, it is not the other way around. Generally, program management is a process that is centralized and the various smaller parts of projects are coordinated centrally to achieve a preset desired outcome. Governance, infrastructure, management, financial management, infrastructure, and planning are all important components of a program. Strategic goals are met with a concrete structure and guidance for project prioritization which is provided by a program (Thiry, 2010). The resolving of resource constraints, implementing change management and maintaining the strategic direction that influences the direction of the project help program managers to determine the best approach for managing smaller projects. In this study, we will look at the various dynamics and components of a large project and its management with respect to risk communication with a variety of stakeholders of a nuclear emergency situation.

Justification for Selection

Stakeholder management in Programs

The specific people of groups that have an active interest or a stake in the final outcome of a program are defined as stakeholders. While such stakeholders can be from within a company or an organization -- known as internal stakeholders, they are also placed outside of the organization -- known as external stakeholders and are directly or indirectly impacted by the activities of the organization or company or entity. Internal stakeholders ca include groups like program Sponsor, the steering committee, the governance board, etc. while the external stakeholders can be groups such as the suppliers, investors, the local and extended community and groups and even government organizations (Eskerod and Jepsen, 2013).

Due to its size and complex nature, there are generally many stakeholders in a program. Stakeholders are identified through what is termed as a stakeholder analysis and the results are noted down for the creation of a Stakeholder Management Plan. It is generally the centralized office of an organization or company that formulates a stakeholder management strategy. The approach and the overall activation of the stakeholder management plan are proactively guided and managed at the program level.

Despite the fact that programs constitute of a number of smaller plans or projects, the projects themselves do not create any of their own stakeholder management plans since that can create chaos and result in disjointed communication (Levin and Green, 2014). However for a program to be successful the projects also need to be successful and the stakeholder management process should also be evaluated and implemented at the project management level even though it is not formed at the project level.

It is critical to ensure the identification and analyze each of the stakeholders. The analysis is generally done on the basis of the impact that the stakeholder can have on the outcome of the program and the involvement of the stakeholder in the overall program success and implementation (Bertsch et al., 2006). A fault in stakeholder identification and analysis can result in derailment of a program. The figure below shows a programming environment and the typical types of stakeholders that form part of a program.

(Source: Barron & Barron Project Management for Scientists and Engineers)

The figure illustrates how program managers shave to deal with stakeholders who are internal as well as external to an organization.

A stakeholder analysis is the first step in the process of management of stakeholders. This is done through the stakeholder analysis which is essentially the assessment of a program's key participants and the manner in which the program would be affected by their problems and needs. It also involves the identification of the individual characteristics and interests of the interest groups and the factors of motivation as well as the factors that provoke them. The roles and degree of participation are also analyzed along with the determination of any potential are conflicts of interest between the groups of stakeholders. It is also important to define success from the viewpoint of the stakeholders (Bertsch et al., 2006).

Given below is a typical stakeholder assessment format that is used by organizations and companies to assess the importance of stakeholders.

(Source: www.svprojectmanagement.com)

After this exercise, the stakeholder management plans to engage and communicate with the stakeholders begin. The communications to stakeholders should be made according to the management plan. Apart from the above-mentioned results obtained from the stakeholder analysis, the communication plan requires taking into account the culture of the stakeholders. This helps in deciding what type of messages and message content to be communicated, the best-suited medium of communication and how and when to communicate.

The importance of communicating effectively with the stakeholders was evident in the early stage planning and execution of the High Speed 2 project of the Transport Department of the British government. In a report prepared by the Comptroller and Auditor General for the transport department notes: "There are particular risks for the Department if it fails to effectively meet or manage stakeholders' expectations" (Comptroller and Auditor General, UK, 2013). This reiterates the importance of communicating well with the stakeholders for large projects the High Speed 2 project is amongst the largest of the transport projects in the UK and has a large array of stakeholders. realizing the initial problem, the department appointed a single stakeholder manager for the High-Speed Rail team to improve stakeholder management in a few areas. The stakeholder manager would be responsible for working with the local authorities and other stakeholders at the stations being built for the high-speed line.

In the case of a nuclear emergency, the communication with the stakeholders becomes very critical initially to take preventive measures and later in clearing operations and rehabilitation. There a number of stakeholders in the nuclear emergency scenario. The first and the most important are the people in the community that surround the emergency location. These are the stakeholders who are directly and most affected by an incident of a nuclear emergency (Perko, 2011). The other stakeholders include the government and regulatory authorities who are entrusted with the job of the legality of a nuclear installation (www.oecd-nea.org, 2016).

The environmentalists and other peer groups are another important stakeholders. The internal stakeholders for a nuclear company include the shareholders and as those who have financial interest along with the employees who also have the potential to be significantly affected by a nuclear emergency. The media is another set of stakeholder who are very important. The views and comments carried by the media shape the image of the emergency and pin public opinion about the responsibility of the emergency. It also has the potential to carry vital and important communication to other stakeholders -- especially those in the immediate vicinity or community about preventive measures (www.iaea.org/, 2012).

See Appendix A for stakeholder analysis for nuclear emergency and inputs for a stakeholder management plan.

Building a Team

One of the most challenging and important components that is involved in the successful completion of programs is assembling the team to implement the program. Compared to projects the teams required for large programs are significantly larger both in number and variety. Despite the fact a program team directly impacts the outcome of the program, it is termed as a soft component of the program (Grewal, 2011).

Team Building for Large Programs

Organizations, both private and public, require to quickly adapt to the ever-changing fast-paced environment in order to respond to new opportunities and threats. Capturing new opportunities or to address complex issues in short time periods calls for a team approach to the best solution. A large and seemingly complex threat or an opportunity is essentially broken down into multiple smaller segments which can be addressed to in parallel. This is the fundamental advantage of assembling a team in large programs. Assignments can be created, tracking systems can easily be put in place and bench markings can be are established after a large program or task is broken down into smaller components. Focus on the larger picture and ensuring proper integration of all tasks is possible for the team leader as he does not have to individually supervise every smaller project. Better and effective use of resources, enhanced productivity, the decision of high quality and fostering and opening up of the work environment for innovation are possible when a team is assembled with a problem-solving approach.

According to researcher Glenn Parker, (2008), the characteristics of a successful program team comprises of a number of attributes. They include the existence of a clear purpose for the formation of a team where the vision, mission as well as the goals of forming the team are clearly defined. It is also important that the teams have an informal environment where the team members remain comfortable and are able to function in a relaxed climate. Teams need participation and contribution from every member and engage in civilized disagreement where everyone listens to the point-of-view of others.

Good and successful team leaders allow for open discussions leading to a consensus decision which is spread within the team in open communications allowing for two-way communication. Teams need to have well-defined roles and assignments with a format for shared leadership. The team also has the responsibility to develop outside relationships in order to build up credibility. There can be members belonging to various cultural backgrounds in large teams and hence the cultural barriers between the team members working together also should be minimized. For every team, self-assessment of its roles and functioning and achievements should be made on a periodic basis. .

As individual teams members, it is necessary that each have a minimum degree of commitment to the cause of building the team and be motivated so they are eager to do the task at hand. The team members also need skill diversity with a mix of subject expertise. A sense of urgency to get a task done, especially in times of crisis is an additional component of successful teams and completed programs. Mutual trust and jointly distributing success and failures is a quality that can take a large team a long way in successfully implementing large programs (Team-Building Exercise, 2005).

The role of the team leader in large program teams is also critical. The leader has the responsibility of providing an environment that is conducive to teamwork. The team environment should be such that it makes team members committed to the program, helps in the development of good interpersonal relations resulting in heightened and team spirit, development of necessary expertise and resources, provide ad explains the goals and objectives to the team members in clear and unambiguous manner and garner support from the senior management for the team. The good working environment created by the team leaders also helps in the reduction of any form of detrimental interpersonal conflicts or conflicts within groups or teams.

Ultimately an efficient team is able to achieve success through the integration of people by means of effective communication, the growth of a sincere interest in the growth of the team members and ultimate commitment to the program.

Communication Team building in case of Nuclear Emergency

As discussed in the earlier chapter, the primary aim of communicating in times of nuclear emergency is to convey messages to the stakeholders -- ranging from the immediate community that would be affected by the emergency, to the media to the government and the pressure and environmental groups. Thus, the primary role of communicators in a nuclear emergency is to effectively communicate messages that can help people take precautionary measures to stay safe in the initial stages of the emergency and helping to clear and rehabilitating after the emergency is over and the while the effects linger on.

Large teams are generally involved in communicating with related stakeholders in the cases of nuclear emergency. The primary responsibility rests with a Public Information Officer (PIO) or a team that has the task of keeping the community, the pubic and the other stakeholders and the media informed (Bisconti, 2011). It also has the responsibility of coordinating with all the sources of official information that are available in order to ensure that a consistent message is transmitted to the stakeholders. The PIOs are generally the first responders for communication in case of a nuclear emergency. The team can comprise of a number of PIOs, depend on the scale and phase of the emergency, function under a lead PIO.

Given below is a diagrammatic representation of the set-up of an efficient communications team to tackle nuclear emergency.

(Source: www.ready.gov)

As the picture suggests a large program like a nuclear emergency risk communication requires a large team. Each section or individual of the team is assigned particular duties or roles. Each of the stakeholders is approached by and information communicated by a separate groups or individuals (FEMA, 2013). Care is taken that the individuals assigned such duties are more or less acquainted with the shareholders. For example, the media relations people are given the responsibility of communicating with the media, the purchasing with suppliers, sales with customers, HR with employees and their families, the management with elected officials and public agencies and the regulatory affairs department people with the regulatory authorities.

The roles and responsibilities of each one are controlled centrally as in large programs and information is disseminated from the information center. The entire program of communicating with the various stakeholders during a nuclear emergency is thus subdivided into smaller projects. However all the projects are centrally controlled and coordinated and are aimed to achieve a common target -- providing credible and useful information to the targeted stakeholders (www.ier.fukushima-u.ac.jp, 2016).

The Ministry of Defence set up of the UK government is an example of precise and large teamwork for the dissemination of information. The UK defense ministry acknowledges that communicating with the media, the parliament or the pubic directly is a very important part of the strategy to respond to a nuclear emergency. The plan for a clear and well-defined PR and media strategy is to be set by the ministry of defense through the "effective and efficient management of the departmental and Central Government public relations and media issues" (DEFENCE NUCLEAR EMERGENCY RESPONSE, 2013).

The headquarters of the ministry of defense is the control center of the risk communication program and is responsible for providing accurate, consistent and prompt information. The general population is the primary targets of the communication public and its safety and reassurance are the primary objectives of the risk communication. There are a number of smaller teams who are assigned specific projects like the Directorate Media and Communications would look after the overall effectiveness of the media and communications response (DEFENCE NUCLEAR EMERGENCY RESPONSE, 2013).

Supply Chain Management in Large Programs

Large projects require larger than usual resources -- be it the form of human resources or finances or logistics. In the case of programs, the supply chain management principles are essentially the same as in production. Here the resources are used in conjunction with the team that is implementing the project to successfully complete the project (Young, Ph.D., FCILT and Peterson, MBA, CSCP, SCOR-P, 2014). In that sense, the supply chain that is created for large programs is significantly larger than smaller projects and sometimes more complex as projects run for the longer duration of time. However, the useful of the supply chain ceases once the project is complete. Thus, while large projects can use all or part of the supply chain that is available with an organization, the special requirements of a specific program can also create new supply chains on a temporary basis (Skilton, 2014).

In large programs where physical resources are required, the supply chain is generally adjusted to meet the temporary needs of the program. This can be siphoned from the existing physical resource supply chain or freshly inducted. Human resource is a key component of successful programs. The supply chain of the organization needs to provide the adequate human resources for the same from within the organization. Sometimes however special needs require the temporary hiring of experts for program completion. Support services from the finance department, the sale and service departments are also required for successful program completion. A part of the large program supply chain that is generally not present in supply chains under normal circumstances and often required are advisors and evaluators who can be internal or external to an organization.

In the case of risk communication in a nuclear emergency, the supply chain would primarily be made up of the existing supply chain and the resources available. The primary requirement for such programs is human talent and a large enough team to be able to cater to the information demands of all stakeholders. For this purpose, resources are pooled in from various department especially those who are in the habit of communicating regularly with stakeholders (Young, Ph.D., FCILT and Peterson, MBA, CSCP, SCOR-P, 2014). The support is often required from the top management of the organization as well as from various other departments. In this case, the only raw material that is required is information which is generally got from the disaster management team or onsite disaster management team for the latest and the most accurate information. Physical logistics are limited to communication tools which are readily available in the existing supply chain or organization. However in the case of nuclear emergency communication, there is a requirement for specialists who give their vital input in the messages. For example, messages intended for the general public about what do to stay safe is best given by safety experts.

An example of keeping the supply chain ready and well prepared for a response in emergency situation programs is evident in the National Resilience Capabilities Programme (NRCP) of the UK government (Gov.uk, 2013). This program has the objective of increasing the capability of the country to respond to civil emergencies - whether they are natural or man-made. The program builds on capabilities to deal with several consequences and hence has to keep ready resource for an eventuality at any point in time. This enhancement of the supply chain includes augmenting the numbers and the types of human resource, the appropriate equipment types, and the supplies for the same, additional relevant training and pre-defined and clear plans amongst others. The augmentation of the supply chain in the program is done to identify, challenge as well as to monitor the levels of current capacity in the each of the aspects covered in the workstreams (Gov.uk, 2013).

Cost estimating and life-cycle cost estimating (LCCE) of Programs

The total cost that is to be incurred for a program from cradle to grave is defined as the Life-Cycle Cost (LCC). It is also referred to as the Total Ownership Cost (TOC). The components of LCC include the costs for research and development and planning work, the costs of investments in human resources and supply chain, costs of operating and running the program, the costs of the supporting elements and the disposal costs after completion of a program over the entire life cycle of a program (Liu et al., 2008). Apart from the direct costs, the LCC costs also include the indirect costs that are attributed to the logically to the program.

At the beginning of every program, managers and organization leaders conduct a budgeting for the program which is also known as a Life-Cycle Cost Estimate (LCCE). This is the total costs that are estimated to be incurred for the planning, development, production, deployment, maintenance, operating and disposing of a system spread over the entire life span. All large programs have budgets and costs estimates that are calculated according to the resources required and the time period for which they are required or the total time period of the program (Liu et al., 2008). An LCCE is prepared through the process of breaking down of the work to be completed, the estimations of costs in every category and the costs of the element structures.

The cost estimation for a nuclear emergency risk communication program starts at the time of planning for the communication program before or soon after the emergency and ends after the rehabilitation or resettlement phase.

Risk Management for Nuclear Emergency Communication

Program risk management is an important aspect of planning and execution of a program. This is also one of the knowledge areas of a program management which requires proficiency and competence of the program leader. In a nutshell, risks to a program can be defined as the unexpected or uncertain events that can occur during the implementation of a program which can have a negative or positive impact on the outcome of the entire or part of the program. Support from the organizational factors often decides the fate of a risk management exercise (Ice and Petersen, 2002). It also demands clear and well-defined roles and responsibilities and analytical and technical skills. Managing risk in a program would incorporate several processes that include planning for risk management, identification of potential risks, qualitative and quantitative risk analysis, planning responses for perceived risks and the monitoring and controlling of the risks.

In large programs as in risk communication in case of nuclear emergencies, risk management identifies, assess and prioritizes risks which is followed by a coordinated and economical utilization of resources in order to minimize, monitor as well as control the potentiality and the impact of unplanned events or even to maximize the opportunities presented by such events.

In the case of nuclear emergency communication, there can be a number of risks. These include passing on of irrelevant or wrong information, not catering to some or one of the stakeholder's need for information and wrong interpretation or supply of ambiguous or insufficient information to stakeholders or within the program team (Ice and Petersen, 2002). While undertaking a risk communication program for a nuclear emergency, all these factors and anything else that could be specific for a particular scenario needs to be included in the planning stage and resource and roles clearly defined and allocated to combat such risks.

Planning for the unpleasant is evident in the document of the National Health Service (NHS) of UK. The document titled "the Chemical Incidents: planning for the management of self-presenters in healthcare settings" outlines that plan for organizations that are NHS funded helping them to prepare for and respond to chemical emergencies. The plan outlines how to respond to and cater to people who might have been exposed to chemicals. This is not a regular occurrence and has not occurred in the UK ever. However, the NHS has taken up measures and set guidelines to deal with the potential menace. The NHS has tried to provide guidelines for managing the risk of a chemical attack on UK. This is a practical example of risk management planning on a large scale that can be called the program as it involves a large number of organizations that are funded by the NHS and even outside them (England, 2016).

Integrated Information Systems and Knowledge Management

Integrated information systems are very important part of large projects. Since large projects work with significantly large teams and working under complex situations with complex demands, it is important that there is no information gap in between the various individuals and the smaller breakdown teams. A steady stream of information requires following from the central command or the controlling agency of a program to the various component teams and their team leaders. Integrated systems are necessary for large programs to relentlessly provide information in order to execute projects successfully (Bester, Britz, and Merkestein, 2008).

In modern business, these integrated systems are generally specialized software that gathers information from multiple sources, collects store and disseminates them. The electronic information systems in large programs help in the planning, execution, and closure of programs. The operations requirements of a program are the deciding factors for the scope, design, and features of the integrated information systems.

There are a lot of knowledge areas that are required in large programs. These include knowledge about integration management, program scope, program time and costs, program expertise, program quality and evaluations, program human resource management, stakeholder management and overall communication during the program period. Often knowledge about these aspects is scattered around in an organization. Gathering knowledge on these matters is essential to successfully complete a program. Therefore, the efficient process of knowledge management has to be included in the program management planning is that all the necessary knowledge spread within the organization and even outside can be gathered and brought together to be used during the program.

It is also important that knowledge available within an organization be managed properly. Knowledge in an organization would be scattered and one has to gather them together and then arrange them to have any collective meaning. Hence, the role of the leadership becomes vital in organizing the collection and distribution of knowledge. It is also argued that knowledge cannot be exchanged din a vacuum. It requires some medium to get transferred. Even if a proper medium is available, it is essential that the knowledge is available is effectively communicated to the right people and hence communication is also an important factor for knowledge transfer and thus organization performance (Debowski, 2006).

In the case of a nuclear emergency risk communication, knowledge about various technical aspects is required to be brought together and assimilated for use during the communication program. This is necessary since the communication program is generally lengthy and may even extend up to a few years. This knowledge about various aspects of safety in case of radiation exposure risk for any of the stakeholders, the financial in political implications of the emergency and technical aspects of reasons of the emergency and ways to mitigate it are all part of specialized knowledge that is spread across an organization. It is the role of the program leader or manager to gather all these information and adequately disseminate them to the respective stakeholders as and when needed.