This study has defined the audience at issue following the Hurricane Katrina Superstorm disaster and the goals and objectives of strategic communication by and between government and emergency agencies, FHA, insurance companies, and homeowners and renters impacted by the disaster. The strategic communication process is one that involves the relating of key and critical information between the parties toward assisting those who have been made homeless or displaced due to the disaster and who are entitled to relief from the government and emergency agencies, FHA and insurance companies. As well, this study has set out how the focus group studies would proceed to gain more information about how strategic communication can be used in reaching out to those who need to communicate with government and emergency agencies, FHA, and insurance companies and what can be done from both sides to ensure that communication is timely and effective. Finally, this study has examined two theoretical frameworks upon which a strategic communication policy can be constructed include the theories of knowledge sharing and diffusion of innovation.
Strategic Communication
Leading Through Strategic Communication: Hurricane Sandy Superstorm Guidance and Assistance for FHA Insured Recipients
In Class Goal Setting
The goal of the program is to ensure strategic communication to inform FHA insured recipients of assistance they are eligible for following Hurricane Sandy.
Audience Goal Behavior/Action
Emergency/Government Agencies Service Provision Strategic communication to public
FHA Homeowners and Renters Receipt of Service Receipt of viable information on receiving services and aid
These actions are feasible for each agency listed. The barriers to action for each agency are reaching the appropriate people with the appropriate communication and information.
Description of Audience
Government Agency
If this agency provides optimum communication rather than inferior communication then our agency will be able to effectively provide services to those impacted by disaster.
B. Those affected by the disaster
If I receive carry out the necessary communication with the agencies listed then I will be in receipt of needed services, however, if I fail to communicate with the agencies listed then I will not receive services. The image of the action requested by the agencies is that the agencies are trying to make provision of services and ultimately provide disaster relief.
Openings that are efficient and effective include advertising on local radio stations, televisions and online via social media websites. Focus groups are also a great method of understanding what is needed following the occurrence of a disaster.
III. Focus Group Studies
Focus group studies would include those who have been affected by disaster and who have a viewpoint of what was done correctly and what could have been done more optimally.
IV. Brief Topic Guide
A. Strategic communications
Strategic communications means "using corporate or institutional communications to create, strengthen or preserve, among key audiences, opinion favorable to the attainment of institutional/corporate goals" with the goal being the promotion of the public policy outcome which is favorable and reduction in the cost of doing business as well as providing support to marketing and operational effectiveness. (O'Malley, 2006, paraphrased)
Strategic communications planning may be a master plan or specific event or announcement-specific plan. (O'Malley, 2006) the key planning concept is actionable meaning that it has the support of decision-makers and key implementers as well the plan can be implemented "given the resources, and the culture of the organization." (O'Malley, 2006) the products of an effective process for planning is such that should "embody an integrative, orderly decision-making process" and "should include consultation with decision-makers and key implementers." (O'Malley, 2006) the plan must be reflective of the institutional culture, which includes the communications culture of the organization and the planning culture of the organization. (O'Malley, 2006)
B. Questions to Ask Focus Group
Questions to pose to the focus group study participants include at the very minimum those stated as follows:
(1) How did the emergency agencies fail in communicating to you what you needed to do to receive service provision and ultimately aid following the disaster?
(2) What could the emergency agencies and government agencies have done that would be better forms of communication to the public following the disaster?
(3) What could you have done to assist the communication process following the disaster?
V. Application of Theory
A. Knowledge Sharing
The work of Chennamaneni (2006) reports that knowledge sharing has been "identified as the key enabler of knowledge management. To leverage knowledge resources and to support knowledge sharing organizations are employing knowledge management systems." (2006, p.v) However, technology alone cannot ensure that knowledge will be shared. Knowledge can be viewed as "individual or collective. Individual knowledge exists in the heads of individuals, while collective knowledge exists in the collective actions of the groups and organizations." (Chennameni, 2006)
Organizations play a key role in the activation of "explicit and tacit dimensions of knowledge and in providing a forum for the knowledge spiral through continuous interaction among individuals and continuous conversion of explicit knowledge to tacit knowledge and vice versa." (Chennameni, 2006) it is reported that this "incessant interaction and conversion in turn results in joint creation of knowledge by individuals and organizations." (Chennameni, 2006) Organizations are reported to play a key role in activating the "explicit and tacit dimensions of knowledge and in providing a forum for the knowledge spiral through four modes of knowledge creation" (Chennameni, 2006) Those four modes are stated to include: (1) socialization; (2) externalization; (3) combination; and (4) internalization. (Chennameni, 2006)
Socialization speaks of the exchanging of "tacit knowledge among members through the social interactions and shared experiences." (Chennameni, 2006) Externalization refers to the translation of tacit knowledge into from explicit knowledge." (Chennameni, 2006) it is reported that each of the modes of conversion are both "interdependent and tangled." (Chennameni, 2006)
B. Diffusion of Innovation
Rogers Diffusion of Innovations explains change via Social Networks. The Diffusion of innovations theory explains the process of adoptions of innovation over time through certain channels among a social system." (Darnton, 2008) This theory comprises various related elements and is demonstrated by the S-curve showing the rate of adoption of innovations by a society or network. The critical mass is demonstrated by the S-curve with the point at which critical mass is achieved known as the tipping point. (Darnton, 2008)
The rate of an adoption of an innovation in society is determined by two factors: (1) the nature of the network; and (2) the attributes of the innovation. (Darnton, 2008) These attributes are stated to be cited in marketing practice on a wide basis and categorized into five aspects stated as follows:
(1) relative advantage;
(2) compatibility;
(3) complexity;
(4) trialability; and (5) observability. (Darnton, 2008)
The force held by Rogers to enable adoption is the differentiation "accrediting to the adopter category" due to its design for allowing the categories different levels of "acceptable uncertainty." (Darnton, 2008) in addition, an element within this theory is the "Innovation-Decision Process" which is reported to be the process in which individuals decide whether they will adopt. This is also a five-step process with the steps stated as follows:
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