Strategic communication through all stages of a major emergency life cycle, with particular reference to the needs of Ireland Paul Connors Ph.D. 2009 Strategic communication through all stages of a major emergency life cycle, with particular reference to the needs of Ireland Submitted by Paul Connors B.Comm., M.A.C.C.S. For the award of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Dublin City University School of Communications Supervisor Prof. Colum Kenny July 2009 i DECLARATION I hereby certify that this material, which I now submit for assessment on the programme of study leading to the award of Doctor of Philosophy is entirely my own work, that I have exercised reasonable care to ensure that the work is original, and does not to the best of my knowledge breach any law of copyright, and has not been taken from the work of others save and to the extent that such work has been cited and acknowledged within the text of my work. Signed: _____________________ ID No.: 51158302 Date: _______ ii TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................1 1.1 Overview ..........................................................................................................................1 1.2 The research question.......................................................................................................2 1.2.1 Conceptual strategic major emergency communication framework ................................3 1.2.2 Best-practice and best-international-practice..................................................................4 1.2.3 The approach taken by the Irish government ...................................................................5 1.2.4 Link to tactical major emergency communication management ......................................5 1.2.5 Reveal the available literature .........................................................................................5 1.3 Scope and limitations of the study....................................................................................6 1.4 Significance and contributions of the study .....................................................................6 1.5 Terminology and definitions ............................................................................................7 1.5.1 Crisis terminology and definitions ...................................................................................7 1.5.2 Other terms.....................................................................................................................11 1.5.3 Communication terminology and definitions..................................................................11 1.6 Methodology ..................................................................................................................12 1.6.1 The model.......................................................................................................................12 1.6.2 Ireland............................................................................................................................13 1.6.3 International comparison...............................................................................................16 1.6.4 Other research................................................................................................................17 1.7 Overview of review of the literature...............................................................................18 1.8 Organisation and structure of the thesis .........................................................................19 2 THEORY OF MAJOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.................................................................23 2.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................23 2.2 Overview of major emergencies.....................................................................................24 2.2.1 The social construction of major emergencies ...............................................................24 2.2.2 Categorisation of major emergencies.............................................................................25 2.2.3 Major emergency life cycles...........................................................................................26 2.3 Major emergency management ......................................................................................27 2.3.1 Theory of major emergency management ......................................................................28 2.3.1.1 Anticipation ...............................................................................................................28 2.3.1.2 Resilience...................................................................................................................29 2.3.1.3 Contemporary approaches to major emergency management ..................................29 2.4 The major emergency management cycle ......................................................................31 2.4.1 Pre-crisis stage...............................................................................................................32 2.4.1.1 Mitigation ..................................................................................................................32 2.4.1.2 Readiness stage .........................................................................................................36 2.4.1.2.1 Major emergency planning........................................................................................37 2.4.1.2.2 Major emergency preparedness ................................................................................38 2.4.2 Crisis stage.....................................................................................................................40 2.4.3 Post-crisis stage .............................................................................................................42 3 THEORY OF COMMUNICATION..............................................................................................46 3.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................46 3.2 Categories of communication.........................................................................................46 3.3 Components of communication......................................................................................47 3.4 Uses of communication..................................................................................................48 3.4.1 Attitudes, beliefs, and values ..........................................................................................49 3.4.2 Behavioural change........................................................................................................49 3.4.3 Behavioural change and perception...............................................................................50 3.4.4 Perception, behaviour and cultural theory.....................................................................52 3.5 Developments in communication theory........................................................................53 3.5.1 Building on the rhetorical tradition – propaganda and persuasion...............................55 3.5.1.1 Propaganda ...............................................................................................................56 3.5.1.2 Persuasion .................................................................................................................57 3.5.1.3 Other contributions of Lasswell, Lazarsfeld and Schramm.......................................58 3.5.1.4 Developmental communication .................................................................................59 iii 3.5.1.5 Participatory communication ....................................................................................60 3.5.1.6 Move towards relational communication ..................................................................61 3.5.1.7 1990s - .......................................................................................................................61 3.6 Communication management.........................................................................................62 3.6.1 Models of communication management .........................................................................63 3.7 Risk and crisis communication theory............................................................................66 3.7.1 Risk communication .......................................................................................................67 3.7.2 Crisis communication.....................................................................................................68 3.7.3 Crisis and emergency risk communication.....................................................................68 3.7.4 Evolution of risk and crisis communication ...................................................................69 3.7.5 Models of risk and crisis communication.......................................................................72 4 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT OF COMMUNICATION ..................................................................75 4.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................75 4.2 Overview of strategy and strategic management............................................................76 4.2.1 Strategy ..........................................................................................................................76