Case I: In January, 2012, the not-for-profit Susan G. Komen Foundation announced that the organization would discontinue funding Planned Parenthood. This executive decision created a firestorm, severing a long-standing relationship between the breast cancer charity and an organization that provided free breast-screening to women in need. Accusations flew concerning Senior Vice President for Policy, Karen Handel, her pro-life philosophy, and the influence this may have had on the decision. The media and social networks were flooded with anger and concern. In response, many individuals immediately withdrew their financial support for the Komen Foundation.

Case II: In November, 2011, Pennsylvania State University was embroiled in controversy over multiple accusations of sexual abuse against assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky. Before the end of the football season, head coach Joe Paterno was fired for his poor handling of the situation.The scandal severely impacted the University’s image, and many say it may devastate the university’s football program.

Directions:

Select either the Komen or Penn State crisis situation. Using reputable sources, perform additional research regarding the organization’s communication efforts during the crisis.

Prepare a managerial briefing that focuses on how the organization managed the crisis to exert damage control, i.e. tactics used to defuse or deflect the situation away from the organization.

Discuss the success or failure of the managerial attempts at crisis communications, and note how the organization handled stakeholder issues.