Crisis Communication Preparedness at The University of Nairobi: An Investigation of Practices and Perspectives of Key Stakeholders

Abstract

Crisis events continue to threaten the stability, continuity, and reputation of organizations, including public universities in Kenya. While considerable attention has been directed toward managing crises during or after their occurrence, limited focus has been placed on preparedness, a vital yet overlooked dimension of crisis communication. The University of Nairobi (UoN), having undergone significant transformations within a competitive and dynamic environment, remains vulnerable to crises that have disrupted its image, operations, and stakeholder confidence. Undoubtedly, key stakeholders, such as senior managers, communication practitioners, and student leaders, play an instrumental role in shaping the institution's communication during periods of uncertainty. However, these groups have grappled with how best to coordinate and engage effectively, resulting in a communication gap with far-reaching implications on the institution's reputation and image. Against this backdrop, the purpose of this study was to investigate the crisis communication preparedness of key stakeholders at the University of Nairobi to improve its image. The study was guided by three research questions: (i) the crisis communication strategies employed by key stakeholders at the University of Nairobi (ii) how key stakeholders perceive their current level of preparedness to address crises that threaten the institutions' image, and (iii) the best crisis communication practices that can be recommended to inform a sustainable, and long-term framework for preparedness. Anchored on William Benoit's Image Restoration Theory (1997) and expanded by Timothy Coombs' Situational Crisis Communication Theory (2007), the study adopted a constructivist (interpretivist) research paradigm and employed a descriptive case study design. Purposive sampling was used to select participants comprising senior managers, communication practitioners, and student leaders, all of whom hold strategic and key decision-making roles at UoN. Data was collected through in-depth interviews and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) to capture both individual insights and collective practices and perspectives of crisis communication preparedness. Findings revealed that although stakeholders recognized the importance of crisis communication, preparedness remained largely reactive, ad hoc, and poorly coordinated, with limited training and weak alignment between leadership and communication practitioners. Furthermore, while senior managers employed a mix of accommodative and defensive communication strategies during crises, the absence of a clear guiding framework undermined their timeliness and credibility. The study concluded that strategic crisis communication preparedness necessitates the convergence of proactive planning, continuous training, and scenario-based simulations that bring together senior leadership, communication practitioners, and student leaders. By identifying the existing gaps and proposing actionable recommendations, the study findings advance both theoretical and practical understandings of crisis communication preparedness in higher education. This underscores the urgent need for a sustainable crisis communication framework to safeguard the image of the University of Nairobi.