The Role of Public Relations in Crisis Management

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to assess the extent to which Daystar University public relations department was effectively involved in crisis management. In addition the study sought to determine the degree to which the department has helped the image of Daystar University after a crisis. Further, the study aimed to understand the role of public relations in crisis management. The study is a survey of students' and employees' attitudes towards the role of public relation in crisis management. The study's population is 1747 individuals. The population was categorized into Undergraduate Athi River students, Undergraduate Nairobi campus students, Diploma, Masters, Administrative division and Vice-Chancellors division with a 10% sample size chosen from each of these categories. The study used purposive sampling technique to choose second year to final year students in the academic programs. The same criterion was used to choose. employees from both the vice-Chancellor and Administrative divisions. Convenience sampling was employed in the issuing of the questionnaires The findings indicate that the respondents did not receive adequate advance notice about the university activities. This resulted in rumours, which was part of the reason for their resorting to disruptive activities. In addition, the Corporate Affairs did not appear to improve the dissemination of information even after the crises. Although the Corporate Affairs department is supposed to deal with crises as documented in the university catalogue, it was clear that it does not have clearly established structures to handle crises.