LONDON, Oct. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --
Burson-Marsteller, a leading
global public relations and communications firm, today unveiled the
findings of its 2015 EMEA Crisis Survey which reveals the changing
nature of crises facing businesses.
In the past 12 months "controversial company developments" were
the type of crisis most frequently encountered, with the entry of
new and innovative business models into their market the second
most experienced cause of crisis. These were followed by
logistical difficulties (third), online/digital failure (fourth),
negative social media campaigns (fifth) and regulatory scrutiny
(sixth). But when asked about the next six to 12 months, new
and innovative business models entering their sector topped the
list with the arrival of "disruptive innovators" seen as more
likely than any one of the traditional crises experienced in the
previous year.
Disruptive innovation is clearly a focus of attention for
business leaders with:
- 73 percent seeing new market entrants or innovative business
models in the last three years that could threaten success
- 21 percent experiencing a crisis relating to new or innovative
business model in the last year
Other findings include:
- The threat of crisis is at its highest since 2009, with 49
percent of business leaders having experienced a crisis at their
current company.
- Political risk continues to be both the source of as well as an
'amplifier' during a crisis, with 25 percent of businesses having
encountered a crisis resulting either from intense regulatory or
political scrutiny. Once in a crisis governments and regulators are
the most feared actors.
Businesses are becoming increasingly vigilant of digital
challenges – be they in form of new media campaigns or data
security. Forty-nine percent of businesses have a digital crisis
communications plan – up 10 points from 2013 – and one in five
businesses has been in crisis due to an online or digital security
failure.
Commenting on the findings, Jeremy
Galbraith, Burson-Marsteller's CEO for Europe, Middle-East, Africa and Global Chief Strategy Officer,
said:
"The findings of our survey emphasise we are living through a
particularly disruptive era with communicators facing a perfect
storm of challenges. The upturn in the global economy has
seen new brands enter old markets and small innovators rapidly
expand, challenging traditional brands and industries.
"At the same time, the online revolution means cyber hackers can
access data and armchair campaigners, so-called 'clicktivists,' can
protest from their living rooms. And this is all set against
a backdrop of a massive erosion in the trust the public places on
the words and actions of big business.
"Communicators need to remember the four Ps: Purpose,
Plan, Predict, Pioneer. That is, Purpose should guide business,
Plan how to handle a crisis in 'peacetime,' Predict and monitor the
trends in your market and Pioneer by being innovative and
bold."
Notes for editors:
Burson-Marsteller began its
bi-annual crisis survey in 2009.
Penn Schoen Berland conducted a
total of 426 online interviews in Europe, Middle
East and Africa, amongst
business-decision makers in August 2015. Business-decision
makers are defined as respondents who:
- Are aged 25 or over
- Are full-time or self-employed/business owner
- Have final or significant decision-making power in their
business
- Have business decision-making authority for at least a
department if not their organisation as a whole
In each country, the sample was evenly split between respondents
from large Enterprise businesses and from SME businesses
About Burson-Marsteller
Burson-Marsteller, established in 1953, is a
leading global public relations and communications firm. It
provides clients with strategic thinking and program execution
across a full range of public relations, public affairs, reputation
and crisis management, advertising and digital strategies. The
firm's seamless worldwide network consists of 73 offices and 85
affiliate offices, together operating in 110 countries across six
continents. Burson-Marsteller is a
part of Young & Rubicam Group, a subsidiary of WPP (NASDAQ:
WPPGY), the world's leading communications services network. For
more information, please visit www.burson-marsteller.com.
About Penn Schoen Berland
Penn Schoen Berland (PSB), a member of Young &
Rubicam Group and the WPP Group, is a global research-based
consultancy that specialises in messaging and communications
strategy for blue-chip corporate, political and entertainment
clients. PSB's operations include over 200 consultants and a
sophisticated in-house market research infrastructure with the
capability to conduct work in over 90 countries. The company
operates 11 global offices in Washington
D.C., New York,
Seattle, Los Angeles, Denver, London, Hamburg, Madrid, Dubai, Delhi
and Singapore, which are supported
by in-house field capabilities and fully equipped to provide the
complete creative solutions PSB clients need. More at
www.psbresearch.com.
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SOURCE Burson-Marsteller