Role of Online Crisis Response Strategies on Organizational Reputation at Kenya Power and Lighting Company

Abstract

Social media is a platform where information and ideas are shared. It is in the same platforms where problems and discussion of issues affecting individuals, groups or communities are shared and feedback achieved immediately. Most organizations have been using social media to get feedback on their products. Service industries on the other hand have been using the platform to respond to complaints and to perhaps crises. In this regard, this study sought to assess the role of crisis response strategies on crisis responsibility and their subsequent contribution to organizational reputation at Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC). The study was guided by the following specific objectives: (1) To describe the crisis response strategies used by Kenya Power and Lighting Company during the 9th February 2018 national power interruption. (2) To find out the relationship between the crisis response strategy and the attribution of responsibility by the stakeholders during crisis. (3) To explain the relationship of crisis response strategies on the perceived reputation of Kenya Power and Lighting Company and (4) To describe the relationship between the crises history on the stakeholders’ perceived reputation of Kenya Power and Lighting Company. The study obtained secondary data from the customers’ posts on the Facebook platform. The data was collected from the Facebook account of KPLC where the text data was then coded based on the study objectives. The researcher used qualitative method as the main research approach for the study with the descriptive method as the research design. The result revealed that KPLC used both primary crisis response strategy and secondary crisis response strategy. In primary crisis response strategy, KPLC attacked the accusers that were making negative post on their Facebook account by reminding them that the power failure was an emergency and they were working on it to have it resolved. KPLC used denial strategy by denying through their Facebook post that there was no crisis as the situation was under control. KPLC also used an excuse strategy by denying the intention to cause a crisis where it explained the cause of the crisis to the stakeholders and assured them that the situation would soon be under control as the engineers were already working to bring it back to normalcy. Finally, KPLC apologized to the stakeholders for the inconvenience caused to them by the power failure making them feel appreciated by the company. KPLC used secondary response strategy by reminding the stakeholders’ abu the good work that it has undertaken in the past and how fast it has always respondent to similar crisis. Finally, KPLC indicated to the stakeholders that they were also victims of circumstances that the power failure was not their fault and they were working expeditiously to return the power supply to normalcy. The study therefore recommends for a continued use of the rebuild strategy in any crisis event and a further study on the use of other mass media such as print media and radio transmissions on crisis management by any organization with a national outlook.