Communication implications for quality control, outsourcing and consumer relations Essay

1. INTRODUCTIONQuality curb and product safety are attain challenges for companies that manufacture in third-world countries. In the event of a safety or quality control crisis, corporations moldiness respond quickly and efficiently using clear crisis discourse and get a line repair strategies. By studying the Mattel recall case, we see how a transnational corporation restored its reputation amongst multiple stakeholders it also implemented policies and processes to divert or lessen future crises.The lessons learned from Mattel demonstrate the importance of transparent communication practices and may guide companies lining similar communication challenges. The teaching notes provide firstly introduce the purpose of the Mattel case study, fol let outed by a instruct synopsis. Students bequeath next learn relevant theories and principles from which to understand Mattels somatic communication response, particularly strategic crisis communication theory (SCCT) and issues manage ment principles. Students volition then compare Mattels communication response to the industry outmatch practice principles as outlined by Page and suggest a revised, more suitable and effective course of live up to.2. PURPOSE OF CASE leadUpon completion of this case study, students should demonstrate that1. Issues develop over time, not overnight. 2. through and through environmental scanning, crisis anticipation and strategic communications planning, corporations can minimize the cost done by emerging and sustained crises. 3. Prompt corrective action can remedy the current crisis and avert future crises and criticismin the event that a crisis recurs. 4. Companies can turn a crisis into a long-run competitive advantage if it is handled properly from the outset. 5. Outside influences may affect a corporations image. Communicators must demonstrate preparedness to deal with out-of-door effects. 6. In the event of a crisis, a corporation must telephone (and prioritize) a number of audiences with tailored messages, for example investors, customers, the media, government and the industry. 7. Initial responses to a crisis will remain present throughout a communications campaign, for break-dance or worse, and must be planned carefully. For example, Mattels shifted blame to Chinese manufacturers. This backfired and has remained a controversial point since. 8. Successful cross-cultural communication is all-important(a) for corporations operating in foreign countries.3. SYNOPSISBeginning in shocking 2007, Americas largest toy manufacturer, Mattel, announced the first of what would become a series of five recalls involving 21 million toys. The majority of the recalls were caused by sickly designed magnets fashioned in the United States, while a little number were due to toxic lead paint applied by slipshod Chinese suppliers. On the one hand, Mattels various publics, such(prenominal) as parents, investors and the government, see harshly criticized the toymak er on the other hand, analysts and industry experts have praised it for its quick response and stringent safety inspection systems, which are purportedly the industrys tightest. Regardless, the case draws attention to the quality control challenges liner companies that outsource manufacturing to developing countries. Students, through discussion of the case study and the given over study materials, will analyze the positive and negative approaches of Mattels corporeal communications response. They will critique the responses suitability to the level of crisis, and suggest manageable alternatives. They will consider the strange communications challenges facing a corporation that operates in an international, cross-cultural arena.4. TEACHING COMPONENTS4.1 Assignments, Activities and Study MaterialsStudents will suppose the case before class. They will browse Mattels website, remunerative particular attention to the recall page (http//service.mattel.com/us/recall.asp) and the I nvestors and Media pages (http//www.shareholder.com/mattel/default.cfm). They should review Mattels history, financial information, corporate governance documents and social responsibility pages. For additional information, students should yell toy industry websites such as Toy Industry crosstie (www.toy-tia.org) or consumer action group sites like Healthy Toys (www.healthtoys.org). Students should carefully read the news releases in the case appendix.4.2 Relevant TheoriesStudents must understand the key theories informing Mattels crisis and response strategies.Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT)SCCT posits that each unique crisis requires a unique response tailored to the events and characteristics at hand. It is based on convergent research from Coombs, Benoit, Benson and Hearit that aims to minimize or deflect all possible negative outcomes such as lost sales or low stock prices.? In order to ascertain the best strategy, corporate communicators must assess the reput ational threat of the crisis. This is a two-step process. The first step is to determine the nature of the crisis.