Crisis communication preparedness in Kenya's telecommunication industry: a case of Jamii Telecommunication Limited

Abstract

The telecommunication industry plays an integral role in the socio-economic society, yet few studies have been conducted regarding the importance and need for crisis communication preparedness within the industry. The unpredictable nature of crises places a great demand on crisis communication preparedness for when the need arises. This study aims to investigate crisis communication preparedness in Kenya's telecommunication industry. The findings, as well as the recommendations given will add literature to the academic world as well as act as a point of reference for other firms. This study addresses three key questions: What policies and structural strategies have been put in place in preparedness to handle crisis communication? What are the factors that affect the implementation of effective preparedness for crisis communication? How does the organization plan to mitigate the factors that may affect preparedness to handle crisis communication? The study adopted a qualitative approach using a case study as a method of inquiry focusing on Jamii Telecommunication Limited and guided by the theory of attribution that draws from people's personal experiences of crisis and situational crisis communication theory that states that strategic crisis response should match the magnitude of the given crisis responsibility posed by a given crisis episode. The research used purposive sampling to select 10 participants drawn from 4 out of 12 departments at Jamii Telecommunication Limited’s headquarters in Nairobi at the time. Data was collected using interviews and document analysis. Data was presented in a narrative and analysed thematically. The main study findings were that Jamii Telecommunications Limited has a solid crisis communication plan in place to handle the anticipated crises, there are set channels to use based on the nature of the crises, and spokespeople are occasionally trained and tested for various crises. It was revealed that crises outside the organization, like COVID-19 and pre- and post-election activities, hindered their preparedness, while constant testing of the crisis communication plan ensured that they are always prepared for crisis communication. The study recommends that potential crises, like a breakdown of services due to planned cable relocations and general power outages, should be identified and mitigation actions put in place early to avoid potential crises that might arise from internet downtime. Issues bigger than the organization, like elections, should be brought to the attention of the management by relevant external bodies to enable JTL to prepare in case of a crisis, since a date is always set for the activity, giving room for early communication and mitigation plans.