In (crisis) communication, a distinction is usually made between issue, incident and crisis. Although these categories are often confused, there is a clear difference.
What is an incident
An incident is a one-off event with a small chance of recurrence. In the event of an incident there is a certain degree of control. There is time pressure, but an incident can often be resolved with your own company procedures. Although the situation is unpleasant, the impact on business operations is clear and media attention remains limited. For example: a fire, someone who has embezzled money, shards of glass in a jar of beans, an elderly woman who was robbed in her home or the recall of coconut ice cream that turns out to contain dairy products even though the packaging says lactose-free.
Most organizations try to keep incidents out of the media or to keep media attention as small as possible. That doesn't always work. If an incident is not directly related to an underlying issue, the damage is often limited. However, if an incident exposes an underlying issue that may have major consequences, attention can explode. In that case, the incident ensures that the issue is put on the agenda and grows. An incident that is not handled properly can also develop into an issue. Or worse, in a crisis. Consider the fire in café Het Hemeltje in Volendam in 2001. This tragedy made it clear that fire protection in catering and sports facilities left much to be desired. After the fire, municipalities imposed strict rules. Or the incident in 2016 in student association Vindicat in Groningen where a senior stood on the head of a prospective member, who suffered brain damage as a result. Subsequently, there was a call for stricter rules and better control of hazing and the University of Groningen decided to withdraw the administrative grants.
What is the difference between an issue and an incident
Issues
- Absence of extreme time pressure, but urgent
- Illusion of control, active attitude is required
- Direct impact if organization does not handle the situation properly
Incidents
- High time pressure
- High degree of control
- Relatively low impact