Case studies

Air France 2014 : Communication de grève ! Abdessemed Tamym / Sorio Rossella. ICN, Nancy. 2015

Le cas se présente sous la forme d'un récit de 7 pages narrant la grève intervenue chez Air France en septembre 2014 et qui a été la plus longue de son histoire. Il met aussi en perspective le contexte stratégique global dans lequel elle intervient et se termine par la présentation de deux messages électroniques adressés aux clients d'Air France, le premier en pleine grève, le second au moment de son dénouement, le 30 septembre 2014.

Les objectifs pédagogiques sont les suivants :

- Faire travailler les étudiants sur l'élaboration des messages à destination des clients dans une situation de crise particulière, une grève de longue durée.

- Apprendre à élaborer une stratégie de communication dans un contexte stratégique délicat, réfléchir à ses objectifs et à ses principes et enfin la décliner par un choix cohérent d'argumentation et de formulation.

- Temps d'utilisation : une séance de 2 à 3 heures.

- Existence d'une vidéo en introduction de la note pédagogique offrant aux enseignants les clefs du cas pédagogique et leur permettant de se l'approprier rapidement et avec plus de facilité et de fluidité.

- Un support de débriefing de 14 slides est également disponible.

Air France 2014 : Strike Communication ! Abdessemed Tamym / Sorio Rossella. ICN : Nancy, 2015

The case study takes the form of a 7-page narrative relating the events of the strike which took place at the French airline company Air France in September 2014, the longest strike in the company's history.

It also reveals the global strategic context of the strike and ends with two electronic messages sent to the clients of Air France, the first while the strike was at its height, and the second as it was coming to an end on 30 September 2014.

In the annexes you will find: an interview with the Chairman of Air France-KLM, an open letter from the Chairmen of other French airline companies to the striking pilots, and finally a statement giving the quarterly results of the Group after the strike.

The case study consists in discussing and analyzing communication between the company and its clients, in order to understand the finer points of the reasoning and the relevance.

It is an interesting exercise for students of management to reflect on the ways in which one can/should communicate with clients in a situation where they are dissatisfied and particularly affected by disruptions to the service they have been offered.

- Duration of the session: 2 to 3 hours

- A teaching video presents the case and enablies to understand better and make more efficient class use of the case study.

- Powerpoint debriefing (14 slides).

Air France et Ryanair face à l'envol d'une rumeur Bertin Clarice / Stalla-Bourdillon Christophe, ICN : Nancy, 2015

Une compagnie renommée du secteur aérien européen se trouve confrontée à une terrible rumeur qui pourrait bien la placer, à très court terme, dans une situation des plus délicates. Comment chacune des équipes des cellules de crise d'Air France et de Ryanair saura-t-elle gérer cette situation d'urgence ?

Objectifs pédagogiques

Le cas met en scène sous forme de jeu les deux compagnies aériennes qui sont confrontées à une rumeur touchant Ryanair. Les équipes d'étudiants de Ryanair et d'Air France vont devoir chacune mettre en place une stratégie de gestion de crise pour faire face à cette rumeur.

Savoir :

- Savoir s'organiser en équipe lors d'une situation de crise

- Construire une stratégie de communication de crise

- Appréhender le phénomène de la rumeur et des croyances

Savoir-faire :

- Créer une cellule de crise

- Evaluer une situation de crise avec objectivité

- Elaborer un plan de communication de crise intégrant un plan de recherche d'information et une cartographie des parties prenantes

- Savoir comment réagir face à une rumeur

Savoir-être :

- Eviter les écueils classiques face à une rumeur

- Piloter une équipe en situation de crise

Air France, Ryanair and Flying Rumors Bertin Clarice / Stalla-Bourdillon Christophe, ICN : Nancy, 2016

A well-known company in the European passenger air transport sector is suddenly faced with a terrible rumor which, in the short term, could put it in a very delicate position. How will the staff in the crisis teams of AIR FRANCE and RYANAIR react and handle this emergency?

Objectifs pédagogiques

On successful completion of the case study, students should be familiar with the following knowledge and skills:

Knowing:

- Organizing a team response in a crisis situation - Constructing a crisis communication strategy

- Dealing with a rumor and different belief systems

Knowing how to:

- Set up a crisis team

- Assess a crisis situation calmly and objectively

- Draft a crisis communication plan including an information search and a detailed analysis of the stakeholders

- React to a rumor Knowing how to behave:

- Avoid the classic pitfalls when confronted with a rumor

- Manage a team in a crisis situation

Sujets

Information attack, Gossip, Buzz, Hoax, Crisis communication, Crisis management, Conspiracy, Information cycle, Disinformation, Company diagnostic, E, reputation, False rumor, Information war, Image, Influence, Competitive intelligence, Low, cost, Team management, Methodology / Information research strategy, Stakeholders, Fear, Communication plan, Prejudice, Decision, making process, Propaganda, Reputation, Risk, Rumor, Air transport sector, Strategy, SWOT, Information watch

Duration of the session :

- 3 to 4 hours for a short course

- 6 hours for a longer training session over several classes

Managing Olympics 2004 : the run-up to the games. Prashant Kulkarni. Hyderabad : ICFAI, 2004

Introduction 2004, a team from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) visited Athens, Greece, to review the preparations for the 16-day Olympics 2004 scheduled to start on August 13t 2004. The IOC had estimated that more than 10 500 athletes, 5,600 team officials, 21,000 journalists, 3,100 judges and officials from nearly 200 countries would take part in the event. Besides, more than 5 millions spectators were expected to watch the event, with about 45,000 volunteers attending to them. Given the global importance of the event, the IOC had periodically reviewed the preparations in Greece and in July 2004 had sent its team led by coordinator Dennis Oswald (Oswald) to make the final appraisal.

Dennis Oswald had a mammoth task on his hands. Greece presented one of the biggest challenges to the IOC in conducting the Games till date and they were found wanting on almost all fronts. The construction of stadiums were getting delayed, accommodation and transportation (rail and road links) arrangements were still under progress. Since Athens was a historic city, digging up the ground for setting up the infrastructure often resulted in unearthing of historical artifacts and so the work had to be stopped until the environmentalists and conservationists made assessment of the site. Moreover, delays were also caused due to bureaucracy and change in national government. As a result, the security arrangements (in the light of increased terrorist threats) could not be adequately completed as it could be done only after all the infrastructure was in place. All these delays meant that the lOC and the Athens Olympic Committee (ATHOC) would have very little time to correct any shortcomings. Adding to these problems were strikes by workers of the public transportation system and hotels demanding more wages for the increased workload during the Games. Also, Greece faced frequent power cuts including a blackout in July 2004, which added to the misery. Given the delays, many labeled the Athens Olympics sarcastically as Just-in-Time." The IOC had even negotiated an insurance cover to protect itself against the cancellation of the Games.

Many analysts even questioned if small and developing countries like Greece should ever be allowed to host the Olympics. They argued that political reasons were behind the decision to award the Games to Greece. The then IOC President, Juan Antonio Samaranch (Samaranch) had been known to have a soft corner for Greece and had supported its unsuccessful bid for the 1996 Games. The initial budget for this event (when Greece won the bid in 1997) was estimated to be $1.3 billion but now it was $7 billion. Many feared that the increased budget would mean more taxes for the people of Greece as it had happened to the people of Canada following the Montreal Games in 1976.