In today’s environment of heightened stakeholder scrutiny and reputational risk, the course equips future leaders to identify brand vulnerabilities, manage high-stakes communication, and craft recovery strategies rooted in ethical and organizational principles. Anchored in global case studies, structured exercises, and reflective news analysis, the module fosters strategic thinking and decision-making. It is delivered by Dr. Anirban Som, senior faculty member at IIM Trichy (India), whose expertise spans executive education, international academic collaboration, and crisis leadership.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this module, students will be able to:

1. Identify and assess brand vulnerabilities and evaluate organizational preparedness for reputational threats across varied sectors.
2. Critically evaluate leadership responses to brand crises using ethical, strategic, and stakeholder-centric frameworks.
3. Develop integrated crisis communication strategies that rebuild trust and align with core organizational values.
4. Analyze the influence of digital and social media in escalating, managing, and resolving brand crises.
5. Synthesize insights from global case studies to design proactive brand resilience strategies.
6. Lead cross-functional decision-making during crises, balancing immediate response with long-term reputation restoration.

Pedagogical Approach:

The module combines reflective assignments, Harvard Business School case studies, and structured classroom dialogue. Students engage with real-world crisis scenarios through analytical exercises and collaborative discussions. Emphasis is placed on ethical leadership, stakeholder engagement, and strategic communication under pressure. The course prioritizes conceptual clarity, applied frameworks, and real-world relevance.

Assessment: written assignment and in-class presentation 

Reflective News Diary: This component encourages students to engage critically with the concepts, cases, and frameworks discussed in class. Learners are expected to reflect on these ideas, critique them thoughtfully, and identify real-world examples from credible news sources that illustrate or challenge the course material. The exercise promotes deeper understanding through contextual application and helps uncover emerging patterns in brand crisis management. Students should aim to contribute one relevant story per day. 

Case studies including presentations and reports: Students will be assigned cases that spotlight different aspects of brand crises. Working in groups, they will dive into the details, debate the issues, and prepare both a presentation and a report that reflect your team’s insights. These sessions are a chance to sharpen their analytical skills and learn from each other’s perspectives.