Does public segmentation matter in crisis communication? The interplay between public segmentation and crisis response strategies

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Taylor Jing Wen ◽  
Jo-Yun Li ◽  
Baobao Song
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
Crisis Communication ◽  
Communication Theory ◽  
Safety Issue ◽  
Crisis Response ◽  
Response Strategy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public Relations Practitioners ◽  
Response Strategies ◽  
Modest Contribution

PurposeThis study situates in the context of Chipotle's food safety issue and seeks to understand how their primary customers perceive their crisis response messages after learning of the outbreaks. The current study incorporates the framework of situational crisis communication theory (SCCT; Coombs, 2007) and public segmentation model (Rawlins, 2006) to understand the effectiveness of crisis response messages. It aims to examine the role of public segmentation in situational crisis communication and investigate the effects of three crisis response strategies according to SCCT on different public segments.Design/methodology/approachThe SCCT provides guidelines for understanding the effectiveness of different crisis response strategies. The current study showcases the importance of public segmentation in the SCCT model through the lens of stakeholder theory. A 3 (crisis response strategy: deny, diminish, rebuild) × 4 (public segment: advocate, dormant, adversarial, apathetic) factorial experiment was conducted.FindingsThe findings suggest that advocate public expressed more positive evaluation about the company when exposed to rebuild and deny strategies. Both dormant and adversarial stakeholders reported positive responses on rebuild and diminish strategies. However, no difference was found among apathetic public.Originality/valueThe researchers attempt to make a modest contribution in this direction by reporting results from an empirical experiment that examined the effects of crisis response strategies on different public segments. The findings suggest an effective message tailoring approach to target different public segments. Thus, the results of this study are expected to benefit relevant corporations and public relations practitioners.

scholarly journals When is silence golden? The use of strategic silence in crisis communication

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 162-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phuong D. Le ◽  
Hui Xun Teo ◽  
Augustine Pang ◽  
Yuling Li ◽  
Cai-Qin Goh
Keyword(s):  
Crisis Communication ◽  
English Language ◽  
Communication Theory ◽  
Crisis Response ◽  
Organizational Image ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Response Strategies ◽  
Image Repair Theory ◽  
Future Events

Purpose Scholars have discouraged using silence in crises as it magnifies the information vacuum (see Pang, 2013). The purpose of this paper is to argue for its viability and explore the type of silence that can be used. Design/methodology/approach Eight international cases were analyzed to examine how silence was adopted, sustained and broken. Findings The findings uncovered three intention-based typologies of strategic silence: delaying, avoiding and hiding silences. Among such, avoiding/hiding silence intensified crises and adversely affected post-silence organizational image when forcefully broken, while delaying silence helped preserve/restore image with primary stakeholders if successfully sustained and broken as planned. Research limitations/implications First, these findings may lack generalizability due to the limited number of cases studied. Second, local sentiments may not be fully represented in the English-language news examined as they may be written for a different audience. Finally, a number of cases studied were still ongoing at the time of writing, so the overall effectiveness of the strategy employed might be compromised as future events unfold. Practical implications A stage-based practical guide to adopting delaying silence is proposed as a supporting strategy before the execution of crisis response strategies. Originality/value This is one of the few studies to examine the role of silence in crisis communication as silence is not recognized as a type of response in dominant crisis theories – be it the situational crisis communication theory or the image repair theory (An and Cheng, 2010; Benoit, 2015; Benoit and Pang, 2008; Xu and Li, 2013).

Scansis as a unique crisis type: theoretical and practical implications

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Timothy Coombs ◽  
Elina R. Tachkova
Keyword(s):  
Crisis Communication ◽  
Communication Theory ◽  
Crisis Response ◽  
Corrective Action ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Response Strategies ◽  
Crisis Type ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe purpose of this paper, a set of two studies, is to elaborate on the concept of scansis and its effects upon crisis communication theory and practice. A scansis represents the intersection of a scandal and crisis, essentially when a crisis becomes a scandal. A new term was created due to the varied ways in which the term scandal is used and misused. The effects of scansis on crisis communication are examined through two studies. A scansis is unique because it creates moral outrage and is a function of a perception of injustice coupled with greed.Design/methodology/approachExperimental design is used in both studies to test for the effects of specific crisis response strategies used during a scansis. The crisis response strategies were manipulated to determine whether or not corrective action with moral recognition is more effective at helping organizations during a crisis than those crisis response strategies that do not contain a moral component.FindingsThe two studies found no short-term effect for crisis responses during scansis. This included no difference between corrective action with moral recognition and the other three response conditions for the short-term factors of organizational reputation, negative word-of-mouth intentions, purchase intentions and anger. However, Study 2 found that corrective action with moral recognition was perceived as the most empathetic response and created the lowest levels of moral outrage. The authors postulate that corrective action with moral recognition has a long-term effect after a scansis by creating a positive response that moves organizations away from being stigmatized.Research limitations/implicationsThe results raise questions about the current configuration of the intentional crisis cluster articulated in situational crisis communication theory (SCCT). When just consider assessments crisis responsibility, a scansis would be part of the preventable crisis cluster. However, the evaluation of justice and greed suggest a scansis may be a unique crisis type that does not fit within the intentional crisis cluster and the prescribed short-term effects of crisis response strategies recommend by SCCT. The scansis establishes a boundary condition for the limits of crisis response strategies on short-term effects such as reputation and purchase intention. These findings require us to rethink elements of current crisis communication theory.Practical implicationsThe lack of short-term benefits should not be an argument for abandoning accommodative crisis response strategies. Practitioners need to realize the limits of crisis response strategies for creating short-term benefits and think about the potential long-term benefits offered by crisis response strategies.Originality/valueScansis is a new concept for crisis communication and provides a link between the crisis communication and organizational stigma literatures. The two studies are the first attempts to empirically examine scansis and opens new avenues of thinking and research for crisis communication and organizational stigma researchers.

scholarly journals Swept to the Shores: An Analysis of Crisis Response Strategies by Canadian Political Leaders in the Aylan Kurdi Crisis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Siddiqi
Keyword(s):  
Crisis Communication ◽  
Communication Theory ◽  
Crisis Response ◽  
Response Strategy ◽  
Image Repair ◽  
Canadian Government ◽  
Response Strategies ◽  
And Performance ◽  
National Reputation ◽  
Image Repair Strategies

Motivation: This MRP explored Stephen Harper and Chris Alexander’s responses to the Aylan Kurdi crisis Canada faced in September 2015. Aylan Kurdi, a three-yearold boy, was found dead and photographed on the Turkish shore, close to where he drowned on September 2, 2015. Tima Kurdi, Aylan Kurdi’s aunt, told the media that the family had been trying to come to Canada through a G5 sponsorship agreement but had been denied entry by the Canadian government. Alexander and the Canadian government were criticized – and a crisis resulted. The crisis was particularly important as it came forward during the 2015 Canadian election, when the Conservative government’s refugee policies gained increasing attention. Arguably, this impacted professional image and reputation, as well as Canada’s national reputation. Purpose: The purpose of this MRP is to identify the types of image repair strategies Chris Alexander and Stephen Harper used to respond to the crisis in terms of both professional and national reputation. Methods: Two video responses were selected for examination; they were representative of Harper’s and Alexander’s initial responses to the Aylan Kurdi Crisis. The videos were chosen based on frequency of words such as: crisis, apologize, tragedy, failure, action, and blame. These words have come up frequently in the literature review conducted for this MRP. A content analysis was conducted for this MRP. Both videos were transcribed and coded to determine the types of crisis response strategies used by these leaders. The strategies examined are categorized into four types: denial, evasion of responsibility, reducing offensiveness, and mortification. Descriptors for each category (or sub-strategies under each category) included shifting the blame, defeasibility, bolstering, and apology. All 15 descriptors were drawn from the works of Coombs and Benoit (based on Image Repair Theory and Situational Crisis Communication Theory). To quantify percentages, the entire numbers of crisis responses were divided the number of times a particular crisis response strategy was used. Results: Results indicated that both Harper and Alexander used crisis response strategies of reducing offensiveness, denial, evasion of responsibility, and mortification. Both leaders mainly focused on reducing offensiveness in terms of transcendence, bolstering, corrective action, and performance history. Through an analysis of their responses, it was evident that both leaders addressed Canada’s national reputation. Conclusion: The findings of this MRP present a key area for further exploration in crisis communication: how nations use image repair strategies to restore a tarnished image.

scholarly journals Swept to the Shores: An Analysis of Crisis Response Strategies by Canadian Political Leaders in the Aylan Kurdi Crisis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Siddiqi
Keyword(s):  
Crisis Communication ◽  
Communication Theory ◽  
Crisis Response ◽  
Response Strategy ◽  
Image Repair ◽  
Canadian Government ◽  
Response Strategies ◽  
And Performance ◽  
National Reputation ◽  
Image Repair Strategies

Motivation: This MRP explored Stephen Harper and Chris Alexander’s responses to the Aylan Kurdi crisis Canada faced in September 2015. Aylan Kurdi, a three-yearold boy, was found dead and photographed on the Turkish shore, close to where he drowned on September 2, 2015. Tima Kurdi, Aylan Kurdi’s aunt, told the media that the family had been trying to come to Canada through a G5 sponsorship agreement but had been denied entry by the Canadian government. Alexander and the Canadian government were criticized – and a crisis resulted. The crisis was particularly important as it came forward during the 2015 Canadian election, when the Conservative government’s refugee policies gained increasing attention. Arguably, this impacted professional image and reputation, as well as Canada’s national reputation. Purpose: The purpose of this MRP is to identify the types of image repair strategies Chris Alexander and Stephen Harper used to respond to the crisis in terms of both professional and national reputation. Methods: Two video responses were selected for examination; they were representative of Harper’s and Alexander’s initial responses to the Aylan Kurdi Crisis. The videos were chosen based on frequency of words such as: crisis, apologize, tragedy, failure, action, and blame. These words have come up frequently in the literature review conducted for this MRP. A content analysis was conducted for this MRP. Both videos were transcribed and coded to determine the types of crisis response strategies used by these leaders. The strategies examined are categorized into four types: denial, evasion of responsibility, reducing offensiveness, and mortification. Descriptors for each category (or sub-strategies under each category) included shifting the blame, defeasibility, bolstering, and apology. All 15 descriptors were drawn from the works of Coombs and Benoit (based on Image Repair Theory and Situational Crisis Communication Theory). To quantify percentages, the entire numbers of crisis responses were divided the number of times a particular crisis response strategy was used. Results: Results indicated that both Harper and Alexander used crisis response strategies of reducing offensiveness, denial, evasion of responsibility, and mortification. Both leaders mainly focused on reducing offensiveness in terms of transcendence, bolstering, corrective action, and performance history. Through an analysis of their responses, it was evident that both leaders addressed Canada’s national reputation. Conclusion: The findings of this MRP present a key area for further exploration in crisis communication: how nations use image repair strategies to restore a tarnished image.

“Silence” as a strategy during a corporate crisis – the case of Volkswagen’s “Dieselgate”

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 921-939 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Stieglitz ◽  
Milad Mirbabaie ◽  
Tobias Kroll ◽  
Julian Marx
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Communication Theory ◽  
Corporate Strategy ◽  
Crisis Response ◽  
Response Strategy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Response Strategies ◽  
Media Channels ◽  
Corporate Crisis

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the communication behaviour on Twitter during the rise of a preventable corporate crisis. It aims to contribute to situational crisis response strategies, and to broaden the authors’ understanding of legitimacy management. In September 2015, Volkswagen’s (VW) emission scandal became public and caused debates also in social media. By applying complementing tools of data analysis to the Twitter communication around the “Dieselgate” crisis, this study unfolds a field of tension between corporate strategy and public perception. Design/methodology/approach The authors collected Twitter data and analysed approximately 2.1m tweets relevant to the VW crisis. The authors approached the data by separating the overall communication in peak and quiet phases; analysing the peaks with social network analysis techniques; studying sentiments and the differences in each phase; and specifically examining tweets from VW’s corporate accounts with regard to the situational crisis communication theory (SCCT) and legitimacy. Findings VW’s very few tweets were not able to reduce the emotionality and sentiment of the ongoing Twitter discussion. Instead, even during quiet phases, the communication remained rather negative. The analysis suggests that VW followed a strategy not covered by SCCT, i.e. keeping silent. Practical implications The discovered strategy of keeping silent extends the SCCT and is linked to legitimacy management. Learnings from this study help decision makers to put social media response strategies into practice to swiftly recover from crises or refrain from certain strategies to avoid further reputational damage. Social implications Examining the underlying communication patterns of a crisis case with societal magnitude such as “Dieselgate” helps sensitising customers and executives to utilise social media channels more comprehensible in future crises. Originality/value The study uncovers the unconventional and yet barely addressed crisis response strategy of a global enterprise while devising unique realisations for practitioners and communication researchers. It contributes to existing knowledge about situational crisis response strategies, and broadens the authors’ understanding of legitimacy management in times of social media ubiquity.

scholarly journals STRATEGI KOMUNIKASI KRISIS PUBLIC RELATIONS PT. LION MENTARI AIRLINES DALAM MERESPON KASUS KECELAKAAN PESAWAT LION AIR JT610

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 116-134
Author(s):  
Muhammad Thoyib Amali
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
Crisis Communication ◽  
Qualitative Method ◽  
Communication Theory ◽  
Crisis Response ◽  
Press Release ◽  
Public Attention ◽  
Response Strategies ◽  
A Company ◽  
Descriptive Qualitative

AbstrakLion Air penerbangan JT610 yang beroperasi dari Jakarta ke Pangkal Pinang jatuh 13 menitsetelah lepas landas pada 29 Oktober 2018 lalu menewaskan seluruh penumpang dan awakpesawat yang berjumlah 189 orang. Kecelakaan ini menyebabkan krisis yang menjadi perhatianpublik terhadap maskapai penerbangan yang telah banyak dikeluhkan oleh pelanggan terkaitmanajemen pelayanan mereka. Menggunakan metode kualitatif deskriptif berdasarkanSituational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) dengan data yang dikumpulkan melaluidokumen berupa press release dan pemberitaan terkait kecelakaan tersebut, penelitian inimencoba mengidentifikasi dan mendeskripsikan bagaimana Public Relations PT. Lion MentariAirlines sebagai perusahaan yang mengoperasikan pesawat Lion Air menciptakan strategi untukmengelola dan menangani krisis tersebut. Hasil dari penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa PublicRelations PT. Lion Mentari Airlines menggunakan gabungan strategi respon krisis primer antarastrategi pengurangan (diminish) dan strategi pembangunan kembali (rebuild). Selain itu merekajuga menggunakan strategi respon krisis sekunder berupa strategi memuji (ingratiation) danstrategi korban (victimage).Kata kunci: Komunikasi Krisis, Lion Air, Public Relations, Respon Krisis, SCCT. AbstractLion Air Flight JT610 that operated from Jakarta to Pangkal Pinang crashed 13 minutes aftertakeoff on 29 October 2018, killing all 189 people on board. This accident causing crisis thatdrawing public attention towards the airlines that has been complained a lot by their customersabout their services management. Using descriptive qualitative method based on SituationalCrisis Communication Theory (SCCT) on data that collected through press release and newsrelated to the accident, this research tries to identify and describe how Public RelationsDepartment of PT. Lion Mentari Airlines, a company that operates Lion Air airlines creatingstrategies to manage and handle the crisis. This study shows that Public Relations Departmentof PT. Lion Mentari Airlines uses a combination of primary crisis response strategies betweendiminish strategies and rebuild strategies. In addition, they also used secondary crisis responsestrategies in the form of ingratiation strategies and victimage strategies.Keywords: Crisis Communication, Crisis Response, Lion Air, Public Relations, SCCT.

Debunking the myth of denial’s effectiveness in crisis communication: context matters

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 381-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Timothy Coombs ◽  
Sherry Jean Holladay ◽  
An-Sofie Claeys
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Crisis Response ◽  
Response Strategy ◽  
Primary Study ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Response Strategies ◽  
Organizational Reputation ◽  
Action Strategy ◽  
Positive Action

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address the under-researched issue of how formal determinations of organizational responsibility for a crisis affect the effectiveness of the denial strategy in protecting organizational reputation. Because studies that omit later determinations of responsibility produce misleading representations of the value of denial, a pilot study and primary study investigated how later determinations of organizational culpability in a management misconduct crisis interact with crisis response strategies to affect reputation and anger. Design/methodology/approach Two studies used experimental designs to assess how denial interacted with determinations of crisis responsibility to influence reputation and anger. Findings The pilot study demonstrated reputational damage and stakeholder anger increased when an organization initially denied responsibility and then was found to be responsible for the crisis. The second study replicated the pilot study findings and also demonstrated that later determinations of guilt decreased reputation scores. When found guilty, the organization’s reputation was significantly more favorable when the positive action strategy was used. Comparison of three response strategies (no response, denial, and positive action) revealed the denial and no response conditions were significantly less effective than the positive response strategy when the organization was found guilty. Research limitations/implications Paper demonstrates the need for research on the denial strategy to consider later determinations of crisis responsibility (guilt) when assessing denial’s impact on organizational reputation. Practical implications When selecting response strategies in situations where crisis responsibility is unclear, practitioners should consider how later determinations of responsibility could affect reputation. Originality/value This paper questions past research on the value of the denial strategy, integrates findings from the trust violations research, and demonstrates the importance of considering formal judgments of organizational responsibility when selecting crisis response strategies.

Organisations' conversations in social media: applying dialogue strategies in times of crises

2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefania Romenti ◽  
Grazia Murtarelli ◽  
Chiara Valentini
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Crisis Communication ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Crisis Response ◽  
The Body ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Crisis Communications ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Response Strategies ◽  
Body Of Knowledge

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to develop and test a theoretical framework, grounded in managerial and organisational theories of dialogue, through which organisations can take decisions in relation to the most appropriate crisis response strategies for handling social media stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach – The theoretical framework is developed through a conceptual analysis of literature on dialogue, social media and crisis communication. The theoretical framework is then tested in eight different international organisations experiencing a crisis. For each case, different web contents, such as organisations' status updates/posts, links, videos published on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, were analysed using a rhetorical research approach. Findings – The analysed organisations apply different online dialogue strategies according to crisis types and in combination with specific crisis response strategies. Most of the organisations investigated carry on those dialogue strategies suitable to develop consensus (concertative), guide conversations on specific topics or issues (framing), find solutions to the crisis collectively (transformative). Concertative strategies were often associated with informative crisis response strategies, framing strategies with denial and justification crisis response strategies and transformative strategies with corrective actions. Research limitations/implications – By using a dialogic perspective in setting up online conversations with their external stakeholders, the paper proposes a theoretical model to explain companies' decisions in carrying on online dialogues during critical situations and thus contribute to the body of knowledge on online crisis communications. Practical implications – The proposed model can support crisis communicators to manage dialogue's aims and dimensions differently by taking into account both contextual and situational conditions. Originality/value – By integrating management studies on dialogue into crisis communication and social media literature, the authors intend to offer an alternative thinking of organisations' decision-making in relation to crisis response strategies and social media stakeholders.

scholarly journals An Experimental Designs For The Impact Of Attributed Organization Crisis Responsibility On Halal Organization Image As Mediated By Crisis Response Strategy

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (5C) ◽  
pp. 731-739
Keyword(s):  
Crisis Communication ◽  
Crisis Response ◽  
Experimental Designs ◽  
Response Strategy ◽  
Response Strategies ◽  
Crisis Response Strategy ◽  
Halal Food ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Survey Questionnaires

In Malaysia, food crises related with Halal issues is becoming an imperative issue among Halal consumer with organizations facing crisis that have been suspected to sell NonHalal food products. This type of crisis has the potential to damage the organization image. Therefore, the adoption of appropriate crisis response strategy is needed in order to manage this outcome. In crisis communication field, experimental designs start to be adopted by many of researchers thus shift away from using the case studies. This phenomena occur due to the experimental research provides more understanding on the relationship and consequences of the crisis stimuli. Therefore, this research develop an experimental designs that using 3x3 between subjects factorial design, utilizing survey questionnaires as the instrument in order to investigate the crisis response strategies that most successfully accommodate the level of organization crisis responsibility perceived by the halal food consumer that will impact the organization image. In this research crisis response strategy will mediated the relationship between the organization crisis responsibility and organization image

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