Major League Missteps: How MLB Mishandled the Astros Cheating Scandal

2021 ◽  
pp. 216747952110431
Author(s):  
Emily A. Spackman ◽  
Christopher Wilson ◽  
Brendan Gwynn ◽  
Kris Boyle
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Communication Theory ◽  
Major League Baseball ◽  
Crisis Response ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Attribution Of Responsibility ◽  
News Sources ◽  
Major League ◽  
Crisis Type

Major League Baseball (MLB) has been criticized for its handling of the Astros’ cheating scandal. Researchers used a case study method to test whether Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) should be expanded to include collaborative brand attack (CBA) as a crisis type. Researchers used traditional and extended SCCT to analyze MLB’s crisis response to determine which version fit best. Data were triangulated from sports news sources, MLB’s official statement and Twitter account, and social media influencer and stakeholder posts. Researchers asked which SCCT response MLB used and whether it was effective with stakeholders. Because of poor history, MLB’s accidental crisis response mismatched the level of stakeholder attribution of responsibility. Another question examined the role of social media. Major League Baseball underestimated the role of social media and SM influencers and, by underutilizing its Twitter feed, left stakeholders to attribute greater responsibility to MLB. Two final questions asked whether SCCT should be updated to include the CBA crisis type and whether it applied in this case. The results indicate the negative consequences of crisis/response mismatch and indicate that CBA should be incorporated into SCCT to address social media influence. This is the first known study to apply CBA in a sports context.

scholarly journals A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF “MALAYSIAN-LAHAD DATU” CRISIS AND CRISIS RESPONSES IN ETHNIC NEWSPAPERS IN MALAYSIA

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (17) ◽  
pp. 132-143
Author(s):  
Manimegalai Ambikapathy ◽  
Hasmah Zanuddin
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Communication Theory ◽  
News Coverage ◽  
Analysis Data ◽  
Crisis Response ◽  
Attribution Of Responsibility ◽  
Response Strategies ◽  
News Sources ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Crisis Responses

This research was to examine the portrayal of crisis response strategies in Malaysian local vernacular printed dailies in covering terrorism crises which is the Lahad Datu crisis in Malaysia. The researcher relied on Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) and Framing theory to identify the news coverage and appropriate solutions through newspaper framing. Five variables were identified by the researcher in examining crisis response strategies such as news category, news slants, news framing, news sources and portrayal of visuals. Through quantitative content analysis, data revealed that the solution category was portrayed by Nanban daily, but Sin Chew focused on the problem category. For the news slants, Sin Chew daily framed negative slants of news most but Nanban daily portrayed issues in positive slants. In measuring the news frame, both dailies focused more on the attribution of responsibility frame. In examining the crisis response strategies, the researcher found, justification crisis response was portrayed predominantly but there is a significant difference between two different vernacular dailies in the portrayal of justification crisis response followed by concern crisis response. Kruskal Wallis’s test revealed that there is a significant difference in the portrayal of concern response between two dailies however, both newspapers having significant associations in portraying compensation crisis response.

scholarly journals Focusing on the “Public” in Public Relations: The Importance of Person-Centered Messages (PCMs) in Crisis Communication on Twitter

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 93-128
Author(s):  
Soo Kwang Oh ◽  
Kyung-Hyan Yoo ◽  
Jennifer Owlett
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Public Relations ◽  
Crisis Communication ◽  
Communication Theory ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Situational Crisis Communication Theory ◽  
The Public ◽  
Crisis Type ◽  
Interdisciplinary Study

Based on the theoretical frameworks of situational crisis communication theory (SCCT) and person-centered messages (PCMs), this interdisciplinary study conducted a 2 x 3 experiment to examine the role of PCMs in crisis management on social media. Our findings suggest that crisis type (victim, preventable) has an effect on people’s perceptions/reactions toward an organization and that PCM levels (low, medium, and high person-centered messages) in crisis communication on social media influence organizational reputation and participants’ intention to post negative feedback about the organization in crisis. We suggest that when organizations are responding to crisis online, they provide additional attention to the interpersonal dynamics of those interactions. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Commentary—Space is Hard: Using Social Media for Selective Investigative Disclosure as a Multi-faceted Crisis Communication Strategy to Achieve Technical Transparency

2021 ◽  
pp. 232948842097860
Author(s):  
Eric D. Waters ◽  
Scott C. D’Urso
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Crisis Communication ◽  
Communication Theory ◽  
High Reliability ◽  
Crisis Response ◽  
Communication Strategy ◽  
Reputation Management ◽  
Response Options ◽  
Situational Crisis Communication Theory

In this commentary, we note that situational crisis communication theory (SCCT) provides useful guidelines for an organization to protect its reputation during a crisis. However, when a high reliability organization (HRO) faces a crisis, openness often supersedes reputation management as a priority as maintaining the public’s trust is paramount. Unfortunately, SCCT in its present form does not account for this distinction. With the present research, we seek to extend SCCT by offering additional crisis response options for HROs which further explicate the evolving role of social media in providing an effective crisis response. A content analysis of 18 tweets and eight website updates, released by a private spaceflight corporation, allows us to offer investigative disclosure as a new crisis response category and technical transparency as a new crisis response objective. We propose a nuanced view that situates investigative disclosure as an antecedent to corrective action.

Consumer Interest in Major League Baseball: An Analytical Modeling of Twitter

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas M. Watanabe ◽  
Grace Yan ◽  
Brian P. Soebbing
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Consumer Behavior ◽  
Major League Baseball ◽  
Generalized Least Squares ◽  
Least Squares Regression ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
Consumer Interest ◽  
Major League ◽  
Sport Industry ◽  
Social Media Platforms

Understanding how consumers interact with sport brands on digital platforms is of increasing importance to the sport industry. In this study, through a nexus of consumer behavior and economic literatures, the examination focuses on consumer interest in major league baseball teams on social media platforms from July 2013 to June 2014. Specifically, two generalized least squares regression models were used that considered a variety of factors, including market characteristics, scheduling, and social media use and management. The findings display varying results of short- and long-term consumer interest in teams on Twitter. From this, important theoretical and practical understanding can be derived by considering consumer behavior in the automated “like economy” of social media.

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).

scholarly journals Social Media Use and Adolescents’ Sleep: A Longitudinal Study on the Protective Role of Parental Rules Regarding Internet Use before Sleep

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 1346
Author(s):  
Regina J.J.M. van den Eijnden ◽  
Suzanne M. Geurts ◽  
Tom F.M. ter Bogt ◽  
Vincent G. van der Rijst ◽  
Ina M. Koning
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Longitudinal Research ◽  
Sleep Problems ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Protective Role ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Smartphone Use

The popularity of social media use among adolescents has raised concerns about the potentially harmful effects of social media use on adolescents’ sleep. Since longitudinal research considering this relationship is scarce, the present two-wave longitudinal study of 2021 secondary school students (Mage = 13.86, SD = 1.25) examined whether frequency of social media use and problematic social media use predicted adolescents’ bedtime and quality of sleep. Moreover, the protective role of parental rules regarding Internet and smartphone use one hour before sleep was examined. The findings indicated that strict parental rules about Internet and smartphone use before sleep might prevent negative consequences of social media use on bedtime and sleep quality, but only among less engaged social media users. Once adolescents are highly engaged social media users, strict parental rules do not seem to prevent negative media influences on sleep. This implies that limiting Internet accessibility before bedtime can help prevent adolescents’ sleep problems, but that regulation is less effective for adolescents who are already highly involved in social media use.

The Tweet Heard Round the World: Daryl Morey, the NBA, China, and Attribution of Responsibility

2020 ◽  
pp. 216747952098325
Author(s):  
Sitong Guo ◽  
Andrew C. Billings ◽  
Kenon A. Brown ◽  
John Vincent
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Positive Relationship ◽  
Crisis Response ◽  
Professional Sport ◽  
Response Strategy ◽  
Attribution Of Responsibility ◽  
Responsibility Attribution ◽  
Response Strategies ◽  
Sport League ◽  
The World

Following Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey’s social media post advocating for Hong Kong independence, a 2 (NBA, Houston Rockets) × 3 (attacking the accuser, justification, apology) experimental design was utilized to explore the effects of different crisis response strategies on sports fan relationships between/among a professional sport league, one of its teams, and crisis responsibility attribution. Results indicated that apology strategy functioned better in reducing the blame placed on the organization than attacking strategy. Also, people with a more positive relationship or a higher level of identification with the organization would attribute less responsibility. However, when controlling the organization-public relationship or sport identification, response strategies could no longer predict attribution of responsibility significantly, suggesting that the previous relationship matters more than which response strategy is utilized in a crisis.

Living at the Speed of Mobile: How Users Evaluate Social Media News Posts on Smartphones

2021 ◽  
pp. 009365022110185
Author(s):  
Kate Keib ◽  
Bartosz W. Wojdynski ◽  
Camila Espina ◽  
Jennifer Malson ◽  
Brittany Jefferson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Communication Theory ◽  
Media Content ◽  
Desktop Computers ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
News Organizations ◽  
Growing Body ◽  
Within Subjects ◽  
Practical Implications

A growing body of research suggests that differences between smartphones and desktop computers influence information processing outcomes. A within-subjects ( N = 64) smartphone eye-tracking experiment replicates a 2018 desktop-based study of users’ visual attention to and engagement with social media news posts. The results show that users spend less time viewing social media news posts on smartphones than desktop, and report lower levels of pleasure and arousal in response to the posts. However, the study found no significant difference between devices in intent to click to read the story and intent to share the post. The findings are discussed with regard to implications for the role of device and attention in communication theory, as well as practical implications for news organizations and other social media content producers.

scholarly journals Embodied crises: cultural narratives, online social networks, and the mirror syndrome

2021 ◽  
pp. 37-55
Author(s):  
Pablo Valdivia ◽  
Rosmery-Ann Boegeholz ◽  
Marc Esteve del Valle
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Women’S Health ◽  
Women's Health ◽  
Online Social Networks ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Cultural Narratives ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
The Creation

This article addresses three interrelated phenomena: the irruption of new cultural narratives of power, the role of online social networks in the creation of embodied crises, and the emergence of the Mirror Syndrome as a new computer-mediated medical challenge. In doing so, it exposes the negative consequences that the cultural narratives of beauty canons executed by social media have, above all, for young women’s health.

Is There Economic Discrimination on Sport Social Media? An Analysis of Major League Baseball

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 374-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas M. Watanabe ◽  
Grace Yan ◽  
Brian P. Soebbing ◽  
Ann Pegoraro
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
Major League Baseball ◽  
Market Size ◽  
Baseball Players ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
Consumer Interest ◽  
Economic Discrimination ◽  
Major League ◽  
Sport Industry

Prior studies have investigated consumer-based economic discrimination from a number of contexts in the sport industry. This study seeks to further such a line of inquiry by examining consumer interest in Major League Baseball players on the Twitter platform, especially considering the emergence of social media at the forefront of consumer behavior research. Specifically, the analysis uses six regression models that take into account an array of factors, including player characteristics, performance, market size, and so forth. Results reveal that when controlling for all other factors, Hispanic players receive significantly less consumer interest on social media than their counterparts, while Asian pitchers receive more. These findings yield critical insights into tendencies of sport consumer biases on digital platforms, assisting the development of an equal and efficient sport marketplace for stakeholders.

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