How the U.S. National Weather Service communicates to protect communities: an extension of microboundary spanning theory

Abstract

ABSTRACT Effective internal risk and crisis communication can improve organizational functioning, which ultimately can improve community resilience to crises. However, little is known about communicative behaviors associated with effective internal risk and crisis communication. Microboundary spanning theory provides a fruitful framework for examining organizations’ internal risk and crisis communication. While most microboundary spanning work examines corporate communicative behaviors, our study extends this perspective by applying it to a non-corporate context. Specifically, this study explores U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) forecasters’ communicative behaviors through 32 in-depth face-to-face interviews. Findings reveal that NWS forecasters engage in megaphoning and scouting with organizational partners and community members. These communicative behaviors are strategic and spontaneous to mitigate the impact of threats on communities. Negative megaphoning seems to contribute to organizational partners’ trust in the NWS, and trust appears to be an integral factor in the success of positive megaphoning. Findings also uncover the need for additional cross-office information seeking. Ultimately, both megaphoning and scouting enhance the NWS’s capacity to save lives during severe weather.