The Rhetorical Construction of Corporate Public Apologies

Amanda Lai

doi:10.32920/ryerson.14658249

Abstract

In this major research paper (MRP), I analyzed the ways in which rhetorical strategies are used in the construction of corporate public apologies. Organizational reputation management has become increasingly important in the digital age. When companies are criticized or accused of wrongdoing, it is essential to issue a timely and effective response to salvage stakeholder relationships. Speaking from the Rhetorical Tradition, Aristotle demonstrated that the art of persuasion is largely built upon three rhetorical appeals: the appeal to pathos (emotion), ethos (character), and logos (logic). Through methods of coding and rhetorical analyses, I examined 7 corporate public apologies released by high profile companies between 2008 and 2012. I found that corporate public apologies tend to appeal to ethos more than any other means of persuasion. Reflecting good organizational character is therefore, germane to organizations in crisis. Employed the least was the appeal to logos, or logic. I found that this rhetorical strategy was used primarily to strengthen other persuasive appeals such as appeals to emotion or character. Logos, used in isolation, was rare and arguably ineffective. It is in my opinion that the focus on rhetorical strategies is lacking in public relations literature. To conclude, I made several recommendations to organizations responding to criticisms or accusations of misconduct. These recommendations are to be taken with the understanding that their effectiveness was not considered for this project.

Highlights

As corporations enter the digital age, organizational reputation management has become increasingly important
In a data set of seven corporate public apologies, 66 rhetorical appeals were identified in total
There is much to say about the rhetorical construction of corporate public apologies

Summary

Introduction

As corporations enter the digital age, organizational reputation management has become increasingly important. Persuasion, becomes a key aspect of delivering a successful public apology In this Major Research Paper (MRP), I will be exploring the ways in which strategies of persuasion (known as rhetoric) are used in the construction of corporate public apologies. Such persuasive tactics date back at least to ancient Greek society, when Aristotle argued that in order to deliver an influential speech, one must be able to appeal to the public’s emotions (pathos), logic (logo), and sense of good character (ethos). The ways in which these appeals are employed can shed light on how corporate public apologies are constructed

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Discussion

Conclusion