Crisis Communication Strategies Research Articles

Subjektų nuotaikų, susijusių su kuro kainų padidėjimu, analizė Indonezijos internetinėje žiniasklaidoje, naudojant „Netray“ stebėjimo įrankį

Introduction. This study aims to find the sentiment in Indonesian online news media surrounding the government’s decision to increase fuel prices on September 3rd, 2022. Additionally, this study investigates the discourses of situational crisis communication strategies (SCCT) around the critical entities in each positive and negative sentiment. Method. The researchers conduct entity sentiment analysis by collecting news data, identifying the primary entities, and analyzing the sentiment using the Netray monitoring tool. The researchers employ critical discourse analysis to find how the media portrays the SCCT strategies surrounding the key entities in positive and negative sentiment news. Analysis. The dominant strategies for positive sentiment are rebuild and bolstering strategies, whereas for negative sentiment, diminish strategies prevail. Results. At the outset, the discourses reflect the strategies positively encompassing the primary entity “price” as the representation of government policy. The subsequent discourses depict the strategies negatively, focusing on “Pertamina” as responsible for the policy’s operational aspects. Positive discourses for “Pertamina” are consistently distributed, adeptly constructing a positive image in the news. The discourses highlight the “fishermen” as a prominent group to convey both positive and negative sentiments. Conclusions. The government and PT Pertamina should monitor the narrative surrounding primary entities as it can enhance or harm their reputation.

The State of Crisis Communication in Contemporary Nonprofit Literature

ABSTRACT Emergency and disaster management and public relations literature both apply crisis communication strategies and theories, although the nonprofit sector is rarely examined. To deliver services effectively and disseminate critical information, nonprofit leaders must adapt to various contexts while also considering their reputation following crises. In addition to providing a theoretical framework for crisis communication in the nonprofit context, this study systematically examines recent literature on nonprofit crisis communication. The study reveals a set of crucial insights from nonprofit crisis communication literature, particularly surrounding four themes: 1) crisis sensemaking and crisis understanding; 2) nonprofit leadership and governance; 3) nonprofit structure; and 4) communication tools and networks. The findings open up a wide range of possibilities for further investigation into the dissemination of nonprofit crises, particularly empirical work utilizing longitudinal analysis. The findings provide applications for nonprofit leaders for becoming more aware of their crisis communication tactics.

Crisis communication strategies: A qualitative study about a natural medicine controversy in Colombia

Crisis communication strategies: A qualitative study about a natural medicine controversy in Colombia

Who can afford to blame? Sender effects in blame-shifting crisis communications

Purpose When companies face a crisis, they sometimes deliver blame-shifting communications, trying to shift blame onto another actor to protect their reputation. While previous research has considered how different features of the message affect its persuasiveness, little is known about whether specific senders can blame more effectively. This paper aims to contribute to research in this domain through an investigation of the sender’s social perception as a critical moderator to the persuasiveness of blame shifting. Design/methodology/approach The authors conduct four between-subjects scenario experiments to test the research hypotheses. In each experiment, participants are presented with a realistic crisis scenario and the crisis communications delivered by the company. The authors assess the extent to which perceptions of the sender influence the message’s ability to reduce negative word-of-mouth intentions and to increase purchase intentions. Findings The authors show that blame shifting is more likely to be effective when deployed by senders that are small (Study 1) or have a positive CSR track record (Study 2). Furthermore, The authors find that even large senders can successfully deploy blame shifting if they can benefit from being known for their CSR programs (Study 3). Finally, the authors show that the effect of blame shifting depends on the receiver’s level of concern about the crisis: stakeholders significantly concerned by the crisis reject blame-shifting communications (Study 4). Research limitations/implications Further research should examine the impact of information about brand competence on blame-shifting effectiveness. Further research is also needed to explore sender effects for other defensive crisis communication strategies such as denial or the use of excuses or justifications. Practical implications The study offers critical information for marketers considering the use of defensive crisis communications strategies such as blame shifting. Originality/value The study extends the understanding of how sender effects influence blame-shifting communications. The analysis allows us to clarify why this strategy is effective for certain senders and certain receivers while, for others, it tends to backfire. Blame shifting backfires for large senders unless they can boast a strong CSR record.

‘We’re in this together’ – COVID-19 statements by Boris Johnson: A discourse analysis

This article presents a discursive analysis of crisis communication strategies employed by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson during the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilising critical discourse analysis, the study examined official communications from March 2020 to January 2022. While Johnson's communication style encompassed empathy, assertiveness, and a focus on vaccination efforts, enhancing specificity, transparency, addressing potential inequalities, as well as prioritising community building, could have heightened the impact of his messages during the COVID-19 pandemic. By examining Boris Johnson's speeches as a case study, the research adds depth to the discourse on effective communication strategies employed by world leaders. The findings underscore the significance of clarity, adaptability, empathy, and reliance on scientific evidence in navigating the complexities of crisis communication.

Navigating the Storm; Effective Crisis Communication Strategies

This article explores the critical role of effective crisis communication in navigating organizational challenges. It highlights the importance of proactive planning, transparency, and empathy in mitigating the negative impact of crises and preserving stakeholder trust. The introduction emphasizes the growing interconnectedness of the world and the frequency of crises faced by organizations. These crises can significantly impact reputation, operations, and even survival. The article defines crisis communication as a public relations strategy aimed at protecting an organization during a public challenge to its reputation. Following this, the piece delves into the importance of effective crisis communication. Research indicates that poorly managed communication can escalate crises into public relations disasters. The Tylenol poisoning incident of 1982 serves as a prime example, where Johnson & Johnson's swift and transparent response helped restore public trust. Effective crisis communication strategies contribute to preserving reputation, maintaining trust, ensuring legal compliance, protecting stakeholder interests, and facilitating organizational learning and improvement. The article then outlines essential steps for navigating a crisis through communication. It emphasizes the importance of proactive planning, including identifying potential crises, establishing communication protocols, and outlining response strategies. Transparency is a crucial element, as withholding information can erode trust and fuel speculation. Additionally, empathy and acknowledging the concerns of those affected by the crisis are vital for fostering understanding and support. Furthermore, the article details the creation of a crisis communication plan. This plan should establish clear objectives and key messages, assemble a dedicated crisis communication team with diverse expertise, and allocate sufficient resources for effective communication. Moving on, the article explores specific techniques for effective crisis communication. Open and transparent communication forms the cornerstone, even amid uncertainties. It highlights the need to balance transparency with responsible communication, acknowledging limitations when necessary. Regular and consistent communication updates are crucial for building trust. Timely and accurate information dissemination is equally important. Delays can create a space for misinformation to flourish. Establishing clear communication protocols beforehand ensures a swift and coordinated response when a crisis strikes. Utilizing a multi-channel approach, encompassing press briefings, social media engagement, and website announcements, empowers organizations to effectively communicate with all stakeholders. Finally, the article emphasizes tailoring messages to different stakeholders. Employees, customers, and investors will each have distinct information needs and preferred communication styles. Addressing these variations ensures effective crisis response and fosters understanding during turbulent times.

The crisis communication of the COVID-19 pandemic in media discourse: Text mining for infectious disease frames and environmental pollution

ABSTRACT This study conducts a text semantic analysis of mainstream media coverage of the 2019 COVID-19 outbreak in China. By examining frequently used keywords and their co-occurrences, researchers infer a semantic network and word collocations. Encoding epidemic-related frames offers insight into cognitive structures used in understanding and communicating issues. Through framing, media and individuals emphasize certain crisis aspects while downplaying others. The study reveals that Chinese mainstream media employed 12 frames during the COVID-19 crisis. Methodologically, the study demonstrates identifying frames in Chinese media news through text mining. Using Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), the study elucidates stage-frame connections and frame relationships. Paired statistical analysis examines mainstream media attention to environmental pollution amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Results show frames changed during different pandemic stages, reflecting mainstream media's role in social stability. Applying MCA and HCA techniques, the 12 frames cluster into four groups, highlighting consistent frame usage by Chinese mainstream media. Mainstream media also begins to address COVID-19-related environmental pollution, focusing on virus contamination of goods, medical waste, and wastewater, lacking comprehensive attention to broader environmental pollution. These findings offer insights for public health professionals and environmentalists, aiding crisis communication strategy formulation for future emergencies.

Social media trust: Fighting misinformation in the time of crisis

During crises, the proliferation of misinformation, often termed "infodemics," can severely compromise Shared Situational Awareness (SSA) and impede effective response. With the advent of technology, social media platforms have become crucial tools for response agencies to counteract misinformation and promote SSA. Yet, the intricate dynamics between information dissemination, communication strategies, and trust, especially in the digital realm, remain underexplored. This research looks at the utilisation of technology, specifically social media platforms like Facebook, by response agencies to navigate the challenges of infodemics. Drawing from Seppänen et al. (2013) SSA model, we identified potential risks in digital crisis communication strategies that might undermine public trust and SSA. We used a netnographic analysis of the response agencies’ social media pages, supplemented by field interviews with agency representatives. Our findings contribute to the fields of Information Systems (IS) and communication by 1) highlighting the potential of technology, particularly social media, in crisis communication and misinformation mitigation, 2) identifying the risks and pitfalls of leveraging digital platforms during crises, and 3) underlying the consequences of diminishing public trust in official digital information channels, offering insights into mitigating misinformation and improving crisis response.

Use of Crisis Communication Strategies by Food Bank Network During a Global Pandemic

Abstract During the novel coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), nonprofits needed to quickly rethink their strategies concerning the sustainability of their organizations along with communication regarding the crisis. The pandemic presented unique opportunities for understanding how service-oriented nonprofits, who must share timely and accurate information across stakeholders and work closely with partner organizations, can deliver services during crisis periods. Utilizing a case study approach, the focus of this study is the impact of COVID-19 on the Federation of Virginia Food Banks (FVFB), which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit state association of food banks affiliated with Feeding America, by examining the use of crisis communication strategies utilized or not-utilized during the crisis response and recovery activities. The findings present practical implications for nonprofit organizations and their crisis response and recovery networks and a better understanding of the needs for nonprofit organizations to engage in crisis communication planning for diverse crises and planning resources.

Strategi Pengelolaan Sektor Pariwisata oleh Pokdarwis Desa Wisata Srikeminut pada Masa Krisis Pandemi COVID-19

Srikeminut Tourist Village is among the tourist communities adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Pokdarwis is among the entities tasked with managing the tourism industry during the pandemic. By applying the theory of tourism disaster crisis management offered by Ritchie (2004), this research endeavors to ascertain the approach adopted by the Pokdarwis of Srikeminut Tourism Village in handling the tourism industry amidst the Covid-19 pandemic crisis that transpired between 2020 and 2022. Therefore, this research focuses on two primary topics: firstly, the categorization of the Pokdarwis strategy about the stages of crisis management, and secondly, the identification of the Pokdarwis strategy in the recovery of the tourism sector. The findings indicated that Pokdarwis resorted to a sequence of strategic implementations in light of the pandemic rather than engaging in preventative measures and strategic planning. Implementing health protocols, creating virtual events, limiting the number of visits, collaborating with internal and external parties, suspending several tourist activities, and promoting tourist attractions via Instagram are all methods to achieve this objective. Pokdarwis' approach to tourism sector management has facilitated the gradual recovery of Srikeminut Tourist Village from the pandemic crisis. By 2022, it will be possible to classify the Srikeminut Tourist Village as having reached a stage in its crisis anatomy known as the long term (recovery), wherein all forms of tourism activities can be resumed as before, and the village community will have acclimated to the new normalcy. To attain this position, Pokdarwis engaged in a succession of partnerships with internal and external entities, implemented a crisis communication strategy, and provided tourism managers and Pokdarwis personnel with a variety of training on sector management.

Crisis Communication in the Context of Rational and Emotional Benefit: The Case of the Aviation Sector

This study aims to examine the impact of crisis communication strategies in the aviation sector, specifically within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, by evaluating both rational and emotional benefits. It emphasizes the importance of considering both aspects of crisis communication to effectively address the negative effects of the pandemic on the Turkish aviation industry. A quantitative research method was employed to determine the validity and reliability of the factors under investigation. The study utilized a questionnaire-based approach to collect concrete data and assess the levels of crisis communication in relation to emotional and rational benefits within the Turkish aviation sector. The research findings highlight that airlines in the Turkish aviation sector have responded to the pandemic by implementing strategies focused on health and safety measures, flexibility policies, customer relationship management, and empathy. These strategies aim to address both rational expectations and emotional needs of customers. Consequently, evaluating and integrating rational and emotional benefits within crisis communication processes is a crucial step for airlines to enhance customer satisfaction, establish trust, and maintain their reputation. This study adds to the current body of literature by emphasizing the significance of crisis communication strategies that consider both rational and emotional benefits. It recognizes the specific challenges faced by the Turkish aviation sector due to the COVID-19 pandemic and explores approaches to mitigate the negative effects. Evaluating and integrating rational and emotional benefits within crisis communication processes is deemed crucial for enhancing customer satisfaction, establishing trust, and maintaining a favourable reputation.

Crisis Communication Strategy in the Digital Era at the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia's Directorate General of Taxes

The phenomenon of corruption at the Directorate General of Taxes, Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia is currently in the public spotlight. This study underlines the need of responding quickly to institutional crises through the implementation of digital communication tactics. Failure to respond quickly can make an institution vulnerable to unmanageable attacks. The community aspires to be able to communicate and participate directly in overcoming the situation. As a result, institutions must move from a one-way communication strategy to a two-way interaction model via their official social media channels. A crisis can have a significant impact on public safety, financial losses, reputational harm, and other difficult-to-predict issues, therefore a crisis communication strategy is essential. This research aims to determine DJP's crisis communication strategy. This research uses a case study qualitative method approach at the DJP to obtain accurate information on crisis response. The results of the research show that the agency has had a good crisis management plan and handling since before the crisis occurred; the crisis response and after the crisis have continuously been monitored regularly in various media, from content creation on social media, information on the official website to establishing good relations. with various media both nationally and internationally. DJP is also collaborating with Public Relations service centers in all regional offices and employee advocacy through the institution's official social media account to open as many communication channels as possible so that the public can well receive the message. Statements and firm steps were then disseminated through DJP's social media platforms and official websites to resolve the crisis.

Crisis communication during COVID‐19: Insights from Pennsylvania and Florida local governments

AbstractThis study examines the determinants of local governments’ (LGs') adoption of crisis communication strategies during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Recognizing the pivotal role of crisis communication in public health emergencies and the central role of LGs as frontline responders, this research offers valuable insight into pandemic response and management. Employing ordinary least squares regression, we analyzed data from our Pandemic Management Survey, which was distributed across Pennsylvania and Florida municipal executives during the spring of 2021. According to our results, LG managers’ concerns related to school and business closures, as well as their efficacy beliefs, had a positive impact on the adoption of communication strategies. Our results also showed that funding from the CARES Act significantly improved LGs’ capacity to implement these strategies. Additionally, our study underscores the significance of community vulnerability factors in shaping crisis communication efforts.

The Effect of The Pandemic on Public Relations DIY Tourism: SWOT Review

This study evaluates the crisis in the DIY tourism industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on the crisis management and communication strategies adopted by the DIY Tourism Office. Through SWOT analysis, the research identifies strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats influencing the adjustment and recovery of DIY tourism. The findings underscore the need for enhancing human resources competence, integrated marketing, and cross-sector collaboration. The study aims to provide insights for the DIY Tourism Office and other stakeholders in crisis management and strengthening the DIY tourism industry.

Crisis communication and U.S. national security: A comprehensive review: Understanding the importance of timely and accurate information dissemination

This comprehensive review examines the critical role of crisis communication in the context of U.S. national security, with a focus on the importance of timely and accurate information dissemination. The study explores the evolution of crisis communication strategies within the national security apparatus, assessing their effectiveness in managing public perception and trust during national crises. Through a methodological synthesis of case studies and content analysis, the review identifies best practices and challenges in crisis communication, including the balance between transparency and security, the impact of misinformation, and the implications of technological advancements. Historical perspectives provide insights into past national security crises, informing the development of current organizational structures and interagency coordination for crisis communication. The role of digital media is critically analyzed, emphasizing its influence on modern communication dynamics. The research culminates in policy recommendations aimed at enhancing crisis communication preparedness, developing resilient infrastructures, and fostering international cooperation. The findings suggest that strategic improvements in crisis communication are imperative for the effective safeguarding of national interests in an increasingly interconnected and information-driven world.

Mental readiness and travel choices in crisis recovery

ABSTRACT Although crisis communication and recovery strategies have been studied extensively, the coping mechanisms of consumers during the recovery phase of a product-harm crisis have been insufficiently examined. This paper aims to investigate the role of consumers’ health beliefs and mental readiness during travel in a health-related crisis, which constitutes a subset of product-harm crises. To achieve this, the Beliefs-Mental Readiness-Intention (BMRI) model was developed, and three analyses were conducted to validate this conceptual framework. The SEM established the general psychological mechanism of individuals’ intention to consume travel-related products during the crisis, introducing two newly developed measures: perceived benefits of protection and perceived stigma of consuming products. The second analysis identified a weak moderation effect of diagnosis status in the model. Finally, the theoretical and managerial implications of the research findings were comprehensively discussed.

Make the Effort Visible: The Effect of Process Transparency on Public Forgiveness in Tourism Crisis Communication

Public forgiveness in tourism crisis communication is conducive to improving destination reputation, although this connection has been ignored. To fill this research gap, this study conducts three experiments to investigate the effect of process transparency on public forgiveness. The results of two experiments reveal that response messages with high (vs. low) process transparency are more likely to promote public forgiveness, and the effect of process transparency on public forgiveness is mediated by perceived effort. The results of Experiment 3 also show that narrative (vs. non-narrative) messages with high process transparency have a stronger impact on perceived effort and public forgiveness. However, for messages with low process transparency, the effect of process transparency does not vary by message type. This study expands the research framework of tourism crisis communication and provides a new research perspective on emotional recovery. It also provides managers with effective and low-cost tourism crisis communication strategies.

Tourism representation and strategies on public signs: linguistic landscape of a Saudi southern tourist destination

PurposeThis study aims to investigate multilingual representation on public signs in the High City tourist destination in Abha, Saudi Arabia. It also reveals the linguistic strategies used in such representation.Design/methodology/approachThis exploratory qualitative study used purposive sampling to analyze bottom-up public signs collected from the target tourist destination. A preliminary analysis was conducted for a more in-depth qualitative analysis of every sign. An Excel database was used to provide a general description and a preliminary reading of the strategies before using an in-depth analysis of every sign.FindingsThe study revealed that monolingualism (Arabic or English) and bilingualism (Arabic and English) represented the High City as a tourist destination where the signs served information and symbolic functions. No single multilingual sign was found. Certain linguistic strategies were used on the public signs, including politeness, transliteration, hybrid representation, personification and fragmentary. Some tourist-oriented strategies, such as the crisis communication strategy, are still missing.Practical implicationsThese findings indicate that this tourist destination still targets local and regional visitors, and its linguistic landscape (LL) needs further consideration in terms of internationalization and targeting international visitors. This study implies that bilingual Arabic and English tourist destinations are potential domains for translation students and English language learners.Originality/valueThis study has focused on the LL of a newly established tourist destination in Saudi Arabia. It has shed light on the nuanced representations and strategies used through public signage. It contributes to understanding how linguistic elements can shape tourists’ perceptions and experiences.

Employing Patriotism and Nationalism in Destination Crisis Communication Strategy for the Pandemic

This research primarily aims to investigate the implementation of patriotism and nationalism crisis communication strategies when destination marketers wish to attract domestic tourists to resume their travel consumption following the COVID-19 pandemic. The focal point of the investigation is to explain the mechanisms occurring in potential domestic tourists after communication via this strategy. The research objectives were set to test the causal relationships among destination reputation, trust, intentions to conduct secondary crisis communication, and visit intentions. Data were gathered from 546 potential Thai tourists via a survey questionnaire, with Phuket, Thailand, selected as the crisis scenario. Findings were analyzed via structural equation modeling and suggest that only trust positively impacts intentions to conduct secondary crisis communication. In contrast, visit intentions were positively affected by multiple influential factors (i.e., destination reputation, trust, and intentions to conduct secondary crisis communication). The findings yield suggestions on how to design and enhance the patriotism and nationalism messages to ensure a high level of visit intentions and intentions to conduct secondary crisis communication, for concerned practitioners who are responsible for destination marketing in the post-pandemic time when domestic tourists have become one of the primary and crucial target customers.

Mechanism study of social media overload on health self-efficacy and anxiety

Previous studies have found that people's excessive use of social media may have a negative impact on their crisis coping skills. This study focuses on the effects of social media overload (information overload, communication overload and social overload) on anxiety and health self-efficacy during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study used an online questionnaire and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to obtain data (816 valid samples), analyze the data and validate the model. The findings revealed that social media overload (information overload, communication overload and social overload) triggers increased social media fatigue, which in turn leads to the development of anxiety and the consequence of diminished health self-efficacy; social media fatigue plays a partially mediating role between social media and health self-efficacy and a fully mediating role between communication overload and health self-efficacy. The results of this study can inform the development of crisis communication strategies during public health emergencies.