Reputational Crisis Research Articles

Prescribing Information: Elizabeth B. Connell, the Pill, and the (Woman) Patient's Peace of Mind.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, commercialized reproductive technologies experienced a reputational crisis as news about the hormonal birth control pill's possible side effects reportedly caused 18-30% of women to stop taking it. While secondary literature has followed patients' and legislatures' actions, few histories have focused on physicians' responses. How did physicians manage this public crisis of confidence? This article contributes to existing literature through a backstage look at the work of Elizabeth B. Connell (1925-2018), whose wide-ranging career in medicine, academia, government, industry consulting, and popular writing embroiled her at the center of these controversies. To counter critique from legislatures and consumer reformers, Connell became a mediator for medicine in the public sphere, dispensing select information and arguing for limits on others - for the patient's sake. If legislative inquiry's primary havoc was unleashing information, Connell would help the profession moderate it. Because Connell was a woman doctor whom health feminists who were her contemporaries denied was a feminist doctor, the existing scholarship has occluded her. This article reconstructs the contributions of this important and flawed doctor, illuminating how she contorted herself to suit her various public messages, constrained by her conflicting, dual identities as woman and doctor.

Reputational crisis at a Chilean University, resulting from a post on social media X (Twitter) about the controversial theses in the School of Philosophy and Humanities

Reputational crisis at a Chilean University, resulting from a post on social media X (Twitter) about the controversial theses in the School of Philosophy and Humanities

Online faith-holder communities in crisis: proposing and testing a dual-challenge model

PurposeThough current literature has started to recognize the significant role that online faith-holders play in the context of brand reputation crises, extant research lacks a theoretical framework to explain the process in which online faith-holders endure the harm in brand reputation while collectively rebuilding the reputation. We propose and test a dual-challenge model for a more systematic understanding of faith-holder communities in brand reputation crises.Design/methodology/approachFocusing on collective-level communication activities, we quantitatively compared the volume, valence and variance of a faith-holder community’s communication (441,611 posts by 3,228 fans over 14 days) before and after a brand reputation crisis.FindingsOur longitudinal data demonstrated that the crisis was a significant threat to group sentiment and cohesion. Nevertheless, the community was highly resilient and adaptive. Their emotions quickly recovered, and they promptly restored group cohesion and coordinated crisis response efforts after the crisis.Originality/valueThis study challenges the traditional assumption that online users are independent, static and reactive during brand crises. Instead, it conceptualizes online faith-holder community as a connected, proactive and dynamically adaptive group in crisis situations. This dual-challenge model highlights the importance of internally fostering collective resilience while externally coordinating crisis responses in a faith-holder community.

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

EFFECTIVE STAKEHOLDER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT IN THE OIL & GAS SECTOR: A CONCEPTUAL AND REVIEW PERSPECTIVE

Effective stakeholder relationship management (SRM) is imperative for the sustainable operation of companies within the oil and gas sector. This review provides a conceptual framework and review perspective on the strategies, challenges, and outcomes associated with SRM in this industry. The oil and gas sector operates within a complex web of stakeholders including governments, local communities, investors, employees, suppliers, and environmental organizations. Building and maintaining positive relationships with these stakeholders are essential for securing operational licenses, maintaining social license to operate, and fostering a conducive environment for business continuity. Drawing from existing literature, this review elucidates the key components of effective SRM in the oil and gas sector. Firstly, proactive engagement and communication emerge as fundamental strategies. Companies need to identify stakeholders, understand their interests and concerns, and engage with them transparently and consistently throughout project lifecycles. Secondly, fostering mutual value creation is crucial. Companies must seek win-win solutions that align their business objectives with stakeholders’ interests, thereby promoting long-term partnerships and trust. Thirdly, robust grievance mechanisms are necessary to address conflicts and grievances promptly and fairly, preventing escalation into legal or reputational crises. Despite its importance, SRM in the oil and gas sector faces several challenges. These include inherent power imbalances between companies and stakeholders, socio-political tensions in resource-rich regions, and the dynamic nature of stakeholder expectations. Additionally, the sector operates in a volatile market environment characterized by fluctuating oil prices and regulatory uncertainties, further complicating SRM efforts. The outcomes of effective SRM in the oil and gas sector are multifaceted. Beyond mitigating operational risks and enhancing reputational capital, it contributes to fostering social license to operate, facilitating access to capital and talent, and promoting sustainable development in host communities. Effective SRM in the oil and gas sector requires a proactive, value-driven, and adaptive approach. By integrating stakeholder considerations into strategic decision-making processes, companies can navigate complex socio-political landscapes, mitigate risks, and create shared value for all stakeholders involved.
 Keywords: Management, Oil and Gas, Conceptual, Perspective, Relationship.

A Brief Discussion on Reputation Risk and Management of Insurance Company

The reputation of insurance companies plays a crucial role in building consumer trust, thus affecting consumers' purchase intention to buy insurance products and services. Insurance companies with a good reputation will have higher customer loyalty and more easily stimulate consumers' potential insurance demand. This paper will study the factors that affect the reputation risk of insurance companies. The quality of the staff, the level of enterprise management, corporate charisma, financial indicators, and media coverage are 5 factors that affect the reputation risk of insurance companies. It is of great significance for insurance companies to strengthen reputation risk management, avoid and control reputation crisis events, and incorporate reputation risk into their comprehensive risk management system. Therefore, this paper proposes some suggestions for strengthening the reputation risk management of insurance companies. First, the awareness of the reputational risk of insurance companies should be improved; Second, improve the quality of insurance products and services; Third, establish an effective reputational risk management mechanism for insurance companies; Finally, improve the information disclosure system of insurance companies.

Managing Online Reputation in the Age of Cancel Culture

Purpose: The general objective of this study was to examine managing online reputation in the age of cancel culture.
 Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library.
 Findings: The findings reveal that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to online reputation in the age of cancel culture. The study highlighted the importance of proactive reputation management strategies, stakeholder engagement, and adaptation in navigating the complexities of cancel culture in the digital era. By emphasizing transparency, authenticity, and responsiveness, individuals and organizations can mitigate reputational risks and maintain trust and credibility online. Drawing upon insights from social psychology theories and empirical research, the study underscores the need for continuous monitoring, collaboration, and ethical leadership to address systemic issues and promote positive online behavior. Overall, the study emphasizes the significance of adaptability, empathy, and strategic communication in effectively managing online reputation amidst the challenges of cancel culture.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Social Identity theory, Social Learning theory and Attribution theory may be used to anchor future studies on managing online reputation. In managing online reputation amidst cancel culture, prioritizing transparency and authenticity in communication is crucial for building trust and credibility with stakeholders. Organizations should develop comprehensive crisis communication plans tailored to the digital landscape, enabling swift responses to reputational crises and minimizing negative publicity. Proactive monitoring of online conversations allows organizations to anticipate and mitigate emerging issues, shaping public perception positively. Additionally, prioritizing stakeholder engagement fosters meaningful relationships and demonstrates accountability, while upholding ethical principles safeguards credibility and mitigates reputational harm. Continuous evaluation of reputation management efforts ensures adaptability and improvement, enabling organizations to navigate cancel culture challenges effectively and preserve trust with stakeholders.

Coping with gender-critical voices from within: A sociocognitive approach to Sussex’s Twitter (X) crisis responses

Drawing on critical discourse studies (CDS), this article foregrounds how British higher education institutions respond to gender-critical controversies sparked by their staff members. Adopting Teun van Dijk’s sociocognitive approach, we analyse the University of Sussex’s crisis responses on Twitter (known as X today) concerning de-platforming campaigns against Kathleen Stock. The analysis unpacks how Sussex employs various discursive strategies to validate its institutional stance in the Stock incident. Sussex’s communicative actions aim to mitigate reputation damage caused by the incident. However, such discursive practices simultaneously indicate the university’s attempt to evade its institutional responsibility for equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) advocacy, neither do they address the reputation crisis caused by fellow Twitter users’ counter-narratives. The analysis points towards the need for a sociocognitive analysis of crisis responses to hold higher education institutions accountable for their core mission, amid trans-rights debates unfolding in wider society.

Value of certification in collective reputation crises: Evidence from Chinese dairy firms

Collective reputation crisis incidents imply considerable negative within-sector spillovers. Understanding how to reduce such negative spillovers is crucial for industry development, especially in the food industry where information is asymmetric. As certification is an important tool to reduce information asymmetry in product quality, it’s role in reducing such spillovers needs to be discussed systematically. First, we use an analytical model to reveal the effects and mechanisms by which certification helps dairy firms resist the negative spillovers of collective reputation crises. Next, we study the effects of certification in the context of a large-scale dairy scandal in China. Using firm-level microdata, we empirically analyze the effects of adopting certification on improving innocent firms’ return on capital. The results show that in the year of the scandal, the return on capital of firms without certification was significantly negatively affected while that of firms with certification was not affected. In the wake of the scandal, adopting certification helped dairy firms effectively improve their return on capital, but these effects diminished over time. In addition, the effects are larger for firms with lower established reputations, such as new and non-state-owned dairy firms.

Evaluation of Crisis Handling of Carasun Cosmetic Company

Threats to a company's existence can arise from a reputation crisis induced by various factors. If not handled carefully, such a reputation crisis can lead to a loss of trust from customers, investors, and employees, which, in turn, can have a detrimental impact on the overall company's performance. For example, Carasun, a cosmetics company, faced a reputation crisis due to allegations of using "buzzers" to tarnish the reputation of its competitor, Skingame. The research on Carasun's crisis aims to identify the triggering factors of the reputation crisis, evaluate the negative impacts experienced by Carasun, and analyze the company's crisis management efforts. This research uses a qualitative research method with a case study approach, and the findings indicate that Carasun's reputation crisis was triggered by the improper use of "buzzers" and negative posts on social media. The impacts of this crisis included a decrease in consumer trust, disruptions in business partner relationships, and threats to the company's sustainability. To address this crisis, Carasun has implemented crisis management strategies, including adaptive strategies and utilizing social media as a crisis communication tool. Recommendations for cosmetics companies facing reputation crises involving "buzzers" include increasing awareness of early crisis signs, improving the ability to identify crisis signs through technology and data analysis, and strengthening internal coordination and communication by prioritizing ethical values and integrity.

No escape from the No.10. bunker? UK government news management under siege: John Major (1990–97) and Boris Johnson (2019–2022)

PurposeThis study draws parallels between the Major and Johnson eras to reclaim a discursive space beyond the media and political battlefields to examine long-term systemic failure of government PR.Design/methodology/approachAs part of a wider study into government communications from 1979 to date, this paper draws on evidence from government archives from the 1990s, as well as contemporary accounts, official documents, media accounts, memoirs and biographies, to examine the PR record of two Conservative administrations divided by three decades.FindingsNews management during the Major premiership is worth serious scrutiny, not just as an interlude between two media-friendly Prime Ministers, Thatcher and Blair, but in comparison to Boris Johnson's struggle to contain the news narrative between 2019 and 2022. Both administrations experienced terminal reputational crises during their closing years but their means of managing the news were counter-productive and damaging to public trust (65).Practical implicationsDoes this failure in public communication illustrate a systemic dysfunction in government-media relations and, if so, what is the role of government PR in these circumstances?Originality/valueThis article uses a comparison between fixed and moving variables associated with two very different administrations to identify the causes of ongoing systemic failure in government communication.

The Crisis at the CBI

AbstractThe Confederation of British Industry (CBI) experienced a reputational crisis after a number of allegations of sexual harassment. Leading members of the organisation resigned and its resources were depleted. The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) attempted to fill the void. The organisation survived a confidence vote, but the result may be a permanently weakened organisation. Apart from the 2023 crisis, there are deeper structural problems in business representation.

Industry Reputation Crisis and Firm Certification: A Co-evolution Perspective

Industry Reputation Crisis and Firm Certification: A Co-evolution Perspective

Emotion-based communication: the specifics of fear and hope tactics

Relevance and problem of the topic. Transmitting accurate information in the most appropriate way is an important today’s need. (Singh, Rai, et al., 2021, p. 2052). Authors Del Valle, 2021; Woodcock, 2018; Jakubanecs et al., 2019; Andrews et al., 2014; Kim et al., 2021; Gravante and Poma, 2021, states that emotional communication is often used to send a message from the sender to the recipient in a clear and compelling way, emotional communication is also used to establish an emotional connection, persuade, create associations, build loyalty, encourage desired consumer behavior. According to Dembek (2016, p. 117), emotions are separated from consumers, adjusted to become unique to the desired brand image (e.g., Coca-Cola), and then passed on to consumers in the hopes of reconciling their emotional state with marketing goals.Problems. Fear and hope tactics are quite often used as marketing and communication tools to influence an audience. It is important to understand the specifics of these communication tactics because not having enough knowledge about the reaction of recipients to these emotions, can have the opposite effect: cause adverse reactions, cause reputational crises, psychological, social, and financial losses. Properly selected communication can help companies achieve a competitive advantage in the markets, create greater added value, help shape the desired behavior of communication recipients, and predict the impact of communication on recipients.The problem analyzed in this article can be defined by the following questions: Which communication tactics, based on the emotion of fear or hope, should communication professionals use? What are the specifics of hope and fear communication tactics? What effects can they have?The objective of the research is the specifics of fear and hope tactics in communication.The object of the article is to review and analyze communication tactics based on fear and hope.Tasks:1. To analyze the fear tactic in communication.2. To review the tactic of hope in communication.Methods: Comparative theoretical analysis and synthesis of the literature, generalization.

Weathering the Storm: The European Union’s Strategic Ambiguity on Twitter during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study examines how the European Union (EU) employed strategic ambiguity as a discursive resource to manage its reputational crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic. For that purpose, this research analyses tweets in English published by six central authorities of the EU in three different phases of the COVID-19 crisis (pre-crisis, acute crisis, and post-crisis). The findings reveal that during the early stages of the pandemic, characterised by higher uncertainty, European authorities often resorted 232Defence Strategic Communications | Volume 12 | Spring 2023DOI 10.30966/2018.RIGA.12.10to ambiguous tweets through vague metaphors, opaque information, and disjointed messages. By the end of the first COVID-19 wave these authorities progressively constructed a solid narrative that rationalised the pandemic as a challenge reaffirming the EU’s principles and capacities. This study suggests that when the EU faced more external criticism and inner discord among member states, its authorities resorted to ambiguity to strategically mitigate its reputational damage while navigating through conflicting interests in a high-pressure scenario.

Repairing damaged reputations through targeted poverty alleviation: Evidence from private companies’ strategies to deal with negative media coverage

When negative media coverage causes reputational crises, companies must find suitable tools to repair their reputation and reverse their negative image. As a CSR activity with political- and livelihood-related implications, targeted poverty alleviation may be an effective tool. Using data on negative media coverage of Chinese A-share private listed companies, we examine whether companies engage in targeted poverty alleviation in response to reputational crises caused by negative media coverage. We find that negative media coverage leads private companies to engage more actively and intensively in targeted poverty alleviation because of the significant increase in public attention to the bad news. These companies must urgently rebuild their positive image using targeted poverty alleviation to resolve their public opinion crisis. Further analyses suggest that original and in-depth negative media coverage is more likely to cause companies’ active participation in targeted poverty alleviation. In addition, negative media coverage is more likely to lead companies to engage in targeted poverty alleviation when they are in heavily polluting industries or face greater pressure from external investors. Finally, we find that active involvement in targeted poverty alleviation helps companies improve their market reputation and thus effectively manage public relations crises caused by negative media coverage.

Walk the Talk: The Boohoo Case Study

This case study of a UK-based global fast fashion brand Boohoo encourages critical exploration of a complex, ethical and reputational crisis. Taking a macromarketing perspective, the reader is encouraged to consider all of the factors, actors and relationships in the industry, society and the supply chain to appreciate the resulting ethical considerations that arise. Boohoo has been described as a successful online company that provides a wide range of products, including clothing, footwear, beauty products and accessories. However, the company came under fire in July 2020 after an exposé published in the Sunday Times, the Sunday paper of The Times, named Britain's most trusted national newspaper. The exposé published a report from an undercover investigation that revealed some unacceptable practices in relation to working conditions. The poor working conditions were worsened by the COVID-19 outbreak. As the media criticised Boohoo, the company launched an independent review which eventually confirmed the allegations and stated that the investigation's findings were “substantially true”. Written from the perspective of a PR consultancy that wants to help Boohoo restore its reputation, the case uses secondary information to thoroughly understand Boohoo's situation. The PR consultants therefore investigate the Sunday Times’ allegations, Boohoo's practices and responses to those allegations, and the company's practices from an ethical point of view. The PR consultancy also investigates the fashion industry, with a focus on fast fashion, which creates an environment where suppliers and retailers in the system try to produce products as cheaply and profitably as possible. To fully understand those affected by this exposé, those influential to the industry and those stakeholders who govern or put pressure on the industry, they consider: the people and local government of Leicester ( pronounced Lester), the supplier factories, national government websites and views of pressure groups and charities.

Intraday liquidity modelling using statistical methods

The correct approach to liquidity risk management in banks is essential for securing their financial stability. The position of liquidity risk among the rest of bank risks is specific because the negative outcome is not just a loss, but directly the bankruptcy of the institution. Such an occurrence might start a chain reaction and bring uncertainty into the entire financial system. This paper focused on one source of liquidity risk, i.e. management of liquidity throughout the day. The management of intraday liquidity is related to cash inflows and outflows occurring during the business day, their timing and settlement. In 2013, the BCBS published the document Monitoring tools for intraday liquidity management, often referred to by the regulatory authorities. It offers basic concepts of intraday liquidity monitoring and sketchily defines stress scenarios. The author suggests possibilities of how to perform intraday liquidity stress testing in a bank, which is often required by supervisors, even though no detailed approach or methodology as to how to proceed was introduced by the regulators. The research was carried out on anonymised data of cash inflows and outflows recorded on a central bank reserves account of one of the Slovak commercial banks. Both a base and four stress scenarios were developed and suggested for the better understanding of expected cashflows in standard conditions and during stress. The author’s aim was to develop scenarios in a non-traditional way by means of a basic and EWMA historical bootstrap simulations, respectively. Stress scenarios are supposed to simulate reputation crisis, disruption in RTGS payment system, increased deposit outflows and bank run. The purpose of the proposed intraday liquidity monitoring scenarios was to strengthen resilience not only for a concrete bank, but also the entire financial system. Intraday liquidity monitoring is a key factor in securing stability of the financial sector.

THE EFFECTS OF MEDIA ON PUBLIC ATTITUDE DURING THE BRAND VALUE CRISIS: EVIDENCES FROM GRIGEO CASE

Many scholars have focused on consumers when analysing the brand crisis and the importance of the media during the event, creating a lack of empirical research on public attitudes. In addition, the empirical studies of public attitude conducted so far analyse it abstractly, dividing the attitude into positive, negative and neutral. The significant effects of the brand value crisis drive the need for more detailed research, i.e. to analyse the public's attitude through the components of emotions, cognition and behaviour. Such a study would allow us to understand better the expression of public attitudes against the background of brand crisis and media information about the crisis and how public attitudes, brand crisis and media information interact. It should also be noted that each crisis is unpredictable and different, so each investigated case of a crisis becomes another source of knowledge and crisis prevention. This study aims to evaluate the effect of media on public attitude during the brand value crisis. This study uses the media content quantitative analysis method to examine the media effect on public attitude during the reputational crisis of the paper and wood industry company group in the Baltic countries. The research revealed that during the brand value crisis, the media is dominated by information that emphasises immorality. The brand value crisis has had a negative impact on public attitudes through all three of its components. The established unfavourable public attitude towards the brand was demonstrated by feedback, causing negative consequences for the brand. The research findings allow the authors to confirm the obvious relationships between the brand value crisis, media information reflecting immorality, and public emotions, cognition, and behaviour. The study revealed the case of a brand value crisis that provoked a strong public reaction. Public attitudes have been analysed through its components (emotions, cognition, and behaviour), thus making it clearer to identify preventive communication activities and avoid the larger-scale development of the brand value crisis. This study provides a basis for the theoretical development of crisis management and expands the discussion of the crisis’s effect on public attitude. The research findings may provide insights into corporate crisis communication and be prerequisites for sound brand communication solutions in public, by anticipating the possible development of public attitudes and seeking to control them. The interaction between the symbolic value and the effects of the brand, and the emotions, cognition and behaviour of the public, which was formed with the dominance of media information reflecting the immorality of the brand value crisis, was established. The interaction between the brand value crisis and pubic attitude regarding in terms of the impact of media information has been reasoned.

Examining the Influence of Algorithmic Message Personalization on Source Credibility and Reputation

Digital technologies such as AI (Artificial Intelligence) and big data analytics are altering public relations practices such as scanning social media and posting during crises. Crisis scholarship found these practices could potentially yield positive crisis outcomes such as increased reputational measures. However, research has not yet fully outlined the potential risks associated with using these tactics in crisis communication. Guided by situational crisis communication theory (SCCT), this study utilized a 2 (reputation repair strategy: Deny/Apology) x 2 (presence vs. absence of message personalization notification) factorial design experiment to determine how the utilization of algorithmic message personalization might influence reputational and source credibility evaluations during an athlete reputational crisis (ARC). Results revealed that reputation repair strategy selection indirectly influenced stakeholders’ reputation evaluations via source credibility. This relationship was moderated by a notification of personalization. Theoretical and practical insights elucidate how the increased usage of algorithmic-based message personalization influences crisis communication outcomes.