W. Timothy Coombs

Helping Crisis Managers Protect Reputational Assets: Initial Tests of the Situational Crisis Communication Theory

A situational crisis communication theory (SCCT), which articulates the variables, assumptions, and relationships that should be considered in selecting crisis response strategies to protect an organization’s reputation, is advanced. Although various studies taking a situational approach have touched on certain of the theory’s variables and relationships, this study represents the first attempt to articulate and begin to test a situational theory of crisis communication. SCCT is premised on matching the crisis response to the level of crisis responsibility attributed to a crisis. The study explores one of the basic assumptions of SCCT by assessing whether the predicted correlational relationship between crisis responsibility and organizational reputation occurs across a range of crisis types. Results support the theory’s predictions and suggest ways to refine the theory.

Choosing the Right Words: The Development of Guidelines for the Selection of the “Appropriate” Crisis-Response Strategies

Although crisis management has evolved rapidly over the past decade, the symbolic aspect of crisis management has been ignored. More specifically, little research has examined crisis-response strategies (public statements made after a crisis) to see how these messages can be used to shape public perceptions of the crisis and the organization in crisis. This article synthesizes existing literature to create a list of crisis-response strategies and develops a set of guidelines for appropriate use of a given strategy. The guidelines are based upon Attribution Theory and use the crisis situation and the publics as the factors that help to determine when a crisis-response strategy is appropriate.

Impact of Past Crises on Current Crisis Communication Insights From Situational Crisis Communication Theory

Previous research based on Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) suggests that an organization’s past crises history affects the reputational threat posed by a current crisis when that crisis results from intentional acts by the organization. The study reported on in this article provides a wider test of crisis history to better assess its role in crisis communication. Results from the present investigation showed that a history of similar crises intensified the reputational threat of a current crisis even when the crisis arose from the victimization of the organization or from an accident, rather than from the organization’s intentional acts. The threat to reputation was primarily direct, rather than indirect, through perceived responsibility for the crisis. There was little difference in the perceptions of organizations identified as having had no history of past similar crises versus those for whom no information about past crises was provided. Perception of an organization’s responsibility was negatively correlated with the perceived impact on reputation. Implications for the practice of crisis communication and further development of SCCT are discussed.

Unpacking the halo effect: reputation and crisis management

Purpose – Crisis managers believe in the value of a favorable, pre‐crisis reputation. The prior reputation can create a halo effect that protects an organization during a crisis. The prior reputation/halo might work as a shield that deflects the potential reputational damage from a crisis. Or the prior reputation/halo might encourage stakeholders to give the organization the benefit of the doubt in the crisis (reduce attributions of crisis responsibility). Oddly, researchers have had little luck in producing a halo effect for prior reputation in crisis situations. The purpose of this paper is to present two studies designed to test if the halo effect could occur and which of the two dynamics of the prior reputation halo best serve to explain the benefits of a favorable, pre‐crisis reputation.Design/methodology/approach – The research focuses on a set of studies conducted to illustrate the halo effect and to explore how it serves to protect an organization during a crisis. The implications of the findings ...

The Internet as Potential Equalizer: New Leverage for Confronting Social Irresponsibility.

Abstract Activists historically have been viewed as “powerless” groups. For instances, stakeholder theory consistently places activists in the less powerful categories of stakeholders. This lack of power is evidenced when activists attempt to change what they perceive to be irresponsible behavior by organizations. A powerless group is easy to ignore. Now activists have a new weapon which can change the organization-stakeholder dynamic—the Internet. This article uses recent developments in stakeholder theory to explain how the Internet, when used effectively, can allow activist groups to become more powerful and to command the attention of organizations. Two case analyses are used to illustrate the theoretical points presented in the article.

The Protective Powers of Crisis Response Strategies

Abstract This study examines how stakeholders perceive the various crisis response strategies identified in the Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT). SCCT seeks to use research and theory to develop recommendations for the use of crisis response strategies. The crisis response strategies are matched to the nature of the crisis situation. The idea is to match the level of responsibility and aid to victims in the crisis response strategy that would be warranted by the crisis responsibility and reputational damage generated by the crisis situation. This study reviews previous research in SCCT, establishes the need to examine stakeholder perceptions of crisis response strategies, and examines how respondents perceive crisis response strategies in terms of accepting responsibility and helping victims. The results and implications confirm many of the ideas about crisis response strategies advanced in SCCT.

The negative communication dynamic

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to present a study designed to test if anger is a mediator in the relationship between crisis responsibility and negative word‐of‐mouth and crisis responsibility and purchase intention. Emphasizes the relationship between anger, crisis responsibility, and intended negative word‐of‐mouth, what we call the negative communication dynamic. Researchers have just begun to explore the role of affect in crisis communication by linking it to behavioral intentions and proving that crisis affect is largely a function of crisis responsibility (perceived organizational responsibility for the crisis).Design/methodology/approach – An experimental design is used to test for the mediator relationship. The design reflects the studys theoretical link to Attribution Theory.Findings – The results support that anger is a moderator in the relationship between crisis responsibility and intended negative word‐of‐mouth and between crisis responsibility and purchase intention.Research limi...

Speaking of Visions and Visions Being Spoken An Exploration of the Effects of Content and Delivery on Perceptions of Leader Charisma

This experiment extends previous research by examining empirically the relationship of message delivery and content to perceptions of leader charisma. A 2 (delivery: weak and strong) × 2 (content: visionary and nonvisionary) design was used to examine how delivery and content affect perceptions of leader charisma. The results indicate that although both delivery and content play a role in the development of perceptions of charisma, the impact of delivery is stronger. The analyses also reveal that the attentive, relaxed, friendly, and dominant style variables are significant predictors of perceptions of leader charisma. The results of this experiment highlight the need to examine the role of communication in charismatic leadership.

An Exploratory Study of Stakeholder Emotions: Affect and Crises

This manuscript reports an exploratory investigation to integrate emotions into the study of post-crisis communication. Using the discussion of the role of affect in Attribution Theory, the research integrates emotion into Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT), one approach to post-crisis communication. SCCT uses crisis responsibility, how much people believe the organization is responsible for the crisis, to determine the most effective post-crisis communication strategy for protecting the organizations reputation. The research examines the amount of sympathy, anger, and schadenfreude generated by a variety of crisis types. The focus is on the connection between these three emotions and perceptions of crisis responsibility. The results suggest how emotion can be integrated into post-crisis communication and supports the value of including emotion in future research.

Communicating Visions An Exploration of the Role of Delivery in the Creation of Leader Charisma

The concept of charismatic leadership has emerged as a central concern in leadership research. This investigation examines the impact of delivery on perceptions of leader charisma. Respondents were exposed to a supervisor presenting a charismatic message in either a weak or strong delivery condition. The results indicate that delivery does make a difference in evaluations of leader charisma. The concept of communicator style is offered as a way to interpret the findings.