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5. Situational crisis communication theory: Influences, provenance, evolution, and prospects

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Crisis Communication
This chapter is in the book Crisis Communication

Abstract

Situational crisis communication theory (SCCT) is a cognitive-based, prescriptive theory designed specifically to explain the use of optimal and sub-optimal crisis responses during organizational crises. This chapter explores the origins, evolution, and future prospects for SCCT. The origin details the intellectual traditions and practical concerns that influenced the development of SCCT. Social science theory should not be static. New research and ideas enter a field and theory should be able to adapt to accommodate to the changes if the theory is to hold its value for the field. While the core concepts of SCCT remain the same, additional variables and changes to the prescribed crisis responses have been developed. The evolution of SCCT reflects the changes created by new findings in crisis communication research and the effects of the digital environment on crisis communication. The future prospects highlight promising areas for future research using SCCT.

Abstract

Situational crisis communication theory (SCCT) is a cognitive-based, prescriptive theory designed specifically to explain the use of optimal and sub-optimal crisis responses during organizational crises. This chapter explores the origins, evolution, and future prospects for SCCT. The origin details the intellectual traditions and practical concerns that influenced the development of SCCT. Social science theory should not be static. New research and ideas enter a field and theory should be able to adapt to accommodate to the changes if the theory is to hold its value for the field. While the core concepts of SCCT remain the same, additional variables and changes to the prescribed crisis responses have been developed. The evolution of SCCT reflects the changes created by new findings in crisis communication research and the effects of the digital environment on crisis communication. The future prospects highlight promising areas for future research using SCCT.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Preface to Handbooks of Communication Science series V
  3. Acknowledgements IX
  4. Contents XI
  5. Section I – Introducing the field
  6. 1. General introduction 1
  7. 2. A brief history of crisis management and crisis communication: From organizational practice to academic discipline 17
  8. 3. Reframing the field: Public crisis management, political crisis management, and corporate crisis management 59
  9. Section II – Between text and context
  10. 4. Image repair theory 105
  11. 5. Situational crisis communication theory: Influences, provenance, evolution, and prospects 121
  12. 6. Contingency theory: Evolution from a public relations theory to a theory of strategic conflict management 141
  13. 7. Discourse of renewal: Understanding the theory’s implications for the field of crisis communication 165
  14. 8. Making sense of crisis sensemaking theory: Weick’s contributions to the study of crisis communication 177
  15. 9. Arenas and voices in organizational crisis communication: How far have we come? 195
  16. 10. Visual crisis communication 213
  17. Section III – Organizational level
  18. 11. To minimize or mobilize? The trade-offs associated with the crisis communication process 237
  19. 12. Internal crisis communication: On current and future research 259
  20. 13. Whistleblowing in organizations 279
  21. 14. Employee reactions to negative media coverage 299
  22. 15. Crisis communication and organizational resilience 319
  23. Section IV – Interorganizational level
  24. 16. Fixing the broken link: Communication strategies for supply chain crises 343
  25. 17. Reputational interdependence and spillover: Exploring the contextual challenges of spillover crisis response 363
  26. 18. Crisis management consulting: An emerging field of study 375
  27. Section V – Societal level
  28. 19. Crisis and emergency risk communication: Past, present, and future 401
  29. 20. Crisis communication in public organizations 419
  30. 21. Communicating and managing crisis in the world of politics 439
  31. 22. Crisis communication and the political scandal 461
  32. 23. Crisis communication and social media: Short history of the evolution of social media in crisis communication 477
  33. 24. Mass media and their symbiotic relationship with crisis 493
  34. Section VI – Intersocietal level
  35. 25. Should CEOs of multinationals be spokespersons during an overseas product harm crisis? 511
  36. 26. Intercultural and multicultural approaches to crisis communication 523
  37. Section VII – Critical approaches
  38. 27. Ethics in crisis communication 543
  39. Section VIII – The future
  40. 28. The future of organizational crises, crisis management and crisis communication 565
  41. Biographical sketches 571
  42. Index 581
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https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110554236-005

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Preface to Handbooks of Communication Science series V
  3. Acknowledgements IX
  4. Contents XI
  5. Section I – Introducing the field
  6. 1. General introduction 1
  7. 2. A brief history of crisis management and crisis communication: From organizational practice to academic discipline 17
  8. 3. Reframing the field: Public crisis management, political crisis management, and corporate crisis management 59
  9. Section II – Between text and context
  10. 4. Image repair theory 105
  11. 5. Situational crisis communication theory: Influences, provenance, evolution, and prospects 121
  12. 6. Contingency theory: Evolution from a public relations theory to a theory of strategic conflict management 141
  13. 7. Discourse of renewal: Understanding the theory’s implications for the field of crisis communication 165
  14. 8. Making sense of crisis sensemaking theory: Weick’s contributions to the study of crisis communication 177
  15. 9. Arenas and voices in organizational crisis communication: How far have we come? 195
  16. 10. Visual crisis communication 213
  17. Section III – Organizational level
  18. 11. To minimize or mobilize? The trade-offs associated with the crisis communication process 237
  19. 12. Internal crisis communication: On current and future research 259
  20. 13. Whistleblowing in organizations 279
  21. 14. Employee reactions to negative media coverage 299
  22. 15. Crisis communication and organizational resilience 319
  23. Section IV – Interorganizational level
  24. 16. Fixing the broken link: Communication strategies for supply chain crises 343
  25. 17. Reputational interdependence and spillover: Exploring the contextual challenges of spillover crisis response 363
  26. 18. Crisis management consulting: An emerging field of study 375
  27. Section V – Societal level
  28. 19. Crisis and emergency risk communication: Past, present, and future 401
  29. 20. Crisis communication in public organizations 419
  30. 21. Communicating and managing crisis in the world of politics 439
  31. 22. Crisis communication and the political scandal 461
  32. 23. Crisis communication and social media: Short history of the evolution of social media in crisis communication 477
  33. 24. Mass media and their symbiotic relationship with crisis 493
  34. Section VI – Intersocietal level
  35. 25. Should CEOs of multinationals be spokespersons during an overseas product harm crisis? 511
  36. 26. Intercultural and multicultural approaches to crisis communication 523
  37. Section VII – Critical approaches
  38. 27. Ethics in crisis communication 543
  39. Section VIII – The future
  40. 28. The future of organizational crises, crisis management and crisis communication 565
  41. Biographical sketches 571
  42. Index 581
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