2014/01/01 by Patric R. Spence, Kenneth A. Lachlan, Leah M. Omilion‐Hodges +1 · 27 citations
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Communication in Education and Healthcare #Crisis communication #Disaster Management and Resilience #Empirical evidence #Empirical research #Epistemology #Perception #Political science #Psychology #Public Relations and Crisis Communication #Public relations #Reputation #Social psychology #Social science #Sociology #Stakeholder
paper · open access · doi:10.1080/08824096.2013.846259
published in Communication Research Reports 31(1), 124-130 (Routledge)
openalex publication_date 2014/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
Research in organizational communication and public relations suggest that in times of crises, messages generated by the organization are most likely to positively influence stakeholder perceptions, whereas those generated by the press may have negative ramifications. Although this advice seems logical, to date there is little research that investigates this claim empirically and directly. Two experiments were conducted to explore the separate and combined impact of print and televised messages concerning an organization in the midst of a crisis. The findings offer empirical evidence that statements from organizations experiencing crises may offset negative stakeholder responses. Theoretical and pragmatic implications are discussed regarding these findings.