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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.

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.

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).

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.

The study offers critical information for marketers considering the use of defensive crisis communications strategies such as blame shifting.

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.

In an effort to provide insights that nurture the future of brand relationships, this paper aims to examine the impact of brand communications on consumption behavior during critical events that significantly impact the marketplace. Specifically, this research focuses on external crises (i.e. global health crises, natural disasters and regional conflicts) beyond the control of the corporations that govern brands. It does so by exploring the most effective brand communication strategies at the onset of a crisis when brands may shift promotional content to more sensitive, crisis-related content as a means to connect with consumers. Furthermore, this paper seeks to understand which consumer segment will benefit most from brands’ crisis-related content.

This research introduces two empirical studies (combined sample = 490), using student and online participant samples.

Results from this work demonstrate that at the onset of a crisis, consumers’ attitudes, brand engagement, and self-brand connections significantly increase after visualizing crisis-related versus noncrisis-related brand messages. Results also reveal that consumers who feel less socially connected will react more favorably to brand communications that contain crisis-related content (i.e. informative or emotional content related to the crisis) than non-crisis-related content (i.e. marketing content aimed to promote and advertise the brand, product and/or services).

While the effect of crisis communications on consumption behavior and the moderating effect of social connections is explored, the underlying mechanism of these effects is not investigated in this study. Therefore, future research might consider evaluating the mechanisms that drive these effects.

This work builds on past research to help establish that during early critical times, marketing managers should include crisis-related content in their communications, which will increase consumers’ positive reactions toward the brand.

Another implication of this work is that it underscores the significance of crisis-related brand communications as an inclusive practice because these are particularly well-received among vulnerable consumer segments, such as those who feel less socially connected during critical times.

Proactive communication strategies allow brands to better manage external critical challenges. As brands navigate a postpandemic marketplace, this research highlights the adaptations that managers can make to their communication strategies at peak uncertain times, such as the earlier stages of an external crisis.

This paper aims to investigates the use of internal communications to foster workforce resilience in the cruise industry during a crisis. Drawing on the regulatory focus theory, this study explores how internal communication strategies can build employee resilience particularly at a time of difficulty. The regulatory focus theory explores the employee’s rationale for goal pursuit. Prevention-focused individuals are concerned with safety and responsibility while promotion-focused individuals focus on goal advancement. The authors seek to broaden the existing understanding of the application of the regulatory focus theory as a lens to inform internal communications crisis strategies.

Qualitative research using 15-semi structured interviews with cruise industry experts was undertaken during the pandemic. Applying a sensemaking and sense giving approach the researchers thematically analyzed the data in three stages, allowing for new theoretical insights to be uncovered.

The findings suggest that internal communication strategies should include prevention-focused messages emphasizing the cruise companies’ responsibility to employees, and promotion-focused communications, to include social interaction and individual growth opportunities.

This study’s contribution is three-fold. First, the authors extend the theoretical application of the regulatory focus theory to internal communication and identify a novel concurrent application of both prevention- and promotion-focused messages for developing a resilient workforce. Second, the authors introduce a preliminary conceptualization of an internal crisis communication strategy, emphasizing the concurrent application of prevention- and promotion-focused messages. Finally, the author offer practical suggestions for managing crisis communication strategies.

本文研究了在危机中利用内部沟通来建立邮轮业员工的复原力。借鉴规范方法理论, 本研究探讨了内部沟通策略如何促进员工的复原力, 尤其是在困难时期。规范性关注理论探讨了员工追求目标的原因。注重预防的人关注安全和责任, 而注重晋升的人则关注目标的实现。我们旨在扩展现有的知识, 将规范性焦点理论作为一个镜头, 为危机情况下的内部沟通策略提供参考。

我们对邮轮行业的专家进行了15次半结构化的访谈。 研究人员使用感性认识和感性方法, 分三个阶段对数据进行了主题分析, 发现了新的理论观点。

研究结果表明, 内部沟通策略应该包括以预防为主的信息, 强调邮轮公司对员工的责任, 以及以宣传为主的沟通, 包括社会互动和个人成长的机会。

本研究的贡献有三点。首先, 我们扩展了监管焦点理论在内部沟通中的理论应用, 并确定了一个新的同时应用预防和宣传为重点的信息来发展一个有弹性的员工队伍。其次, 我们提出了内部危机沟通连续体的初步概念化。最后, 我们为管理危机沟通策略提供了实用建议。

Este artículo investiga el uso de las comunicaciones internas para fomentar la resiliencia de los trabajadores del sector de los cruceros durante una crisis. Basándose en la teoría del enfoque normativo, este estudio explora cómo las estrategias de comunicación interna pueden fomentar la resiliencia de los empleados, especialmente en un momento de dificultad. La Teoría del Enfoque Normativo explora las razones del empleado para perseguir un objetivo. Los individuos centrados en la prevención se preocupan por la seguridad y la responsabilidad, mientras que los centrados en la promoción se centran en la consecución de objetivos. Pretendemos ampliar el conocimiento existente sobre la aplicación de la Teoría del Enfoque Normativo como lente para informar las estrategias de comunicación interna en situaciones de crisis.

Realizamos 15 entrevistas semiestructuradas con expertos del sector de los cruceros. Aplicando un enfoque de creación y transmisión de sentido, los investigadores analizaron temáticamente los datos en tres fases, lo que permitió descubrir nuevas perspectivas teóricas.

Los resultados sugieren que las estrategias de comunicación interna deben incluir mensajes centrados en la prevención, que hagan hincapié en la responsabilidad de las compañías de cruceros para con los empleados, y comunicaciones centradas en la promoción, que incluyan la interacción social y las oportunidades de crecimiento individual.

La contribución de este estudio es triple. En primer lugar, ampliamos la aplicación teórica de la Teoría del Enfoque Regulador a la comunicación interna e identificamos una novedosa aplicación concurrente de mensajes centrados tanto en la prevención como en la promoción para desarrollar una plantilla resiliente. En segundo lugar, presentamos una conceptualización preliminar del continuo de la comunicación interna de crisis. Por último, ofrecemos sugerencias prácticas para gestionar las estrategias de comunicación de crisis.

Aligning corporate communications through different information sources is a great challenge for marketers, especially those operating in the tourism sector, which has been harshly affected by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. This paper provides a deep analysis of the implementation of seven basic principles of the integrated marketing communications (IMC) paradigm in a crisis situation.

In-depth interviews with tourism and hospitality service providers were conducted in the fourth quarter of 2021 in Croatia, a destination that showed remarkable results in terms of the number of international tourist arrivals during the pandemic.

Most firms successfully transitioned from tactical to strategic IMC implementation. Some problems were reported in the coordination of communication tools and channels. Whereas the use of digital technology was enhanced, database management did not receive sufficient attention. Message clarity represented the greatest challenge, while consumer-centric communication was the most neglected principle. Relationship building was pursued mainly through B2B rather than B2C communication, whereas brand equity development pursued through communication mix mostly focused on increases in awareness, perceived quality and attitudinal loyalty.

This research is qualitative in nature and provides opinions on IMC adoption from the managerial perspective only.

This paper provides guidelines for the successful integration of marketing communications (marcom) in an extremely ambiguous and uncertain environment.

The contribution of this work lies in the proposal of a new refined and expanded theoretical framework of IMC principles and numerous marcom strategies for operating during the COVID-19 pandemic, thus providing relevant implications for academia and industry.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication of the Fortune top-100 companies during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Specifically, the authors examine the messages of international companies' CSR communication to customers during the pandemic, focusing particularly on the companies' posts on Twitter. In addition to identifying what international companies communicate, the authors determine the motives of companies' COVID-19-related CSR communication as well as how companies strategically approach CSR communication.

Using Nvivo, the authors carried out content analysis of the COVID-19-related tweets of the Fortune top-100 companies using Twitter's ‘advanced search’ tool. The analysis included tweets posted between 1 February 2020 and September 2021, a period that represents the peak of the pandemic.

Study findings indicate that COVID-19-related CSR responses of international companies are driven by commitment to organizational values, attainment of recognition for timely response to COVID-19, altruistic motives to combat COVID-19 and congruence with social movements that create expectations from customers to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most companies adopt a response strategy to CSR communication, by informing customers of their COVID-19 responses in relation to several issues such as alterations in companies' processes and the impacts of the pandemic on health.

The study suggests that the CSR practices of companies should be strategically embedded in organizations' international marketing plans and not remain just on-off responses to crises should marketing-related benefits be obtained. Several recommendations are made to strengthen companies' adoption of a proactive, engagement-oriented approach to CSR communication.

The CSR communication of international companies during external crises has not been sufficiently studied in relation to international marketing, as most studies considered internal corporate crises. Focusing on an external crisis (COVID-19 pandemic) with global impacts, this study advances existing knowledge on international companies' CSR communication to their customers. Additionally, this study offers new insights on the role of integrated, coordinated and consistent CSR messages and strategies, which are targeted to the needs and expectations of domestic and international customers in response to COVID-19 pandemic.

Government communication is an essential part of the democratic process – it interconnects various stakeholder groups with the public, while also enabling the functioning of democratic systems based on values such as human rights, freedom of speech and public participation in governance. Besides promoting government successes or measures, government communication should foster mutual two-way communications between government organisations and different stakeholder groups. Specifically, communication about potential risks and hazards can suddenly appear and are subject to a different communication modus operandi. The accessibility and comprehensiveness of government information play an important role in how citizens make decisions and behave. In critical times, governments are required to meaningful crisis communication strategies to address the needs of different stakeholders. However, the Czech Republic as a post-communist country has not yet fully developed an integrated system of government communication with various stakeholder groups. The ministerial PR departments serve merely as technical support and media relations assistants for the ministers. This chapter presents research results regarding how the Czech Ministry of Education communicated during the pandemic crisis, how its communications were received by key stakeholders, and what pitfalls in communication it faced. The chapter presents empirical evidence of government communication challenges in times of crisis in a post-communist country and thus addresses the gap in government communication knowledge concerning the role of democracy and stakeholder participation in transforming societies. The chapter concludes with practical implications to prevent failures in future crises.

This study, informed by the Situational Crisis Communication Theory, aims to suggest two primary response strategies that can be used for effective internal crisis communication during a pandemic situation, such as COVID-19. The effect of base response strategies on employees' perceptions of communication quality, leadership and relational outcomes were investigated.

An online survey of full-time employees in the United States was conducted.

The findings showed that for an instructing information strategy, not all types of information were equally associated with positive employee responses in terms of perceived quality of internal communication related to the COVID-19 pandemic and transformational leadership. Specific information that employees need to know in order to safely perform daily tasks, such as organizational protocols and thorough preparation, seem to be the most needed and desired information. Adjusting information was positively associated with employee perceptions of internal communication quality and perceptions of CEO leadership. Employees' perceived quality of internal communication affected by the base crisis response strategies were positively correlated with perceptions of transformational leadership and relational outcomes (i.e. employee trust in the organization, employee perceptions of the organization's commitment to relationships with employees, employee support for organizational decision-making related to COVID-19).

This study presents important theoretical and practical insights through an interdisciplinary approach that applies the theoretical framework and relationship-oriented outcomes of public relations to public health crisis situations.

The study investigated the correlation between school communication and teachers' perceptions of the school's innovative climate in the Israeli education system during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis. Furthermore, this study examined the role of affective commitment and the role of sector (Arab or Jewish) in these correlations.

First, Arab and Jewish teachers studying toward their MA degree were randomly selected from 2 higher education institutes in Israel, and then other teachers were selected using the snowball method through teacher groups on the Facebook social network and WhatsApp groups (N = 383).

The findings revealed major differences between Arab and Jewish teachers. Among Arab teachers, the correlation between school communications and an innovative climate was found to be mediated through affective commitment, whereas among Jewish teachers, a direct correlation was found between the first two variables. The correlation between school communications and affective commitment was found to be stronger among Arab teachers than among Jewish teachers.

The study results confirmed that school communication and affective commitment hold a significant predictive value in school innovation and highlight the importance of affective commitment in supporting innovation. The study adds to the body of research directed at identifying antecedents to innovative climate as well as studies examining the effects of school communications on affective commitment and innovative climate in a multicultural society, both in regular and emergency situations. The findings can also provide valuable insights for culturally sensitive and relevant education policy design and management in the post-COVID-19 period.

Entrepreneurial communication describes the communication activities of entrepreneurs and is an essential tool for entrepreneurs to build relationships. However, there is a lack of research regarding how entrepreneurs adapt their communication styles in times of crisis. Nevertheless, entrepreneurial communication during a crisis is essential because entrepreneurs must continue communicating with their stakeholders and be visible. In this regard, communication has the central aim of preventing the startup from suffering any damage that may result from the crisis. Thus, the present paper explores potential shifts in the communication styles of entrepreneurs during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The authors examined the digital footprints of 780 entrepreneurs based in the USA on the social network Twitter. This study used a longitudinal dataset with the software Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) to analyze 110,283 tweets sent pre-crisis and during the first wave of COVID-19.

The results of the exploratory analysis revealed a connection between crisis and both analytical thinking and emotional responses. In the case of emotions, the results also suggest that entrepreneurs who had already received funding from venture capital investors remained emotionally robust during the crisis, as evidenced by the expression of more positive emotions compared to entrepreneurs without funding.

This study contributes to the understanding of entrepreneurial communication and adds the context of an exogenous shock to this research stream. Furthermore, this study highlights the effects of venture funding on the digital communication style of entrepreneurs, especially in the context of expressed emotions, and suggests emotional robustness for these entrepreneurs.

This study answers the call for research and theorising exploring ethical communication and brand risk from the African continent. The study's purpose was to identify the challenges that strategic communication practitioners face in enacting ethical crisis communication in South Africa.

The researchers conducted ten in-depth interviews with South African strategic communication professionals.

The dominant theme emerging from the study is the marginalisation and exclusion of the communication function in decision-making during crisis situations. Communicators were viewed as implementers, technicians and not strategic counsel. The protection of organisational reputation was done at the expense of the ethics and moral conscience of practitioners. Practitioners were viewed and deployed as spin doctors and tools to face unwanted media interactions.

The article sheds light on the concepts of ethical communication and decision-making in a multicultural African context using the moral theory of Ubuntu and strategic communication. It demonstrates the tension professionals experience as they toggle between unethical capitalist approaches and African values. The practitioner's role as organisational moral conscience is hindered, suppressed and undermined by organisational leadership's directives to use opaque, complex communication, selective transparency and misrepresentation of facts.