Advancing Crisis Communication Effectiveness

Yan Jin (Ph.D., University of Missouri) is the Georgia Athletic Association Professor and a Professor of Public Relations at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Georgia. Dr. Jin has authored more than 85 peer-reviewed journal articles and over 20 book chapters. She is co-editor of the Routledge book Social Media and Crisis Communication. In 2019, Dr. Jin received the Kitty O. Locker Outstanding Researcher Award from the Association for Business Communication, which recognizes her research excellence and contribution to the business communication discipline. She is a member of the Arthur W. Page Society. Bryan H. Reber (Ph.D., University of Missouri) is C. Richard Yarbrough Professor in Crisis Communication Leadership and Head of the Department of Advertising and Public Relations at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Georgia. Dr. Reber has published over 50 journal articles, book chapters and encyclopedia entries. He is co-author of the book, Gaining Influence in Public Relations: The Role of Resistance in Practice, and three top-selling public relations textbooks. Dr. Reber is a member of the Arthur W. Page Society and serves as Research Director of the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations. Glen J. Nowak (Ph.D., of Wisconsin-Madison) is a Professor of Advertising and Public Relations at the University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication and Director of its Center for Health and Risk Communication. Dr. Nowak spent 14 years at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including six years as the Communications Director for the National Immunization Program and six years as the agency’s Director of Media Relations.

PART I

Overview and Context 1

1 Complex and Challenging Crises: A Call for Solutions 3

BRYAN H. REBER, C. RICHARD YARBROUGH, GLEN NOWAK, AND YAN JIN

2 The Evolving Complexity of Crisis Issues: The Role of Crisis History 17

LASHONDA L. EADDY AND SHELLEY SPECTOR

PART II

Most Challenging Organizational Crises 33

3 Corporate Crises: Sticky Crises and Corporations 35

W. T IMOTHY COOMBS, SHERRY J. HOLLADAY, AND RICK WHITE

4 Connected in Crisis: How Nonprofit Organizations Can Respond and Refocus 52

HILARY FUSSELL SISCO AND MARK MCMULLEN

5 Media Relations for Government/Public Affairs Crises: Ethical and Unethical Components of Scandal and Spin 63

DAVID E. CLEMENTSON, JOSEPH WATSON JR., AND MICHAEL GREENWELL

PART III

Most Challenging Public Crises 77

6 A Promising but Difficult Domain: Complex Health-related Crises and Academic-Professional Collaboration 79

GLEN NOWAK AND MICHAEL GREENWELL

7 Disaster and Emergency Crisis Management Communication 92

ROBERT L. HEATH, J. SUZANNE HORSLEY, GREG GUEST, AND CHRIS GLAZIER

PART IV

Crises Amplified by Media and Aggravated by Misinformation 111

8 Managing Misinformation and Conflicting Information: A Framework for Understanding Misinformation and Rumor 113

LUCINDA AUSTIN, TONI G.L.A. VAN DER MEER, YEN-I LEE, AND JIM SPANGLER

9 Technology and Social Media: Challenges and Opportunities for Effective Crisis and Risk Communication 130

DEANNA D. SELLNOW, LUCINDA AUSTIN, AND CIRO DIAS REIS

10 Law and (Lack of) Order in Complex Crises 149

JOSEPH WATSON, JR., JAMES D. FIRTH, AND JONATHAN PETERS

PART V

What Can Crisis Theories Do (Better) for Practice? 163

11 Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) and Application in Dealing with Complex, Challenging, and Recurring Crises 165

W. T IMOTHY COOMBS, SHERRY J. HOLLADAY, AND KAREN L. WHITE

12 Managing Complexity: Insights from the Contingency Theory of Strategic Conflict Management 181

YAN JIN, AUGUSTINE PANG, GLEN T. CAMERON, SUNGSU KIM, AND LEONARD (LEN) A. PAGANO, JR.

13 Calming Giants in the Earth: The Internalization, Distribution, Explanation, and Action (IDEA) Model as Strategic Communication in Crises with Competing Narratives 198

TIMOTHY L. SELLNOW, DEANNA D. SELLNOW, AND CIRO DIAS REIS

14 The Social-Mediated Crisis Communication (SMCC) Model: Identifying the Next Frontier 214

BROOKE FISHER LIU, YAN JIN, LUCINDA AUSTIN, ERICA KULIGOWSKI, AND CAMILA ESPINA YOUNG

PART VI

Looking Ahead and Trekking Forward Together 231

15 The Future of Collaborative Crisis Research 233

YAN JIN, MATTHEW O’CONNOR, BRYAN H. REBER, AND GLEN NOWAK