Jurnal Review - Iriene Muharani

iriene muharani

125120207121014

Apologies and Public Relations Crises at Chrysler, Toshiba, and Volvo. By Keith Michael Hearit

This journal discussing about how public relations handling crisis situation. In these cases, crisis was occurred because of the company wrongdoing. So in that case apology is the main solution. But public relations is using apologia method which is different with general apology. It is more a defense for the company actions. The writer also stated that the point is to make public understanding the company’s explanation first. The communication strategies also required to be persuasive. Which necessary to control public interpretation.

The cases of the crises is different each company. In Chrysler corporation shows that they sold used car as new. In Volvo its about deceptive advertising where its too much dramatization. And Toshiba Corporation sold a secret milling equipment to Uni Soviet illegally. These companies are required to gives statements of regret. Admitting the wrongdoing and express the regret statement. This regret statement benefit is implied that the problem from wrongdoing is stopped and resolved. And also it needed some assertion such as never let that happen again. This statement could suggest public mind that the problem is isolated and under control.

After apologia and statement of regrets another strategy is dissociation. This strategy puts company distance from their wrongdoing. Its favorably the public to understand the facts behind the act. In understanding the reality it is important to asserts opinion or knowledge. And the next is concerning individual or group who acted and responsible for the wrongdoing. And the last is act or essence strategy. The value of this attempt is to redefine understanding crisis landscape to be more favorable to the company.

Attribution Theory as a guide for post-crisis communication research. By W. Timothy Coombs

The next journal discussing about the post-crisis strategy. Actually post-crisis is a long term phase in order to make image restoration. This journal takes attribution  theory as  guide for communication research after crisis. Communication crisis is mostly required evidence based perspective. Which is quite the same with attribution theory characteristic. The logic is the stakeholders will make attribution about the cause of the crisis and then they asses the crisis with responsible. Connecting with attribution theory it requires people to look to the causes, especially in negative crisis.

Crises will causes negative effects on sales, company image also company reputation. Situational crisis communication theory applies on various type of crises. For the first step this theory divided into 3 crisis type. First is crisis caused by natural disasters or rumor. Which this type has weak attributions of crisis responsibility. Second is accidental such as technical error where it occurs unintentional. The third is intentional which has very strong attribution of crisis responsibility such as human error or company wrongdoing. And then the second step is to asses threat into consistency (crisis history) and distinctiveness (relationship, reputation).