Review Journal - Annisa Arifiana

Review Journal entitle Apologies and Public Relations Crises at Chrysler, Toshiba, and Volvo by Keith Michael Hearit, and second journal is Attribution Theory as a Guide for Post-Crisis Communication Research by W. Timothy Coombs.

By: Annisa Arifiana - 135120207121009

The first journal is about analysis of corporate apologetic discourse of three paradigmatic cases, at Chrysler, Toshiba, and Volvo. The three corporate had a negative image, so they have to concern to solve the problem/ crises, such as campaign, or choose to say nothing, depend on the crises and the strategy to improve its damaged image.

When an organization faces crises, wehther because of the corporate incompetence or a lack of concern for community, there are the primary way to counter charges that is apologia. Apologia is an apology and also a defense that seeks to present a compelling. This is an effort to neutralize the argumentative force of the initial charges or wrongdoing.

In the attempt of detract the effect of the crisis to the organization, commonly organization seeks three objectives. “As inscribed by Hearit (1994), first it attempts to present a convincing and plausible description of the situation in which the wrongdoing allegedly occurred that offers a competing narrative to the one commonly reported. Second, to diffuse the anger and hostility directed at the company, the organization issues a statement of regret that expresses concern but acknowledges minimal responsibility. Third, the organization engages in dissociation to remove the linkage of the organization with the wrongdoing. I now explore these three objectives in greater detail.”

The journal narrated the crises situation that affict these three corporate. From the researcher analysis, seen that corporations attempt to use apologia as the defense, where it leads the company to distance themselves from the wrongdoing.

The second journal talks about the next of crisis communication or post-crisis communication, the role of Attribution Theory. The post-crisis communication research is often disjointed and atheoretical where tend to what to do and what not to do drawn from case studies, rather than arrange the proper theoritical strategies.

“What we need in crisis communication is a shift towards evidence-based management, the use of scientific evidence to guide managerial decision-making (Rousseau, 2005).”

Attribution Theory posits that people look for the causes of events, especially unexpected and negative events. Most experts agree that a crisis is negative and unexpected. When using Attribution Theory, the threat of a crisis is largely a function of crisis responsibility.

A partial list include application of fundamental attribution error to crises and implications for crisis communication, the ability of crisis response strategies to shape perceptions of the crisis frames, how crisis response strategies, and relationship of crisis frames to counter-factual thinking. With Attribution Theory, the theory can be regarded as a product strategy of framing (how the phenomena or information selected, emphasized, and presented). Diverse streams of research can converge into to a river of post-crisis communication knowledge that provides a mechanism for evidence-based crisis communication.

From both journal, if I make a conclusion, the two journal discussed same topic, about crises. I think this both journal is good for the reader, to further more information and knowledge about how to handling crisis with a aplogia as method, and attribution theory.

References:

Hearit, K. M. (1994). Apologies and public relations crises at Chrysler, Toshiba, and Volvo. Public Relation Review, 20 (2), 113-125.

Coombs, W. T. (2006). Attribution theory as a guide for post-crisis communication research. Public Relation Review, 33. 135-139.