Communication Management: Applying Theory To Real Cases: Crisis
Conversely, Timothy Coombs’ offers a more prescriptive approach. Coombs categorizes crises based on attribution of responsibility—victim crises, accidental crises, and preventable crises—and matches these categories to specific response strategies. SCCT argues that as an organization’s responsibility for a crisis increases, the public expects a more accommodative response. These theories provide the roadmap; real-world cases provide the terrain.
This piece was written as an educational synthesis for crisis communication practitioners and students. All case facts are drawn from public records and scholarly analysis.
When responsibility is high, denial or minimization amplifies the crisis. Apologize, compensate, and restructure—even before the legal settlement. These theories provide the roadmap; real-world cases provide
William Benoit’s Image Restoration Theory outlines five strategies: denial, evasion of responsibility, reducing offensiveness, corrective action, and mortification (apology). The fatal error is using the wrong strategy for the crisis type.
Developed by W. Timothy Coombs, SCCT posits that crisis response should match the level of organizational responsibility. Crises fall into three clusters: victim (low responsibility), accidental (moderate responsibility), and preventable (high responsibility). The primary response is to protect public safety first, then match the response strategy (deny, diminish, rebuild) to the reputational threat. Restored trust through visible change
Applying Benoit’s "corrective action" and "mortification" strategies, the company immediately recalled 31 million bottles of the product at a massive financial cost. They prioritized public safety over profit, fully cooperating with authorities and the media. By aligning their response with the highest ethical standards, they effectively utilized a "bolstering" strategy. Even though their responsibility was low, their accommodative posture built immense goodwill. This case demonstrates that when an organization aligns its values with stakeholder well-being, it can emerge from a crisis with its reputation enhanced rather than destroyed.
When seven people died from cyanide-laced capsules, Johnson & Johnson faced a "Victim Cluster" crisis with massive life-threatening stakes. Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) Explained “Chapter 2 ...
In addition to cases, Coombs suggests that readers also need theories and principles to apply to the cases; therefore, “Chapter 2 ... Academy of Management Journal Show all Case Study Theoretical Application Strategy Outcome Johnson & Johnson (1982) Image Restoration: Prioritizing public safety over profits. Benchmark success: Transparent, quick action with a full product recall. Starbucks (2018) SCCT & Social Responsibility: Taking full accountability for racial bias. Restored trust through visible change, closing 8,000 stores for training. United Airlines (2017) Initial Defensive Response: Failing to acknowledge harm. PR disaster: Defensive tone led to massive backlash before a later apology. BP Oil Spill (2010) Poor Attribution Management: Leadership downplayed the severity. Long-term damage: Perceived as insensitive and lacking accountability. Southwest Airlines (2022) Operational Crisis Management: Failure in real-time updates. Heightened frustration due to limited transparency during a scheduling meltdown. Helpful Resources for Deep Learning For those studying this field, several textbooks integrate these theories with practice-oriented exercises: Applied Crisis Communication and Crisis Management by W. Timothy Coombs: Analyzes cases from pre-crisis to post-crisis stages. Crisis Communication Management: Applying Theory to Real Cases by Keith M. Hearit: Explores legal and ethical implications and societal perceptions of guilt. Crisis Communications: A Casebook Approach by Kathleen Fearn-Banks: Includes contemporary cases like the COVID-19 pandemic and social media mismanagement. Cognella Title Catalog +3 Show more Best Practices for Crisis Managers Respond quickly: Aim for an initial response within the first hour to stabilize the situation. Prioritize stakeholders: Focus on public safety and express genuine sympathy for victims immediately. Maintain consistency: Ensure all spokespeople are informed to avoid contradictory messages across channels. Internal first: Brief employees so they do not learn critical news from social media. TrizCom Public Relations +3 Would you like to explore a
