scct2

Overview of Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT)

• Purpose of SCCT: To develop a prescriptive system for matching crisis response strategies to crisis situations to protect organizational reputation.

• Theoretical Foundation: Built on previous crisis communication research and aims to articulate the relationship between crisis responsibility, organizational reputation, and crisis response strategies.

Key Concepts

Crisis Types

• Various crises can be categorized into types that influence the attribution of responsibility and the chosen response strategy.

• Crisis Responsibility: Refers to the degree to which an organization is blamed for a crisis. Higher attributed responsibility can lead to greater reputational damage.

Reputation as a Resource

• An organization’s reputation is considered a valuable resource that must be defended during a crisis.

• Communication strategies during crises can limit or repair reputational damage.

Crisis Response Strategies

• Responses must be tailored to the perceived level of crisis responsibility:

  • Defensive Strategies: Attack, denial, excuse, victimization, justification, ingratiation.

  • Accommodative Strategies: Corrective action, full apology, typically for organizational misdeeds.

Application of SCCT

Crisis Communication Strategies

• Assessment Framework: Identify crisis type, determine potential for reputational damage, and select appropriate communication strategy.

• Higher responsibility correlates with the need for more accommodating responses (e.g., apologies).

Research Investigations

Research Study Overview

Participants: 130 undergraduate students with diverse demographics were surveyed.

• Measures Used: Scales for measuring Organizational Reputation, Personal Control, and Crisis Responsibility.

• Findings: Showed a relationship between crisis responsibility and organizational reputation across crisis clusters (victim, accidental, preventable).

Crisis Clusters Identified

• Victim Cluster: Natural disasters, rumors, workplace violence — minimal attributed responsibility.

• Accidental Cluster: Challenges and technological breakdowns — moderate attributed responsibility.

• Preventable Cluster: Organizational misdeeds, human error accidents — high attributed responsibility, requiring major accommodative action.

Implications for Practitioners

• Crisis managers can use SCCT to make informed decisions based on crisis responsibility.

• Crisis Portfolios: Create plans for clusters of similar crises to streamline responses.

Future Research Directions

• Further studies needed to explore stakeholder perceptions of crisis response strategies.

• Investigate modifying effects of severity and organizational performance history across various crisis types.

Conclusion

• SCCT is designed to provide organizations with a structured approach for crisis management and protecting their reputations, highlighting the importance of tailored responses based on crisis attribution and context.