Sherrill SCCT

Applying Situational Crisis Communication Theory to University Needs

Case Study Overview

• Context: Fall 2015 at the University of Missouri (Mizzou)

• Incident: 32 Black football players announced boycott of the season via Twitter.

  • Quote from Anthony Sherrils: "Injustice Anywhere is a threat to Justice Everywhere."

  • Demanded resignation of President Tim Wolfe due to negligence towards marginalized students.

• Result: The protest was part of broader racial tensions leading to Wolfe's resignation and that of Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin.

Factors Leading to the Crisis

• Crisis Factors:

  • Institutional racism allegations

  • Leadership ineptitude

  • Poor community relations

• Media Attention: The case gained national focus, exemplifying the power of student-athlete activism.

• Protests: Included student hunger strike and public demonstrations.

Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT)

• Purpose: To analyze organizations' responses to reputational threats.

• Application: Limited research on SCCT in higher education settings.

• Precrisis Management: Stakeholders now publicize organizational misconduct via social media, leading to paracrises.

Types of Paracrises

• Challenge Crisis: Develops from stakeholders' perceptions of an organization's failure.

• Stakeholder Salience: Influenced by urgency, legitimacy, and power of stakeholders.

  • Urgency: Time pressure and willingness to demand change.

  • Legitimacy: Convincing others of the importance of claims.

  • Power: Ability to enforce change.

• Response Strategies:

  1. Refusal: Ignoring the challenge.

  2. Refutation: Denying false claims.

  3. Repression: Stopping dissemination of challenges.

  4. Recognition/Reception: Addressing claims without fulfilling demands.

  5. Revision: Making minor changes without acknowledging challenges.

  6. Reform: Acknowledging and addressing demands of challengers.

Reputation Management

• Importance: Reputation is crucial during crises; protecting it must be a strategic priority.

• Attribution Theory: Perceived causality affects stakeholders' emotions. Greater attribution to the organization leads to increased reputational threat.

• Factors Influencing Reputation Threat:

  • Initial crisis responsibility

  • Crisis history

  • Prior relational reputation

• Media Framing: The way media presents crises influences public perception and can frame responsibility.

Organizational Identity and Stakeholder Dynamics

• Image vs. Identity: Image is shaped by external perceptions, while identity encompasses internal elements:

  • Tripartite Model by Albert & Whetten:

    • Ideational: Who are we as a whole?

    • Definitional: What type of organization are we?

    • Phenomenological: How have we changed over time?

• External and Internal Identity Brokerage: Importance of creating ties with non-members and addressing perceptions within the organization.

Historical Context of Student-Athlete Protests

• Significance: The Mizzou protest continues a legacy of student activism related to social justice in sports.

• Historical Examples: Protests at other universities (e.g., University of Michigan, Howard University) have laid the groundwork for current activism.

• Generational Shift: Modern student-athletes recognize their social responsibility but weigh it against personal careers and obligations.

Mizzou's Organizational Response Analysis

• Administrative Failures: Inability to address issues coherently led to escalation of the crisis.

• Racial History: Long-standing racial tensions within Mizzou were reflective of deeper institutional issues.

  • Events leading to the crisis included harassment incidents, protests, and lack of administrative responsiveness.

Immediate Aftermath: Crisis Strategies Employed

• Challenge Response: Following the football players' boycott, Mizzou's administration employed recognition strategies. The late apology from Wolfe failed to rectify public perception.

• Financial Implications: The economic consequences of the boycott emphasized the seriousness of the student-athlete activism.

Importance of Stakeholder Communication

• Internal vs. External Communications: Identifying and tailoring messages for diverse stakeholders is key to managing crises effectively.

• Second Crisis Communication: Leveraging social media for real-time engagement and narrative control post-crisis.

Ongoing Challenges and Recommendations

• Post-Crisis Actions: Continued scrutiny over Mizzou’s handling of racial issues indicates need for sustained reform strategies.

• SCCT Practicality: While SCCT offers strategic frameworks, universities must adapt it to fit their unique complexities.

• Future Research: Further investigation into stakeholder dynamics and collective identity needed to enhance crisis management strategies in universities.

Applying Situational Crisis Communication Theory to University Needs

Case Study Overview

Context: Fall 2015 at the University of Missouri (Mizzou).An incident occurred when 32 Black football players announced a boycott of the season via Twitter, demanding the resignation of President Tim Wolfe due to negligence towards marginalized students. This protest, highlighted by the quote from Anthony Sherrils, "Injustice Anywhere is a threat to Justice Everywhere," was part of broader racial tensions at the university and resulted in Wolfe's resignation along with Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin.

Factors Leading to the Crisis

The crisis stemmed from various factors, including allegations of institutional racism, leadership ineptitude, and poor community relations. The situation gained national media attention, showcasing the power of student-athlete activism through protests that included a student hunger strike and public demonstrations.

Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT)

SCCT is designed to analyze how organizations respond to reputational threats, yet there is limited research regarding its application in higher education. In today’s landscape, stakeholders are increasingly publicizing organizational misconduct via social media, which leads to what is termed "paracrises." The theory outlines types of paracrises, such as challenge crises, which arise from stakeholders' perceptions of an organization's failure, influenced by the urgency, legitimacy, and power of these stakeholders. Urgency reflects time pressure and willingness to demand change, while legitimacy is about convincing others of the importance of claims, and power refers to the ability to enforce change. Organizations can adopt various response strategies, including refusal, refutation, repression, recognition/reception, revision, or reform, depending on the situation at hand.

Reputation Management

Reputation plays a crucial role during crises, making its protection a strategic priority. Attribution Theory suggests that perceived causality influences stakeholders' emotions, with greater attribution to the organization leading to increased reputational threats. Factors such as initial crisis responsibility, crisis history, and prior relational reputation contribute to the reputation threat, compounded by how the media frames these crises and presents responsibility.

Organizational Identity and Stakeholder Dynamics

There is a distinction between image and identity, where image is shaped by external perceptions, while identity includes internal components. The Tripartite Model by Albert & Whetten considers three elements: ideational (who are we as a whole?), definitional (what type of organization are we?), and phenomenological (how have we changed over time). Additionally, external and internal identity brokerage is essential to create ties with non-members and address perceptions within the organization.

Historical Context of Student-Athlete Protests

The significance of the Mizzou protest lies within a legacy of student activism tied to social justice in sports. Historical protests at other universities, such as the University of Michigan and Howard University, laid groundwork for current activism. There's a generational shift, as modern student-athletes recognize their social responsibilities while balancing career aspirations.

Mizzou's Organizational Response Analysis

Mizzou's administrative failures in addressing the crisis coherently amplified the situation, revealing underlying racial tensions and institutional issues. Prior events, including harassment incidents and lack of responsiveness, contributed to the escalation of the crisis. The immediate aftermath saw Mizzou’s administration employing challenge responses, although their late apology from Wolfe failed to rectify public perception. Additionally, the financial implications of the boycott highlighted the serious nature of student-athlete activism.

Importance of Stakeholder Communication

Effective crisis management relies on identifying diverse stakeholders and tailoring messages accordingly. Leveraging social media for real-time engagement and narrative control is crucial for navigating subsequent crises.

Ongoing Challenges and Recommendations

Following the crisis, Mizzou continues to face scrutiny regarding its handling of racial issues, indicating a need for sustained reform strategies. While SCCT provides strategic frameworks, it is essential for universities to adapt its principles to fit their unique complexities. Future research should further explore stakeholder dynamics and collective identity to enhance university crisis management strategies.