Situational crisis communication and interactivity: Usage and effectiveness of Facebook for crisis management by Fortune 500 companies

doi:10.1016/j.chb.2014.02.039

Computers in Human Behavior

Volume 35, June 2014, Pages 140-147

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.02.039 Get rights and content

Highlights

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The Facebook usage was examined through situational crisis communication theory.
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‘Justification’ and ‘full apology’ are the most common crisis response strategies.
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Companies inappropriately match their responses to crisis situations.
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This study examined the overall tone of audience responses.
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Audience tone in reaction to the organization is generally positive.

Abstract

Through the lens of situational crisis communication theory (SCCT) and interactivity, this study examined the Facebook usage of Fortune 500 companies and the effectiveness with which these companies employed the platform for crisis management. Findings indicated that ‘justification’ and ‘full apology’ were the most commonly used crisis response strategies. Results also show instances where companies inappropriately match their responses to crisis situations. An analysis of 7080 messages further revealed a significant relationship between an organization’s involvement in two-way communication and the overall positivity of audience tone in reaction to the organization in question and its handling of crises. Suggestions are provided for organizations intending to employ social media for crisis communication.

Introduction

An organization’s survival in a crisis depends greatly on its speed of response (Benoit, 1997). As such, Web 2.0 technologies and social media serve as vital platforms for organizations to not only respond in the fastest and most direct manner, but also to disseminate information to audiences globally (González-Herrero & Smith, 2008; Macleod, 2000, Phillips, 2001, Taylor and Perry, 2005). It is crucial for companies to have this ability, because stakeholders and journalists require real-time crisis information and could potentially refer to sources that may spread false or inaccurate information if actual information from the organization is unavailable (Fjeld and Molesworth, 2006, Middleberg, 2001). As Middleberg and Ross (2001) found, 60% of surveyed US journalists would consider reporting an Internet rumor if it is confirmed by an independent source. It is therefore not surprising that companies and organizations are jumping on the bandwagon to quickly incorporate social media into their crisis communication plans (Barnes & Mattson, 2011).

However, mere adoption and usage of these tools are unlikely to yield desired results, unless organizations are dedicated to using the tools effectively for crisis management. Unfortunately, despite the strategic importance of social media, only a few studies have examined it as a tool for crisis communication (e.g., Briones et al., 2011, Schultz et al., 2011, Smith, 2010, Sweetser and Metzgar, 2007). In particular, little is known about the manner and extent to which major companies have used social media effectively for crisis communication. To address this gap in research, the present study finds it timely to: (1) investigate how many Fortune 500 companies that have experienced crisis used social media to communicate with their audiences during crisis time, (2) review crisis-related social media pages to identify the crisis response strategies employed by each company, (3) evaluate the level of interactivity of the communication between the companies and user audiences, and (4) review audience responses to organizational crisis response messages.

The findings from this study are significant for various reasons. First, they highlight the extent to which leading organizations use social media as a platform for crisis communication, and provide insights to improve the effectiveness of crisis management efforts. Second, the fact that Fortune 500 companies are leaders in the utilization of newer technologies (Li, McLeod, & Rogers, 2001) conveys a broader research impact. The results, for instance, may be extrapolated to inform future strategies in social media for crisis management efforts conducted by other companies. Finally, understanding effective and proper usage of these communication channels during crises will not only provide insights for practitioners, managers, stakeholders, and scholars who are concerned with crisis management, but may also provide insights for effective organizational image and reputation management.

Section snippets

Crisis management and social media

Crisis is “the perception of an unpredictable event that threatens important expectancies of stakeholders and can seriously impact an organization’s performance and generate negative outcomes” (Coombs, 2007, pp. 2–3). To successfully manage a crisis, an organization should communicate strategically and effectively with its stakeholders by relaying information in an efficient and timely manner. This is where communication platforms such as social media become important strategically. On top of

Crisis response strategies and the situational crisis communication theory

An organization’s crisis response strategy is represented by what the organization says and does when a crisis has occurred (Coombs, 2004). To implement effective responses, an organization typically works through the following three stages: (1) instructing information, (2) adjusting information, and (3) reputation repair. First, an organization relays information that provides stakeholders with instructions for how to physically deal with the crisis as well as information regarding how to

Interactivity in online crisis communication

A current shortcoming of the SCCT, particularly for crisis management in the interactive socially-networked online environment, is in accounting for the role of users during crisis situations that are beyond the control of organizations. In these cases, user voices and comments during crises can serve to “facilitate” ongoing crises (i.e., accelerates the news and impact of crises in a viral manner) and/or “trigger” crises (i.e., compounding the seriousness of ongoing crises with new information

Method

To address the research questions, a content analysis of all Fortune 500 companies’ Facebook pages was conducted. All message postings on the Facebook message ‘walls’ during the time period spanning January 1st 2011 to September 1st 2011 were reviewed. To delineate Facebook usage for the purpose of crisis communication among the companies assessed, only text messages were analyzed. Content such as pictures, videos, and hyperlinks were excluded from analysis. In this way, the structure and

Research question 1

This question sought to address the extent to which Fortune 500 companies have employed social media, specifically Facebook, for crisis management, and also to determine the sectors in which these companies operate. Of the 500 companies examined, a majority (n = 309, 61.8%) possessed an official company Facebook page. Among the 309 companies with Facebook pages, only 28 (9.4%) communicated with stakeholders regarding a crisis during the time period examined. Of those companies, approximately half

Discussion and conclusion

Even though scholarship has emphasized the strategic importance of social media as a crisis communication tool, organizational crisis response strategies employed via social media have yet been carefully examined. This study examined leading organizations’ usage of Facebook for crisis communication as well as the effectiveness of their crisis management messages, and identified 48 cases of crisis communication carried out via Facebook by a small percentage of Fortune 500 companies (n = 28, 5.6%).

Limitations and future research directions

Like any research, this study suffers from several limitations, which can be used to guide and generate future research. First, this study analyzed only one social media site, Facebook, and had not measured the level of organizational prior-involvement or activeness on the platform. It could be possible that the companies who had utilized the platform for crisis communication were already more active on the platforms (e.g., frequency of updates, number of “followers” or “Likers, etc.) than

Acknowledgement

This study was supported by Korea Public Relations Association Excellent Research Award.

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