Publication Type
Journal Article
Version
acceptedVersion
Publication Date
1-2014
Abstract
Purpose– The aim of this paper is to examine how crises can be triggered online, how different social media tools escalate crises, and how issues gain credibility when they transit to mainstream media.Design/methodology/approach– This exploratory study uses the multiple case study method to analyze five crises, generated online, throughout their life-cycles, in order to build analytic generalizations (Yin).Findings– Crises are often triggered online when stakeholders are empowered by social media platforms to air their grievances. YouTube and Twitter have been used to raise issues through its large user base and the lack of gatekeeping. Facebook and blogs escalate crises beyond the immediate stakeholder groups. These crises are covered by mainstream media because of their newsworthiness. As a result, the crises gain credibility offline. Mainstream media coverage ceases when traditional news elements are no longer present.Research limitations/implications– If crises are increasingly generated online, this study aims to apply a framework to manage the impact on organizations.Practical implications– How practitioners can use different new media tools to counter crises online and manage the transition of crises to mainstream media.Originality/value– This is one of the first few studies that analyses how organizational crises originate online, gain traction and get escalated onto mainstream media. Understanding what causes crises to trigger online and gain legitimacy offline will enable practitioners to engage in effective crisis management strategies.
Discipline
Human Resources Management | Organizational Behavior and Theory
Research Areas
Organisational Behaviour and Human Resources
Publication
Corporate Communications: An International Journal
Volume
19
Issue
1
First Page
96
Last Page
118
ISSN
1356-3289
Identifier
10.1108/CCIJ-09-2012-0064
Publisher
Emerald
Citation
PANG, A.; Abul Hassan, Nasrath Begam Binte; and CHONG, Aaron Chee Yang.
Negotiating crisis in the Social Media environment: Evolution of crises online, gaining credibility offline. (2014). Corporate Communications: An International Journal. 19, (1), 96-118.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lkcsb_research/6006
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.1108/CCIJ-09-2012-0064