Managing a nation's image during crisis: A study of the Chinese government's image repair efforts in the “Made in China” controversy

Author

Peijuan CAI, Nanyang Technological University
Lee Pei TING, Nanyang Technological University
Augustine PANG, Singapore Management UniversityFollow

Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

acceptedVersion

Publication Date

9-2009

Abstract

The image of a nation is crucial in the conduct of international relations (Wang, J. (2006). Managing national reputation and international relations in the global era: Public diplomacy revisited. Public Relations Review, 32, 91–96). A favorable image plays a critical role in asserting one's influence (Benoit, W. L., & Brinson, S. L. (1994). AT&T: “Apologies are not enough”. Communication Quarterly, 42, 75–88; Wang, J. (2006). Managing national reputation and international relations in the global era: Public diplomacy revisited. Public Relations Review, 32, 91–96). Often, strategic communication tools like public relations and media diplomacy are used to enhance a nation's image (Giffard, A., & Rivenburgh, N. K. (2000). News agencies, national images, and global media events. Journalism Quarterly, 77, 8–21). In 2007, China's reputation as “the workshop of the world” (Gaulier, G., Lemoine, F., & Unal-Kesenci, D. (2005). China: A workshop of the Cd and a market for Europe. At: http://ideas.repec.org/a/cii/cepill/2005-245.html. Accessed on 14 May 2009) came under severe threat with a series of product recalls. This was arguably the first time that allegations of product deficiencies were targeted at a country. Using the image repair theory, this paper examined the strategies used and the image these strategies generated for China. Findings showed that the initial defensive strategies generated an image of a hurried and harried country. After it was willing to confront the crises through corrective action, a surer and more determined image emerged.

Keywords

Image repair, Public diplomacy, Nation, Image, Crisis, Product recalls

Discipline

Asian Studies | Business and Corporate Communications | International Relations | Organizational Behavior and Theory | Public Relations and Advertising

Research Areas

Corporate Communication

Publication

Public Relations Review

Volume

35

Issue

3

First Page

213

Last Page

218

ISSN

0363-8111

Identifier

10.1016/j.pubrev.2009.05.015

Publisher

Elsevier

Citation

CAI, Peijuan; TING, Lee Pei; and PANG, Augustine. Managing a nation's image during crisis: A study of the Chinese government's image repair efforts in the “Made in China” controversy. (2009). Public Relations Review. 35, (3), 213-218.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lkcsb_research/6040

Copyright Owner and License

Authors

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/10.1016/j.pubrev.2009.05.015