Contingency theory of strategic conflict management: Unearthing factors that influence ethical elocution in crisis communication
Abstract
Despite the advances made offering a viable perspective in strategic conflictmanagement, the contingency theory has not addressed a prevailing question: How can thetheory inform organizations to communicate ethically with its publics, especially during crisis?The only guidance the theory offers is through its proscriptive variables, which prohibit eithercommunication or more accommodative communication. However, given the exigency anddynamism of many situations along the life cycle of an issue, non-communicating may not be analternative offered to organizations. This study aims to unearth a new set of factors called ethicalvariables that influence the organization’s stance by reviewing corporate social responsibilityand conflict communication literature to propose drivers that influence ethical elocution in crisiscommunication. Responsibility is ethics manifested (Joyner & Payne, 2002). Six factors, somenot addressed by the theory, were found, namely the role of public relations practitioners; role ofdominant coalition; exposure of organizational business and to diversity of cultures; governmentinfluence and intervention; nature of crisis; and activism. Though the study is exploratory, itrepresents a major theoretical breakthrough in theory building with the aim of offering a practicalapproach – rather than a philosophical argument and persuasion – for practitioners to beginengaging in ethical elocation.