Contingency theory: Evolution from a public relations theory to a theory of strategic conflict management
Publication Type
Book Chapter
Publication Date
1-2020
Abstract
Over the past three decades, the contingency theory of strategic conflict management has evolved into its own, and emerged as an empirically tested perspective. Coombs (2010) has described the contingency theory as a “grand theory of public relations”. A “grand theory” is one which “seeks to explain how public relations as a whole operates”. Grand theories seek to explain an entire discipline and “can be adapted to specific areas of the discipline” (Coombs 2010: 41). Today, it is one of the top six theories applied in crisis communication research (An and Cheng 2010). The purpose of this chapter is threefold. First, to capture the evolution of the theory and transformation into its current form. Second, to demonstrate the dynamism of the theory as a theory of strategic conflict management. Third, to examine the applicability of the theory in this age of disruption.
Keywords
Conflict management, Contingency theory
Discipline
Business and Corporate Communications
Research Areas
Corporate Communication
Publication
Crisis communication
Editor
F. Frandsen. & W. Johansen
First Page
141
Last Page
164
ISBN
9783110554236
Identifier
10.1515/9783110554236
Publisher
De Gruyter Mouton
City or Country
Berlin
Citation
PANG, A.; JIN, Yan; KIM, Sungsu; and CAMERON, Glen T..
Contingency theory: Evolution from a public relations theory to a theory of strategic conflict management. (2020). Crisis communication. 141-164.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lkcsb_research/6614
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110554236