Navigating the Storm: The Imperative of Theory in Crisis Communication Management
This piece was written as an educational synthesis for crisis communication practitioners and students. All case facts are drawn from public records and scholarly analysis. Navigating the Storm: The Imperative of Theory in
Unlike defensive models, the Discourse of Renewal (Ulmer, Sellnow & Seeger) argues that crises can be opportunities for organizational rebirth. It emphasizes stakeholder concern, ethical communication, and a vision for the future, not just damage control. Benoit identifies five major strategies: denial
To understand the application of theory, one must first define the primary frameworks utilized in the field. William Benoit’s Image Repair Theory posits that the goal of communication during a crisis is to restore a tarnished image. Benoit identifies five major strategies: denial, evading responsibility, reducing offensiveness, corrective action, and mortification (apology). and mortification (apology).
