Corporate Apologia

Hearit, Keith Michael

doi:10.1002/9781119265771.ch13

Cited by 5 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…Prior to the development of renewal discourse, crisis communication strategies such as corporate apologia (Hearit, 2018), image repair (Benoit, 2015), and Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) (Coombs, 2023) largely focused on accusations directed at an organization and the most organization-friendly way to respond to those accusations. Yet, scholars noted that crises actually present an opportunity for growth that would otherwise not be available (Ulmer & Sellnow, 2020).…”

Section: Renewal Discoursementioning

confidence: 99%

Embracing Opportunity and Bracing for the Future: Renewal Discourse and Inoculation

Dillingham

2023

Management Communication Quarterly

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This paper explores the potential to address mid-crisis communication needs in longitudinal crises by using a paired renewal discourse and inoculation messaging strategy. While renewal discourse focuses on inherent opportunities and the possibility for organizations to improve following a crisis, insulating stakeholder views from ongoing and future crisis effects with inoculation messaging during the crisis can improve the durability of positive outcomes. Theoretically driven rhetorical analysis is used to examine stakeholder communication from one of the two firms that survived The Weekend Wall Street Died in September 2008, a midpoint in the 18-month global financial meltdown. The results demonstrate mid-crisis as a distinct communication exigency and the applied use of a paired renewal discourse and inoculation strategy as a crisis and ongoing risk management approach.

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Section: Renewal Discoursementioning

confidence: 99%

Embracing Opportunity and Bracing for the Future: Renewal Discourse and Inoculation

Dillingham

2023

Management Communication Quarterly

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“…Given the infection situation in Norway today, both the [NIPH] and the Directorate of Health consider that the general use of masks in public spaces has little merit and is unfortunate because it deprives the health services of equipment that is in great need. (Fjeld and Mogen, 2020) If accepting the premise of the need for a knowledge-based policy and the topos of proportionality, this then forms a compelling counternarrative to the criticism and calls for stricter measures (Hearit, 2018). At the same time, this strategy also signals flexibility.…”

Section: Situational Adaption: "The Suggested Measures Are Proportional"mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An analysis of the challenge to the competence of the public health authorities and their response might in part be inspired by looking at studies of the dual concept of kategoria and apologia. The former entails an accusation of a wrongdoing and the latter the subsequent speech of self-defense ( Hearit, 2018 ; Ryan, 1982 ). Rather than being one-off incidents, the kategoria/apologia exchange should be perceived as a process.…”

Section: Theoretical Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…When kategoria deals with policy, apologia strategies are said to fall in one of four categories: “I did not do it” (fact), “I did not do what is alleged” (definition), “I had laudable intentions” (quality), or “I appeal to another audience” (jurisdiction) ( Ryan, 1982 ). More recent research has applied such perspectives in the context of organizations as well as developed further insights into the rhetorical operations of apologia particularly in crisis communication ( Hearit, 2018 ). If an organization does respond in a crisis, the strategies are typically grouped in one of three clusters: deny, diminish, and deal ( Coombs, 2012 ).…”

Section: Theoretical Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies have also shown how experts communicatively establish themselves as such, for instance, pointing to membership in networks of experts ( Hartelius, 2011 ). Furthermore, rhetorical studies have detailed how individuals as well as organizations defend themselves against accusations of wrongdoing related to character or policy ( Hearit, 2018 ; Ryan, 1982 ). The goal of such endeavors is to present a compelling counter-narrative of the actions that have been undertaken.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dealing with dissent from the medical ranks: Public health authorities and COVID-19 communication

Ihlen,

Vranic

2023

Public Underst Sci

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During a public health crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic, the public health authorities will typically be criticized for their efforts. When such criticism comes from the ranks of medical personnel, the challenge becomes more pronounced for the authorities, as it suggests a public negotiation of who has sufficient expertise to handle the pandemic. Hence, the authorities are faced with the challenge of defending their competence and advice, while at the same time adhering to a bureaucratic/scientific ethos that imposes communicative boundaries. This explorative study analyzes the response strategies used by the Norwegian public health authorities in this regard. A main finding is that the authorities shunned aggressive language and mostly relied on a strategy pointing to well-established values such as proportionality (between the measures and the gravitas of the epidemiological situation) and relevance (the measures should meet the challenge in question).

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