Crisis communication strategies: A qualitative study about a natural medicine controversy in Colombia

Abstract

This study examines how businesses respond to reputational damage caused by reputation crises. Drawing on the qualitative analysis of a Colombian natural medicine company facing a disruptive event that threatened its flagship product and business, the case study explores the company’s response to media suspicions of tampering with a phytotherapeutic product. The findings reveal significant inconsistencies in the firm’s organizational responses and their repercussions on stakeholders and the industry. This study sheds light on the strategic use of responses detached from reality in crisis scenarios to protect reputation. In addition, the study highlights that the analyzed company deviated from established crisis management strategies outlined in theory. The company did not implement the ‘steal the thunder’ approach, as it failed to proactively disclose the crisis. Moreover, the company prioritized instrumental responses over normative or ethical considerations. The analysis of the identified deviations from established crisis management principles further emphasizes the importance of the work’s findings and their theoretical and practical implications for developing more effective crisis communication strategies grounded in truth-seeking.