| The rapid development of the Internet and information technology, especially a popularization of Web2.0and SNS technology, has been and will continue to change profoundly the mode of contemporary communication, and the mode of information and behavior interaction between person to person and person to organization. Nowadays, Crisis response management is conducted in such complex and volatile external environment. Additionally, crisis itself shows a characteristic of dynamic and chaotic evolution. In result, the previous theory of crisis response management, which was rooted and grew up in the scenario of traditional mass media in a perspective of static management, has show its weakness when guiding crisis response practice. How does the new communication technology affect the management of crisis response? What is the pattern of public post-crisis behavior, after they encounter crisis events? How to build an effective crisis response model which should be more suitable for modern communication, fitted in the process of dynamic evolution of crisis management and based on the public post-crisis behavior? A study on these questions will develop the theory of crisis response and also, meet the demand of practice guidance from crisis response practitioners.Based on theoretical approaches, a conceptual model was built firstly. Then, by using documentary research, content analysis, hierarchical linear regression model, quasi-experimental empirical research, theory-build case studies and other qualitative or quantitative research methods, a study on crisis response was conducted in scenario of Internet communication, aiming to restore damaged organizational reputation effectively. Starting from assertion that Internet communication technology gave birth to a compound crisis frame, a comprehensive crisis response model CCR was built based on a research on the public post-crisis behavior and the crisis life cycle. The main conclusions are as follows:(1) In scenario of Internet communication, the crisis frame which influences the public’s decision-making is compound, including organizational statement frame Media news frame and public comment frame. By means of information superiority, crisis organizations release crisis statement to market a self-built crisis frame, in order to control crisis situation and restore damaged organizational reputation. After compiling the organization-built frame into news reports, Media will spread a reconstruction crisis frame to audience. Moreover, the function of information interaction in Internet gave birth to an important frame:public online comment. By Media convergence, the frames will be integrated onto the same platform and subsequently, affect the process of public’s post-crisis decision-making.(2) Through releasing a statement which has more genes of information subsidies, crisis organizations implant the self-built frame information into news reports. The results show that form of statement releasing, length of statement and adjusting information contained in the statement have significant effects on the opportunity that the statement will be quoted fully or partially by news media. Comparing to instructing information, journalists prefer adjusting information to compile news stories.(3) Online comment contained in the compound crisis frame has significant effect on the public’s post-crisis behavior, including emotions, attitudes and behavioral intentions. Several key findings are obtained. First, online comments have a significant effect on post-crisis reactions involving emotions, perceived organization integrity, loyalty intention and boycott intentions. Second, positive emotions enhance perceived organizational integrity, whereas negative emotions reduce this perception. Third, perceived comment manipulation has a negative moderating effect on the relationship between positive emotion and perceived organizational integrity and a positive moderating effect on the relationship between negative emotion and perceived organizational integrity. Finally, emotions and perceived organizational integrity are found to be predictors of loyalty and boycott intentions.(4) Crisis response is a process of dynamic sequential decision and needed to be adjusted depended on the evaluation of crisis life cycle and effectiveness of reputation restoration. The case study found that in the phase of crisis outbreak, crisis duration and crisis resolution, the focus of issue identification module will change from indentifying crisis type and the consistency of crisis cognitive between internal and external organization, to indentifying the transition of identified issues, and to finding out opportunity issues. As to crisis response, it changes from initial choosing for "matched" response strategy, to adjusting strategies for an one that is longitudinal consistency and latitudinal compatibility, and in the end, to turning to crisis recovery strategy. Communication strategy in three phases is featured by timeliness, two-way symmetry and distinctiveness. In dynamic crisis response process, reputation restoration assessment provides an important reference for connection between the sub-modules in the comprehensive crisis response model.(5) The comprehensive crisis response mode CCR, which is suitable for Internet communication, is consisted of four core modules:crisis issue identification, response, communication, reputation restoration assessment and strategy adjusting. Studies show:CCRM is an effective analytic and responding theoretical frame, which is adjusted based on the dynamics of crisis life cycle. Moreover, the first matched crisis response as an initial disturbance to crisis system has significantly impact on subsequent crisis evolution and reputation restoration. As to sub-modules, under the premise of accurate crisis identification, selecting "matched" crisis response strategy has a directional effect in the reputation restoration, but communication strategy can only improve the response efficiency. In final, timely and precisely measuring the reputation restoration provides reliable feedback information about the effectiveness of crisis response strategy.Originality of the study is that:First, proposing a new concept of compound crisis frame, researching on those who participate in the process of frame building, and building a conceptual model to delineate the formation mechanism of the compound frame. Second, by empirical research, studying the public’s post-crisis behavior affected by the compound frame, providing the theoretical and behavioral foundation for crisis response management research. Third, based on the compound frame in Internet communication and associated with the characteristics in different stages of crisis life cycle, a comprehensive crisis response management model CCR was built. CCR is not only a systematical crisis response model, but also a valid framework for analyzing crisis case.The practical implication is that:First, guidance for drafting a well-spread crisis statement was given out. Second, a practicable approach was provided for monitoring and co-building online comments frame that benefits crisis organization. Third, a theoretical comprehensive crisis response management framework was constructed, which helps crisis managers to develop crisis response plans and crisis analytical framework so as to improve the effectiveness of organization reputation restoration. |
