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The case of Volkswagen and the meaning of their reputational crisis in digital rhetorical arenas

Carlsson, Pernilla LU (2017) SKOM12 20161
Department of Strategic Communication
Abstract
This study explores how crisis communication concerned with reputation repair can gain a deeper understanding for how the meanings of organizations’ reputa-tional crises are constructed in digital rhetorical arenas. The problem stems from a dominant organicentric perspective that has overlooked the communicative activi-ties between stakeholders that have received crisis responses from organizations in crises. Through a qualitative case study of a carmaker in crisis, I have conduct-ed online observations in regard to how stakeholders discursively frame the mean-ing of the organization’s reputational crisis from set agendas. The results indicate the importance for organizations to acknowledge the power of contextual condi-tions surrounding... (More)
This study explores how crisis communication concerned with reputation repair can gain a deeper understanding for how the meanings of organizations’ reputa-tional crises are constructed in digital rhetorical arenas. The problem stems from a dominant organicentric perspective that has overlooked the communicative activi-ties between stakeholders that have received crisis responses from organizations in crises. Through a qualitative case study of a carmaker in crisis, I have conduct-ed online observations in regard to how stakeholders discursively frame the mean-ing of the organization’s reputational crisis from set agendas. The results indicate the importance for organizations to acknowledge the power of contextual condi-tions surrounding their crisis that can impact the meaning, understanding and di-rection of their reputational crises. The strategic work for an organization to con-trol the meaning of its reputational crisis concerns being more flexible and cus-tomize their crisis responses to stakeholders. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Carlsson, Pernilla LU
supervisor
organization
course
SKOM12 20161
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Crisis Communication, reputational crisis, Rhetorical arena, Volkswagen, framing, agenda-setting
language
English
id
8901614
date added to LUP
2017-02-02 10:32:31
date last changed
2017-02-02 10:32:31
@misc{8901614,
  abstract     = {{This study explores how crisis communication concerned with reputation repair can gain a deeper understanding for how the meanings of organizations’ reputa-tional crises are constructed in digital rhetorical arenas. The problem stems from a dominant organicentric perspective that has overlooked the communicative activi-ties between stakeholders that have received crisis responses from organizations in crises. Through a qualitative case study of a carmaker in crisis, I have conduct-ed online observations in regard to how stakeholders discursively frame the mean-ing of the organization’s reputational crisis from set agendas. The results indicate the importance for organizations to acknowledge the power of contextual condi-tions surrounding their crisis that can impact the meaning, understanding and di-rection of their reputational crises. The strategic work for an organization to con-trol the meaning of its reputational crisis concerns being more flexible and cus-tomize their crisis responses to stakeholders.}},
  author       = {{Carlsson, Pernilla}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{The case of Volkswagen and the meaning of their reputational crisis in digital rhetorical arenas}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}