Strategic manoeuvres and impression management: communication approaches in the case of a crisis event

Brendan O’Connell; Paul De Lange; Greg Stoner; Alan Sangster

doi:10.1080/00076791.2015.1128896

Strategic manoeuvres and impression management: communication approaches in the case of a crisis event

Brendan O’Connell, Paul De Lange, Greg Stoner^* (Corresponding Author), Alan Sangster

^*Corresponding author for this work

Accountancy & Finance, Accountancy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This historical study examines the actions of the Australian former asbestos company, James Hardie, when faced with a potentially ruinous corporate scandal between 2001 and 2007. The company became vilified as public awareness grew of the damage to public health its use of asbestos had caused. In response, it set-up a knowingly underfunded compensation fund supported by a strategy of misinformation and denial. Its actions are analysed using Oliver’s typology of strategic responses and theories of crisis management and crisis communications, providing insights into the company’s motivations for adopting strategies that took it to the brink of financial collapse.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	903-924
Number of pages	22
Journal	Business history
Volume	58
Issue number	6
Early online date	14 Jan 2016
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/00076791.2015.1128896
Publication status	Published - 17 Aug 2016

Bibliographical note

We thank Laurie Webb for his contributions in the early stages of this project and the help and guidance of the journal’s anonymous reviewers who have helped us develop this article.

Keywords

asbestos liabilities
crisis communications
crisis management
institutional theory
Strategic response

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Cite this

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Strategic manoeuvres and impression management: communication approaches in the case of a crisis event

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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