For IEM presentation http://bit.ly/AD9xya

1. Lost Missiles, Lost Messages
Understanding Attribution Theory
and Strategic Crisis Communication
Theory
A supplement to a presentation on crisis communication
http://bit.ly/AD9xya

2. Attribution Theory
• Attribution Theory states that “people assign
responsibility for negative, unexpected events”
-Timothy Coombs
• Organizations monitor how stakeholders assign
responsibility
– Level of perceived responsibility dictates how an
organization should respond
• Three main considerations for gauging
attribution:
– Prior reputation/credibility
– Crisis history
– Type of crisis

3. Types of Crises
• Strategic Crisis Communication Theory states
there are three types of crisis:
– Victim
• Organization is the victim of some act
• Tylenol employee adding cyanide to bottles
• Low crisis responsibility
– Accidental
• Natural disaster, plant fire, etc.
• Low crisis responsibility
– Preventable
• Human error
• Exxon Valdez oil spill
• Highest level of crisis responsibility

4. Determining Crisis Response Strategy
• Preventable crises require most aggressive crisis
communication response
– Admit to mistake
• Maj. Gen. Newton: “This was an unacceptable error…”
• Personnel relieved of duty
• We’ll make it right
– Apologize
• Newton: This was “an isolated incident involving a limited
number of airmen.”
• Distanced Air Force from error
– Newton’s standoffishness did not contribute to
transparency