At the Intersections of Dialogue, Social Media, and Crisis Communication: A Case Study of Consolidated Edison's Communicative Response to Superstorm Sandy

Abstract

Crisis is constantly lurking in the shadows for organizations, and leaders must be prepared to respond when it strikes. Traditional organization-stakeholder communication models have largely relied on one-way frameworks, but the advent and widespread adoption of social media is changing the way organizations and stakeholders interact. This project explores how one organization, Consolidated Edison, utilized Twitter to communicate dialogically with stakeholders during the 2012 Superstorm Sandy crisis. Analysis focuses on how the organization's use of dialogue and Sturges' (1994) instructing and adjusting information tactics helped mitigate negative backlash from stakeholders throughout the crisis. Theoretical and practical implications for public relations and crisis communication are discussed, and future research directions are presented.

Date of Award	2014
Original language	American English
Awarding Institution	Eastern Illinois University
Supervisor	Matthew J. Gill (Supervisor)