International image repair: Integrating culture into image repair discourse

Abstract

An organization's image and reputation rely heavily on how it interacts with
its stakeholders. With an increase in globalization, more organizations are
conducting business internationally with diverse stakeholders. When an
organization faces a crisis, it must design specific messages that meet the needs of
its stakeholders and the public. Image Repair Theory not only provides strategies
for crisis communicators when crafting messages, but it also provides guidelines to
critically evaluate those messages. Most crisis communication research, including
Image Repair Theory, does not address cultural differences. The ways in which a
culture perceives, understands, and communicates about crises and image repair
efforts differ. This leads to different understandings of a crisis, which would
necessitate different responses. Toyota's 2009-2010 recall crisis serves as case to
examine how dimensions of cross-cultural communication must be considered
during an image repair attempt for a global organization. Toyota's public
statements, as well as newspaper articles from three sources, are analyzed in order
to reveal themes pertaining to Benoit's image repair strategies, understand how
cultural dimensions are manifest in message creation and interpretation, and find
inconsistencies between Toyota USA and Toyota's headquarters in Japan. Through
these findings, recommendations are provided to advance Image Repair Theory to
contain a cultural aspect when repairing image.

Date of Award	2012
Original language	American English
Awarding Institution	Eastern Illinois University
Supervisor	Matthew J. Gill (Supervisor)