THE CONTEXTUAL FACTORS IN CRISIS COMMUNICATION STRATEGY CHOICE

Perbawaningsih, Yudi (2008) THE CONTEXTUAL FACTORS IN CRISIS COMMUNICATION STRATEGY CHOICE. Phd thesis, UAJY.

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Abstract

Crisis can happen any time and any where. Whether the crisis comes in or out, it depends on the effectiveness of the crisis communication strategy. Communication strategy becomes a very important key for crisis recovery. Based on the several researches, it was found that the strategy is selected on the basis of constructed reality about the crisis situation and other things related to the crisis. Based on my point of view, to select the strategy does not only refer to the situation of crisis but also any other factors. Refering to the system theory a strategy is selected on the basis of the structural characters of the organization and social system. On the other hand, based on the structuration theory, the strategy not only can be created in line with the character of the structure but also creates the structure. It means that the actor is active to create new action and new structure. This dissertation explained the crisis communication strategy applied by the Presidents in responding to the multidimensional crisis that happened during 1998 2004 and the contextual factors in the strategy choice. Focus of this dissertation is the crisis communication strategy chosen by Megawati Soekarnoputri, the fifth President of the Republic of Indonesia and the choices. The strategy is identified by exploring, analyzing and interpreting the content or text of the written speeches of the President. Interpretive approach and discourse analysis was applied. The context is also identified by analyzing and interpreting the text of news editorial from two Indonesian national newspapers. The structuration theory and a little part of system theory, for comparing purpose, are used as a basis of interpretation to link or to connect the text to the context. The dissertation shows that the President tended to apply the defensive strategy. It is the strategy to defense ourselves in responding to the "publics accusation" by avoiding that we do a wrong or mistake, or contribute to the mistake. The dissertation also shows that this strategy can be connected by (1) the Public Relations practices which are more technical, mechanistic and applies one way relationship model, (2) the organizational structure which is structured, formal, and centralistic, and (3) the personal characters and attributes of the President which are more introvert and mindless. In conclusion, the selected strategy or the action is influenced by the structural factors, both in an organization level and a larger system. The context of the choice is the structure. It was produced by the previous dominant people in the past. It constrains and also enables the current and next presidents in responding to the crisis. Unfortunately, in the case of Megawati Soekarnoputri, actor failed to break the chain of the interplay between a structure and an agency. Structure and the structure reproducing are more dominant. Based on the finding, I would like to say that it is not enough to understand the crisis situation to select the best strategy to respond to the crisis. It needs understanding the rules, resources and the structure in an environment and also the interplay between the structure and the strategy.

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