Expectation Versus Reality: How Crisis Statement Essentials Are Evaluated by Gen Z Stakeholders and Crisis Communication Practitioners

Elise Karinshak (undergraduate alum), Taylor Voges (PhD alum), and Yan Jin (2024). “Expectation Versus Reality: How Crisis Statement Essentials Are Evaluated by Gen Z Stakeholders and Crisis Communication Practitioners.” Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 32(1), e12554. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-5973.12554

Abstract: At the onset of a crisis, an initial organizational statement sets the tone for subsequent discussion. While existing literature provides strategic guidance, it offers limited insight into the message-level execution of such statements. This study synthesizes insights from literature and trade publications to complement strategic literature by proposing a practical set of ‘crisis essentials’ which practitioners can leverage in composing an initial crisis statement. Upon identification of these elements from scholarly and industry literature, two online surveys presenting a hypothetical crisis scenario are released to Gen Z stakeholders and crisis communication practitioners in the United States; respondents rate the relative importance of each element. Gen Z was selected as the stakeholder population of interest due to their high activity on social media, their role as the talent which will be entering the workforce and eventually leadership roles, and the more limited existing analysis of this segment. Comparative analysis is conducted, based on two online surveys among adult individuals from these two populations, to evaluate whether gaps exist in stakeholder expectations and practitioner approaches. Findings reveal: the proposed elements (e.g., statement of the crisis, attribution, expert quote; 11 in total) were of nonzero importance to both Gen Z stakeholder respondents and crisis communication practitioner respondents, essentials related to the assuring stakeholders (e.g., action steps) were rated more highly than informational essentials (e.g., timeline), and importance ratings across survey samples were generally consistent. Practitioners should consider each of these proposed essentials when developing communication materials, and that while stakeholders expect sufficient information to understand a crisis event, they ultimately care about what the crisis means for the future of the organization. This study, grounded in crisis communication theory, provides a relevant, practical contribution to the implementation of effective strategic crisis communication in situations concerning Gen Z stakeholders.