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(Journal Article) |
Public Relations Review 43 (3): 487-492 (2017)
Social media and culture in crisis communication: McDonald’s and KFC crises management in China
Lin Zhu
,
Deepa Anagondahalli
,
Ai Zhang
ABSTRACT
Abstract
This study analyzed how social media presents both challenges and opportunities to multinational companies (MNCs) in crisis situations. Employing a case study approach, the present study examined how McDonald’s and KFC used social media to manage their 2012 crises in China. Important findings of the study include: 1) crisis response strategies should be based on cultural insiders’ assessment of attribution of blame; 2) perception and use of specific response strategies (e.g., apology) have cross cultural variations; and 3) the role of influential social media users needs to be contextualized by culture.