DHL’s Spreading COVID-19 Over the Sky? Handling Corporate Response to Misinformation with Humour
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Companies are increasingly faced with online misinformation that can damage their reputation. This article extends paracrisis research by identifying a new form of denial and explores how to refine paracrisis response strategies to better defend corporate reputation against misinformation. Using an explanatory research design and qualitative data analysis, this study introduces “denial by humour” as a distinct refutation strategy. The research outlines how this specific strategy functions within the broader context of crisis communication as one of the three types of refutation strategies. Through a detailed case study of DHL’s response to misinformation about the COVID-19 virus being spread from the sky, the paper enhances paracrisis research by identifying potentially effective communication tactics, including strategic silence, social media management, employee engagement, and crisis advertising. The article also provides managerial implications, highlighting the crucial role of stakeholders such as politicians, the media, and employees, and discusses appropriate preventive strategies such as media monitoring and the implementation of an ethical code of conduct.
Source: Corporate Reputation Review
Author: Jindřich Oukropec
Institution: Charles University
Language: English
Subfield: Communication
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $2,990
Funder: Univerzita Karlova v Praze
OpenAlex ID: W4404523075