When it comes to crisis management in PR, one of the most relevant theories or frameworks for a PR profressional to consider is the Attribution Theory.
PR theories, attribution theory
Basically, attribution theory attempts to explain how we as observers to events use information to arrive at cause, ultimately where we place our blame. Ultimately, for PR professionals working in crisis management the theory indicates that the public is more likely to go easy on an individual or organization caught up in crisis if the perceived cause of the event is external. Additionally, attribution theory also speaks to the build up of goodwill overtime. This is a major part of why organizations take on social efforts to begin build positive attribution for their organizations in the event they need to cash in the goodwill.
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