Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Giving Voice to the Silenced: Using Critical Discourse Analysis to Inform Crisis Communication Theory

  • Published:
Journal of Business Ethics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Research exists on how a corporation communicates during a crisis, the impact on its reputation, and how well it weathers that crisis. However, crisis communication research tends to view a company’s communication efforts from the standpoint of success or failure; looking at the communication critically to determine if the company’s power influences or silences potentially alternative voices and viewpoints is not currently part of the discussion. This article argues that critical discourse analysis techniques be added to the framework of crisis communication theory in an effort to ensure that the corporation’s message or position of power does not unfairly marginalize or altogether silence alternative discourses.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Bibliography

  • West Pharmaceutical Services Announces Agreement to Rebuild Molding Operations in Lenoir County, North Carolina. (2003, May 16). Retrieved November 15, 2007, from West Pharmaceutical Services/News and Events/Financial Releases: www.westpharma.com.

  • West Pharmaceutical Services Announces Groundbreaking Ceremony for new Lenoir County North Carolina Facility. (2003, July 1). Retrieved November 15, 2007, from West Pharmaceutical Services/News and Events/Financial Releases: www.westpharma.com.

  • West Pharmaceutical Services Announces Temporary Relocation of Kinston Plant Employees. (2003, February 21). Retrieved November 15, 2007, from West Pharmaceutical Services/News and Events/Financial Releases: www.westpharma.com.

  • A Month of Devastation, Investigation and Hope. (2003, March 1). Kinston Free Press.

  • West Pharmaceutical Services Statement Regarding NCOSHA Citation and Settlement Agreement. (2003, July 17). Retrieved November 15, 2007, from West Pharmaceutical Services/News and Events/Financial Releases: www.westpharma.com.

  • West Pharmaceutical Services Thanks General Assembly and Governor for Legislation Expediting Benefits for Displaced Kinston Workers. (2003, February 28). Retrieved November 15, 2007, from West Pharmaceutical Services/News and Events/Financial Releases: www.westpharma.com.

  • Advisory: Kinston Memorial Service Postponed due to Inclement Weather. (2003, February 18). Retrieved November 15, 2007, from West Pharmaceutical Services/News and Events/Financial Releases: www.westpharma.com.

  • Mideast Doesn’t Completely Overshadow West. (2003, March 29). Kinston Free Press.

  • Neighbors take Turn for Best on GTP. (2003, February 22). Kinston Free Press.

  • West Pharmaceutical Services Announces Kinston Plant Memorial Service and Kinston Employee Fund. (2003, February 20). Retrieved November 15, 2007, from West Pharmaceutical Services/News and Events/Financial Releases: www.westpharma.com.

  • West Pharmaceutical Services Comments on Plant Explosion. (2003, January 29). Retrieved November 15, 2007, from West Pharmaceutical Services/News and Events/Financial Releases: www.westpharma.com.

  • West Pharmaceutical Services Provides Update on Assessment of Manufacturing Capabilities. (2003, February 11). Retrieved November 15, 2007, from West Pharmaceutical Services/News and Events/Financial Releases: www.westpharma.com.

  • West Pharmaceutical Services Provides Update on Plant Explosion. (2003, January 30). Retrieved November 15, 2007, from West Pharmaceutical Services/News and Events/Financial Releases: www.westpharma.com.

  • West Pharmaceuticals Lawsuit Beyond Frivolity. (2003, June 27). The Washington Daily News.

  • West Pharmaceutical Services Announces Official Opening of NC Facility with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. (2004, August 26). Retrieved November 15, 2007, from West Pharmaceutical Services/News and Events/Financial Releases: www.westpharma.com.

  • West Pharmaceutical Services Comments on Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board Presentation. (2004, September 23). Retrieved November 15, 2007, from West Pharmaceutical Services/News and Events/Financial Releases: www.westpharma.com.

  • West Pharmaceutical Services Dedicates Memorial to Colleagues in New Kinston Facility. (2004, June 9). Retrieved November 15, 2007, from West Pharmaceutical Services/News and Events/Financial Releases: www.westpharma.com.

  • West Pharmaceutical Services holds Commemorative Service: Company Observes First Anniversary of Kinston North Carolina Plant Accident. (2004, January 29). Retrieved November 15, 2007, from West Pharmaceutical Services/News and Events/Financial Releases: www.westpharma.com.

  • West Pharmaceutical Services Honors Employees with Event Featuring NASCAR’S Bobby Allison and Singer Jennifer Holliday. (2004, June 10). Retrieved November 15, 2007, from West Pharmaceutical Services/News and Events/Financial Releases: www.westpharma.com.

  • Kinston, County both have Stake in Sewer Project. (2004, June 12). Kinston Free Press.

  • Nebraska Kind to Blast Survivors. (2004, March 2). The Raleigh News and Observer.

  • Workers Sue Over Explosion. (2004, May 11). The Raleigh News and Observer.

  • Adamson, W. (1980). Hegemony and revolution: A study of Antonio Gramsci’s political and cultural theory. Berkeley: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allegood, J. (2004, January 29). Explosions being studied. The Raleigh News and Observer.

  • Arrighi, B. (Ed.). (2007). Understanding inequality: The intersection of race/ethnicity, class and gender. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield.

    Google Scholar 

  • Avery, S. (2004, January 29). Blast victims heal. The Raleigh News and Observer.

  • Barlas, S. (2004, November/December). Federal board urges North Carolina make NFPA 654 mandatory after fatal plant explosion. NFPA Journal.

  • Beelitz, A., & Merkl-Davies, D. M. (2011). Using discourse to restore organisational legitimacy: ‘CEO speak’ after and incident in a German nuclear power plant. Journal of Business Ethics, 108(1), 101–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benoit, W. (1995). Accounts, excuses and apologies: A theory of image restoration strategies. Albany: State University of New York Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benoit, W. (2000). Another visit to the theory of image restoration strategies. Communication Quarterly, 48(1), 40–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blair, A. S. (2007). Dust explosion incidents and the regulations in the United States. Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries, 20, 523–529.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caccia, L. (2007). Workplace risk communication: A look at literate practice within rhetorical framework. In W. DeGenaro (Ed.), Who says? Working class rhetoric, class consciousness and community (pp. 164–179). Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Calvano, L. (2008). Multinational corporations and local communities: A critical analysis of conflict. Journal of Business Ethics, 82(4), 793–805.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carroll, A. B. (1979). A three dimensional conceptual model of corporate performance. Academy of Management Review, 4(4), 497–505.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carroll, A. B. (1991). The pyramid of corporate social responsibility: Toward the moral management of organizational stakeholders. Business Horizons, 42, 225–235.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cassano, E. (2006, August). Smart business: Tragedy to triumph. Retrieved March 3, 2010, from http://www.sbnonline.com/Local/Article/9111/78/0/Tragedy_to_triumph.aspx.

  • Cho, S. H. (2006). Framing effect on the public’s response to crisis: Human interest frame and crisis type influencing responsibility and blame. Public Relations Review, 32(4), 420–422.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cole, T. W. (2008). Risk communication failure: A case study of New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina. Southern Communication Journal, 73(3), 211–228.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coombs, T. (2004). West pharmaceutical’s explosion: Structuring crisis discourse knowledge. Public Relations Review, 30, 467–473.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coombs, T. (2006). The protective powers of crisis response strategies: Managing reputational assets during a crisis. Journal of Promotion Management, 12(3/4), 241–260.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coombs, T. (2007). Attribution theory as a guide for post crisis communication research. Public Relations Review, 33(2), 135–139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coombs, T. A., & Holladay, S. J. (2008). Comparing apology’s role and value in crisis communication. Public Relations Review, 34(3), 252–257.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cushman, E. (1998). The struggle and the tools: Oral and literate strategies in an inner city community. Albany: State University of New York Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • DeGenaro, W. (Ed.). (2007). Who says?: Working class rhetoric, class consciousness and community. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Donehower, K. E. (2007). Rural literacies. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Easley, M. (2003, May 14). Governor Easley announces west pharmaceuticals to rebuild. Office of the Governor of North Carolina News Release. Raleigh.

  • Ellwood, W. N. (Ed.). (1995). Public relations inquiry as rhetorical criticism: Case studies of corporate discourse and social influence. Westport, CT: Praeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Faber, B. (2002). Community action & organizational change: Image, narrative, identity. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fairclough, N. (2000). Discourse, social theory and social research: The discourse of welfare reform. Journal of Sociolinguistics, 4(2), 163–195.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fairclough, N. (2001a). Critical discourse analysis as a method in social scientific research. In R. Wodak & M. Meyer (Eds.), Methods of critical discourse analysis (pp. 121–138). London: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fairclough, N. (2001b). Language and power (2nd ed.). Harlow: Pearson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Femia, J. (1981). Gramsci’s political thought: Hegemony, consciousness and the revolutionary process. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fombrun, C. (1996). Reputation: Realizing value from the corporate image. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foucault, M. (2010). The archaeology of knowledge (Vintage Books ed.). New York: Vintage Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gallagher, A. H. (2007). Communicating during times of crises: An analysis of news releases from the federal government before, during and after hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Public Relations Review, 33(2), 217–219.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gee, J. P. (1999). An Introduction to Discourse Analysis: Theory and Method. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Godfrey, P. A., & Hill, C. W. L. (2007). Researching corporate social responsibility: An agenda for the 21st century. The Journal of Business Ethics, 70(1), 87–98.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gottula, T. (2004, February 29). West employees from Kinston make living working at Nebraska plant. Kinston Free Press.

  • Grabill, J. A., & Simmons, W. M. (1998). Toward a critical rhetoric of risk communication: producing citizens and the role of technical communicators. Technical Communication Quarterly, 7(4), 415–441.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gramsci, A. (1968). The modern prince and other writings. New York: International Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gramsci, A. (1973). Letters from prison. New York: Harper and Row.

    Google Scholar 

  • Halbfinger, D. (2003, January 31). Explosion extinguishes one of a North Carolina town’s few bright spots. New York Times.

  • Hearit, K. (1995). "Mistakes were made": Organizations, apologia, and crises of social legitimacy. Communication Studies, 46(1–2), 1–17.

  • Heath, R. (2006). Best practices in crisis communication: Evolution of practice through research. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 34(3), 245–248.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hwang, S., & Cameron, G. T. (2008). Public’s expectation about an organization’s stance in crisis communication based on perceived leadership and perceived severity of threats. Public Relations Review, 34(1), 70–73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jeesun, K. H. (2009). Making nice may not matter: The interplay of crisis type, response type and crisis issue on perceived organizational responsibility. Public Relations Review, 35(1), 86–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones, S. (2006). Antonio Gramsci. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Linnros, H. D., & Hallin, P. O. (2001). The discursive nature of environmental conflicts: The case of the Oresund link. Area, 33(4), 391–403.

  • Lott, B., & Bullock, H. E. (2007). Psychology and economic injustice: Personal, professional and political intersections. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Morton, D. A. (2007). Unraveling Gramsci: Hegemony and passive revolution in the global economy. Ann Arbor: Pluto Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Payne, L. L. (2006). Synthesizing crisis communication and reputation management: An experimental examination of memory. Journal of Promotion Management, 12(3/4), 161–187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Quillen, M. (2003, July 17). West settles Kinston inquiry. The Raleigh News and Observer. Raleigh.

  • Richardson, J. (2007). Analayzing newspapers: An approach from critical discourse analysis. New York: Palgrave McMillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sayer, A. (2005). The moral significance of class. New York: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz Communications West Pharmaceutical Case Study. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2005. http://www.schwartz-pr.com/case_studies.php#9.

  • Seeger, M., & Ulmer, R. (2001). Virtuous responses to organizational crisis: Aaron Feuerstein and Milt Cole. Journal of Business Ethics, 31(4), 369–376.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seeger, M., & Ulmer, R. (2002). A post-crisis discourse of renewal: The cases of Malden Mills and Cole Hardwoods. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 30(2), 126–142.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Small, W. (1991). Exxon Valdez: How to spend millions and still get a black eye. Public Relations Review, 17(1), 9–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, B. (2003, February 27). Waiting period waived west employee benefits. Kinston Free Press.

  • Smith, S. (2004, October 13). EHS today: Investigation finds inadequate dust controls caused west pharmaceutical explosion. Retrieved March 3, 2010. http://ehstoday.com/news/ehs_imp_37234/.

  • Spencer, J. (2002, November 19). Electric rate passes. Kinston Free Press.

  • Spencer, J. (2003, December 3). Area unemployment continues to shrink. Kinston Free Press.

  • Spencer, J. (2003, February 4). ATF: Dust, air combine to cause spark. Kinston Free Press.

  • Spencer, J. (2003, February 1). Extremely fine dust, spark lead to explosion. Kinston Free Press.

  • Spencer, J. (2003, February 6). Other locations courting west pharmaceutical. Kinston Free Press.

  • Spencer, J. (2003, March 5). West works insurance deal for laid off workers. Kinston Free Press.

  • Spencer, J. (2004, July 26). West pharm recovery gaining momentum. Kinston Free Press.

  • Theriault, R. (2003). The unmaking of the American working class. New York: The New Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thiesmeyer, L. (Ed.). (2003). Discourse and silencing: Representation and the language of displacement. Philadelphia: J. Benjamins.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, E. (January, 30 2004). Anniversary of blast observed. The Raleigh News and Observer.

  • Ulmer, R. S. (2007). Post-crisis communication and renewal: Expanding the parameters of post crisis discourse. Public Relations Review, 33(2), 130–134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ulmer, R., & Sellnow, T. L. (1997). Strategic ambiguity and the ethic of significant choice in the tobacco industry’s crisis communication. Communication Studies, 48(3), 215–233.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • United States Census/Lenoir County, North Carolina Figures. (n.d.). Retrieved February 18, 2010. www.census.gov.

  • US Chemical Safety Board Investigations West Pharmaceuticals Dust Explosion and Fire. (2004). Retrieved January 11, 2010. http://www.csb.gov/investigations/detail.aspx?SID=36&Type=2&pg=1&F_All=y.

  • van Dijk, T. (1983). Discourse Analysis: Its Development and Application to the Structure of News. Journal of Communication, 33(2), 20–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Dijk, T. (2001). Multidisciplinary CDA: A plea for diversity. In R. Wodak & M. Meyer (Eds.), Methods of critical discourse analysis (pp. 95–119). London: Sage Publications.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Waymer, D., & Heath, R. L. (2007). Emergent agents: The forgotten publics in crisis communications and issues management research. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 35(1), 88–108.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weir, R. E. (Ed.). (2007). Class in America: An encyclopedia. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • West Pharmaceuticals Press Releases. (n.d.). Retrieved November 15, 2007. www.westpharma.com.

  • Wodak, R., & Meyer, M. (2001). Methods of critical discourse analysis. London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Technology Systems, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA

    Carolyn Dunn

  2. Department of English, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA

    Michelle Eble

Authors
  1. Carolyn Dunn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Michelle Eble
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carolyn Dunn.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Dunn, C., Eble, M. Giving Voice to the Silenced: Using Critical Discourse Analysis to Inform Crisis Communication Theory. J Bus Ethics 132, 717–735 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-014-2315-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-014-2315-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation