Negative Events and Corporate Communication Strategies in the Cruise Industry

This essay considers the impact of negative events in the cruise industry and the communication strategies utilized by cruise lines in response to mishaps. The authors explore the perceptions and emotions of public towards the cruise company involved in a negative event, focusing on corporate communication strategies using both traditional and/or social media. The authors use the Social Mediated Crisis Communication Model (SMCC), a research design based on a questionnaire submitted online via blogs and other social media, to develop an Agent Based Simulation (ABS) model. Applying this model to two scenarios, the authors found that accommodative messages, rather than defensive announcements, seem to better reassure and comfort the public. The first scenario features a major critical event for which the responsibility can be tracked and is directly attributed to the cruise company; the second scenario features a minor critical event, for which the responsibility cannot be placed with the cruise company. The newer types of media have a “flattening effect” on information, described by the authors as meaning that information on both classes of events spread fast, but also that people tend to lose interest in the major ones sooner than when the only information comes through traditional channels. The authors conclude that social media may provide a better way for cruise companies to communicate in a crisis context.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03918440
• Authors:
  • Penco, Lara
  • Profumo, Giorgia
  • Remondino, Marco
• Publication Date: 2018-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 485-514
• Serial:
  • International Journal of Transport Economics
  • Volume: 45
  • Issue Number: 3
  • ISSN: 0391-8440
  • Serial URL: http://www.libraweb.net/riviste.php?chiave=67

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Communication; Crisis management; Cruise lines; Mass communication; Public opinion; Social media; Tourism
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Marine Transportation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01691120
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 22 2019 11:39AM