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AbstractAt the onset of a crisis, an initial organizational statement sets the tone for subsequent discussion. While existing literature provides strategic guidance, it offers limited insight into the message‐level execution of such statements. This study synthesizes insights from literature and trade publications to complement strategic literature by proposing a practical set of 'crisis essentials' which practitioners can leverage in composing an initial crisis statement. Upon identification of these elements from scholarly and industry literature, two online surveys presenting a hypothetical crisis scenario are released to Gen Z stakeholders and crisis communication practitioners in the United States; respondents rate the relative importance of each element. Gen Z was selected as the stakeholder population of interest due to their high activity on social media, their role as the talent which will be entering the workforce and eventually leadership roles, and the more limited existing analysis of this segment. Comparative analysis is conducted, based on two online surveys among adult individuals from these two populations, to evaluate whether gaps exist in stakeholder expectations and practitioner approaches. Findings reveal: the proposed elements (e.g., statement of the crisis, attribution, expert quote; 11 in total) were of nonzero importance to both Gen Z stakeholder respondents and crisis communication practitioner respondents, essentials related to the assuring stakeholders (e.g., action steps) were rated more highly than informational essentials (e.g., timeline), and importance ratings across survey samples were generally consistent. Practitioners should consider each of these proposed essentials when developing communication materials, and that while stakeholders expect sufficient information to understand a crisis event, they ultimately care about what the crisis means for the future of the organization. This study, grounded in crisis communication theory, provides a relevant, practical contribution to the implementation of effective strategic crisis communication in situations concerning Gen Z stakeholders.

ABSTRACTThis paper uses a unique setting of Canadian public firms adopting International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) to investigate the factors that motivate companies to revalue Property, Plant, and Equipment (PP&E) under the deemed cost provision in IFRS 1, and whether revaluations help predict future performance, and what is the market reaction to such revaluations. Utilizing the probit model, difference-in-differences approach, and Wald test, we find that large firms and/or firms with higher net PP&E to total assets ratios are more likely to revalue PP&E, and firms adopting the fair value option for PP&E record lower depreciation in the post-IFRS period. In addition, we show that investors react negatively to the firms electing the fair value option for PP&E and the market discounts such revaluation information.

We use flows into and out of unemployment to estimate the unemployment rate over the next year. This approach produces less stark projections for the unemployment rate over the course of the next year than some of the more alarming projections that have been reported. Using our approach and assuming that the severest social-distancing measures will be lifted in June, we estimate that the unemployment rate will peak in May at about 16 percent but gradually decline thereafter and end the year at 7.5 percent.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the veracity of the contingency model of ethical crisis communication by examining the factors of influence in a time of crisis including what constitutes ethics in a time of crisis; the role of public relations (PR) practitioners as the "moral conscience" of an organization and perceptions of the PR' role within top management. Design/methodology/approach: In-depth interviews were conducted among ten senior PR managers with crisis communication experience in North America. Findings: This research identifies and investigates six ethical variables – the nature of the crisis, the role of top management, the activism of stakeholders, government regulation/intervention, the diversity of cultures and the exposure to external business environments – and their potential influences on an organization's communication practices. Research limitations/implications: The qualitative approach does not produce generalizable results. In addition, the authors could have interviewed more people, although the authors have reached information saturation in analyzing the interview data based on the ten interviews conducted. Practical implications: Insights from this exploratory study contribute to answering the "how" questions with empirical data that enhance the clarity on the roadmap of ethical factors in crisis communication practice. Originality/value: Unlike other conceptual work that explores moral philosophies in ethics, this study aims to offer a practical approach – rather than a philosophical argument and persuasion – that is rooted in the practitioner's world.

AbstractSocial media have transformed traditional configurations of how risk signals related to an infectious disease outbreak (IDO) are transmitted from public health authorities to the general public. However, our understanding of how social media might influence risk perceptions during these situations, and the influence of such processes on ensuing societal responses remains limited. This paper draws on key ideas from the Social Amplification of Risk Framework (SARF), Socially Mediated Crisis Communication (SMCC) model and a case study of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) social media management of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic to propose a new conceptual model. The Risk Amplification through Media Spread (RAMS) model brings clarity to the new complexities in media management of IDOs by delineating the processes of message diffusion and risk amplification through communication channels that are often highly integrated due to social media. The model offers recommendations for communication priorities during different stages of an IDO. The paper concludes with a discussion of the RAMS model from theoretical and applied perspectives, and sets the direction for future conceptual refinement and empirical testing.

As the first study of Chinese newspaper coverage of depression over the past twelve years, this paper analyzed how state-controlled Party press and market-oriented City press framed depression and attributed responsibilities at individual and societal levels. The study also explored how cultural and organizational factors influenced frame building. Findings indicate that print news coverage utilized more thematic than episodic framing. However, there was a gradual decrease in thematic and increase in episodic framing over time. Chinese newspapers placed more problem-solving (but not causal) responsibilities on the society. City press was less likely than Party press to make societal-level responsibility attributions.

Overoptimistic performance prediction is a very common feature of people's goal-directed behavior. In this study we examined overoptimistic prediction as a function of construal level. In construal level theory an explanation is set out with regard to how people make predictions through
the abstract connections between past and future events, with high-level construal bridging near and distant events. We conducted 2 experiments to confirm our hypothesis that, compared with people with local, concrete construals, people with global, abstract construals would make predictions
that were less overoptimistic. In Study 1 we manipulated construal level by priming mindset, and participants (n = 81) predicted the level of their productivity in an anagram task. The results supported our hypothesis. In Study 2, in order to improve the generalizability of the conclusion,
we varied the manipulation of the construal level by priming a scenario, and measured performance prediction by having the participants (n = 119) estimate task duration. The results showed that high-level construal consistently decreased overoptimistic prediction, supporting our hypothesis.
The theoretical implications of our findings are discussed.

As the largest alpine peat swamp wetland distribution area in the world, the Zoige has important ecological functions, including water conservation and biodiversity maintenance. In the past 20 years, the regional ecological protection and restoration measures continuously strengthened under the leadership of the local government have led to gradual improvements in the ecological environment of the region. In this study, multisource satellite remote-sensing image data were used to carry out quantitative monitoring and assessment of the main ecological elements (vegetation and water), as well as the regional leading ecosystem service function in the Zoige. Combined with local ecological protection management policies and measures, we analyzed the characteristics and effectiveness of ecological protection. We compared the ecosystem change trends of the Zoige reserve and the county, from 2001 to 2020, and found that the fractional vegetation cover (FVC) of Zoige county has increased at a rate of 0.25%/year. The growth rate was highest between 2015 and 2020, and the growth rate of FVC in the Zoige Wetland National Nature Reserve is approximately 1.89-fold that of the whole county. The water area also shows similar variation characteristics. On the whole, the water conservation capacity of the Zoige showed a significant increase from 2001 to 2020. We used high-resolution satellite remote-sensing images to capture the details of land use changes brought about by local ecological protection policies and measures, and together with macroecological indicators, we reflected on the effectiveness of regional ecological protection measures. We observed that the ecological effects of nature reserves are more direct and rapid, and the amount of water conservation within the nature reserve is about 1 × 104 m3/km2 higher than that of the surrounding grasslands. Satellite remote-sensing images can not only capture the multiscale change information of ecological indicators, such as vegetation and water, in a timely manner, but can ...

AbstractThis study examines the induction of information technology and the use of image‐repair focused crisis response strategies on social media by Pakistan Railways amid a recent crisis. A mix‐method based content analysis (i.e., qualitative and quantitative) to investigate whether and if so, how Pakistan Railways used Benoit's suggested image restoration strategies on social media to repair its image among customers and in print media. Our results show that Pakistan Railways predominantly used reducing the offensiveness of event (40%), followed by corrective action (34.6%), evasion of responsibility (10.6%), denial (8%) and mortification (6.4%) strategies, respectively. In addition, the use of image‐repair focused crisis response strategies significantly varied by social media platform. An analysis of the publics' emotions found in their online comments reveals that, during the course of the organizational crisis communication, negative public emotions gradually subsided into ambivalent ones; and contrary to a highly negative newspaper coverage tone in the beginning of the crisis, the introduction of the Twitter handle has associated with more positive media coverage afterward. Theoretical and practical implications, especially the need for advancing social‐mediated crisis response effectiveness in developing countries, are discussed.