Crisis Management and Crisis Communication in the Digital Age: The Impact of Social Media

A Master of Business Administration (MBA) by Agnel Rose Thomas entitled, “Crisis Management and Crisis Communication in the Digital Age: The Impact of Social Media”, submitted in May 2025. Thesis advisor is Dr. John Katsos. Soft copy is available (Thesis, Approval Signatures, Completion Certificate, and AUS Archives Consent Form).

Abstract

Social media has transformed crisis management and communication by enabling organizations to engage with consumers and address crises in real time. However, the rapid spread of information on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and X (previously known as Twitter) presents significant challenges, including the spread of misinformation and difficulties in maintaining narrative control. This study investigates United Arab Emirates consumers’ perceptions of organizational crisis response strategies using a hypothetical crisis scenario. Using a quantitative methodology, the research adopts the "corporate response continuum" model to analyze consumer perceptions of 4 types of corporate responses to crises. Data was collected through an online survey. The study aims to provide insights into effective crisis communication approaches, emphasizing the importance of transparency, accountability, and timely engagement in maintaining organizational reputation and consumer trust. The study involved 50 participants. The key findings present that morality violation emerged as the strongest predictor of consumer outcomes. Higher perceived morality violations were significantly associated with lower purchase intention and increased likelihood of secondary crisis communication on social media. Although crisis response type did not significantly affect outcomes, descriptive trends suggested that the “Super Effort” response strategy may reduce perceived immorality and slightly improve purchase intention. Informational social influence was notably high among participants, while normative influence was lower. Correlation analyses showed that participants who favored rapid crisis communication were more supportive of using social media for response. Overall, the findings highlight the central role of ethical perceptions and peer influence in shaping consumer reactions during crises and emphasize the importance of transparent, responsible, and socially aware communication strategies.