Research Article

In Search of a Scapegoat: The Global Corporate Blame Game

İnci Çinarli 1 *
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1 Galatasaray University, Turkey* Corresponding Author
Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, 6(December 2016 - Special Issue), 2016, 69-85, https://doi.org/10.30935/ojcmt/5642
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ABSTRACT

Humanity has a long tradition of searching for means to cope with crisis situations and to manage the order of society. In our contemporary world, corporations with their complex global networking often face crises and need to minimise damage. This paper aims to identify why and how scapegoating is used as a strategy in crisis communication by global business. To this end, Situational Crisis Communication Theory has been used to analyse some recent corporate crises (e.g. Volkswagen AG’s handling of its emissions debacle and Costa Cruises’ fatally shipwrecked Costa Concordia). This study reveals that, even though slightly different from its ancient counterparts in its aims, scapegoating is a frequent tool of corporations seeking to mitigate their multi-causal crises. It also appraises the efficacy of this manoeuvre.
Keywords: crisis management, crisis communication, scapegoating, public relations

CITATION (APA)

Çinarli, İ. (2016). In Search of a Scapegoat: The Global Corporate Blame Game. Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, 6(December 2016 - Special Issue), 69-85. https://doi.org/10.30935/ojcmt/5642

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