DETERMINING CULTURAL INFLUENCE ON CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS

Thesis Submitted to: Miss Amna Shahzadi

Submitted By: Zoha Younas

Roll No: 1410415

Session: 2014-2018

Govt. Post Graduate Islamia College for Women, Cooper Road Lahore
 Acknowledgement

The accomplishment of this research project would not have been possible without the dedication, inventiveness
and guidance provided by a number of people all through the study.

First and foremost I want to express my appreciation to my Teacher; Miss Amna Shahzadi for the academic
guidance she accorded me in every stage of this research project. The wealth of knowledge in academic writing
attained through this collaboration is precious.

I also want to thank my good friends for proof reading this research. It is never easy to go through pages of
such writing in a field we are not familiar to. However as friends they made this happen while providing
positive feedback.

Finally, to my family for their continuous encouragement and support, without which I would not have been
able to concentrate and complete this research.

Thanks you
 Dedication

This research project has been moderately satisfying and delightful to conduct. However this would not have
been possible without the encouragement and sacrifices of time made available to myself by my family. I
therefore dedicate this research project to my whole family.

I also dedicate this research to my mother who taught me at a very tender age to always aim higher in my
academic searches. This research is an important innovation in this journey. To my mother also for the
discipline that came in convenient in keeping with the constricted timelines for this study.

Lastly, to my loving friends for their encouragement and feedback. May the completion of this study be an
inspiration to you to strive for success in all that you do in your life.
 Table of Contents

Chapter No. 1
Introduction
1. Introduction
1.1. Problem Statement
1.2. Research Objectives
1.3. Definitions of Variables
1.3.1. Crisis Communication
1.3.2. Cultural Influences
1.4. Importance
1.5. Research Questions

Chapter No. 2
Literature Review
2. Literature Review
2.1. Background

Chapter No. 3
Theoretical Framework
3. Theoretical Framework
3.1. Cultural Influences depends on Crisis Communication
3.2. Hypothesis

Chapter No. 4
Research Methodology
4. Research Methodology
4.1. Research Design
4.2. Population
4.3. Sample
 4.4. Data Collection
4.5. Data Analysis

Chapter No. 5
Descriptive Statistics
5. Descriptive Statistics
5.1. Demographic Statistics
5.1.1. Demographic Profile of Respondents
5.2. Descriptive Summary
5.3. Reliability Analysis
5.4. Correlation Analysis

Chapter No. 6
Conclusion
6. Conclusion
6.1. Discussion
6.2. Conclusion
6.3. Limitations
6.4. Recommendations & Suggestions for future Research

References
Appendix
 Abstract

This study implemented an interpretive social science approach with an egalitarian perspective. It explores the
relationship between culture and crisis communication. The researcher created a fictitious organizational crisis,
then surveyed participants to gather their insights and guidance as they related to organizational response. The
literature reviewed in this study provides detailed examination of crisis and culture. It calls for examination of
how the two impact one another in communication settings. Survey questions were derived from Hofstede’s
dimensions of cultural variability, which was the theoretical framework for this study. Efforts were made to
include broad participation and incorporate simple random probability samples. The findings were supportive of
Hofstede’s theory, as the survey responses generally fell in line with the cultural characteristics described in his
theory. Specific examples are provided. Future research should test the findings in a broader capacity to
continue examination of the relationship between crisis and culture.
 Chapter No 1
1. Introduction:
This study implemented an interpretive social science approach with free perspective. It explores the
relationship between culture and crisis communication. The researcher created a made up organizational
crisis, then surveyed participants to gather their insights and guidance as they related to organizational
response. The literature reviewed in this study provides detailed examination of crisis and culture. It
calls for examination of how the two impact one another in communication settings. Survey questions
were derived from Hofstede’s dimensions of cultural variability, which was the theoretical framework
for this study. Efforts were made to include broad participation and incorporate simple random
probability samples. The findings were supportive of Hofstede’s theory, as the survey responses
generally fell in line with the cultural characteristics described in his theory. Specific examples are
provided. Future research should test the findings in a broader capacity to continue examination of the
association between crisis and culture.
Organizations managing a crisis often times negate or disregard the important power of culture. Culture
can be addressed both within an organization and outside of the organization. Culture can mean crossing
national boundaries. Crisis communication plans should account for cultural variables. As our world
becomes more globally connected and organizations expand their business to new region, the issue of
cross-cultural crisis communications needs to be addressed as part of organizational growth and
development. Public relations efforts convey organizational values, norms, and perspectives that work to
hold together the overall organization (Falkheimer & Heide, 2007). A crisis can take place anywhere at
any time. It can involve conflicts within one culture or complications with any number of other cultures.
Stakeholders can perceive a crisis as insignificant or extremely detrimental. Awareness can be swayed
with proper planning and organizational insight. A plan that addresses current and future organizational
concerns can prove to be an invaluable tool in times of organizational crisis. Global public relations
practitioners must collaborate with each other to pull together resources, ideas, and strategies that are
dispersed in different organizations around the world.

1.1. Significance of study

This study was conducted during the week of March 12 through March 18 and April 1 through 7, 2012.
The study utilized a survey of members from the International Public Relations Society. The
organization’s president preferred to use the professional networking website LinkedIn in order to ask
for participants rather than emailing each member of the organization individually.
 At the beginning of each data collection week, an email was sent to each member of the group.
Respondents were asked to go to the website where the survey existed if they wanted to participant. The
data was gathered during and later analyzed as research for this study.

1.2. The Problem statement:

Gap between actual result and actual results are called problem statement no amount of good research
can find solutions to the situation if the critical issue the problem to be studies is not clearly pinpointed.
After the interview and the literature review the researcher is in apposition to narrow the problem
original broad base.
“Cultural Influence on communication Crises in the world”

1.3. Definition of variable:

1.3.1. Crisis:
The communication between the organization and its public prior to, during, and after the negative
occurrence
1.3.2. Social Constructionism: social interaction processes which create a never-ending construction of reality
1.3.3. Cross-Cultural Communication: communication from one culture to another culture

1.4. Research objective:

Crisis management is frequently described and explained in rigid stages. The threestaged model
(Coombs, 1998) has been widely accepted when examining crisis communication. Uncertainty
avoidance involves the extent to which one considers ambiguous situations threatening. Societies strong
in this dimension emphasize the need for formal rules, encouraging compliance, and seek to avoid
conflict. High uncertainty avoidance also results in greater stress. Significantly, uncertainty avoidance is
not equivalent to risk avoidance. High uncertainty avoidance cultures put a premium on planned and
deliberate risk taking.
Individualism/collectivism examines the competitive priority placed on the individual versus the
collective needs in society. In a highly individualist society people are expected to be independent.
Personal responsibility is not expected to extend beyond the nuclear family. In a highly collectivist
culture people place value on social harmony and expect others to help one another. Such allegiance
encourages compliance with organizational goals. Communication in highly collectivist cultures
involves “high context” in which meanings and implications are self-evident. They do not need to be
 stated explicitly and need little explanation. However, communication in highly individualistic cultures
often requires information to be stated explicitly.
Confucian dynamism consists of values based on longer-versus shorter-term orientations in life.
Individuals in short-term oriented societies want quick results, whereas people in longer-term (more
Confucian) cultures persevere and are willing to accept results. People in short-term societies put a
premium in finding truth, while people in longer-term societies are concerned with the demands of
virtue. Hofstede argues that a non-Confucian orientation tends to promote “concern with ‘face’” or
reputation, while ignoring the common interests of the society as a whole.
Masculinity/femininity involves the traits and behaviors traditionally assigned to men versus women in
society. In masculine cultures people place high value on clearly distinct gender roles, performance and
ambition. By contrast, people in feminine cultures emphasize role sharing, quality of life, service and
interdependence. Individuals in masculine cultures are motivated to achieve, place work at the center of
their lives, accept employers’ interference with their lives, and accept high job-related stress as a part of
life.
These dimensions have been justified through research and study to help create a best practice model in
cultural difference study and effects on uncertainty reduction in intercultural communication encounters
(Gudykunst, Chua & Gray, 1987; Olaniran, 1996; Olaniran & Stewart, 1996). Although cultural
variability is a pillar in the field of intercultural communications, the theory is not without criticism
(McSweeney, 2002, p. 113). The main criticism being that the theory is static, not taking into account
social changes, power, diversity or situational contexts. McSweeney claims it may actually enforce
national cultural stereotypes instead of helping find solutions to cultural problems. Intercultural
communication as a field of study tends to have a rather traditional western-biased field perspective. A
majority of the studies are quantitative, comparative and conducted by Western scholars (Barnett & Lee,
2002). As a result of its origins in Western thought, little attention has been paid to cross-cultural aspects
of crisis communications. Most of the crisis management models are regarded as highly ethnocentric
and based on Western cultures. This means approaches to problems are based on one culture and deemed
appropriate across all situations and cultures.

1.5. Research question:

1. To what degree should crisis communication managers account for cultural variation when
constructing crisis communication plans?

2. Is cultural variability still applicable given the communication medium developments of the
last two decades?
3. Can global generalization regarding culture develop a best practice method for crisis
communication plans?
 Chapter No 2
2. Review of Literature:
2.1. Background:
This study will utilize cultural variability and social constructionism as the basis for understanding the impact
culture plays in crisis communication efforts. Hofstede’s original work (1980, 1983) established basic criteria
for describing five different cultural characteristics. It provides a multicultural viewpoint to crisis and
organizational management. The five dimensions of cultural variability result from data collected in fifty
countries around three regions of the world (Hofstede, 1980, 1983). This work is not without criticism, as it
breaks culture down to a form that some scholars argue is just too simplistic to encompass an entire culture. For
the purposes of this study, it serves as an excellent tool to address and group large audience perception and
constructed reality.
10 A social constructionist perspective on crisis events emphasizes communication and the social construction
of reality. Social constructionism states that social interaction processes are important in the never-ending
construction of reality. Social constructionism emphasizes the role that people have in enacting a social reality,
and the importance of language in the process (Gergen, 1998). According to social constructionism, language is
not a passive medium that conveys reality. The sense making processes are affected by general undertakings, the
member’s perceptual capability, and their expectations (Weick, 1988). Since history has shown that crisis
management is largely based on audience perception, it only makes sense to rely on social constru Summary of
the Literature Crisis management theorists have become increasingly stylish in suggesting that the nature of
crisis responses can vary considerably.
Heath (1997) emphasize that responses should be selected based upon the severity of the crisis. Coombs (1994)
contend that different crisis responses are proper depending upon the locus of responsibility for the crisis
(internal-external) and the controllability of the cause (intentional-unintentional). Different responses are
appropriate, based whether the crisis involves blunder, accident, transgression or terrorism (Coombs, 1994).
Crisis management theorists have become increasingly difficult in suggesting that the nature of crisis responses
can vary considerably. Heath (1997) emphasizes that responses should be selected based upon the severity of
the crisis. Coombs (1994) contend that different crisis responses are appropriate, depending upon the locus of
responsibility for the crisis (internal-external) and the controllability of the cause (intentional-unintentional).
Different responses are appropriate, based whether the crisis involves faux pas, accident, transgression or
terrorism (Coombs, 1994). 19 Literature regarding the impact of culture in crisis communications largely relies
on Hofstede’s theory of cultural variability as a measurement tool.
 Researchers have emphasized a need for further exploration into the impacts of culture in crisis
communications, especially in a variety of global environments and circumstances searching and understanding
of crisis communications has laid a foundation for examining crisis plans and responses. The three stages of
crisis development along with the organizational response requirements provide a blue print for how
organizations should act in a crisis situation. By applying Hofstede’s dimensions of cultural variability to
current crisis communication plans, the crash and considerations of cultural variables should surface.

Crisis: The communication between the organization and its public prior to, during, and after the negative
occurrence
Social Constructionism: social interaction processes which create a never-ending construction of reality
Cross-Cultural Communication: communication from one culture to another culture
 Chapter No 3

3.1Theoretical framework:
Independent variable Dependent variable

Crises communication Cultural influence

3.2. Cultural influence dependent on crises on communication.

There are crises communication independent variable and cultural influence independent variable there relation
may be opposite or same.

3.3 H0; There is significance different between Crises Communication and Cultural Influence .
H1; There is no significance different between Crises Communication and Cultural Influence
 Chapter No 4
4. Methodology
4.1. Research methodology:
This chapter describes the scope and methodology of this study. It includes what has been included and
excluded in the course of this study. The chapter examines the scope of the research. It builds a full
understanding of how and why participants were selected for the study. It also addresses what may be missing
in the study. This understanding is followed by a description of the methodology used in the study. The
methodology explains how and why the study chose a quantitative survey type method to answer the research
questions addressed in chapter 2. This explanation of methodology allows for a systematic approach to the
analysis, conclusion, and implication sections presented in the final chapters of this research paper.

4.2. Research design:

After the identification of the variables in a problem situation and the development of the theoretical in a way
that the requisite. Data can be can be analyzed after the identification of the variables in a problem situation and
the development of the theoretical in a way that the requisite data can be can be analyzed.

4.3. Population:
The target population for this research is all the sectors of the Punjab for data relating to crisis communication
and cultural influence. The cultural influences used are yearly averages while for crisis communication it will be
numbers for Punjab.

4.4. Sample:
The sampling frame was based on time series annual data of the independent and dependent variables. This
sampled based on available data for real effective cultural influences on crisis communication. The sample is
Lahore city from the whole Punjab.

4.5. Data Collection:

To be able to conduct this research secondary data of cultural influences and crisis communication inflows in
Lahore are collected. The research is designed to examine the cultural influence movements both under the
fixed establishments, the attached establishments and in which overcomes to date. Hence time series data is
collected from Lahore to apprehension these different cultural influences. The real operational cultural
influences data is extracted from Lahore data documentations while for crisis communication inflows; data is
extracted from news channels.
This research concentrated on perceiving correlations and news indicator developments, and required having a
large amount of crisis communication data. The selection process was considered to guarantee maximum data
availability in the sample, thus dropping the probabilistic error from non-respond error.
 Chapter 5
Data Analysis

5. Data Analysis:
Descriptive statistics are recycled to investigate the records, all in determination to examine the influence and
relation among cultural influences to crisis communication in Punjab. The data is collected through
questionnaires. The investigation used the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to assessment the
consequence of the correlation of the variables.

5.1. Demographic Statistics:

Statistics

Age of Qualifications of Gender of Marital status of

respondent respondent respondent respondent

Valid 50 50 50 50
N
Missing 0 0 0 0
Mean 1.3400 3.4000 1.4600 1.3600
Median 1.0000 4.0000 1.0000 1.0000
Mode 1.00 4.00 1.00 1.00
Std. Deviation .62629 .83299 .50346 .48487
Variance .392 .694 .253 .235
Range 3.00 3.00 1.00 1.00

5.1.1. Demographic Profile of Respondents:

 5.2. Descriptive Analysis:
Questions 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
N Valid 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50
Missing 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Mean 2.720 1.5200 3.9600 4.4000 4.3200 4.0600 4.2600 4.0400 4.5800 4.6400
Median 2.000 1.0000 4.0000 4.0000 4.0000 4.0000 4.0000 4.0000 5.0000 5.0000
Mode 2.0 1.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 5.00 4.00 4.00 5.00 5.00
Std. Deviation 1.0887 1.11098 1.2610 .69985 .85756 1.1677 .87622 .83201 .85928 .87505
Variance 1.185 1.234 3 .490 .753 6 .768 .692 .738 .766
Range 4.0 4.00 1.590 3.00 4.00 1.364 4.00 3.00 4.00 4.00
4.00 4.00

5.4. Reliability Analysis:

Reliability Statistics

Cronbach's Cronbach's N of Items

Alpha Alpha Based on
Standardized
Items

.640 .670 11

5.5. Correlation Analysis:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1 1
2 -.072 1
3 -.115 .157 1
4 -.022 .038 .086 1
5 -.155 .348 .356 .215 1
6 -.087 .390 .469 .132 .424 1
7 -.100 .508 .459 .210 .640 .583 1
8 -.045 .177 .182 .232 .236 .355 .321 1
9 -.429 .512 .048 .046 .348 .351 .338 .309 1
10 -.559 .338 .107 .117 .424 .541 .417 .300 .772 1

Correlation is highly significant at 0.01 levels

Correlation is significant at 0.05 levels
 Chapter 6
Conclusion

6. Conclusion:
6.1. Discussion:
In this chapter, conclusions are strained from the analytical results of the earlier chapter and endorsements made
to notify any future policy intended at appealing crisis communication while considering the dominant cultural
influences in Punjab. The boundaries to this research project are also emphasized with reference of areas for
further study to subsidize the knowledge on crisis communication causes in Punjab and better comprehend the
relationship between cultural influences and crisis communication.

6.2. Conclusion:
From this research we conclude that that the influence of cultural influences on crisis communication is
inconsequential in Punjab. We also reminder that the relationship between the two variables is confident hence
we conclude that a growth in cultural influences in contradiction of foreign currencies indications to an growth
in crisis communication influence is weak. However other research procedures can be applied in future
researches to see if this conclusion is constant.

6.3. Limitations:
This study did not aspect the consequence of time insulated data for cultural influences in expressions of how
long it takes for crisis communication to answer of such influences. Communicators are known to be
hypothetical and would want to attack when they can make proceeds. This study would have influenced in
displays to see their correlations in light of crisis communication. However due to the time constrictions this
research was inadequate to a bivariate study.
 References:
 Barnett, G.A., & Lee, M. (2002). Issues in intercultural communication research. In W.B. Gudykunst &
B. Mody (Eds.), Handbook of international and intercultural communication, 2nd Ed., 275-290.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
 Barton, L. (1993). Crisis in organization: Managing and communicating in the heat of chaos.
Cinncinnati, OH: South-Western.
 Barton, L. (2001). Crisis in organizations II (2nd Ed.). Cincinnati, OH: College Divisions South-
Western.
 Blumler, J.G., McLeod, J.M., & Rosengren, K.E. (Eds.) (1992). Comparatively speaking:
Communication and culture across space and time. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
 Coombs, W.T. (1998). Ongoing crisis communication: Planning, managing, and responding. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Sage.

Appendix:
Employee Commitment Engagement

Dear Sir/Madam,
I am the student of Govt. Post Graduate Islamia College for Women, Cooper Road Lahore, I am conducting
research on employee commitment intension and I assure you that your information will be kept personal.
This survey is conducted to obtain information that will help my research on “Employee Commitment
Engagement” and I also wanted to identify the wants and needs of organization’s employees.

Demographics:
Name: _______________________ Age: _____________ Qualifications: ______________
Gender: _____________ Marital Status: _____________ Experience: ________________

These options are provided for the following questions:

1. Strongly Disagree 2. Disagree 3.Neither Disagree nor Agree
4. Agree 5. Strongly Agree

Sr. No. Employee Commitment Engagement 1 2 3 4 5

1
Fair Reward System exist in my organization

2 My mind often wanders and I think of other things when

doing my job
3 The Employer have given choice Preferences out of given
 set of rewards
4 Most of our employee get rewards as per their own
choices
5 I really “throw” myself into my job
6 Sometimes I am so into my job that I lose track of time
7 This job is all consuming; I am totally into it
8 I am highly engaged in this job
9 I prefer very much not to continue working for this
organization
10 I often think about quitting my job.