Public relations vs. legal strategies in organizational crisis decisions

Abstract

Legal strategy dominates the organizational decision-making process in times of crisis, according to this study of how organizations respond to public charges of sexual harassment. In almost two-thirds of the cases studied, legal strategy—rather than public relations strategy—was used by official spokespersons who responded on behalf of the accused. Given the obvious public relations and legal consequences for organizations that ignore the public relations implications of statements made during crises, this legal dominance is shortsighted and potentially costly. This article demonstrates the need for organizations to reconcile the often contradictory counsel of public relations and legal professionals and take a more collaborative approach to crisis communications. Fitzpatrick is an assistant professor and head of the public relations department at Southern Methodist University and Rubin is a professor of journalism at California State University, Northridge.