Crisis management: The effective use of image restoration strategies when an organization/individual is faced with a crisis

This paper examines strategies and ethics in the field of public relations for establishing a reputation with key stakeholders of an organization. This paper also explores how a properly maintained reputation helps when a crisis erupts and what strategies are used when dealing with a crisis. The second half of this paper is a qualitative content analysis. The pilot study examines an entire year of New York newspaper coverage of The American Red Cross and controversies concerning funds they collected after the events that took place on September 11, 2001. The greater research examines evening television news coverage dealing with the Martha Stewart insider trading scandal. The five strategies the research concentrates on are: (1) Denial; (2) Evasion of Responsibility; (3) Reducing Offensiveness; (4) Corrective Action; (5) Mortification. The findings of this research suggest that with the use of corrective action a crisis can be successfully evaded.