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Communication Research
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Understanding the Effects of Nonstraightforward Communication in Organizational Discourse

The Case of Equivocal Messages and Corporate Identity

Susan L. Kline

The Ohio State University, kline.48{at}osu.edu

Bethany Simunich

The Ohio State University

Heath Weber

The Ohio State University

Two experiments (n = 605) utilize equivocal communication theory to understand the effects of nonstraightforward communication in organizational discourse, specifically in initial spokesperson responses to organizational crises. In a first experiment, young adults rated equivocal and nonequivocal spokesperson responses to corporate crisis situations that either contained or did not contain an avoidance-avoidance goal conflict. As predicted, equivocal messages were both viewed as appropriate messages to use and associated with two measures of corporate reputation in avoidance-avoidance situations. By contrast, nonequivocal messages were viewed as more appropriate to use and associated with corporate reputation in non—avoidance-avoidance situations. Experiment 2 essentially replicated these findings and showed that the effect of nonequivocal and equivocal messages on perceived corporate reputation is partially mediated by how well the messages are perceived to handle goal conflicts in crisis situations.

Key Words: equivocal messages • corporate identity • strategic ambiguity • crisis management

Communication Research, Vol. 35, No. 6, 770-791 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/0093650208324269
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