Messages about the environment have increased significantly within the past decade and are especially evident around Earth Day when people gather to celebrate efforts to protect our environment. Attempts to “Go Green” have not only influenced public policy makers, they have influenced organizations and corporations that are communicating about social responsibility in both the public and private sectors. This study – recognized by the Institute as one of the Top Three Papers submitted to the 2010 International public Relations Research Conference -examines the dynamics of conflict between an organization and its activist publics within the framework of an environmental crisis. A qualitative analysis of news content from major U.S. newspapers was employed to identify how two organizations in conflict – BP and Greenpeace – were framed. This study also explored impact on corporate reputation and on corporate social responsibility as well as the impact that conflict with activist publics had on organizational credibility. An in-depth discussion of six dominant frames that emerged from the sample under study is included.
Download PDF: Perception is truth: How elite U.S. newspapers framed the “Go Green” conflict between BP and Greenpeace
Hi,
I’d just like to know whether this article has been peer-reviewed?
I would like to use it as an example in an assessment.
Thanks