ABSTRACT
Chapter 3 argues that despite the proliferation of research, articles, and books related to crisis communication, the voice that is often lost is the stakeholder’s voice. As both a public relations and management function, stakeholders are central to the success and failure of organizations responding to and managing crises in a cross-platform global environment. Therefore, this chapter introduces the central assumption for the text: It is the relationship(s) between organizations and all of their internal and external stakeholders that drives not only public relations but also crisis communication. The chapter explores stakeholder theory, the complexity within organizational environments, and introduces the theory underpinning the book: The stakeholder relationship model.
