5. Analysis and conclusion
Other strategies mentioned by the interviewees should also be noted. For instance, the strategy of “clarification with positive news” which highlights the positive images of government leaders or praise the leadership and “reducing media exposures by taking advantage of relations or bribing the media with money” and “settling issues privately”, which are regarded as “the hidden rules” of Chinese public relations (Gong, 2008). Chinese crisis communication practices have much to learn from the West. Similarly, for professionals practicing in China, they should learn more about Chinese social backgrounds and apply appropriate CRSs in China. Misunderstandings might happen without considering such specific contextual or contingent factors. The explication of Chinese corporate CRSs may help practitioners and audiences better understand their crisis communication practices. Most PR practitioners agreed that “barnacle” strategy, “third party endorsement” and “setting up new topics” are based on Chinese characteristics. These strategies are largely influenced by Chinese political structures, cultural background, media features, corporate mechanism and public’s idiosyncrasies, which are distinct from their Western counterparts. Practitioners agreed that the government plays a significant role in corporate decisions, especially in the SOEs’ strategic directions. Therefore, it is essential to consider the Chinese indigenous social context before applying any theoretical framework based on Western context.
