Crisis Management on Social Media: a framework

Purpose. Scholars should investigate organization model of companies that successfully manage their Social Media presence, in every circumstance. The main purpose of our research is to provide a network perspective to the relevant topic of Social Media Crisis Management. Methodology. Following an exploratory qualitative approach, Authors have conducted 5 in-depth interviews with key Informants (internal and external to the Company) designated to the task of “social media crisis management”, linked in a client/suppliers relationship. All the material has been reviewed through a content-analysis. Findings. According to our preliminary research, many are the issues and the topics that companies and digital agencies/consultants must control in their collaboration to face a Social Media crisis. Even if the topic is compelling, many of those elements are unexpected and underestimate. Practical implications. Managerial implications concern three different point of view: how companies and their suppliers interact in facing challenges online and how a network approach could be useful for Social Media Crisis Management. Originality/value. From the best of our knowledge, this study could be the first in analysing how companies and agencies must be organized to face a crisis on Social Media. Moreover, it will allow investigating in an empiric way the sense making approach to the crisis management topic.