Instructing and Adjusting Information in Public Relations

Instructing and adjusting information refers to two types of crisis response messages used in public relations. Instructing information provides information to help people navigate the crisis, while adjusting information supports stakeholders as they manage the effects of the crisis. Reputation management comes into play after instructing and adjusting information, shifting the focus from stakeholder well-being to organizational image repair and image maintenance.

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Base Crisis Responses: Instructing and Adjusting

According to Page (2020), crisis communication theory offers three types of message response for a crisis:

1. instructing information

2. adjusting information

3. reputation management

Page (2020) found a gap in research for instructing and adjusting information, while reputation management had vast research.

Instructing information involves communication that directs the physical reactions of stakeholders to a crisis to help them respond (Page, 2020). It includes safety information that is distributed during a crisis.

Instructing information aims to:

• avoid harm

• maintain business practices

According to research by Page (2020), the most important element of instructing information to stakeholders is transparency.

Adjusting information is communication that aims to assist stakeholders in physically coping with a crisis (Page, 2020). It includes recovery information that is distributed during or immediately after a crisis.

According to research by Page (2020), the most important element of adjusting information to stakeholders is explanation.

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Reputation Management

Reputation management focuses on maintaining organizational image and repair, instead of the stakeholders. According to Jerome and Rowland (2006) image repair involves denying guilt, and image maintenance aims to protect the organization's overall image and reputation (Jerome & Rowland, 2004).

According to Coombs (2006), there are three categories that outline strategic communication plans for during and after a crisis:

1. deny

2. diminish

3. deal

Sturges (1994), as cited in Page (2020) and Coombs (2006), argues that reputational management involves internalizing information. Another difference between management, instructing and adjusting information is it typically occurs after instructing and adjusting information, typically when the crisis has been completely abated (Page, 2020).

Phase 1:	Phase 2:	Phase 3:
During Crisis	During/Directly After a Crisis	After a Crisis
Instructing Information	Adjusting Information	Reputational Management

Together, the phases reflect a progression from

1. protecting people, to

2. supporting people, to

3. protecting the organization.

Instructing and adjusting information, alongside reputation management messages, operate as a timeline in crisis communication, protecting stakeholders’ safety, helping them cope and restoring organizational image. Understanding how these concepts work together allows PR practitioners to respond strategically and ethically throughout the full lifecycle of a crisis.

References

Coombs, W. T. (2006). The protective powers of crisis response strategies: Managing reputational assets during a crisis. Journal of Promotion Management, 12(3-4), 241–260. https://doi.org/10.1300/J057v12n03_13.

Jerome, A. M. & Rowland, R. C. (2004). On organizational apologia: a reconceptualization. Communication Theory, 14(3), 191-211. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2885.2004.tb00311.x

Page, T. G. (2020). Measuring success: Explications and measurement scales of instructing information and adjusting information. Public Relations Review, 46, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2020.101952