Abstract

Based on an analysis of the Red River Valley flood of 1997, this study seeks to explicate the expansive and intricate nature of crisis communication research. Specifically, the crisis is examined from four perspectives: (a) chaos theory, (b) retrospective sensemaking, (c) crisis communication logistics, and apologia. This case serves as evidence that multiple methods are necessary for building a complete understanding of complex crisis events. Furthermore, the authors argue that it is essential for crisis managers to adapt interpretive frameworks during crises in order to ascertain the unique nature of each crisis, regardless of previous experiences with similar crises.

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