Anticipating the unknown: Crisis communication while under investigation

The cause of a crisis may have to be reidentified when, during the aftermath of the crisis, new insights come to light in the accident reports. The possible reassignment of responsibility for a crisis complicates the suitable choice of an appropriate crisis response strategy that is ultimately intended to optimize reputational protection. This article describes how this phenomenon should be taken into account and suggests an 'acknowledge and await' response strategy for situations in which organizations prefer to respond with care and not jump to conclusions before the outcomes of an investigation are known.