Strategic silence in crisis communication : defining, assessing effectiveness, and exploring cultural and intersectional influences among Kenyan public relations practitioners
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This dissertation explores how public relations practitioners and crisis managers in Kenya conceptualize and use strategic silence during crises. While silence in crisis communication is often viewed as avoidance, denial, or communication failure, this study positions it as a culturally and contextually grounded strategy. Drawing on contingency theory, intersectionality, and Hofstede's cultural dimensions, the research examines how identity, organizational pressure, and cultural values shape crisis responses. Through interviews with 22 practitioners across public and private sectors, the study reveals that silence is not an absence of communication but a deliberate act shaped by communal norms, deference to authority, and gendered power dynamics. Strategic silence is used to manage reputations, minimize conflict, and maintain social harmony. These insights offer a culturally rooted expansion to dominant crisis communication theories such as Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) and Image Repair Theory, especially in contexts where rapid responses are needed and segmented messaging is impractical. The study advocates for more intersectional and culturally informed approaches to global public relations practice.
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Ph. D.