2027 Call for Research Proposals: The Interplay of Integrity and Crisis Communication within the Context of Managing for Tomorrow
The Arthur W. Page Center's 2027 Page/Johnson Legacy Scholar Grant competition is accepting research proposals on the interplay of integrity and crisis communication within the context of managing for tomorrow.
2027 Call for Proposals Overview
Crisis communication is an applied field of research that has been expanding rapidly over the past twenty years. Crisis communication reflects the Page Principle of “Managing for Tomorrow” because crisis management is about planning for the future and being ready for today. Crisis communication research is applied because it seeks to enhance crisis management thereby facilitating the wellbeing of those adversely affected by the crisis, including stakeholders and the organization-in-crisis.
The crisis communication body of research is robust but has just begun to explore the interplay between integrity and crisis communication. Integrity can be both an asset and a liability during a crisis. Management’s integrity can serve as a buffer against the damage a crisis can inflict upon an organization, much like the organizational reputation can give organizations-in-crisis the benefit of the doubt with stakeholders. Integrity can be a resource to draw upon when communicating with various stakeholders during a crisis and potentially increases the account acceptance of crisis messages.
Integrity can be a serious liability when the crisis is integrity-based as opposed to competency-based. Competency-based crises are a result of mistakes made by people in the organization such as mislabeling a food product for allergens. Competency-based crises can be managed using instructing and adjusting information along with compensation when needed. Integrity-based crises occur when an organization purposefully violates its stated values and principles such as managers knowingly placing stakeholder safety at risk. Integrity-based crises are a form of sticky crises because the moral outrage and sense of betrayal these crises create make the crisis challenging to manage.
Relevant proposals include, but are not limited to, the following potential research topics:
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How might integrity serve as a buffer against the common negative crisis effects of reputational damage, negative word-of-mouth intentions, and decline in purchase intentions?
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Can integrity serve as a buffer in both competency-base and integrity-based crises?
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How might integrity signaling prior to a crisis enhance the buffering effect of integrity?
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Do perceptions of strong integrity become a burden when an organization becomes involved in an integrity-based crisis? Will these prior positive views of integrity intensify the sense of the organization breaking promises and betraying stakeholders?
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How might integrity contribute to the readiness of an organization to manage crises?
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How do integrity-based crises enhance negative emotions and distress stakeholder experience during a crisis?
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How do integrity-based crises change the outcomes crisis managers should be pursuing?
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Why do integrity-based crises require a shift to long-term thinking and reinforce the need to manage for tomorrow?
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How can integrity signaling be used to help mend the stakeholder-organization relationship following a competency-based crisis?
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Can integrity signaling be used to help mend the stakeholder-organization relationship following an integrity-based crisis?
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What are effective and ineffective ways to provide integrity signaling following a crisis?
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How can integrity be used to promote stakeholder wellbeing following a crisis?
Researchers of funded projects must participate in Research Roundtables in the summers of 2027 and 2028 to discuss progress and findings. Teams will have the opportunity to submit manuscripts for consideration as part of a special issue of Business Horizons. All manuscripts submitted to Business Horizons would undergo the regular review process and meet the journal’s standards.
Guidelines for grant applications can be found here.
Deadlines & Notifications
- Application materials must be electronically submitted on or before Jan. 15, 2027
- Scholars will be notified of the selection committee's decisions on March 19, 2027
- Contracts for successful grants will be initiated starting July 1, 2027
- Final reports and deliverables are due within 30 days of the contract end date (Dec. 31, 2028)
Questions?
If you have questions about this call for proposals regarding topic or research ideas, contact the co-leads listed below. For all other questions, email PageCenter@psu.edu.
Timothy Coombs
- Senior Partner, Center for Risk Communication
- Senior Research Fellow, Arthur W. Page Center
Submit a proposal
The Page Center supports research that advances understanding of public relations and strategic communication while providing practical insights for professionals. To submit a proposal, create an account or log onto Scholastica, complete the submission form and upload the required materials Thank you for your interest in this research program and good luck!
