MH370 crisis: image repair strategies used by Malaysia Airlines

Abdul Karim, Aina Sahira and Abdul Latiff@Bapoo, Lili Suriani and Sulaiman, Abdul Kadir (2021) MH370 crisis: image repair strategies used by Malaysia Airlines. In: International Conference of Languages, Education and Tourism (ICLET) 2021, 28-30 June 2021, Online / Pagoh Campus.

PDF - Published Version Restricted to Registered users only Download (2MB) | Request a copy

Abstract

Malaysia Airlines System (MAS) is a state-owned airline controlled by the Government of Malaysia. On March 8, 2014, one of its flights, MH370 disappeared from the radar while flying 12 crewmembers and 227 passengers of 14 nationalities from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. To date, the cause of the tragedy as well as the plane’s whereabouts still remain unknown. This study focuses on the image repair strategies used by MAS in their written press conferences and press releases during the MH370 search and rescue operations. Based on Benoit’s Image Repair Theory, content and thematic analyses were carried out to identify the image repair strategies and the main themes used in the strategies. The findings show that the main types of image repair strategies applied by MAS were corrective action, bolstering, and mortification while collaboration in search and rescue operation, support for the victims’ families and transparency in information updates were prominently used as their image repair themes. Even though this study offers some insights on how image repair strategies were applied by an organization when handling an international crisis, further studies on the language discourse of image repair strategies are needed as they would be useful for language teaching and learning.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Plenary Papers)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	image repair, crisis management, MH370, airlines
Subjects:	P Language and Literature > PE English
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	Kulliyyah of Languages and Management
Depositing User:	Dr Lilisuriani Latif
Date Deposited:	20 Dec 2021 12:17
Last Modified:	20 Dec 2021 12:17
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/94974

Actions (login required)

View Item