The dynamic collaboration in crisis communication: a complex adaptive systems perspective

Crisis communication involves multiple sources of information, necessitating collaboration between organizations. The processes and reasons behind organizational collaborations in crisis communication remain inadequately studied. Based on the Complex Adaptive System theoretical framework, this study investigated the formation mechanisms of crisis communication collaboration and their evolution in practice, as observed during the COVID-19 response actions in China. Network data were collected through collective actions of releasing information and analyzed using the Exponential Random Graph Model. According to research findings, (1) bonding structures thrive in low-risk contexts, whereas bridging structures become indispensable as uncertainty increases. (2) During the initial stages of crisis communication, organizations tend to collaborate with other organizations that share similar characteristics. (3) The emergence of organizational collaboration is driven by external needs rather than planning or path dependence. Furthermore, there are implications for increasing organizational collaboration and network efficiencies during crisis communication.