The application of contingency theory to crisis response instead of crisis communication: the influence of strategy and time

Abstract Crisis response must go beyond merely mitigating negative impacts. Organisations often face the choice between cooperative, constructive responses or more advocative stances. This raises the question of whether their decisions are influenced by crisis response strategies, time pressure, or strategic orientation. This study used a quantitative methodology to collect data from 480 students at a well-known UK university, analysed using structural equation modelling. The findings revealed that crisis management variables operate on a spectrum, ranging from accommodative to advocative and from low intentionality to low accountability. This indicates that the choice of organisational approaches depends on specific circumstances. While traditional contingency theory research has focused primarily on crisis communication, this study expands its application to crisis response within higher education contexts. It introduces new contingency factors by incorporating crisis response strategies, time pressure, and strategic orientation into the concept of organisational stance during crisis response. Our findings underscore how contingency factors such as strategic orientation, time pressure, and response strategy types intersect with the challenges of governance capacity during crises. Governance capacity depends not only on formal structures and resources but also on how flexibly and coherently organisations can coordinate action in the face of uncertainty. Furthermore, this study highlights the importance of post-crisis organisational learning, as assessing the alignment between response strategies and stakeholder perceptions can reveal structural limitations and support more adaptive and resilient governance frameworks. The study also offers practical insights for higher education leaders, public relations practitioners, universities, and human resource professionals seeking to communicate effectively with students and other stakeholders during crises.