Abstract
Many companies have faced challenges of social media in the form of public social crises. Previous research on social media crisis communication focuses specifically on examining communication patterns, text content, and user structures. However, ironic communication that takes place during corporate crises has hardly been investigated. To contribute to this field, we gathered Twitter data about a major global corporate crisis and conducted a social network analysis. Moreover, we started an online survey to examine user groups and their personal and social motives for the use of irony. Our study revealed that certain community clusters exist that use irony specifically for the purpose of entertainment and pastime. Based on the findings of this paper, managers can adapt and expand their strategies in crisis communication. Further research papers in information systems could use the implicit display theory and our suggested methods for detecting and understanding irony in social media communication.
Recommended Citation
Mirbabaie, Milad; Stieglitz, Stefan; and Eiro, Melia Ruiz, "#IronyOff – Understanding the Usage of Irony on Twitter during a Corporate Crisis" (2017). PACIS 2017 Proceedings. 66.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/pacis2017/66