Strategic Ambiguity in Corporate Apologia: A Case Study of Mars, Inc.’s Response to the Chinese Melamine Crisis

• In Event: Forgive us: Organizational responses to wrongdoing and conflict

Abstract

Traditional perspectives regarding organizational crisis management claim that wrongdoers should offer a clear and unambiguous confession and promise corrective action. This may not always be possible. I argue that strategic ambiguity makes sense when used as a last resort to save face. I demonstrate this position with a case study of Mars, Inc.’s response to the Chinese melamine crisis, and close the essay with a discussion of the implications of this study.

Author

• Ryan Shepard, University of Kansas