Deliberative rhetoric as a step in organizational crisis management: Exxon as a case study

When organizations face crises, their rhetorical response must often follow two steps. The first step involves the assessment of causes leading to the crisis, and typically demands forensic discourse. The second step consists of searching for solutions intended to cope with the existing crisis and to avoid similar crises in the future. Epideictic rhetoric designed to sustain or regain the organization's reputation is effective in both steps. Organizations that ignore or engage in the deliberative step of their crisis response without a clear idea of what regulations they wish to see adopted or rejected may miss an opportunity to favorably influence their future.