Date of Degree

2026

Degree Name

Ed.D. (Doctor of Education)

Department

Department of Counseling and Higher Education (CAHE)

Director

Koretgast, Carrie

Committee Members

Nyunt, Gudrun; Wesener-Michael, Kelly

Keywords

higher education administration, crisis communication, digital crisis management, social media crisis, crisis preparedness, strategic communication, organizational crisis response, regional public universities, university communications

Abstract

This qualitative multiple site case study dissertation examines how Higher Education communication professionals prepare for, make decisions, and adapt to digital crisis incidents at regional public colleges and universities in the United States. Guided by Teece’s Dynamic Capabilities framework, this study explores how communication professionals and their teams manage digital crises that occur on social media. Data were collected and analyzed through in-depth interviews with ten communication professionals in higher education.

Through the lens of Dynamic Capabilities Theory, findings highlight challenges in sensing emerging digital crises, seizing timely response opportunities, and transforming institutional practices to support long-term digital crisis preparedness. The findings explore how communications teams’ have complex responsibilities with limited resources, making the navigation of digital crises difficult. This is further complicated by the disconnected understandings between frontline communicators who manage social media and those with decision-making authority, leading to unclear preparation and outcomes. Additionally, existing and shared policies designed to guide institutional processes during crises often do not address the unique demands of digital crisis management, and, due to the lack of formalized digital-specific guidance and role clarity, participants rely heavily on interpersonal relationships within their institutions and with external groups for leadership, guidance, and professional development. Finally, the unpredictability of a digital crises and their fast-paced, rapidly changing environments makes these situations uniquely difficult to navigate.

This study contributes to the scholarship on digital crisis communication and higher education leadership by centering practitioner experiences and highlighting the need for adaptive, digitally informed crisis preparedness practices. Practical implications include recommendations for improving institutional structures, policies and guidelines, professional development, and proactive planning to better support communication teams navigating digital crises on social media.

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses and dissertations are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors, unless otherwise indicated.

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Available for download on Saturday, February 27, 2027

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