Cultural Variance as a Challenge to Global Public Relations A Case Study of the Coca-Cola Scare in Europe Hella Heiderich Juliane Arndt

Structure • cultural variability • uncertainty avoidance and power distance -> how this affects the reaction of the public to a crisis • example: Coca-Cola incident

Cultural variability • Globalization -> cross-national conflict shifting • Opportunities / challenges for PR

Understand different reactions • Uncertainty avoidance • Power distance (Hofstede)

Affection on communication • Low certainty avoidance = no communication • High certainty avoidance = communication • High PDI = trust in leaders

Coca-Cola scandal • 1999, Belgium • School kids drank coke and got ill • Coca-cola did not accept any responsibility • After 9 days the CEO tried to solve the problem;

What happened?

• low power distance and low uncertainty avoidance = USA • Complex cultural variations in Europe