Managerial rhetoric in downsizing situations. A case study of the merger between SAS and Braathens
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52610/rhs.v12i46.183Keywords:
crisis communication, managerial communication, change communication, downsizing, identification, grammar of motivesAbstract
This is a text analysis of the information given to the employees of the Norwegian airline Braathens in connection with a merger with SAS Airways in 2002. It is based on three central texts announcing forthcoming downsizings in the company: first, a letter from the CEO of SAS at the start of the merger process. Second, an article on the Intranet news service presenting the recommendations for downsizing made by the coordination committee. Finally, an open letter from the CEO of Braathens explaining the situation. The analysis is based on Kenneth Burke's concepts of identification and grammar of motives and seeks to describe the strategies used for conveying bad news, and evaluate them according to principles of change communication and crisis management. The analysis shows that the three texts present very different motivations for the downsizing and represent radically different strategies of identification.
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