Crisis communication: the case study of EXPO Astana exhibition

Abstract

In 2017, Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, hosted a Specialized Expo on "Future Energy". Expo in Astana marked the first Expo in Central Asia and represented Kazakhstan's first experience in hosting such an event. Nevertheless, criticism from a Western journalist and insufficient crisis management by the host country led to a serious threat to its reputation at the global level, increasing the number of negative publications about the exhibition in both domestic and foreign media. Journalists in their materials described this event as a 'argument,' 'dispute,' 'disagreement.' The study aims to analyse and identify specific aspects of the response to the Expo Astana crisis.

For a comprehensive analysis of the thirteen-day crisis, a form of thematic analysis using a qualitative research approach was employed. The research method was based on a case study methodology rooted in the Situational Crisis Communication Theory (2007) by American scientist Timothy Coombs. Data were collected from various sources, including media and social media.

The research findings indicate that the crisis management response to Expo Astana needed to be revised. The study revealed that a critical aspect of poor crisis management was the strategy that involved attacking the accuser, the foreign journalist, with uncertain and potentially inaccurate information. Additionally, the study seeks to draw lessons from the crisis response to Expo Astana, mainly focusing on addressing communication challenges. The ultimate goal is to provide recommendations to enhance crisis management strategies for countries hosting major international events in Central Asia and beyond or dealing with foreign journalists.