An Analysis of Boeing’s Trust-Repair Discourse

Abstract

Trust is a valuable asset for business organizations and is vital for an organization’s survival. After two air clashes, Boeing is facing trust crisis and is making great efforts to earn trust back. Corporate communication is a common and important means for the management to demonstrate the company’s attitude and to persuade the audience that they are reliable. This paper aims to elucidate the role of corporate communication in recovering the damaged trust of Boeing. The paper applies the model of trust-repair discourse established by Fuoli and Paradis to analyze Boeing’s CEO’s address to shareholders following the two fatal crushes. It is found that the CEO repairs the company’s trustworthiness from three aspects, namely, ability, integrity and benevolence. To fulfill this purpose, the CEO adopts such strategies as neutralizing the negative and emphasizing the positive. Through the use of evaluating and dialogic engagement resources, the CEO discursively rebuilds and renegotiates the company’s trustworthiness.