Managing Crises in the Public Eye: Corporate Disclosure and Media Coverage of Systemic Failures

Crisis management plays a significant role in corporate sustainability, with management control (MC) systems being central to addressing organizational disruptions. This thesis investigates crises in the public domain, examining not only internal failures but also the ways in which such events are communicated by corporations and interpreted by external stakeholders. Through a comparative analysis of two major aviation cases involving Boeing and Air France, the study explores how similar underlying dynamics can lead to divergent outcomes. By analysing corporate disclosures, media narratives and official investigative reports, this research identifies recurring patterns related to human error and systemic vulnerabilities. Emphasis is placed on the interplay between corporate communication strategies and media framing in shaping public interpretations of these crises. The findings show that MC systems, often characterized by pre-existing weaknesses, continue to evolve during and after crises, while simultaneously interacting with and influencing the public narratives that emerge, thereby highlighting their role in shaping organizational responses within complex environments.