Archive for Systems Theory: Paula’s Apology Video

Monday, December 9th, 2013

Systems Theory: Paula’s Apology Video

By: Erin Olitzky

Today, Paula Deen is not only a household name, but also a very large company with many different stakeholders. She has cookbooks, cookware, television shows and restaurants as well as many devoted fans. However, in June of 2013 Paula Deen came forward and admitted to racial comments she had made in the past, however only after a former employee accused her publicly. According to CNN, her company issued a statement saying Deen used the epithet, but in a “quite different time” in American history. The statement said:

“She was born 60 years ago when America’s South had schools that were segregated, different bathrooms, different restaurants and Americans rode in different parts of the bus. This is not today.” With this, also then came the release of a forty-five second Youtube video apology made by Paula herself.

Systems Theory states that an organization is made up of interrelated parts that adapt to changes in the political, economic and social environments in which they operate, environments can be both internal and external. I believe this to be an example of The Systems Theory and more specifically of a closed system. Paula Deen and her company decided to use this video to tell the public and her stakeholders that it was true she made these remarks and to then apologize for making them. She used the PR tactic of releasing a press-release in a video form to inform her stakeholders, rather than use the first release of a statement  to receive feedback from the public and stakeholders  to find out what she should do next. Many PR experts believe Paula’s apology was “mediocre to miserable” and the lack of communication with the other actors in her system was the reason she lost so many deals and endorsements.

Other Sources:

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/paula-deen-issues-video-apology-racial-slur-article-1.137926

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2013/06/26/paula-deen-apology-reaction/2462483/

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