Fashion industry in crisis: a systematic literature review 1972–2022
Corporate Communications: An International Journal
ISSN: 1356-3289
Article publication date: 12 March 2024
Issue publication date: 15 November 2024
Abstract
Purpose
This systematic literature review presents the state of the field of fashion and crisis communication. The quantitative coding offers insight into dominant and emergent themes in one of the most crisis-prone industries. This review also offers a framework for future research.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a systematic literature review approach. 205 academic articles were gathered in total using the search term “fashion industry crisis”. Subsequently, they were quantitatively coded using the Diers-Lawson (2016) Crisis Communication Code Book.
Findings
Findings show an increase in the fashion industry crisis with clear emergent themes such as sustainability, emphasising the truly global and multidisciplinary nature of the industry. Findings also reveal a genuine lack of theoretical grounding, with over 80% of the articles coded using no crisis communication theory. The findings also suggest value co-creation ought to be a priority for this agenda moving forward, as it overlaps with emerging themes and is a practical tool and concept to support crisis prevention and management through an extension of the Stakeholder Relationship Model (SRM) Model.
Research limitations/implications
As a largely under-researched area in crisis communication, the findings present a new opportunity to explore fashion within its context and contribute. At this point, the research field is lacking, and there is room for theory testing and hypothesis building. The findings and themes from the research present a development of the original SRM model, SRM Val-Co.
Practical implications
As well as research implications, the proposed framework provides practical solutions for the future of the fashion industry.
Originality/value
As a largely under-researched area in crisis communication, the findings demonstrate a new opportunity to explore fashion within its context and contribute because there is a dearth of research and a lack of theoretical development. Therefore, the proposed framework provides practical solutions for the fashion industry’s future. The findings and themes from the research present a development of the original SRM model, SRM Val-Co.
Keywords
Citation
Johnson, S.L. (2024), "Fashion industry in crisis: a systematic literature review 1972–2022", Corporate Communications: An International Journal, Vol. 29 No. 6, pp. 898-914. https://doi.org/10.1108/CCIJ-03-2023-0031
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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