APOLOGY STRATEGY, SOURCE CREDIBILITY, AND ORGANIZATIONAL REPUTATION: A CRISIS COMMUNICATION EXPERIMENT ON THE MAKAN BERGIZI GRATIS (MBG) PROGRAM IN WEST JAVA

Dary Farah Fikriyyah; Dian Wardiana Sjuchro; Heru Ryanto Budiana

doi:10.36526/sosioedukasi.v15i2.8512

Authors

Dary Farah Fikriyyah Universitas Padjajaran
Dian Wardiana Sjuchro Universitas Padjajaran
Heru Ryanto Budiana Padjadjaran University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36526/sosioedukasi.v15i2.8512

Keywords:

Apology Strategy; Source Credibility; Organizational Reputation; Crisis Communication; Generation Z;

Abstract

This study examines the effects of apology message type and source credibility on organizational reputation during a public sector crisis. Using Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) and source credibility theory, a 2 × 2 between-subjects experiment was conducted with 160 Generation Z participants in West Java. Participants were exposed to simulated crisis scenarios involving a mass food poisoning incident in Indonesia’s Free Nutritious Meal (Makan Bergizi Gratis/MBG) program. Data were analyzed using Two-Way ANOVA.

The findings show that apology message type did not significantly affect organizational reputation (F(1,156) = 1.284, p = 0.259). However, source credibility had a significant effect (F(1,156) = 8.580, p = 0.004, ηp² = 0.052), with official government sources producing more favorable reputation evaluations than influencers. No significant interaction effect was found between apology message type and source credibility (F(1,156) = 0.120, p = 0.730). Additional analyses suggest that participants’ prior attitudes toward the MBG program may also influence reputation assessments. The results indicate that, in public sector crises involving public safety concerns, source credibility is more influential than message variation in shaping organizational reputation. The study contributes to crisis communication research and offers practical implications for government institutions seeking to maintain public trust during crises.

Keywords: Apology Strategy, Source Credibility, Organizational Reputation, Public Sector Crisis, Generation Z.

References

Askar, M. W., Hidayah, I., Fikri, B., Darmawan, J., Lianasari, A., Muhammad, G. D., & Lestari, R. D. (2025). Makan (tidak) bergizi (tidak) gratis. Center of Economic and Law Studies. https://www.celios.co.id

Beldad, A., & von Rosenstiel, L. (2024). Let those with power speak: The effects of a CEO as a spokesperson and using a video channel during a product-harm crisis and a moral-harm crisis. Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 32(1). https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-5973.12503

Benoit, W. L. (2015). Image Restoration Theory. In The International Encyclopedia of Communication. Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781405186407.wbieci009.pub2

Bundy, J., Pfarrer, M. D., Short, C. E., & Coombs, W. T. (2018). Crises and crisis management: Integration, interpretation, and research development. Journal of Management, 43(6), 1661–1692. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206316680030

Capurro, G., Greenberg, J., Dubé, E., & MacDonald, N. E. (2022). The official spokesperson in times of public health crises: A pillar of trust. Journal of International Crisis and Risk Communication Research, 5(1), 45–72. https://doi.org/10.30658/jicrcr.5.1.3

Carpenter, D. P. (2010). Reputation and power: Organizational image and bureaucratic autonomy in the food and drug administration. Princeton University Press.

Coombs dan Holladay. (2021). The handbook of strategic communication. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Coombs, W. T. (2007). Protecting Organization Reputations During a Crisis: The Development and Application of Situational Crisis Communication Theory. Corporate Reputation Review, 10(3), 163–176. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.crr.1550049

Coombs, W. T., & Holladay, J. S. (2012). The paracrisis: The challenges created by publicly managing crisis prevention. Public Relations Review, 38(3), 408–415. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2012.04.004

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2023). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches.

Dominic, E. D., Mahamed, M., Abdullah, Z., Hashim, N. B., & Uwadiegwu, I. V. (2023). Crisis Communication: Conceptualizing the Efficacy of Information Source Credibility on Crisis Message Acceptability and Reputation Sustainability. Studies in Media and Communication, 11(7), 313–327. https://doi.org/10.11114/smc.v11i7.6361

Drone Emprit. (2025). Sentimen publik terhadap makan bergizi gratis. Pers Drone Emprit. https://pers.droneemprit.id/sentimen-publik-terhadap-makan-bergizi-gratis/

Drone Emprit. (2026). Sentimen publik terhadap MBG: Update Februari 2026. Pers Drone Emprit. https://pers.droneemprit.id/sentimen-publik-terhadap-mbg-update-februari-2026/

Fombrun, C. J. (2007). Corporate reputation: Its measurement and management. The Journal of Brand Management, 14(3), 233–238. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.bm.2550063

Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2019). Multivariate data analysis (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.s

Hearit, K. M. (2006). Crisis management by apology: Corporate response to allegation of wrongdoing. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Hovland, C. I., & Weiss, W. (1952). The Influence of Source Credibility on Communication Effectiveness. In Source (Vol. 15, Number 4). Winter.

Im, H., Kim, J., & Kim, S. (2021). Timing is everything: How communication delay interacts with response strategy during public sector crises. Public Relations Review, 47(4), Article 102082. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2021.102082

Indrayani, I. I. (2024). Gen Z’s Ethical Approaches in Crisis Communication on Social Media: Evidence of Indonesia. Jurnal Komunikasi: Malaysian Journal of Communication, 40(4), 146–163. https://doi.org/10.17576/JKMJC-2024-4004-08

Ismagilova, E., Slade, E., Rana, N. P., & Dwivedi, Y. K. (2020). The effect of characteristics of source credibility on consumer behaviour: A meta-analysis. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.01.005

Jamal, J., Yusof, N., & Muda, S. (2023). Public Trust Toward Government Online Crisis Communication: A Malaysian Youth Perspective (pp. 403–415). https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-098-5_35

Jin, Y., Austin, L., & Liu, B. F. (2022). Information seeking and digital coping strategies during national public health emergencies. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 50(2), 143–161. https://doi.org/10.1080/00909882.2022.2041655

Jong, W. (2025). Shared responsibility and blame games in multi-actor bureaucracy crises. Public Administration Review, 85(2), 241–254. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13890

Karinshak, E., Voges, T., & Jin, Y. (2024). Expectation versus reality: How crisis statement essentials are evaluated by Gen Z stakeholders and crisis communication practitioners. Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 32(1). https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-5973.12554

Lee, S. (2022). Managing crises in public organizations: The role of public spokespersons and citizen perceptions. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 35(3), 311–327. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPSM-06-2021-0145

Li, Y. (2024). Corporate Apology Statements And Perceptions In Crisis Communication: Unraveling Avowed And Ascribed Identities Of Cathay Pacific Airlines. In International Journal of Education & Social Sciences (IJESS) (Vol. 5). www.ijess.org

Luo, B., & Li, Y. (2025). The Influence of Corporate Apology Strategies on Consumer Forgiveness Intentions in Chinese Social Media. Business and Management Studies, 10(2), 62. https://doi.org/10.11114/bms.v10i2.7558

Nugraha, A. R., & Choerunnisa, S. (2020). Strategi Manajemen Krisis Humas Pln Uid Jabar Dalam Menangani Blackout Jaringan Jawa Bagian Tengah. Communiverse : Jurnal Ilmu Komunikasi, 5(2), 137–150. https://doi.org/10.36341/cmv.v5i2.1136

Putri Syam, A., & Kurnia. (2024). Pengaruh Permohonan Maaf Sebagai Bentuk Komunikasi Krisis Terhadap Reputasi Perusahaan. JURIHUM : Jurnal Inovasi Dan Humaniora , 1(5), 742–753. Retrieved from https://jurnalmahasiswa.com/index.php/Jurihum/article/view/841

Shah, Z., & Wei, L. (2022). Source Credibility and the Information Quality Matter in Public Engagement on Social Networking Sites During the COVID-19 Crisis. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.882705

Silviani, I., Pardede, I., & Sembiring, D. (2020). KOMUNIKASI KRISIS DALAM NEW NORMAL. Jurnal Komunikasi, 9(1), 82-87. Retrieved from https://jurnal.universitasdarmaagung.ac.id/messageilmukomunikasi/article/view/683

Wu, F., & Cui, D. (2019). Making Peace or Holding a Grudge? The Role of Publics’ Forgiveness in Crisis Communication. In International Journal of Communication (Vol. 13). http://ijoc.org.

Yu, M., & Chen, Y. (2020). Integrating new information during crises: The cognitive filter of source credibility. Journal of Media Psychology, 32(4), 189–201. https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-1105/a000268

Yuanita, D. (2021). Peran key opinion leader dalam strategi public relations pada komunikasi krisis perusahaan. PRofesi Humas, 6(1), 23-44. doi:https://doi.org/10.24198/prh.v6i1.29693

Zuhdi, I. N., & Ayuningtyas, F. (2024). Penerapan Komunikasi Empatik Pada Penanganan Krisis Studi kasus Meledaknya Depo Pertamina Plumpang. Communicology: Jurnal Ilmu Komunikasi, 12(1), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.21009/comm.032.01