Elina TACHKOVA

Elina R. Tachkova (Ph.D., Texas A&M University) is an Assistant Professor in Public Relations in the Department of Communication Studies, School of Communication, Hong Kong Baptist University.

Elina’s research examines how organizational crisis response strategies affect stakeholder perceptions and reputation following a crisis. Her research agenda is also focused on examining the relationship between scandals and crises and the communicative implications it poses for crisis communication research and practice. Elina’s work has appeared in several edited volumes and international peer-reviewed journals including Journal of Communication Management and Corporate Communication: An International Journal.

Prior to her Ph.D. studies Elina obtained her B.A. in Marketing and Management Communication and a M.A. in Corporate Communication from Aarhus University, Denmark.

Research Interests

Crisis Communication and Management
Risk Communication
Strategic Communication
Corporate Social Responsibility

Publications

Tachkova, E. R. & Coombs, W. T., (2024) “When things get personal: Understanding revenge by proxy as a function of consumer nationalism”, Public Relations Review. 50, 3, 8.

Tachkova, E. R., (2024), “Expanding victim-centred postcrisis communication through memorials: A case study of Lufthansa's communication efforts following the 2015 Germanwings plane crash”, Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management. 32, 2, e12561.

Coombs, W. T. & Tachkova, E. R., (2024), “How Emotions Can Enhance Crisis Communication: Theorizing Around Moral Outrage”, Journal of Public Relations Research. 36, 1, p. 6-22 17 p.

Coombs, W. T. & Tachkova, E. R., (2023), “Crisis Communication Theory: Emergence of a Vibrant Sub-field of Public Relations Theory”, in Public Relations Theory III: In the Age of Publics. Botan, C. H. & Sommerfeldt, E. J. (eds.). 1st ed. New York; Oxon: Routledge, p. 173-190 18 p. (Routledge Communication Series).

Coombs, W. T. & Tachkova, E. R., (2023), “Integrating Moral Outrage in Situational Crisis Communication Theory: A Triadic Appraisal Model for Crises”, Management Communication Quarterly. 37, 4, p. 798-820 23 p.

Tachkova, E. & Coombs, W. T., (2022), Communicating in Extreme Crises: Lessons from the Edge, 1st ed. London: Routledge. 170 p. (Routledge New Directions in PR & Communication Research)

Coombs, W. T. & Tachkova, E. R., (2022), “Elaborating the concept of threat in contingency theory: An integration with moral outrage and situational crisis communication theory”, Public Relations Review. 48, 4, 102234.

Coombs, T. W. & Tachkova, E. R., (2022), “Extending the Value of Crisis Translation in Crisis Communication”, in Translating Crises. O’Brien, S. & Federici, F. M. (eds.). 1st ed. Bloomsbury, p. 37-48 12 p.

Tachkova, E. R., (2022), “Scansis: Changing the Landscape of Crisis Communication Research and Practice”, in The Handbook of Crisis Communication. Coombs, W. T. & Holladay, S. J. (eds.). 2nd ed. United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell, p. 431-440 10 p. (Handbooks in communication and media).

Holladay, S. J. & Tachkova, E. R., (2021), “Public relations for stakeholder and societal engagement”, in Public Relations. Valentini, C. (ed.). Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter Mouton, p. 217-232 16 p. (Handbooks of Communication Science [HoCS]; vol. 27).

Tachkova, E. R. (2020). Enhancing post-crisis communication through memorials: The case of the Bonfire crisis at Texas A&M. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 25 (3), 395-411. doi: 10.1108/CCIJ-12-2019-0146

Coombs, W. T., & Tachkova, E. R. (2018). Scansis as a unique crisis type: Theoretical and practical implications. Journal of Communication Management, 23 (1), 72-88. doi: 10.1108/JCOM-08-2018-0078

Coombs, W. T. & Tachkova, E.R. (in press). Anxiety and remote segments: Extending the value of crisis translation in crisis communication. In S. O’Brien and F.M. Federici (eds.), Translation in Times of Cascading Crisis, London, Bloomsbury.

Coombs, W. T. & Tachkova, E.R. (in press). Crisis communication theory: Emergence of a vibrant sub-field of public relations. In E. Sommerfeldt and C. Botan (eds.), Public Relations Theory III, New York: Routledge.

Holladay, S. J., & Tachkova, E. R. (2021). Public relations for stakeholder and societal engagement. In C. Valentini (Ed.), Handbook of communication science: Public relations. De Gruyter Mouton.

Coombs, W. T., Holladay, S. J., & Tachkova, E. R. (2019). Crisis/Risk Communication/Issues Management. In B. Brunner-Johnson (Ed.), Public Relations Theory: Application and Understanding. Wiley & Sons Publishing.

Coombs, W. T., Holladay, S. J., & Tachkova, E. R. (2018). When a scandal and a crisis fuse:  Exploring the communicative implications of scansis.  In M. Hendriks and A. Haller (Eds.), Scandology (pp. 171-190). Köln, German: Herbert von Halem.

Awards/Grants/Honors

Marcia and Kirk Blackard ’63 Fellowship in Communication, (2021), Department of Communication, Texas A&M University.
Teaching-as-Research Fellowship, (2020-2021), Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning, Office of Graduate and Professional Studies, Texas A&M University.
Dissertation Fellowship, (2019-2020), Office of Graduate and Professional Studies, Texas A&M University.
Research enhancement grant, (2019-2020), Department of Communication, Texas A&M University.
Professional Development Support Award, (2017), Department of Communication, Texas A&M University.