Commanding digital trust in high-stakes sectors: Communication strategies for sustaining stakeholder confidence amid technological risk
1 Department of Communication, Bowie State University, USA.
2 Department of Advanced Computing, Morgan State University, Maryland USA.
Review Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2022, 15(03), 609–630
Publication history:
Received on 11 August 2022; revised on 19 September 2022; accepted on 27 September 2022
Abstract:
As digital infrastructure becomes the backbone of critical industries—from financial systems and telecoms to energy grids and healthcare—stakeholder confidence hinges increasingly on how organizations communicate trust amid rising technological complexity and risk. This paper examines the evolution of digital trust as a central component of organizational resilience and its direct relationship to communication strategies in high-stakes, tech-driven sectors. Focusing on sectors where system failures, data breaches, or algorithmic bias could trigger catastrophic outcomes, the study introduces robust communication frameworks that align transparency, reliability, ethical assurance, and stakeholder engagement. Drawing from empirical evidence and global case studies, the research identifies how organizations scale digital trust through multi-channel narratives, real-time crisis management protocols, and embedded feedback systems that prioritize user understanding and emotional security. This paper outlines three pillars for commanding digital trust: proactive transparency in technology deployment, value-aligned messaging during disruption, and institutionalization of ethical communication standards. It emphasizes the role of Chief Communication Officers, data ethicists, and cybersecurity teams in collaboratively shaping internal and external messages that humanize digital operations while reinforcing technical robustness. In particular, the study investigates how cross-functional teams manage reputational risk using AI-powered communication tools, incident visualization dashboards, and trust audits. It also addresses challenges such as misinformation, compliance overload, and stakeholder skepticism in volatile digital environments. Ultimately, the paper proposes a scalable trust-communication model tailored for public, private, and hybrid-sector organizations, providing a roadmap for aligning innovation with social legitimacy.
Keywords:
Digital trust; Stakeholder communication; Tech-critical sectors; Risk messaging; Ethical transparency; Organizational resilience.
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Copyright © 2022 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0