Organizational and Institutional Crisis Management

Abstract

Research on organizational crisis emanates from multiple disciplines (public administration, international relations, political science, organization science, communication studies), yet basically argues that three main categories of crises exist: • Crises in organizations: often tangible, immediate threats or incidents that completely upset an organization’s primary process or performance, while both cause and problems are more or less confined to the organization and those affected by its malperformance. • Crisis to the organization: a threat or damage occurs outside of the organization at hand but implicates the organization by attribution of responsibility or culpability (for causing the problems or allowing them to occur). • Crisis about the organization, or institutional crisis: even without a tangible threat or damage, in a short period of time the organization’s perceived performance deficit becomes so deeply problematic that the organization itself is subject to intense scrutiny and criticism. Previously agreed-on values and routines, the structure, and policy philosophy of the organization are no longer seen as adequate or legitimate. The three types of organizational crises tend to have not only different causes but also different implications as to the commensurate crisis response, both functionally and politically. There is no single best response to organizational crises: appropriate responses are both commensurate to the crisis type at hand and to different phases of a crisis. Still, discerning between crisis typologies opens a research agenda to provide a better understanding of the relation between the internal and external dynamics of a crisis.

Organisational learning from failure and the needs-based hierarchy of project-based organisations

“…Hence, the idea of learning may be rarely considered on par with these immediate needs. Failures may be hidden or not even realised in order to be "competitive" or acquire social worthiness and legitimacy (Kuipers and Wolbers, 2021;Zaharee et al, 2021).…”

Will consumers give us another chance to bounce back? Effects of precrisis commitments to social and product responsibility on brand resilience

“…Given the rise of unpredictable and multifaceted issues in the global marketplace, effective brand crisis management has become increasingly critical (Kim and Yim, 2022; Pearson and Mitroff, 2019). Despite the frequency of such brand crises and their potentially catastrophic consequences, research in this area remains relatively fragmented (Baghi and Gabrielli, 2019; Gkouna et al , 2022; Kuipers and Wolbers, 2021; Pyke et al , 2021).…”

Assist or accuse? Identifying trends in crisis communication through a bibliometric literature review

“…This cluster encompasses discussions about suitable methods for reaching out to individuals in danger, such as deliberating on the significance of cell broadcasting and social media during crisis situations (ibid). In research on disasters, crisis response, and emergency management, it pertains to those harmed by the materialization of a risk that they did not produce themselves as an organizational or political entity (Kuipers, 2023; Kuipers & Wolbers, 2022). These situations occur, for instance, when there is a terrorist threat or attack, an infectious disease outbreak, an earthquake or tsunami, or major power outage.…”