Thierry C. Pauchant

Recent research in crisis management: a study of 24 authors' publications from 1986 to 1991

We describe in this article the content of the research conducted by 24 of the most active researchers in the field of crisis management over a five-year period. Our study indicates that researchers are presently focusing most of their efforts on theory building, as well as addressing three macro areas, specifically: 1) the technological issues related to crisis management; 2) the subjective and cultural issues; and 3) social criticism. These researchers also address four micro areas: i.e. the structural, communicational and strategical issues and the management of diverse stakeholders. We conclude this article by proposing some likely avenues for future research and by discussing several of the strengths and weaknesses evident in the field at present.

Crisis management: Managing paradox in a chaotic world

Abstract This paper extends the recent work of the authors in the field of crisis management (CM) [1]. We explore two related phenomena that compromise seriously the effectiveness of CM plans and procedures: (a) vicious circles that are the result of unexamined and unintended human interventions in complex systems and (b) the “contextual nature” of complex sociotechnical systems themselves. Major crises threaten both the “structural” and the “affective” domains of complex systems. Two general strategies for coping with complex crises are proposed. Each strategy not only recognizes the existence of a different domain but proposes a method for treating them.

The dial tone does not come from God! how a crisis can challenge dangerous strategic assumptions made about high technologies: the case of the hinsdale telecommunication outage

Executive Overview While advanced information technologies are “competitive weapons” for competing in the global environment and increasing productivity, they can also become a dangerous strategic disadvantage when they breakdown. Based on the case example of Hinsdale, a large telecommunication outage recently experienced in the Chicago area, we show how faulty basic assumptions about these technologies and about the contingency planning they require, have not only defeated many of these contingency plans during this crisis, but also contributed to its negative impact. We also present the diverse strategies and tactics that some managers have implemented, after having challenged these assumptions through their direct experience of this crisis, for managing the “darker side” of these technologies and for taking full advantage of their competitive potential.

Integral leadership: a research proposal

Purpose – Many authors have called for a more humane and effective type of leadership. This article seeks to propose a research program on the content and process of integral leadership. This type of leadership has been exemplified by leaders known for their ethical and spiritual maturity, such as Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa, Eleanor Roosevelt, Martin Luther King, Mohandas Gandhi and Rachel Carson, among others, and by many men and women who have not achieved fame.Design/methodology/approach – As this research requires a multi‐disciplinary, multi‐level and developmental approach, Ken Wilbers integral model is described and used as a frame for the research program, going beyond the limitations of current leadership inquiry.Findings – After having presented both the critics offered on leadership research and the tenets of the integral model, the article proposes a research program articulated by the analysis of individual cases of this leadership pattern and the collective analysis of the...

Toward a systemic crisis management strategy: learning from the best examples in the US, Canada and France

Pauchant, T.C., Mitroff, I.I. and Lagadec, P., 1991. Toward a systemic crisis management strat egy : learning from the best examples in the US, Canada and France. Industrial Crisis Quarterly, 5: 209-232. While managing industrial crises has become a pressing necessity, many man agers have not yet developed a substantive effort in the area and/or still focus only on the reactive and technological sides of crisis management. Based on 350 confidential interviews conducted during the last five years in American, Canadian and French firms, we discuss in this article some of the most inno vative efforts that managers who have embraced a systemic perspective have implemented in their organizations. We hope that these suggestions will assist managers in undertaking a more systemic crisis management strategy in their organizations in the future.

Integrating Spirituality at Work: An Interview with Ken Wilber

During the Academy of Management meeting in Denver, Colorado (August 2002), a team of members of the Academys Management, Spirituality and Religion Interest Group (MSR) interviewed Ken Wilber at his down-town Denver apartment. Known as a leading voice in spirituality and the founding father of the Integral Institute, Ken Wilber presents in this interview some of his views on the challenges of integrating spirituality in organizations, in terms of management practice, research and education.

What crises could teach us about complexity and systemic management: The case of the Nestucca oil spill

In this article we attempt to uncover some systemic management principles for the better management of complex issues. Taking a pragmatic approach we have expanded the case methodology proposed by John Dewey to the case study of a major crisis. By proposing that crises allow for a better apprehension of complexity, we study the changes which were carried out or not, to this day, after the 1988 Nestucca oil spill that occurred in Canada only three months prior to the Exxon-Valdez disaster. After conducting a linear and systemic analysis of the crisis, we propose that the changes institutionalized thus far spring mostly from what we call “behavioral” and “paradigmatic” learning which are weak for addressing complex issues. Proposing that 15% of the people we have interviewed where able to derive a “systemic learning” from this crisis, we suggest several unlocking strategies that allow these systemic lessons to be institutionalized.

Psychological issues in crisis management: an introduction

or Slaikeu, 1984). In this issue, experts from Canada, France, the U.K. and the U.S. write on different facets of the psychological issues related to crisis management. In the first article, Christophe Dejours discusses some of the contributions of the field known as the &dquo;psychodynamic analysis of work situation&dquo; to the genesis of some organizational crises. In his article, one of the few available

Complexity and ethical crisis management: A systemic analysis of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the Fukushima nuclear disaster (FND) that occurred 11 March 2011 through the lens of the systemic and complexity theory. This analysis allows the proposition of some guidelines for the development of a more preventive and ethical approach in crisis management, including changes in human resource management and training. Design/methodology/approach – Thanks to a layered analysis of the complex system that represents the FND and an actor/stake approach, this paper sheds light on the many failures that occurred on the personal, organizational, institutional, political and cultural level. Findings – This analysis highlights that, beyond the apparent simplicity of the natural trigger events, a complex network of legal, cultural and technological paradigms, as well as the defense mechanisms of personal and organizational moral disengagement, have structured the context of this crisis, allowing for an event to turn into this disaster. Practical implications – Thi...

Ethical Risk Management Education in Engineering: A Systematic Review

Risk management is certainly one of the most important professional responsibilities of an engineer. As such, this activity needs to be combined with complex ethical reflections, and this requirement should therefore be explicitly integrated in engineering education. In this article, we analyse how this nexus between ethics and risk management is expressed in the engineering education research literature. It was done by reviewing 135 articles published between 1980 and March 1, 2016. These articles have been selected from 21 major journals that specialize in engineering education, engineering ethics and ethics education. Our review suggests that risk management is mostly used as an anecdote or an example when addressing ethics issues in engineering education. Further, it is perceived as an ethical duty or requirement, achieved through rational and technical methods. However, a small number of publications do offer some critical analyses of ethics education in engineering and their implications for ethical risk and safety management. Therefore, we argue in this article that the link between risk management and ethics should be further developed in engineering education in order to promote the progressive change toward more socially and environmentally responsible engineering practices. Several research trends and issues are also identified and discussed in order to support the engineering education community in this project.