Organizational administration is based on a variety of theories and approaches regarding conflict resolution and emergency management. One of these aspects is observed in a 2004 paper by Comfort et al. titled “Coordination in complex systems: Increasing efficiency in disaster mitigation and response”, which speaks about HROs dealing with unexpected events. Another side of organizational principles is presented by Weick and Sutcliffe in “Principles of containment” from their 2011 book “Managing the unexpected: Resilient performance in an age of uncertainty”. These works emphasize the importance of proper coordination and thoughtful resolution methods for urgent events.
In critical situations where a certain area, place, or person needs emergency help from multiple organizations, the lack of coordination between them often becomes a major obstacle. According to Comfort et al. (2004), the issue could be resolved by creating a technical system that would allow organizations to exchange information, commands, or case updates. A prototype of such a system was created for the research and applied in the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Region. The system provided decision support, quick communication through departments, and access to various risk-assessment systems during the experiment. Although the system could not resolve issues completely, this strategy appeared to be highly effective for emergencies since it helped coordinate people, actions, and objectives.
Another significant issue for emergency management is the prevalence of containment over anticipation. Weick and Sutcliffe (2011) state that organizations tend to be insufficiently prepared for mindful reaction in critical situations and, therefore, unable to prevent unexpected outcomes. In general, even the most comprehensive planning could not ensure that emergencies will never occur, so the actions usually are reactive and not proactive. To overcome this lack of control, the paper advises HROs to develop resilience and rely on expertise instead of experts since it is the best strategy for the consistent functioning of any organization. The experience of previous incidents from people who have successfully resolved them should be included in anticipation plans. Ultimately, if the managers act resiliently and make their decisions based on expertise, most unwanted outcomes can be avoided.
To summarize, these articles on managing unexpected conditions provide comprehensive guidelines on which dualities and strategies organizations should develop. In order to achieve better coordination through departments or with neighboring organizations, it would be helpful to use technical systems for communication and decision support. Additionally, managers need to emphasize resilience, expertise and strive for anticipation to maintain reliable reaction plans.
References
Comfort, L. K., Dunn, M., Johnson, D., Skertich, R., & Zagorecki, A. (2004). Coordination in complex systems: increasing efficiency in disaster mitigation and response. International Journal of Emergency Management, 2(1-2), 62-80. Web.
Weick, K. E., & Sutcliffe, K. M. (2011). Principles of containment. In K. E. Weick & K. M. Sutcliffe Managing the unexpected: resilient performance in an age of uncertainty (pp. 65-82) John Wiley & Sons. Web.