1.0 Introduction
Crisis management is occasional referred to as incident management, although several industry specialist, such as peter power argue that the term crisis management is more accurate.
A crisis mindset requires the ability to think of the worst case scenarios while simultaneously suggesting numerous solutions. Trial and error is an accepted discipline solutions. Trials and error is an accepted discipline, as the first lien of defense might not work. It is necessary to maintain a list of contingency plans and to be always on alert. Organization and individuals should always be prepared with a rapid response plan to emergencies which would require analysis, drills and exercise.
The credibility and reputation of organization is heavily influenced by the perception of their responses during crisis situation. There must be open and consistent communication throughout the hierarchy to contribute to a successful crisis communication process.
Crisis is also a facet of risk management although it is probably untrue to say that crisis management represent a failure of risk management since it will never be possible to totally mitigate the chance of catastrophe occurring.
Crisis Management Consists of:
- Method used to respond to both the reality and perception of crisis.
- Establishing matrics to define what scenarios constitute a crisis and should consequently trigger the necessary response mechanisms.
- Communication that occurs within the response phase of emergency management scenarios.
1.1 Objectives and Aim of Crisis Management
Beyond contingency planning towards a model of crisis management.
This reviews the central contributions to the crisis management literature, addresses its various dimension and details the major phases within which crises occur. The paper seeks to develop a schematic model for crises and conclude by advocating that management needs to acknowledge the limitations of its contingency planning in order to allow for more effective decision making. The model suggest that there are three phases within a crisis. The precipitation phase in which the potential for a crisis is created, the operational phase of the crisis, and the post-crisis phase. The resultant model provides a frame work for the subsequent analysis of crisis event.
The political Dynamics of the New Environment
The 1980's have witnessed a rejuvenation of environment politics within all advanced industrial societies. Some analysis suggest that this merely reflects the underlying business cycles as the problems associated with growth rather than recession come to dominate the political agenda.
However, there is considerable evidence to suggest that environmentalism is likely to remain a permanent feature of the politics of advance industrial societies in the 1990s. This is because the new environmentalism is nurtured by the decline of traditional class based politics and the emergence of new political cleavages within western societies.
Moreover, the deeping of processes of social change in industrial societies, combined with a sensitivity of governments to the economic and welfare consequences of environment crises, and the globalization of environmental issues have transformed the political dynamics of environmentalism. This transformation will present major challenges to business and industry in the 1990's which will demand genuine responses.
Accident prevention and risk communication in Environment protection, a socio-psychological perspectives.
The preventive and management of environmentally damaging accidents has become an important responsibility of industry and government. One of the ways to accidents is to encourage risk communication. Risk communication should take place not only between the firm and the public with which it deals but also among the firm's employees. This discussion examines the technical and subjective aspects of various risk analysis and communication approaches, emphasizing the need to pay much greater attention to the socio-phychological dimension of risk behavior in industrial workplaces. It offers a number of practical guidelines of successful accident prevention and risk management.
