CRISIS MANAGEMENT: THE ART OF PROBLEM-SOLVING

BYTANKO AHMED fwc

Senior Fellow, NIPSS, Kuru

30 AUGUST 2014

PROLOGUE The knowledge and skill for crisis management is

imperative to all individuals, groups or agencies, particularly to the youth in a crises-ridden time and space like Nigeria.

This paper attempts to describe the meaning and understanding of crisis management to a group of educated, smart and active young people in the pursuit of in leadership and professional endeavours.

Models and theories associated with crisis management are employed to outline strategies for problem-solving in crisis management.

The way forward calls for a clear and active role for youth in crisis management.

It is recommended for youth, to actively engage in seeking for knowledge and skills, including clear thinking on what to do in times of crisis.

INTRODUCTION

The knowledge and skill for crisis management is imperative to all individuals, groups or agencies, particularly to the youth in a crises-ridden time and space like Nigeria.

The study of crisis management originated from efforts in disaster management in the 1980s (Shrivastava, et al 1988; ASIS, 2009).

Crisis management is within the field of management involving skills and techniques required to identify, assess, understand, and cope with a serious situation, especially from the moment it first occurs to the point that recovery procedures start.

Background

CrisisCrisis SituationManagement

Crisis ManagementProblem-Solving

Definition of Terms

Denotes a dangerous or worrying situation or period that is very uncertain, difficult or painful, requiring immediate action to avoid total disaster or breakdown.

Generates a situation of instability and uncertainty; and when superimposed on leadership process, it could spell doom to any recipient entity.

Crisis

Characterized by four main elements of threat, surprise, short decision time and the need for change from existing status (Seeger, et al 1998; Venette, 2003).

Created either by man or nature hence the classification of crisis situation into natural and man-made.

Natural Crisis Situation - disasters such as flood,

draught, volcanic eruption, earthquake,( tsunamis), etc.

Human/Man-Made Crisis Situation, civil disturbances, terrorists attacks, extreme political instability etc.

Crisis Situation

Act of handling or controlling something or situation successfully, including the skills or expertise involved in doing so.

Function that coordinates efforts of people to accomplish goals and objectives by employing available resources efficiently (without loss) and effectively (with result).

Consists of planning, organizing, directing and controlling which involves decision-making and leading an initiative to attain a goal.

Management

Measures to identify, acquire and plan the use of resources needed to anticipate, prevent, and/or resolve a crisis or the threat of a crisis (Akpa, 2005).

Process of dealing with crises or working through a crisis to solve or cope with problems as they arise.

Crisis Management

Another term applied to Crisis management.

Consists of standard method for finding solutions to problems.

A problem-solving cycle developed by Bransford and Stein (1993), requires one to recognize, define and develop a means or strategy to fix problems at hand.

Strategies for problem-solving are addressed in this paper downstream.

Problem-Solving

MODELS AND THEORIES RELATED

TO CRISIS MANAGEMENT

Models and theories connected to crisis management are built on generally applicable 3-Phases founded by Gonzalez-Herrero and Pratt (1996) to include:

Identification of the problem;Choice of appropriate action; and Implementation

Models and Theories

Crisis Arc model introduced by Alan Hilburg consists of crisis avoidance, crisis mitigation and crisis recovery;

Crisis Management Planning looks forward facing a situation by providing the best possible response to crisis situation www.12manage.com

Contingency Planning prepares in advance as part of a crisis management plan www.12manage.com

Models and Theories Associated to Crisis Management

Continuity Planning helps minimize disruption effects by identifying critical functions and processes needed to keep things running (Osborne, 2007);

Structural-Functional Systems Theory (Infante, et al 1997) addresses the intricacies of information networks and levels of authority or command identifying flow of information; and

Diffusion of Innovation Theory (Rogers, 2003) describes how innovation is disseminated and communicated through given channels over a period of time occurring when new ideas are created for solution of problems at hand.

Models and Theories Associated to Crisis Management (Contd…)

These models and theories signify crises as critical situations requiring action by means of ideas and effective communication and adaptation for positive results.

Crisis management in turn necessitates efficient and effective planning, organizing, directing and controlling, for decision-making and leadership.

All these are based on good problem-solving knowledge and skills.

Models and Theories Associated to Crisis Management (Contd…)

STRATEGIES FOR PROBLEM-SOLVING

IN CRISIS MANAGEMENT

Solving problems use of models before

applying to real life situation

Abstraction

Using solution that solves something similar

Analogy

Developing many ideas or solutions into best

options

Brainstorming

Breaking large complex problems into

smaller and simpler forms

Divide and Conquer

Assuming possible solutions and trying to prove and apply them

Hypothesis Testing

Approaching solutions indirectly, but creatively

Lateral Thinking

Choosing solutions in steps towards or closer

to final stage

Means-Ends Analysis

Mixing different ways and means into

something new for solution

Method of Focal Objects

Interactions and results assessment towards solution of problems

Morphological Analysis

Try to prove that a problem cannot be

solved, needing other methods

Proof

Transforming one problem into another for

ease of solution

Reduction

Use of existing ideas for solution to similar

problems

Research

Identifying the cause of a problem to get to

its solution

Root Cause Analysis

Testing possible solutions until the right one is found

Trial-and-Error

CONCLUSION

This paper sets out to describe the meanings and understanding of crisis management as problem-solving process.

Models and theories are employed to

signify crises as critical situations requiring planned action by means of ideas and effective communication.

Summary

Crisis management presents situations with clear roles, responsibilities and related process requiring response.

These responses include prevention, assessment, handling and termination of the crises at hand.

Crisis management therefore calls for preparedness for rapid and adequate response.

Conclusion

It is recommended that individuals, groups, organizations, governments, etc., should always be prepared with plans on how to face emergencies, otherwise known as Crises.

Intelligent and active youth are advised to engage in seeking for knowledge and skills, including clear thinking on what to do and how to about doing things in times of crisis.

Recommendations

THANK YOU

Reference/Further Readings

Akpa, P. A. (2005). Defence Headquarters Crisis Management Procedure. A Lecture Presented to the Participants of Course No. 13, National War College, Abuja. May 05.

ASIS International (2009). Organizational Resilience: Security, Preparedness, and Continuity Management Systems-Requirements with Guidance for Use, American National Standard, ASIS SPC.1-2009

Gonzalez-Herrero, A. and C. B. Pratt (1996). An Integrated Symmetrical Model for Crisis-Communication Management, Journal of Public Relations research, 8(2), Pp. 79-105

Infante, D.; A. Rancer; D. Womack (1997). Building Communication Theory (3rd ed.). Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press.

Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of innovations (5th ed.). New York: Free Press.

Seeger, M. W.; T. L. Sellnow and Ulmer, R. R. (1998). Communication, Organization and Crisis. Communication Yearbook 21: 231–275.

Shrivastava, P.; I. I. Mitroff; D. Miller and A. Miglani (1988). Understanding Industrial Crises. Journal of Management Studies, Vol. 25, No. 4, Pp. 285-304.

Venette, S. J. (2003). Risk communication in a High Reliability Organization: APHIS PPQ's Inclusion of Risk in Decision Making. Ann Arbor, M. I: UMI ProQuest Information and Learning.