Organizational Communications and Decision Making in Crises
Abstract
The primary focus of this study is on the response of organizations to crises, paying special attention to decision making and communication. The primary data base utilized involves materials collected in community-wide natural disasters by this Center in previous field work. From this data base, a series of propositions are derived, using decision making and communication, both as independent and dependent variables. To make future propositions more specific, the following dimensions must be taken into account: (1) The specific type of organization which experiences crises; (2) The different effect of various crisis agents; (3) The fact that crisis events always have a time and space referent; and (4) That intraorganizational functioning in crises is conditioned by the interorganizational context in which it must operate. A typology of group and organizational behavior in crises is derived from a cross classification of two variables: the nature of the crisis tasks undertaken by groups and the structure of these groups in the emergency period. An extension of this typology is explored, focusing on the importance of organizational coordination in crises.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1976
- Accession Number
- ADA026984
Entities
People
- E. L. Quarantelli
- Russell R. Dynes
Organizations
- Ohio State University