Crisis management in public administration: The three phases model for safety incidents. (March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tokakis, Vassileios; Polychroniou, Panagiotis; Boustras, George
• Is Part Of: Safety science. Volume 113(2019)
• Page Start: 37
• Page End: 43
• Publication Date: 2019-03
• Subjects: Safety incidents -- Communication -- Decision making -- Crisis management -- Public administration -- Leadership; Industrial accidents -- Periodicals; Accident Prevention -- Periodicals; Safety -- Periodicals; Travail -- Accidents -- Périodiques; 363.11
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2018.11.013
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0925-7535

Abstract

Highlights: Pre-crisis management phase influences heavily crisis and post crisis management phases. Leadership is positively related to the pre-crisis management phase especially for conventional crises. CMT members should be highly experienced to make the right decisions in conditions of extraordinary stress during a crisis. Internal formal communication is very important especially during pre-crisis and crisis management phases. External communication mainly affects crisis phase based on diminishment and bolstering actions. Abstract: This study aims to investigate the factors that affect crisis management in public administration for safety incidents, during pre-crisis, crisis and post crisis phase. The sample is comprised by 177 experienced in crisis management participants representing government, public organizations and security/armed forces in Greece. Data were collected by means of structured questionnaires in a series of personal interviews. Results indicate that the ability of crisis management team leader and members to make right decisions, the internal and external communication and crises type are predictors of the three phases of crisis management (pre-crisis, crisis and post crisis) in public administration. Implications for management include the need to implement cultural and structural changes, develop crisis management team leader's ability to make decisions in conditions of urgency conditions, to transform internal formal communication channels and procedures and to redesign external communication strategy in order to manage effectively today's safety incidents in a dynamic and unpredictable environment.