Success? Failure? Something in-between? A framework for evaluating crisis management

Abstract

Crisis management evaluators and commentators, routinely attach labels of ‘success’ and ‘failure’ to crisis management initiatives. Yet there is a near absence of detailed criteria against which outcomes can be assessed. This article goes some way to redressing this paucity of reflection. The article presents an innovative framework to help analysts approach and evaluate the issue of what constitutes success (and failure) in crisis management initiatives, including complex policy/political outcomes between these extremes. In recognition of the realpolitik of crisis responses, it deals also with successes (and failures) in crisis management processes, decisions and politics.

Acknowledgements

I wish to thank Arjen Boin, Paul 't Hart, Dominic Elliot, Patrick Lagadec, Emery Roe, Mike Tarrant and two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments.