Flexibility and Rigidity in Crisis Management and Learning at Swedish Public Organizations

Abstract

To date the relationship between crises, organizational crisis management, and learning has been understudied. In an effort to broaden theoretical understandings of the relation between crisis and learning, this article analyses the crisis management and learning processes of two public organizations during a sequence of two failures. A framework of rigidity versus flexibility in response is utilized in the analysis. The findings are discussed in relation to their implications for the nexus between crisis and learning. The study concludes by raising four hypotheses for further research.

Key words:

• Crisis management
• flexibility
• organizational learning
• threat rigidity

Notes

In addition representatives of local businesses such as Ericsson, national newspaper printers and the local business association were interviewed in order to gain the business perspective.