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Risk and Crisis Management in the Public Sector
Every decision that is made by managers and policy-makers in a public sector organization requires an evaluation and a judgement of the risks involved. This vital requirement has been recognised in the growth of risk management. However, risks can never be fully prevented, which means that public managers also have to be crisis managers. Today’s crises develop in unseen ways; they escalate rapidly and transform through the interdependencies of modern society, and their frequency is the global financial crisis, the European volcanic ash cloud, the Japanese tsunami and subsequent Fukushima nuclear plant meltdown, the Christchurch earthquake and the Queensland floods. All highlight the extreme challenges that public sector organizations across the world have had to face in recent years. Risk and Crisis Management in the Public Sector Second Edition responds to these challenges by presenting the only guide for public managers and public management students which combines lessons about risk and crisis management together in a single, accessible text. It equips readers and public managers with the knowledge and skills to understand key issues and debates, as well as the capacity to treat risks and better prepare for, respond to and recover from crisis episodes. This exciting new edition enhances the original text with contemporary cases and a greater focus on the international, trans-boundary and multi-agency dimensions of risk and crisis management. These enhancements reflect the fact that today’s public manager must increasingly operate within a global and interdependent governance context.
286 pages, Paperback
First published March 29, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 20, 2021
Well, ...this took a good amount of time to get through, due to multiple factors, including ongoing article submissions and a full-time teaching load, but slow and steady wins the race.
A really informative read that is professionally researched, knowledgeable and well-documented. There are many positive points to this title and the cohesive approach adopted by the authors. I will begin with the good points and then cover what I considered to be problematic from my own perspective.
First of all, as mentioned in the introduction, their approach is a global one that encompasses both risk and crisis management under a single umbrella. This is really the ideal formula for future instruction of emergency and crisis and disaster management.
Another important aspect to this title is that it is primarily geared toward the public sector and there has been a dearth of good research in this area. There are abundant case studies scattered throughout the text in support of their analysis which bring the material to life and make it both more realistic and applicable to real life. Finally, the authors adopt a generalized approach to risk and crisis management while emphasizing the futility of over-specialization.
On page 120 the authors insightfully emphasize the fundamental difference between ""what we do" and "what we have."
Page 128 provides an excellent analysis on the diversity of the challenges being faced today.
The processes of crisis preparedness versus implementation are well supported outlined and documented. [p.128] The focus of keeping contingency plans simple is also solid advice.
The authors have dedicated a section to training, exercises and learning all vital functions of the preparedness phase of the crisis and disaster management cycle. This includes simulations and tabletop, onsite functions, and full-scale exercises [p.135].
Pages 137-138 layout the principle reasons leading to a lack of emergency, crisis, and disaster management (ECDM] preparedness. Page 138 explores the interesting aspects of psychological, symbolic, and physical preparedness. This segment than turns to the evolution of the ECDM process and its changing focus in the Post-Cold-War environment.
Pages 139-140 analyze the opposing approaches of conservativism and reformism and the benefits and shortcomings of each of these perspectives. One of the most important points concerns the allocation of resources for low probability events and the constant tension faced by governments in their attempts to balance investments and public safety. The contrasting reactions of knee-jerk reaction and reflective cognition also receive appropriate attention.
The section on sense-making and meaning making received extensive attention, although I found this aspect less enlightening. The authors also looked at the minimalist versus maximalist approaches which reflect the previous conservative and reformist perspectives.
There is an excellent examination of leadership and the patterns of psychological response during times of crisis.
Table 6.2 drawn from Post, was extremely limited in scope and simplistic for the complex psychological profiles exhibited by leaders, and I found it less useful.
Page 154 emphasizes the importance of the response phase, and while this is indeed important I tend to disagree with the elevation that is given to that aspect by the authors. In my own point of view preparation (mitigation and contingency) and recovery and evaluation far outweigh the response phase by a long margin. for if we can avoid these events in the first place there is no need for response, and conversely if we learn for the aftereffects and build resilience the chances of suffering similar events will, again, be diminished.
The entire Chapter 6 is particularly useful and informative and there is an interesting discussion concerning evacuation as a strategy of avoidance. There is also an examination of various organizational frameworks involved in the ECDM process, including High Reliability Organizations (HROs) such as nuclear and chemical plants, airlines and railways, Public Service Organizations (Police, fire, EMT, but also utilities and others less often considered), and the differences between high reform values of the former versus low reform values of the latter.
There was a consistent theme of severity-cause - accountability- (all being inextricably intertwined of course). Which was useful as a reminder.
The following points I found problematic or irksome:
- a continual focus on commonwealth approaches (as opposed to a more international perspective)
- A clearly pronounced anti-thatcher rhetoric (I am neither for nor against Thatcher but found this bit misplaced in this context).
- Quite a bit of redundancy (good for long -term memory but annoying nevertheless)
- P.207 adopts a one -sided perspective and conveniently fails to account for the negative impacts of widespread immigration (increased levels of crime, burdens on the host economy, public resistance, the advent of disease, and numerous other aspects).
Conclusion: Certainly a book which merits the attention of any public official involved with strategic policy making but also any individual concerned with the operational and tactical aspects of meergency, crisis and disaster response. Finally, anyone who is interested in learning more about risk or the crisis and disiaster managment cycle will profit from reading this title.
I gained a some new insights and gleaned some intersting new perspectives which solidified my understanding and contributed to my knowledge in the field.
A really informative read that is professionally researched, knowledgeable and well-documented. There are many positive points to this title and the cohesive approach adopted by the authors. I will begin with the good points and then cover what I considered to be problematic from my own perspective.
First of all, as mentioned in the introduction, their approach is a global one that encompasses both risk and crisis management under a single umbrella. This is really the ideal formula for future instruction of emergency and crisis and disaster management.
Another important aspect to this title is that it is primarily geared toward the public sector and there has been a dearth of good research in this area. There are abundant case studies scattered throughout the text in support of their analysis which bring the material to life and make it both more realistic and applicable to real life. Finally, the authors adopt a generalized approach to risk and crisis management while emphasizing the futility of over-specialization.
On page 120 the authors insightfully emphasize the fundamental difference between ""what we do" and "what we have."
Page 128 provides an excellent analysis on the diversity of the challenges being faced today.
The processes of crisis preparedness versus implementation are well supported outlined and documented. [p.128] The focus of keeping contingency plans simple is also solid advice.
The authors have dedicated a section to training, exercises and learning all vital functions of the preparedness phase of the crisis and disaster management cycle. This includes simulations and tabletop, onsite functions, and full-scale exercises [p.135].
Pages 137-138 layout the principle reasons leading to a lack of emergency, crisis, and disaster management (ECDM] preparedness. Page 138 explores the interesting aspects of psychological, symbolic, and physical preparedness. This segment than turns to the evolution of the ECDM process and its changing focus in the Post-Cold-War environment.
Pages 139-140 analyze the opposing approaches of conservativism and reformism and the benefits and shortcomings of each of these perspectives. One of the most important points concerns the allocation of resources for low probability events and the constant tension faced by governments in their attempts to balance investments and public safety. The contrasting reactions of knee-jerk reaction and reflective cognition also receive appropriate attention.
The section on sense-making and meaning making received extensive attention, although I found this aspect less enlightening. The authors also looked at the minimalist versus maximalist approaches which reflect the previous conservative and reformist perspectives.
There is an excellent examination of leadership and the patterns of psychological response during times of crisis.
Table 6.2 drawn from Post, was extremely limited in scope and simplistic for the complex psychological profiles exhibited by leaders, and I found it less useful.
Page 154 emphasizes the importance of the response phase, and while this is indeed important I tend to disagree with the elevation that is given to that aspect by the authors. In my own point of view preparation (mitigation and contingency) and recovery and evaluation far outweigh the response phase by a long margin. for if we can avoid these events in the first place there is no need for response, and conversely if we learn for the aftereffects and build resilience the chances of suffering similar events will, again, be diminished.
The entire Chapter 6 is particularly useful and informative and there is an interesting discussion concerning evacuation as a strategy of avoidance. There is also an examination of various organizational frameworks involved in the ECDM process, including High Reliability Organizations (HROs) such as nuclear and chemical plants, airlines and railways, Public Service Organizations (Police, fire, EMT, but also utilities and others less often considered), and the differences between high reform values of the former versus low reform values of the latter.
There was a consistent theme of severity-cause - accountability- (all being inextricably intertwined of course). Which was useful as a reminder.
The following points I found problematic or irksome:
- a continual focus on commonwealth approaches (as opposed to a more international perspective)
- A clearly pronounced anti-thatcher rhetoric (I am neither for nor against Thatcher but found this bit misplaced in this context).
- Quite a bit of redundancy (good for long -term memory but annoying nevertheless)
- P.207 adopts a one -sided perspective and conveniently fails to account for the negative impacts of widespread immigration (increased levels of crime, burdens on the host economy, public resistance, the advent of disease, and numerous other aspects).
Conclusion: Certainly a book which merits the attention of any public official involved with strategic policy making but also any individual concerned with the operational and tactical aspects of meergency, crisis and disaster response. Finally, anyone who is interested in learning more about risk or the crisis and disiaster managment cycle will profit from reading this title.
I gained a some new insights and gleaned some intersting new perspectives which solidified my understanding and contributed to my knowledge in the field.
June 7, 2009
The purpose of this book is stated thus: "This innovative text aims to provide its readers with the knowledge and skills necessary to assess and treat risks arising in public sector organizations." The co-authors write in a serviceable style; the book is pitched toward graduate students, in-service training programs, or self-guided study. Some of the nice features: learning objectives are laid out at the front each chapter; there are all manner of boxed items, illustrating key points; exercises are provided to allow the reader to apply book learning to fairly concrete issues.
The book begins by discussing the essence of risk and crisis. Risk is straightforwardly defined as (Page 2) "the chance of something happening that will have an impact on objectives, often specified as an event or set of circumstances and the consequences (both positive and negative) that will flow from this." Crisis, in its turn, is defined as (Page 2): "a situation or episode in which different actors and groups seek to attribute meaning to a particular set of circumstances which pose extraordinary threats to individual, institution, and/or society."
The book unfolds, with discussion of the nature of risks and crises, what factors affect risk and crisis management, how to assess risk and manage the acute phases of crises. Finally, a global perspective on risk and crisis management is addressed.
All in all, a solid introduction to the field.
The book begins by discussing the essence of risk and crisis. Risk is straightforwardly defined as (Page 2) "the chance of something happening that will have an impact on objectives, often specified as an event or set of circumstances and the consequences (both positive and negative) that will flow from this." Crisis, in its turn, is defined as (Page 2): "a situation or episode in which different actors and groups seek to attribute meaning to a particular set of circumstances which pose extraordinary threats to individual, institution, and/or society."
The book unfolds, with discussion of the nature of risks and crises, what factors affect risk and crisis management, how to assess risk and manage the acute phases of crises. Finally, a global perspective on risk and crisis management is addressed.
All in all, a solid introduction to the field.
Read
March 7, 2016Interesting, but not spectacular.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews