Research seminar with Maja Esing, PhD Aarhus university

Abstract:

Crisis management and internal crisis communication research has traditionally emphasized centralized authority, often concentrated within a crisis management team (CMT). This reflects the Threat Rigidity Thesis, which argues that organizations respond to threats by restricting information and control. More recent scholars, however, question this model, arguing that the complexity of today's crisis landscape increasingly demands the involvement of expertise beyond the CMT. Yet, as decentralization has become increasingly necessary, scholars have tended to focus on its benefits, portraying decentralization of crisis authority by CMTs to lower levels in relatively uncritical terms. At the same time, research has increasingly shifted toward employee-centric approaches, leaving the perspectives of CMTs and middle managers somewhat neglected. Through both interviews and a survey, my research explores the challenges and implications of decentralized crisis authority at different organizational levels, including not only employees but also CMTs and middle managers, based on a case study of a large Danish organization (+1500 employees, including 140 middle managers) during the pandemic.