TY - JOUR
T1 - Expressing compassion in the face of crisis
T2 - organizational practices in the aftermath of the Brisbane floods of 2011
AU - Simpson, Ace Volkmann
AU - Clegg, Stewart
AU - Cunha, Miguel Pina e
PY - 2013/6/1
Y1 - 2013/6/1
N2 - Compassion is almost universally acknowledged as an important issue in the crisis management literature. The dominant perspective, however, approaches compassion instrumentally. The findings of this study on the compassionate support offered (or not) to employees during and after the Brisbane flood crisis of January 2011 provide insight into crisis management as a continuous process rather than a reactionary response when disaster arises. Three significant policy implications are generated: First, compassionate discourses and categorization schemas should be clearly articulated within the organization before crisis. Second, compassionate policies and practices need to be embedded in ongoing organizational routines and policies. Third, initiatives framed as compassion responses should not be assumed to necessarily create positive outcomes; rather, outcomes should be assessed on an ongoing basis.
AB - Compassion is almost universally acknowledged as an important issue in the crisis management literature. The dominant perspective, however, approaches compassion instrumentally. The findings of this study on the compassionate support offered (or not) to employees during and after the Brisbane flood crisis of January 2011 provide insight into crisis management as a continuous process rather than a reactionary response when disaster arises. Three significant policy implications are generated: First, compassionate discourses and categorization schemas should be clearly articulated within the organization before crisis. Second, compassionate policies and practices need to be embedded in ongoing organizational routines and policies. Third, initiatives framed as compassion responses should not be assumed to necessarily create positive outcomes; rather, outcomes should be assessed on an ongoing basis.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84877837305&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/1468-5973.12016
DO - 10.1111/1468-5973.12016
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84877837305
SN - 0966-0879
VL - 21
SP - 115
EP - 124
JO - Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management
JF - Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management
IS - 2
ER -