Military organizations and national crisis response

Crisis-oriented value creation This chapter focuses on the contribution of military organizations in national crisis response. Responding to a crisis represents a form of ‘value creation’ that is ad hoc, improvisational (Crossan et al. 2005), imperfect (Weick 2001), and incident-­driven.­For­instance,­in­case­of­a­flooding,­nuclear­explosion­(Chernobyl), or pinpoint terrorist attacks (September 11), evacuation becomes essential. Hence, it differs from routine operations and pre-conceived project work (Raab et al. 2009). National crises result from natural disasters and/ or man-made disasters or no-notice events (acts of terrorism commonly focused on high impact infrastructures or environments). They affect fundamental conditions and needs associated with sustained human life (Maslow 1943), and have a strong sociopsychological component. As such, (modern) societies and organizations are often considered fragile and vulnerable. A crisis alters the condition of populations, resources, and infrastructures in a sudden and urgently undesirable manner (contrasted with a ‘normal functioning’ society). For instance, Hurricane Katrina affected major parts of city and state areas,­and­forest­fires­ in­California,­Greece­and­Australia­destroyed­substantial­ areas of woodland as well as housing. National crises disrupt and overwhelm populations, governments and other organizations. They lead to an initial feeling of overwhelmedness, major loss, unpredictability and confusion. They demand vast amounts of resources and launch major response efforts to return remaining communities, resources, and infrastructures to a condition ranging between minimally acceptable and normal. When a crisis occurs, demand for a wide variety of services soars (depending on­the­nature­of­the­crisis),­leading­to­an­explosive­need­for­organized­response­ (information processing, decision-making, and concerted action). Crisis-oriented value creation – the emergency phase in Figure 15.1 – is characterized by a preference for:

•­ effectiveness:­accurately­addressing­needs­as­quickly­as­possible; •­ ambiguity:­clarity­of­what­is­going­on­often­takes­days; •­ flexibility:­ relevance­ of­ efforts­ is­ more­ important­ than­ pre-­defined­ struc-

tures;­and •­ comprehensiveness:­range­of­needs­addressed.