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crisis_decision_making_lit_review.docxCRISIS DECISION MAKING 1
Crisis Decision Making – Literature Review
By
Kareemah A. Muhammad
Rapid Decision Making
Professor: LeRoy Maes
02/03/2016
Crisis Decision Making – Literature Review
A crisis is a situation where there is a stressful situation that has arisen. An event has happened, and a team of decision makers must use one decision maker in order to either advert the crisis or have a plan to address the crisis with the best decision. A crisis can range from destruction, serious injuries or even death. Anyone can be act risk as stressful situation can affect anyone from any demography. A crisis decision maker has the authority to make the decision much like a captain in a law enforcement, the military, and the CEO of a company. Regardless, this decision maker may take into consideration those members a crisis team, but will have the ultimate control to make the decision. The crisis in question is the problems that arose in Ferguson, Missouri. In this crisis situation, many people felt that the police decision to shoot and kill an African-American was a misjudgment of a white police office. Violence ensued as people believed that the law enforcement officer had used his position to shoot the male.
Shane, J. (2012). Organization stressors and police performance. Journal of Criminal Justice 38(4) 807-818.
A crisis can cause stress. Added to the stress can be emotional attachment which could anxiety. People will deal with the crisis differently. Most people will take into consideration: (1) their personal safety, (2) the safety and well-being of their families, (3) the safety of close friends and fellow employees, and (4) their employer and their crisis role. Law enforcement officials took this into consideration as they confronted the large gathering of protestors. While they took into consideration of their role as law enforcement officials, they also to consider the best plans of actions to quell the violent protestors. Leaders of law enforcement considered not only the safety of the officers but of the general public, even those who were fighting against law enforcement officials. The stress caused some officers to act independently of their captains. At the same time, the crisis situation had to include actions that law enforcement must take during violent riots. The decisions made by captains were for some people unwarranted while others believed that law enforcement had made the right decision to protect citizens and attempt to quell rioting and violence committed by protestors.
Thiel, C., Bagdasarov, Z., Harkrider, L., Johnson, J., and Mumford, M. (2012). Leader ethical decision-making in organizations: Strategies for sensemaking. Journal of Business Ethics 107(1) 49-64.
Crisis decision making take into consideration the actions of the protestors and the increasing violence against law enforcement officials and the general public caught in the actions of the protestors. Many protestors used peaceful measures, but unfortunately many carried out violent action which including, hurting others, looting, set fires, and destroying public property. Actions taken by upper level law enforcement officials had to access several options to address the demonstrators and rioters. First those in the crisis decision making had to (1) decide which actions must be taken immediately, (2) pending actions that would require the approval of the crisis management team, (3) action alternatives, (4) when actions will be take and when they should be taken, and (5) actions that could happen as the crisis unfolds. Even if there are a team of decision makers, the will ultimately been the decision of one person.
Cuence, A. & Nichols, J. (2014). Ferguson is about us too: A call to explore our communities. Social Education 78(5) 248-254.
The role of crisis management team is to collect the facts of the event that occurred. In the Ferguson actions, the law enforcement officials had to access the officer’s motives for killing Michael Brown and if there were warranted actions as considered by law enforcement. For example, if an officer perceives that the person may harm the officer or other and depending on the state, an officer may make the judgement themselves has in the case of the Ferguson incident. Law enforcement officials may assess the actions of the actions and if there was a clear motive. In the case of the cop, he felt that the incidents that occurred during the altercation were warranted by the teen’s actions. The organization’s image must also be evaluated. Law enforcement official considered what would happen if the cop was not guilty as the crime, by the court verdict, the officers had followed the correct protocol and how the origination would be considered by the public. In the case of Ferguson, many people felt that the police department discriminated against African- Americans. This threw a shade of the Ferguson police department as the media reported the events of the altercation. Lastly, the crisis response team, CRT, and to evaluate whether the situation was going to escalate or deescalate. Any the current time, the situation of violent protestors, looter, and even the media fueled the escalation of the events after the shooting and the overturned decision that the officer had committed a felony offence.
James, E. H., & Wooten, L. P. (2010). Leading under pressure: From surviving to thriving before, during, and after a crisis. Routledge.
The brain has different ways that it processes decisions. The brain is designed for survival, mostly survival for ourselves than for other people. We are programmed to make safety decisions which can ultimately be “knee-jerk” reactions. These reactions can promote right or wrong decision making as individuals confront the stress. Because of immediate adrenaline release, as a response to stress, the logical part of the brain is replaced by the part of the brain that addresses the “flight or fight” reaction. Risks are perceived emotionally and sometimes decisions can reflect those risks. By identifying the feel of the body and emotional stress of the body, individuals can therefore understand these reactions, acknowledge them and “shelf” them in order to change the emotional reaction to a more cognitive action. Crisis decision making can then become a rationally thought-out process. Risk management and running through scenarios can also help curb the automatic and human response during stress.
