Enhancing organization's adaptive capacity and resilience through effective decision making in the recovery phase
Dean Myburgh, Chris Webb, Erica Seville
The Business Continuity and Resilience Journal, Volume 1, Issue 4, Q4 2012 (pp3-19)
Abstract
Complex, disruptive, events require sound leadership and an ability to effectively address uncertainty. Applying effective decision-making to meet the challenges created by emergencies and disasters requires leaders to consider and balance their thinking with that of others and to engage in new approaches to emergency decision-making.
This paper examines decision-making as an indicator of adaptive capacity and resilience in organizations within the recovery context. In particular, it draws on three frameworks for applying 'whole-brained'thinking as an organizing principle for decision-making in post-disaster (recovery) situations. It also highlights generic (but typical) decisions in simulated civil defence emergency management recovery contexts and offers insights into 'whole-brained thinking'constructs as developed by Herrmann (1994).