Title: Emotions in crisis management: an analysis of the organisational response of two natural disasters

Authors: Ruth Cohn, Kathleen M. Carley, John R. Harrald, William A. Wallace

Addresses: Decision Sciences and Engineering Systems, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA. Professor, Social and Decision Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA, USA. Professor, Engineering Management, George Washington University, USA. Professor, Decision Sciences and Engineering Systems, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA

Abstract: The impact of emotions on organisational performance during crisis response is examined. Data are drawn from the after action reports of individuals in two American Red Cross teams, one faced with responding to Hurricane Hugo and the other to the Loma Prieta Earthquake. Based on the texts generated by individuals in the American Red Cross who took part in these situations, we examine whether the affective content varies across crises and individuals. These results have implications for understanding organisational response to sudden onset events with potentially catastrophic impact that could disrupt entire communities.

Keywords: emotion; organisational response to crisis; disaster management; American Red Cross; Hurricane Hugo; Loma Prieta earthquake.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2000.002817

International Journal of Technology Management, 2000 Vol.19 No.3/4/5, pp.313-335

Published online: 07 Jul 2003 *

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