Cognition towards crisis: the blind man held a handful of snow … and concluded that white was cold
by Jean-Marie Jacques, Maryline Specht
International Journal of Emergency Management (IJEM), Vol. 3, No. 1, 2006

Abstract: This paper analyses organisational structures and the relations and symbols through individual and collective cognition. We specify forms of sensemaking within the crisis process. Sensemaking, as a general perspective within the framework of organisational meaning, confers explanation of crisis. In addition, facts and their cognitive interpretations one by one highlight concrete phenomena and events' chaining through crisis. Factual phenomena can be seen as the multiple elements supporting sensemaking within the organisation: machines, software, technical environments and systems. Cognitive phenomena are related to human perceptions and representations. This expresses the potential of the framework to embrace a mechanical perspective, a structuro-functionalist and cognitive one. We indeed advocate for psychological training addressing sensemaking as a major asset for crisis management.

Online publication date: Wed, 12-Jul-2006

The full text of this article is only available to individual subscribers or to users at subscribing institutions.

 
Existing subscribers:
Go to Inderscience Online Journals to access the Full Text of this article.

Pay per view:
If you are not a subscriber and you just want to read the full contents of this article, buy online access here.

Complimentary Subscribers, Editors or Members of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Emergency Management (IJEM):
Login with your Inderscience username and password:

Username:        Password:          Forgotten your password?

Want to subscribe?
A subscription gives you complete access to all articles in the current issue, as well as to all articles in the previous three years (where applicable). See our Orders page to subscribe.

If you still need assistance, please email subs@inderscience.com