Designing an organizational resilience model in the face of crisis and Organizational Rip Currents

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Ali Shariatnejad ¹
• Reza Sepahvand ²
• Hadi Rezaeinejad ³

¹ Assistant Professor, Management Faculty, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran.

² Professor, Management Faculty, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran

³ PhD Student in Public Administration, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22067/tmj.2024.87597.1563

Abstract

 
1- INTRODUCTION
Organization-ripping forces are external factors beyond the control of organizations that, influenced by environmental factors and structural or behavioral weaknesses, lead to instability and reduced efficiency. These forces, often seen in developing countries with frequent government changes and the appointment of incompetent managers, can impact structures, technology, and personnel in organizations like a tsunami, causing severe damage and even dissolution. Crisis management and organizational resilience are two key approaches to countering these forces. Crisis management involves recognizing warning signals and taking preventive measures to either avert a crisis or minimize its impact. Organizational resilience, on the other hand, is defined as the organization’s ability to recover and adapt to unexpected changes. In facing disruptive forces, strengthening resilience and crisis management can help organizations survive shocks and even return to normalcy after a crisis. This article, by reviewing existing literature and presenting an integrated model, aims to offer solutions for enhancing organizational resilience in the face of crises and disruptive forces.
 
2- METHODOLOGY
This research utilizes qualitative and exploratory data. The method employed is thematic analysis, which aims to identify and analyze patterns of meaning within a dataset. The thematic analysis allows the researcher to focus on both explicit meanings and the underlying assumptions and theories hidden in the words and phrases used in the data. In this study, themes were extracted from codes and further developed through interpretive data analysis. Purposeful sampling was used, and relevant sources were gathered from reputable national and international databases. In the initial search, 279 sources were identified, and after screening based on title, abstract, and methodology, 53 sources were selected for final analysis. Given the lack of English sources on "organizational rift currents," the search period for this variable was set from 2016 to 2023. For "crisis management" and "organizational resilience," sources from 1998 to 2023 were reviewed. To ensure the reliability of the research, Cohen's Kappa coefficient was employed, with a re-coding of 20% of the codes by the researchers. The agreement rate for all components exceeded 70%. This study focuses on extracting and analyzing themes related to organizational rift currents, crisis management, and organizational resilience.
 
3- RESULTS & DISCUSSION
This research identified three overarching themes regarding organizational resilience and crisis management. The first theme, organization-ripping forces, encompasses constructive strategies such as enhancing an organization's capacity to adapt to critical changes, implementing necessary measures for responding to sudden disruptions and crises and fostering a culture of problem-solving during unexpected and critical situations. The second theme, crisis management, includes critical actions such as the necessity of rapid decision-making and acting in crises, coordinating efforts to mitigate sudden disruptive events, and evaluating potential threats arising from uncontrollable and rapid environmental changes. The third theme, organizational resilience, means addressing key strategies for monitoring and predicting changes to develop preparedness and response plans, analyzing external factors and sudden shocks, and enhancing resilience through adaptability. It also emphasizes the creation of a resilient human resource system, improving resilience in the face of unforeseen disruptions, utilizing data dashboards for information analysis during crises, and aligning management strategies to combat sudden disruptive events.
The research employed a thematic analysis approach six-phase framework. This process involves familiarizing with the data, generating initial codes, searching for themes, reviewing themes, defining themes, and writing the final report. A total of 279 documents were collected from various sources, including Emerald, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, ScienceDirect, and others, with the search focusing on organization-ripping forces, crisis management, and organizational resilience. The data were analyzed using Atlas.ti 9, and through multiple iterations, 1065 quotations were identified, from which 835 distinct codes were extracted. After refining and consolidating the codes, 702 final codes were identified, leading to 61 foundational themes and 14 organizing themes, which were then grouped into three comprehensive themes: organization-ripping forces, crisis management, and organizational resilience.
The first step in the analysis involved identifying initial codes from the data, followed by the grouping of these codes into abstract categories known as organizing themes. These organizing themes were then grouped into broader, overarching themes. For instance, codes related to marketing innovation were grouped under a single organizing theme. In the final phase of thematic analysis, 61 foundational themes were discovered, which were then categorized into 14 organizing themes, eventually leading to the identification of three main themes.
 
4- CONCLUSIONS & SUGGESTIONS
The research highlights that managers must focus on strengthening organizational resilience as a preventive approach when facing crises such as ripping currents. Additionally, evaluating how recovery priorities align with pre-crisis planning and communication efforts is crucial. Ignoring this issue can lead to the organization's collapse in a short period. Despite the extensive research on organizational resilience and crisis management, the study identified a gap in the literature regarding organizational resilience in response to ripping forces. This research aims to address this gap by providing a model for organizational resilience when facing crises and ripping forces. In conclusion, the data identified through thematic analysis resulted in a model comprising 14 organizing themes and 61 foundational themes across three main themes, providing a comprehensive understanding of organizational resilience, crisis management, and ripping forces.

Keywords

• Organization-Ripping Forces
• Crisis Management
• Organizational Resilience
• Thematic Analysis

©2025 The author(s). This is an open access article distributed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0)

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