Strategic Practices and Crisis Management: A State Governance Framework

Introduction

Crises have become the hallmark of our present era. States are constantly in crises, whether political, economic, social, military, financial or natural. This has imposed on States great human and material consequences, exceptional efforts and constant concern. It is therefore necessary to confront and contain these crises and to reduce their negative effects.

Crisis management is an important approach for reducing or responding to crises. It is also viewed as the art of making decisions before, during and after crises, under exceptional pressures, and in the absence of information. Crisis management also needs structured approaches, methodologies and practices that increase the effectiveness of its response to the crisis, more than the remedial responses. Such methodologies and practices may include strategic thinking, strategic planning and strategic management.

Since this study presents itself as a best practice guide for consultants and practitioners who are engaged in crisis management, it endeavors to comprehensively cover all the important aspects of crisis management processes and activities to focus on in crisis time, and how crisis management works.

However, to set the context right, it begins with identifying the main concepts of crises and crisis management which include the definition of crisis and the most important terms that accompany it including (accident, conflict, danger, disaster) and the concept of crisis management, then provides details of the following aspects and prospects of crisis management in practice:

• 1.

  Identifying the causes and characteristics of crises.

• 2.

  Distinguishing between crisis management and management with crisis, and how to use them in the working life.

• 3.

  The clarification of the life cycle of the crisis (shock phase, regression phase, recognition phase, and adaptation stage).

• 4.

  Identifying crisis management strategies.

• 5.

  Defining preventive strategy techniques for crisis management.

• 6.

  Clarifying the importance of the strategic practices in crisis management and minimizing their impact at the level of the state.

• 7.

  Identifying the role of the strategic practices in increasing the effectiveness of crisis management at the state level.

• 8.

  Designing a model, to increase the effectiveness of crisis management through the strategic practices at the state level.

Background: General Framework Of The Research

This section of the chapter is divided into three parts:

• Part One: The conceptual framework of crisis and crisis management.

• Part Two: The conceptual framework of the strategic practice

• Part Three: The role of strategic practices on the effectiveness of crisis management.

• Part Four: Recommendations.

Part 1: Conceptual Crisis Management Framework

The conceptual framework covers the key concepts and terms of crisis and crisis management, the causes and characteristics of crisis, and crisis management strategies.

The research is defined through the affirmation of the research scope and clearly defining its goals prior to exploring the intellectual trends of the research.