| When handled well, crisis management safeguards the reputation and survival of the organization. Crisis management has a long-term impact on stability and profits. For many years, the crisis management field has relied on tactical processes to mitigate and deal with crisis (DuBrin, 2013). This qualitative investigation explores organizational approaches crisis management and outcomes experienced in national organizations of Zimbabwe. The current study uses a phenomenological approach that seeks to fill a gap in knowledge needed to implore change in the approach to crisis management by organizations and its crisis leaders. The research itself is exploratory in nature and uses a set of open-ended questions to collect data on current approaches, while comparing them to the outcomes experienced. Additionally, interview questions explored organizational leadership mindsets on crisis prevention and barriers to change for the organization. Given the nature of this qualitative study, a purposeful sample of crisis leaders from three national organizations were interviewed using individual interviews and focus groups.;The data were collected through the use of semi-structured interviews and focus groups, was transcribed and then analyzed using NVivo qualitative analysis software. The research findings led to the development of five major themes surrounding the phenomenon of crisis management in national organizations of Zimbabwe: (1) elements of approaches, (2) outcomes seen or experienced, (3) organizational remedies, (4) crisis leadership mindset, and (5) organizational mindset. Findings indicate that the majority of these organizations use reactive approaches, and continuously experience negative outcomes from crisis. Along with the model suggested the researcher seeks to move organizational leaders beyond just crisis response, but to include crisis prevention as a strategy as stewards of their organization. |
