Crisisology as a Discipline

Crisology
GS RADJOU, Member
My first reaction was to say that crisology is a new word. Then, I was not so surprised as the editor of the website is full of surprises -which is good-
Myself, I think the summary about crisis management is a bit traditional in saying it is still traditional management and boards that do the risk management job and the staff work and get paid. Today, this mentality of risk sharing in the firm is not working- everybody should look after risks. The concept is risk sharing and risk culture.
The above is valid for a firm selling bottles of champagne discovering that the liquid is fraudulent or a natural hazard or another major disaster.
Organizations like Worldbank, UNISDR, GFDDR are perfectly adapted to this new vision of risk reduction strategy either for natural hazards, firms, wars, technology crisis...(see my own organization ITDG form poverty reduction)
Any further helps. Please let me know.

Crisisology as a Discipline
Vernon Rupert Grant, Member
G S Radjou, I refer you to my article titled "crisisology: beyond crisis and prevention management" posted August 10, 2009 in another crisis management forum. This article will provide anyone with a better perspective on the emerging discipline of crisisology. You may provide your reaction after you've read the article.
Thanks for your previous response.

Crisology
GS RADJOU, Member
It is correct Europe is far advancing in crisis reduction with innovative ideas and new thinking. I think, predominantly it is still a traditional way of solving crisis, which in the past has shown to be efficient and effective.
But, today all issues are with increasing crisis. New solving needs new setting. My favorite schools of thinking in Europe in crisis management are the so called schools of engineering, safety and risk management. For them crisis management is about seeing a crisis as much as a risk to manage (negative risk of the traditional crisis management) than a positive risk to manage (it is opportunity management where resides the risk reduction strategies with new thinking and innovations).
I recommend to explore authors like Desmond Hart writings (specialist engineers, risk management and safety, Chief of Staff in Dam Engineering - excellent update for what is being done in crisis management for Dam Engineering - but this can be used also for business as the logic of this chief is pure.
Also, 2 professors: Chris Chapman and Stephen Wards, I Think they are best European (and world champion in the world) of project pisk management ie. management of uncertainties and sources of uncertainties (for crisis management)? They are lecturing at Southampton University.
And last an excellent and practical business author in risk management (Keith Baxter).

Crisisology as a Discipline
Vernon Rupert Grant, Member
Do these authors and professors you referred to, specifically, address the concept of crisisology? Are there publications on the EU market that discuss the crisisology concept, and not necessarily "crisis management?"
Thank you.

Crisology Discipline
GS RADJOU, Member
Crisis management is a cyndinique science (a Latin word?) dealing with natural hazards. For a surgeon, crisis is a dysfunction of normal routines (a disease to cure).
See editor notes (very good). What is very important to catch-up with risk/crisis/hazard/disaster management: there is a shift in thinking from negative risk (traditional risk management) to positive risk management (opportunity management). If a bottle of champagne is spoiled, Champman, Ward, Baxter give the right answers with traditional risk management (negative risk) and also, opportunity management (positive risk).
But maybe instead of prosecuting the company (negative risk) there is much to earn (by dropping the complain and selling the wine at cheaper price...).
The 2nd world war illustrates the use of positive risk. Churchill won the war because aircrafts could fly during showers. Most of the soldiers would wait for good weather.

Crisisology as a Discipline
Vernon Rupert Grant, Member
Thanks for your enlightened comments, I appreciate the same.

Project Risk Management
GS RADJOU, Member
If you like you can get more... Cyndinique is the science of catastrophes (dangers)
I think, crisis is best studied with hazard management. These are items that are creating the risks (dangers): technology, war, microbes, chemical... All these sources of hazards have a same set of impacts: transports, basic needs (food, water), shelter, telecommunication breakdown, refugees and people displacements.
In project management: a risk (number) = probability of the negative event x the asset concerned x the resilience (what and how do you protect it).
Remark: there are natural risks, but disasters are man made (it is preventable). Above summary on crisis management gives good bullets of the institutional aspects of solving such a crisis.
Now as Keith Baxter says on project risk management, risk is always something of the past. But what is interesting is the future. Chapman and Ward are best for there studies of project risk management in terms of managing uncertainties / sources of uncertainties.