Virtual crisis centers

Abstract

Purpose

The development of virtual crisis centers for organizations should be established. This study seeks to contend that having such a center will help an organization monitor the necessary signals generated and dissipated from within and around the organization in order to sense impending crisis. Once detected, the center can be used to evade or in some cases even curtail the effects of the crisis. If signal detection does not work, the center can be used to restore the organization.

Design/methodology/approach

Conceptual. The discussion of what it takes to build such a crisis center is grounded on past work related to failures in intelligence leading to the disaster of 9/11.

Findings

Virtual crisis centers will become a necessity in face of even more uncertain economic and political times. The benefit of such centers stems from an initiative which reflects preparedness and determination through actions to mitigate and possibly evade some of the consequences related to crisis.

Originality/value

Proposes a design approach to the creation of virtual crisis centers to manage signals of crises.

Citation

Desouza, K.C. and Hensgen, T. (2006), "Virtual crisis centers", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 15 No. 5, pp. 778-782. https://doi.org/10.1108/09653560610712711