Exam 12: The Learning Organization and Crisis Leadership

In terms of a learning organization, employees who engage in continuous learning activities are more likely to be a source for their organizational and competitive advantage.

What factors account for the fact that the learning organization is described as more creative and innovative than the traditional organization form?

How has the Internet affected the way crises are perceived in our society today?

A crisis is a high-probability, low-impact event that threatens the viability of the organization and is characterized by ambiguity of cause, effect, and means of resolution, as well as by a belief that decisions must be made swiftly.

One of the primary duties of the crisis leader includes requiring individuals or departments to keep logs of complaints or incidents.

Describe the role of the CEO and communication in managing a crisis.

One of the largest airlines in the country is in negotiations with the pilot, flight attendant, and mechanic unions to discuss how a bankruptcy might be adverted. After a day-long conference between the CEO of the airline and the heads of the pilot, flight attendant, and mechanic unions, all four leaders take time to talk to the media together. Which guideline of effective communications are these leaders concerned with?

A ____ is a printed statement that describes how an organization is responding to a crisis and who is in charge.

In learning organizations:

One of the short-term benefits of developing an effective crisis communication system with employees is that the organization will have won over the confidence, loyalty, and commitment of the employees, who appreciate being involved and listened to during a crisis.

Under which of the following conditions is a learning environment most needed?

All of the following are characteristics of learning organizations EXCEPT:

Pre-crisis planning entails three components that every organization should address when putting together a comprehensive crisis response plan: (1) appointing a crisis leader, (2) creating a crisis response team, and (3) creating a risk assessment team.

Pre-crisis planning

Creating a culture that rewards those who succeed, as well as occasionally rewarding those who fail, sends a message that the organization encourages risk-taking.

Discontinuous change occurs when anticipated or expected changes bear no resemblance to the present or the past.

Encouraging systems thinking is a guideline for enhancing organizational learning.

The traditional organization is based on the bureaucratic model that emphasizes:

A learning organization is one that is skilled at creating, acquiring, and transferring knowledge, and at modifying behavior to reflect new knowledge and insights.

In most small organizations, the crisis management team is led by a senior-level executive.