Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management最新文献

Risk information represented by the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) has garnered significant attention as a foundation for individuals to appraise threats and engage in protective actions. Although many opportunities exist to provide risk information to the public in a permanent form, little attention has been paid to active information-seeking behaviour. This study investigates the primary factors influencing the intent to seek information within the context of COVID-19 and delves into the mechanisms of the information-seeking process. We utilize a snowball sampling method to collect data. A total of 1300 people were selected from three universities, five companies, one hospital, and the local government as respondents. Based on a prior risk information-seeking model, a hypothetical model was developed that accentuates the pivotal role of affective states and cognitive conditions (encompassing perceived risk and perceived knowledge). The empirical results underscore the significance of cognitive states in forecasting affective and informational responses. Surprisingly, the intent to seek information is directly influenced by perceived knowledge but not by perceived risk. Additionally, information needs play a mediating role in the information-seeking process, underscoring the complex dynamics of seeking information in the context of COVID-19.

Public relations professionals in higher education face a myriad of challenges, including managing crises that range from tragic losses to reputational threats. Despite the critical role these professionals play, little attention has been given to their experiences within this sector. This qualitative study examines how public relations professionals in higher education experience resilience sensemaking following a crisis. Using a critical event narrative inquiry approach, focusing on resilience and participants’ retrospective narratives of crisis experiences, this study reveals the complexity of working in higher education, characterized by a profound dedication to institutional mission amid demanding crisis scenarios. Professionals demonstrate a dichotomous resilience, balancing institutional recovery efforts with personal well-being considerations. Additionally, the study underscores the importance of fostering a culture of resilience anchored in the ethics of care framework, which prioritizes relationships, open communication, and mutual support. Practical implications include the integration of empathetic understanding and ongoing dialog into organizational culture to enhance resilience.

The present study examines two board behaviors, their antecedents and their consequences in the COVID-19 crisis. The two behaviors are (1) board involvement in crisis management planning and (2) board creative effort in finding solutions. The antecedents are board expertise and cognitive diversity. The consequence is firm resilience. The study builds its theoretical argument using the classical and refined upper echelons theory, stating that the two board behaviors mediate the effect of board expertise and cognitive diversity on firm resilience. Survey data from the United States during early 2020 was used. We found strong support for our overall argument that board involvement in crisis management planning and board creative effort in finding solutions are critical mediators. Our study also shows that the context of a crisis matters. During COVID-19, board cognitive diversity can negatively affect board behavior. We conclude the paper with discussions and future research proposals.

Measuring and exploring the tourism economic resilience and the impact of tourism shocks allows the depiction of patterns that may assist in the prediction of economic trends. The study utilises official statistics from data such as the China Statistical Yearbook from 31 Chinese provinces between 2020 and 2022. Results suggest that tourism economic resilience is generally low, and demonstrates a polarised phenomenon, with a pyramid structure showing a gradual increase in the number of provinces with high to low tourism economic resilience. From a geographical perspective, tourism economic resilience tends to exhibit a decreasing trend from east to west, with the ‘low resilience effect in the central region’ moving towards the western regions. Insufficient investment in tourism spending power and marketing were obstacles for tourism economic resilience within the obstacle model. A fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis method derived four types of paths affecting tourism economic resilience: ‘infrastructure-guaranteed’, ‘talent-employment-encouraging’, ‘innovation-driven development’ and ‘market-opening and interactive’. This study expands the application of niche theory in the field of socio-economic resilience and constructs a new theoretical framework of resilience stratification, barrier model and path analysis. The research results provide important references for the government to optimise tourism economic policies, enterprises to improve market adaptability and regional coordinated development.

This research investigates individuals' reactions and coping strategies during a prolonged health crisis over distinct temporal phases (i.e., early and late stages of the pandemic) and geographical locations (i.e., Australia, Finland, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, and the United States). Using the infectious disease threat (IDT) appraisal model as a guide, we conducted two separate studies at different intervals to investigate the coping strategies individuals utilised in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings revealed cross-country differences in cognitive (i.e., COVID-19 risk perception and vaccine uncertainty), affective (i.e., hope, fear, shame, and anger), and conative (i.e., preventive behavioural intentions, vaccination intentions, and preventive behavioural engagement) outcomes, shaped by cultural and policy influences. Mediation and moderation analyses showed that the coping mechanism of cognitive appraisal indirectly influenced conative coping through affective responses, which could be contingent on pandemic fatigue. This research contributes to crisis and health communication literature by offering a more nuanced understanding of how individuals across different countries cope with and manage a long-lasting public health crisis and provides key takeaways for advancing pandemic communication theory and practice.

This study assesses the capacity of earthquake evacuation shelters in Seoul, South Korea, focusing on their ability to accommodate the transient population, a key aspect of the city's critical infrastructure. Using GIS-based spatial analysis, the research examines population fluctuations across different times of day, weekdays versus weekends, and seasonal variations. The results reveal significant shortcomings in the current shelter infrastructure, with many areas unable to effectively accommodate residents. Larger shelters are found to support more people from nearby regions, whereas smaller shelters often leave many areas only partially accommodated or completely unserved. This persistent issue across various temporal and population changes underscores the need for a comprehensive disaster preparedness strategy. Key recommendations include the strategic expansion of existing shelters, optimal placement of new shelters, and the adoption of advanced technologies for real-time population tracking. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of enhancing public awareness through regular drills and developing urban planning policies that incorporate disaster management. Fostering collaboration among government agencies, private stakeholders, and community organisations is also essential. By addressing these gaps, Seoul can improve its resilience and better protect its residents during seismic events, emphasising the critical need for innovative disaster preparedness strategies in urban settings.