Organisational socialisation in a crisis context.

Area of Science:

• Organizational Studies
• Crisis Management
• Social Psychology

Background:

• Organizational socialization is typically studied in stable environments.
• Crises represent a shift from normal to exceptional operational states.
• Actors must adapt knowledge and skills during crises.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key dimensions of organizational socialization within crisis contexts.
• To analyze how actors mobilize knowledge and skills during crises.
• To bridge the gap between organizational socialization and crisis management literature.

Main Methods:

• Literature review on organizational socialization.
• Analysis of actor testimonies from the 1998 Quebec ice storm crisis.
• Qualitative data analysis of crisis management experiences.

Main Results:

• Crises necessitate a distinct socialization process, altering how actors engage with their roles.
• Actors develop new strategies for knowledge mobilization and skill utilization under pressure.
• The Quebec ice storm crisis provides a case study for these adaptive socialization dynamics.

Conclusions:

• Crises function as unique socialization contexts demanding adaptive responses.
• Understanding crisis-specific socialization enhances crisis management strategies.
• This research encourages interdisciplinary dialogue between socialization and crisis management fields.