Cultural pillars and their role in organizational continuity and discontinuity

Abstract

Frequently, research and case studies of Organizational Crisis Management stress the many disasters which can cause a crisis and discontinuities in organizations. Obviously, we must understand how crisis force discontinuities in organizations, but researchers and practitioners must also endeavor to understand those sources of strength in organization that function as pillars or as a support system for organizational continuity in the long term. The aim of this study is to analyse different cultural models to assemble a set of cultural pillars which contribute to much-needed organizational continuities that can insulate an organization from one or more crises. Employing a literature review, this study also implements empirical research involving ten members from a private enterprise, researching ways that organizational culture impacts crisis operation procedures. The discoveries underline the significance of an enduring and malleable culture to further effective communication, decision-making, and cooperation in-between during dangerous episodes or during continuous operations. This research increases one's knowledge of how organizational culture and supporting pillars can enhance the wellbeing of those within the organization and how the organization decides, integrates its influence internally and generally develops its internal resilience which can be of great importance during crisis. Whilst the study does start with crisis in mind, it really focuses on the extracting nine cultural pillars and hence contributes to the awareness of areas/pillars, which if left without attention, could create gaps in the organization leading to crises starting from within.