Recalling the performativity of the body in frontline command

Boehm, Mikkel

doi:10.1111/1468-5973.12225

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…‘The way that experienced firefighters can identify effective options is to match the current situation to a prototype, thereby recognizing it as typical and amenable to typical procedures’ (Klein et al, 1985: 21). Current studies acknowledge that incident commanders rely on such established practices by engaging in situation recognition and mental simulation (Boehm, 2018; Rake and Njå, 2009). However, incident command is also seen as a relational endeavor that entails practices of information gathering, setting out courses of action, and monitoring what tasks are being carried out (Groenendaal and Helsloot, 2016; Rake and Njå, 2009).…”

Section: Key Practices In Fast-response Organizingmentioning

confidence: 99%

To the edge and beyond: How fast-response organizations adapt in rapidly changing crisis situations

Schakel¹,

Wolbers

2019

Human Relations

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Fast-response organizations excel in mounting swift and coordinated responses to unexpected events. There are a multitude of conflicting explanations why these organizations excel. These range from acknowledging the strengths of centralized command and control structures, towards stressing the importance of decentralized, improvised action. Though this dichotomy is derived from studies offering either structure or action-based explanations, we were able to reconcile these insights by looking into the process of how fast-responders organize themselves during an unfolding crisis. We analyzed 15 high-speed police pursuits crossing multiple administrative units and jurisdictions, and interviewed and observed officers at work in multiple operations centers, police cars, and helicopters. Our analysis uncovered that fast-responders regularly transition between designed, frontline, and partitioned modes of organizing, each characterized by practices that shape command, allocation, and information sharing. Success and failure are rooted in the ability of the responders to adapt their mode of organizing by tacking back and forth between these practices. Based on our findings, we constructed a process model that provides a deeper understanding of fast-response organizing that informs future studies on organizing in extreme contexts.

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Section: Key Practices In Fast-response Organizingmentioning

confidence: 99%

To the edge and beyond: How fast-response organizations adapt in rapidly changing crisis situations

Schakel¹,

Wolbers

2019

Human Relations

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“…Rimstad and Sollid (2015) use the 2011 Norway terrorist attack to show that front‐line operations are characterized by rapid critical decisions, made primarily on the basis of pattern recognition (Cohen‐Hatton, Butler, & Honey, 2015; Groenendaal & Helsloot, 2018; Klein, 1993; Meso, Troutt, & Rudnicka, 2002). These front‐line processes can be highly chaotic and unpredictable, and may sometimes even be incomprehensible to actors operating at a distance (Barton, Sutcliffe, Vogus, & DeWitt, 2015; Boehm, 2018; Curnin, Brooks, & Owen, 2020; Nja & Rake, 2009).…”

Section: Theoretical Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Codifying a crisis: Progressing from information sharing to distributed decision‐making

Treurniet

Wolbers

2020

Contingencies & Crisis Mgmt

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A key challenge in crisis management is maintaining an adequate information position to support coherent decision‐making between a range of actors. Such distributed decision‐making is often supported by a common operational picture that not only conveys factual information but also attempts to codify a dynamic and vibrant crisis management process. In this paper, we explain why it is so difficult to move from information sharing towards support for distributed decision‐making. We argue that two key processes need to be considered: supporting both the translation of meaning and the transformation of interests between those on the front line and those in the remote response network. Our analysis compares the information‐sharing processes in three large‐scale emergency response operations in the Netherlands. Results indicate that on several occasions the collaborative decision‐making process was hampered because actors limited themselves to factual information exchange. The decision‐making process only succeeds when actors take steps to resolve their varying interpretations and interests. This insight offers important lessons for improving information management doctrines and for supporting distributed decision‐making processes.

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“…Krasmann and Hentschel [14] approached this through the concept of situational awareness, examining the demands of actors to respond to a problem as it unfolds and where the only thing to be done is to handle the situation itself, stressing the ability to act in a situation in which the reference points of conventional solutions disappear. Faced with the dynamics of highly stressful situations, actors are forced to apply their skills with great flexibility [24][25][26][27][28].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Securing Operational Capability for Exceptional Circumstances: How Do Professional First Responders Respond to the Unexpected?

Heino

Kalalahti

2021

Sustainability

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Complexity and uncertainty are framing the modern world, whilst also affecting issues on security and sustainability. There is a need to prepare for known threats and identified risks, but also to improve the ability to cope in situations that are difficult to recognize or describe beforehand. What is at stake—both at the organizational and individual level—is the ability to make sense of uncertain and ambiguous situations. Analyzing two empirical cases, this study aims to shed light on the abilities of experts, who have acted in very challenging situations, in which deviating from established procedures and abandoning politeness have been necessary to respond effectively. The first case deals with a threat of serious violence faced by a police officer. The second case focuses on the actions of an executive fire officer during a rescue operation after an explosion at a shopping mall. This paper concludes by arguing that pre-established procedures require experts to reflect on their usability in exceptional situations as relying on them could also have detrimental effects.

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Recalling the performativity of the body in frontline command

Cited by 7 publications

References 34 publications

To the edge and beyond: How fast-response organizations adapt in rapidly changing crisis situations

To the edge and beyond: How fast-response organizations adapt in rapidly changing crisis situations

Codifying a crisis: Progressing from information sharing to distributed decision‐making

Securing Operational Capability for Exceptional Circumstances: How Do Professional First Responders Respond to the Unexpected?

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