Architecting Purpose-Driven Improvisation towards Organizational Effectiveness in Extreme Environments: Case Narratives from Organizations during Typhoon Haiyan

Aquesta dissertació doctoral es centra en les discussions acadèmiques que afecten a l'organització de processos en entorns de desastre. En particular, la recerca principal és ‘de quina manera la interacció dels atributs a nivell individual i col·lectiu de les accions improvisades de les organitzacions expliquen com aconsegueixen els seus objectius, p.e. ser eficaços, en contextos extrems?'. Fent servir una estratègia metodològica d’estudis de casos, emergeixen narratives de dos perfils d'organitzacions que eren crítiques per a la fase de resposta i de recuperació del Tifó Haiyan del 2013. La contribució principal d’aquest treball té dos vessants. Primer, es proposa que la improvisació, malgrat la seva naturalesa emergent, està guiada per un propòsit concret, doncs facilita a les organitzacions aconseguir els seus objectius preestablerts. Això succeeix a través de dos efectes: (a) l'efecte buffering, i (b) l'efecte connection-seeking. Segon, s’infereix que les improvisacions amb un propòsit concret estan promogudes per diverses narracions que interaccionen a nivell individual i col·lectiu. Tres narracions sorgeixen: (a) una interacció complementària entre els atributs a nivell individual i col·lectiu, on tots dos, l'individual i l'organitzatiu juguen una funció similar per promoure una improvisació amb un propòsit concret (b) una interacció gestionada a nivell individual, en que l’acció individual apareix més pronunciada en la decisió d'improvisar a nivell de cada propòsit concret, i (c) una interacció que s’adhereix la norma, on el paper de l'organització precedeix la posició individual en la decisió d'improvisar en el propòsit concret.Esta disertación doctoral se sitúa la discusión académica que afecta a la organización de procesos en entornos de desastre. En particular, la investigación principal es ‘de qué manera la interacción de los atributos a nivel individual y colectivo de las acciones improvisadas de las organizaciones explican cómo pueden esas alcanzar sus objetivos, i.e. ser eficaz, en contextos extremos?' Utilizando una estrategia metodológica de estudio de casos, emergen narrativas de dos perfiles de organizaciones que fueron críticas en la fase de respuesta y de recuperación del Tifón Haiyan del 2013. La contribución principal del trabajo tiene dos vertientes. Primero, se propone que la improvisación, a pesar de su naturaleza emergente, está guiada por propósito concreto, ya que facilita a las organizaciones conseguir sus objetivos preestablecidos. Esto ocurre a través de dos efectos: (a) el efecto buffering, y (b) el efecto connection-seeking. Segundo, se infiere que una improvisación con propósito concreto está promovida por varias narrativas de interacción a nivel individual y colectivo. Surgen tres narrativas: (a) una interacción complementaria entre los atributos a nivel individual y colectivo, donde ambos, el individual y la organización juegan una función similar al promover la improvisación con propósito concreto (b) una interacción gestionada a nivel individual, en que la acción individual resulta más pronunciada en la decisión de improvisar con propósito concreto, y (c) una interacción que se adhiere a la norma, en que el rol de la organización precede la posición individual en la decisión de improvisar con un propósito concreto.This dissertation positions itself within the scholarly conversations on organizing processes in disaster environments. In particular, the main research inquiry is ‘how does the interaction of individual and collective level attributes among improvised actions of the organizations explain how they can realize their goals, i.e. be effective, in extreme contexts?’. Using a case strategy approach, it surfaces narratives of two profiles of organizations that were critical to the response and recovery phase of the 2013 Typhoon Haiyan. The main contribution of the work is two-fold: First, it infers that improvisation, despite its emergent nature, is purpose-driven, as it allows organizations to consciously realize their pre-established goals. This occurs through two effects: (a) the buffering effect, and (b) the connection-seeking effect. Second, it infers that purpose-driven improvisation is enabled by various narratives of interaction between the individual and collective level attributes. Three narratives are emergent: (a) a complementary interaction between the individual- and collective-level attributes, where both the individual and the organization play an equal role in enabling purpose-driven improvisation (b) an individually-maneuvered interaction, where the individual positionality is more pronounced in the enactment of purpose-driven improvisation, and (c) rule-abiding interaction, where the role of the organization precedes the individual positionality in the enactment of purpose-driven improvisation

Knowing from a Distance: An Improv(is)ed Dialogue About Constellations of Meaning

Through a dialogical exchange about disasters, we explore the notion of “knowing” by drawing on our own experience and research about improvisation and disaster management. Locating our work within our positionalities as expatriate Filipino researchers of considerable distance/closeness from each other, we find, albeit serendipitously, how our improvisational methodologies can occur en route to, during, and in, the aftermath of crisis. Through reconstructions of the calamitous, we establish certain distances with the event itself, disaster victims, ourselves, and other improvisers of meaning such as media journalists. We propose that this network of knowing forms part of the constellational relationships of meaning-making about disasters

Fear, uncertainty, and dread: cognitive heuristics and cyber threats

Advances in cyber capabilities continue to cause apprehension among the public. With states engaging in cyber operations in pursuit of its perceived strategic utility, it is unsurprising that images of a “Cyber Pearl Harbor” remain appealing. It is crucial to note, however, that the offensive action in cyberspace has only had limited success over the past decade. It is estimated that less than 5% of these have achieved their stated political or strategic objectives. Moreover, only five states are thought to have the capabilities to inflict or threaten substantial damage. Consequently, this raises the question of what accounts for the continued sense of dread in cyberspace. The article posits that this dread results from the inappropriate use of cognitive shortcuts or heuristics. The findings herein suggest that the lack of experience in dealing with cyber operations encourages uncertainty, which motivates decision-makers to base their judgements on pre-existing, and possibly incorrect, conceptions of cyberspace. In response, the article segues into potential solutions that can mitigate unsubstantiated dread towards cyberspace by peering into the role that attributes at the organizational level can play in tempering the position of individuals. The suggested considerations are rooted in the interactions between the micro and macro level processes in forming judgments, sensemaking, and ultimately, mobilizing actions

Knowing from a Distance

Through a dialogical exchange about disasters, we explore the notion of “knowing” by drawing on our own experience and research about improvisation and disaster management. Locating our work within our positionalities as expatriate Filipino researchers of considerable distance/closeness from each other, we find, albeit serendipitously, how our improvisational methodologies can occur en route to, during, and in, the aftermath of crisis. Through reconstructions of the calamitous, we establish certain distances with the event itself, disaster victims, ourselves, and other improvisers of meaning such as media journalists. We propose that this network of knowing forms part of the constellational relationships of meaning-making about disasters

Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Response to Grand Challenges: What Do We Know and How Do We Move Forward?

The role of sustainability is gaining ground in management and entrepreneurship research especially in the midst of increasing exposure of the society to grand challenges. This paper provides a narrative review of the concept of sustainable entrepreneurship (SE) and juxtaposes it with the concept of grand challenge. The narrative review in turn surfaces a potential framework on how the discourse in both areas can be converged. The framework proposes how grand challenges can be integrated as a critical component in the SE literature. In turn, this paper seeks to inform future conversations on SE both in the theoretical and applied fields to be grounded on addressing grand challenges

Governance, decision-making, and strategy for urban development

This chapter starts with a systematic review of the academic state of art about the trending topics that deal with data-driven approaches in an urban environment. Then, we select a specific example and analyze recent progress in the use of data to improve the urban process, which is as strategic and a priority as the resilience process. In this vein, we then use the case of the Philippines and show their data-driven policy to cope with disasters that drastically affect their urban areas.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version