Adaptive crisis management at the operational level: Responses to COVID-19 in the Australian resources sector

Authors

Michael M. Ajith, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Andrei A. Lux, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Tim Bentley, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Michelle Striepe, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow

Author Identifier

Andrei A. Lux

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3454-946X

Tim Bentley

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4721-8405

Michelle Striepe

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0216-5805

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Title

Journal of Management & Organization

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

School

School of Business and Law

RAS ID

72711

Comments

Ajith, M. M., Lux, A. A., Bentley, T., & Striepe, M. (2024). Adaptive crisis management at the operational level: Responses to COVID-19 in the Australian resources sector. Journal of Management & Organization. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1017/jmo.2024.62

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 significantly impacted Australia’s resources sector, particularly mining, oil, and gas industries, posing challenges for operational leaders. This study applied Adaptive Crisis Management Theory (ACMT) to understand how these leaders adapted during the crisis. Through interviews with 32 operational leaders, it was found that their roles evolved as crisis demands changed. Initially, they addressed immediate needs, then shifted focus to remote work facilitation and digital transformation, and finally emphasised recovery, trust, and resilience. These adaptations influenced leaders’ behaviours, highlighting the importance of flexibility in supporting employee wellbeing and organisational continuity during crises.

DOI

10.1017/jmo.2024.62

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.