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

Authors/Creators

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

Author Identifier (ORCID)

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

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.

Document Type

Journal Article

Date of Publication

2024

Publication Title

Journal of Management & Organization

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

School

School of Business and Law

RAS ID

72711

Creative Commons License

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

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