Globalization and the advent of the Internet have brought with it many economic advantages. However, it has also linked global economies and supply chains leaving and has left companies more exposed to an array of rapid, often unpredictable, national policy changes, international political incidents, natural disasters, attacks, and global pandemics that require quick, effective crisis responses.
Crisis management is concerned with preparing effective leaders and crisis management teams to have: a) the pre-crisis skills to identify approaching crises and an understanding of the factors, including political and policy, that affect its formation; b) effective crisis response skills, including effective and decisive communication skills that engage all stakeholders ethically and effectively; c) post-crisis skills needed to help companies not only recover their reputation but also to learn from the experience so that lasting responses and adaptations may be developed that help avoid recurrence.
This course emphasizes practical, real-life applications that draw on HBS and other recent cases as well as the advice of experts to explore a variety of crisis responses.