Abstract
“The true test of leadership is how well you function in a crisis” - Brian Tracy
There is never a crucial moment for leadership than during a time of crisis, yet very little attention is given to crisis leadership. Given the severity and frequency of crises in the pulp and paper industry, leaders ought to be intentional and deliberate in their efforts to comprehend the crisis leadership dynamics.
Using the qualitative descriptive phenomenological research framework, the study explores and analyses the dynamics of crisis leadership in the pulp and paper industry. A literature review on the dynamics of crisis leadership and crisis management in the pulp and paper industry was conducted to (i) gain a comprehensive understanding of the unique challenges, strategies, and best practices employed by leaders in the pulp and paper sector and, (ii) exploring the leader’s understanding of the concept of crisis leadership in the pulp and paper industry. The research data was collected through semi-structured interviews involving ten (10) middle to senior management personnel who were identified through purposive sampling. The principal findings of the study are arranged into four themes and various sub-themes namely, (i) organisational crisis (ii) pre-crisis preparedness, (iii) types of crises, and (iv) post-crisis. This was then used to develop the conceptual model for reference for the leaders in the pulp and paper industry to understand the dynamics of crisis leadership.
The study provided insight in terms of crisis leadership competencies required in the pulp and paper industry and proposed a conceptual model that will serve as the base model for exploring the dynamics of crisis leadership in the pulp and paper industry. The study concluded by providing recommendations for future research and guidelines for best practices.
Key words: Crisis leadership, Organisational Crisis, Dynamics, Crisis Management