Crisis Management and Navy Organizational Culture

摘要

In recent years, the Navy has been plagued by a series of non-operational eventsthat have attracted negative attention from the media and intense scrutiny from political leaders, special interest groups and the public. Too often, Navy responses to this scrutiny have been counterproductive. This study suggests that the Navy could benefit from a broader definition of what constitutes an organizational crisis. Also, a more complex approach to crisis management is needed, especially when the potential for damage to the institutional image is high. This thesis proposes a formalized system of crisis management. It also presents critical case studies to illustrate how organizational culture can serve as an impediment to constructive crisis management. The cases reviewed include the Naval Academy's handling of the 1989 Gwen Dreyer sexual harassment and hazing incident, the 1992 Electrical Engineering 311 exam cheating scandal, and the critical editorial written by faculty member James Barry and published by The Washington Post in March 1996. My research concludes that the key to effective crisis management is an organizational culture which institutionalizes the use of ethical and constructive practices.