Citation

Deverell E. J. Conting. Crisis Manage. 2009; 17(3): 179-188.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1468-5973.2009.00578.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article contributes to the debate on organizational learning from crisis by shedding light on the phenomenon of crises as learning triggers. To unveil theoretical patterns of how organizational crisis‐induced learning may appear and develop, I suggest a conceptual framework based on concept categories and answers to four fundamental questions: what lessons are learned (single‐ or double‐loop)?; what is the focus of the lessons (prevention or response)?; when are lessons learned (intra‐ or intercrisis)?; is learning blocked from implementation or carried out (distilled or implemented)? The framework's applicability is explored in a study of how a Swedish utility and the city of Stockholm responded to two large‐scale blackouts in Stockholm. The final sections suggest four propositions for further research.