University of Twente Student Theses
The impact of culture on crisis management in complex settings : a case study of Fukushima
Schneider, Lisa (2016) The impact of culture on crisis management in complex settings : a case study of Fukushima.
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| Abstract: | This study answers the question to what extent and how the cultural context of Japan affected the adequacy of crisis management during the Fukushima nuclear crisis in 2011. Realistic Evaluation and causal-process tracing allow for the detection of mechanisms that drove crisis management in Japan. These mechanisms are represented by additional variables (level of politicization, geopolitical context, improvisation from protocol, interagency collaboration), all being presumed to affect adequacy of crisis management. A document analysis of qualitative data (evaluation reports, secondary literature, Japanese and international newspaper articles, official statements from international and Japanese politicians) discloses that the actors involved in crisis management failed at preparatory stages. As no emergency plan was at work, the management of the crisis was fully improvised. The intended interagency collaboration resulted in a chaotic situation in which each actor acted independently. This led to great confusion among society which, along with intentional manipulation of the media by the Japanese government, rendered politicization within and beyond Japan’s borders impossible. Criticism on the inadequate crisis management was thus missing. All findings contribute to the verification of the hypothesis that the cultural background of a country influences crisis management – during the Fukushima crisis it occurred in a negative way. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 02 science and culture in general, 89 political science |
| Programme: | Management Society and Technology BSc (56654) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/70374 |
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