As the risk society has evolved, crisis management has become significant in order to survive a crisis. Crisis consultants have an important role in the risk society and organizations expects a whole lot from the profession. There is a gap in the research about the perceptions of crisis consultant’s role and expectancies in the risk society. Additionally, there is no research connected to the impact of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic on the profession of crisis consulting. The study aims to explore the crisis consultants view of and their role in the risk society. It also seeks to investigate how the crisis consultants have adapted to the Covid-19 pandemic. The study has been conducted through a qualitative case study consisting of various crisis consultants from diverse consultancies. The primary data consisted of eight semi-structured in- depth interviews. Crises in the risk society has become more complex due to the developing technology which has had an effect on the dispersion of information and personal exposures. Crisis consultants are expected to act as change agents who provides an outside perspective and pushes the client forward during crises. The Covid-19 pandemic has had no effect on the types of crisis and neither on the processes used by the crisis consultants. The shift lies within tools and certain procedures where social distancing and digitalization has become the new standard. Although the alterations have been challenging in some situations, the crisis consultants have still managed to fulfill their tasks and increase their workload.

Syfte - Studiens övergripande syfte är att öka förståelsen för hur ledare inom besöksnäringen i Sverige har agerat under covid-19 pandemin. Studien avser att identifiera ledares arbete med krishantering, krisberedskap och kunskapshantering. Vidare ämnar studien att identifiera centrala ledarskapskompetenser som är viktiga vid krishantering samt identifiera, diskutera och reflektera kring lärdomar och insikter som ledare tillägnat sig till följd av att ha bedrivit ledarskap under osäkra förhållanden. Slutligen avser studien att utveckla ett ramverk för krishantering inom besöksnäringen. Metod - Studien har ett hermeneutiskt synsätt och vill öka förståelsen för vad som är centralt för ledaren vid krishantering inom besöksnäringen i Sverige. Studien baseras på en kvalitativ forskningsmetod och har abduktiv metod. Studiens teoretiska bakgrund grundar sig litteratur och vetenskapliga artiklar. 14 semi-strukturerade intervjuer med ledare från besöksnäringen har utgjort det empiriska materialet. Slutsatser - Studiens slutsatser är att ledaren har en avgörande roll vid krishantering. Ledaren är en bärande pelare vid krishantering, krisberedskap och kunskapshantering. Vidare visar studien att det finns fem ledarskapskompetenser som är centrala för ledaren vid krishantering. Dessa är kommunikation, beslutsfattande, motivation, perspektivtagande och kreativitet. Ledare som dokumenterar lärdomar och kunskap har större rimlighet att tillvarata den tysta kunskapen. Studien visar även att det är viktigt för ledaren att reflektera och analysera för att omsätta ny kunskap till utveckling genom förbättringsarbete. Begränsningar - Studien begränsas då antalet respondenter från besöksnäringen var 14 stycken vilket medförde en större generalisering. Studien begränsades även eftersom många potentiella respondenter avstod från deltagande med hänvisning till tunga upplevelser under covid-19. Därmed kan studien ha en avsaknad av viktiga perspektiv. Originalitet/Värde – Studien bidrar med en ökad förståelse för vad som är centralt för ledare vid krishantering inom besöksnäringen i Sverige och varför det är viktigt. / Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to increase understanding of how leaders in the hospitality industry in Sweden have acted during the covid-19 pandemic. The study intends to identify leaders work with crisis management, crisis preparedness and knowledge management. Furthermore, the study aims to identify central leadership competencies that are important in crisis management as well as identify, discuss and reflect on lessons learned and insights that leaders have acquired as a result of have led under uncertain conditions. Finally, the study intends to develop a framework for crisis management in the hospitality industry. Method - The study has a hermeneutical point of view and aim to increase the understanding of what is central to leaders in crisis management within the hospitality industry in Sweden. The study is based on qualitative research methods and has an abductive method. The study's theoretical background is based on literature and scientific articles. 14 semi-structured interviews with leaders from the hospitality industry have constituted the empirical result. Conclusions - The study's conclusion is that the leader has a crucial role in crisis management. The leader is a supporting pillar in crisis management, crisis preparedness and knowledge management. Furthermore, the study shows that there are five leadership competencies that are crucial for leaders in crisis management. These are communication, decision making, motivation, perspective taking and creativity. Leaders that document lessons and knowledge have greater plausibility to preserve tacit knowledge. The study also shows that there is important for leaders to reflect and analyze to convert new knowledge to development through work improvement. Limitations –  The study is limited as the number of respondents from the hospitality industry were 14, which contributed to greater generalization. The study was also limited due to that several potential respondents declined participation in reference to heavy and difficult experiences during covid-19. There by the study may lack important perspectives. Originality/Value – The study contributes to an increased understanding for what is central for leaders in crisis management within the hospitality industry in Sweden and why that is important.

This thesis suggests that consensus is a critical blind spot in crisis management models. The authors have grounded their argument in one conceptual framework by integrating two model theories in crisis management models and consensus theory and its related behaviors; Abilene Paradox and Groupthink. The authors evaluated these theories against Lehman Brothers between 2007 and September 2008. The results demonstrate that consensus is problematized in the decision-making process throughout the crisis management model. This suggests that consensus is a dormant risk factor that should be viewed as problematic in crisis management models. The authors conclude that the role of a principled constructive dissenter should be formalized in leadership and management of organisations to short circuit problematic consensus in crisis models.

Syfte: Inflationen i Sverige har stigit hastigt under år 2022 och ligger nu på den högsta nivån på över 30 år vilket gör att många företag kan ställas inför utmaningar. Syftet med detta arbete är att undersöka vilka åtgärder och förändringar privata fastighetsbolag vidtar för att hantera den hastigt stigande inflationen och höjda räntor. Vi vill även undersöka om ledarskapet i dessa organisationer har förändrats på grund av den rådande situationen. Forskningsfrågorna som behandlas i arbetet är: Har fastighetsbolag vidtagit förebyggande åtgärder för osäkra tider? Vilka åtgärder har fastighetsbolag vidtagit för att hantera den höga inflationen och räntehöjningarna? Har den nuvarande situationen förändrat ledarskapet och organisationen? Finns det lärdomar som fastighetsbolag tar med sig från denna tid?  Metod: Denna studie har genomförts utifrån en kvalitativ forskningsmetod med en deduktiv ansats. Åtta semistrukturerade intervjuer har genomförts med individer på chefspositioner inom privata fastighetsbolag. Materialet har transkriberats och analyserats enligt en tematisk analysmetod. Resultatet och analysen presenteras i ett perspektiv om före, under och efter den höga inflationen och räntehöjningarna där frågor om ledarskap, åtgärder, förändringar samt lärdomar behandlas. Resultat och slutsats: Resultatet av empirin visar att vissa fastighetsbolag har vidtagit förebyggande åtgärder för denna typ av situation genom att de bland annat bundit räntor samt sänkt belåningen. För att hantera den höga inflationen och räntehöjningarna har fastighetsbolagen nu en ökad kostnadsmedvetenhet och färre investeringar genomförs. Ledarskapet och organisationen har inte förändrats i fastighetsbolagen men det framgår att ambitionsnivån inte kan vara den samma som innan. Det finns ett mer kundinriktat tänk för att behålla befintliga kunder och det läggs resurser på att hyra ut allt som går. Exempel på lärdomar som tas med är att ha ett långsiktigt synsätt samt att även ha en förståelse för kunderna i denna typ av situation. Examensarbetets bidrag: Arbetets bidrag är att belysa hur fastighetsbolag faktiskt har agerat under denna tid. Resultatet kan vara användbart för andra fastighetsbolag, dess intressenter samt samhället i stort. Förslag till fortsatt forskning: Utifrån arbetets resultat och begränsningar är förslag på fortsatt forskning att studera kommunala bolag, fastighetsbolag i andra län samt att göra samma typ av studie som denna men när inflationen har dämpats. / Aim: The inflation in Sweden has risen rapidly in 2022 and is now at its highest level in more than 30 years, which means that many companies may face challenges. The aim of this work is to investigate what measures and changes private real estate companies take to deal with the rapidly rising inflation and increased interest rates. We also want to explore whether the leadership in these organizations has changed due to the current situation. The research questions addressed in this work are: Have real estate companies taken preventive measures for uncertain times? What measures have real estate companies taken to deal with the high inflation and interest rate increases? Has the current situation changed the leadership and organization? Are there any lessons that real estate companies are learning from this time? Method: This study was based on a qualitative method with a deductive approach. Eight semi-structured interviews have been conducted with individuals in managerial positions in private real estate companies. The material has been transcribed and analyzed according to a thematic analysis method. The results and the analysis are presented in a perspective of before, during and after the high inflation and interest rate increases where issues of leadership, actions, changes and learnings are addressed. Results and conclusions: The results of the empirical study show that some real estate companies have taken preventive measures for this type of situation by binding interest rates and reducing leverage. To deal with high inflation and interest rate increases, real estate companies are now more cost-aware and fewer investments are made. The leadership and the organization have not changed but the level of ambition cannot be the same as before. There is a more customer-oriented approach to retain existing customers and resources are devoted to renting out everything that is possible. Examples of lessons learned are to have a long-term approach and to understand customers in these times. Contribution of the thesis: The contribution of the work is to explain how real estate companies have acted during this time. The results can be useful for other real estate companies, their stakeholders and the society. Suggestions for future research: Based on the work's results and limitations, suggestions for further research are to study municipal companies, real estate companies in other counties and to conduct the same type of study as this one, but when inflation has decreased.

The global bank crisis between 2008 and 2013 posed a great threat against many organizations globally, especially towards small-medium enterprises (SMEs), which several researchers have investigated through quantitative studies. However, few studies have explored the strategic decisions made by SMEs regarding internationalization processes and international work during this time, beyond numbers. Based on previous research, this qualitative study aims to examine and provide insights on the impact of the bank crisis on strategies and processes used by Swedish SMEs during the crisis. Through a multiple case study approach, seven semi-structured interviews with Swedish SMEs in different industries were conducted. This was followed by theories, models and frameworks related to internationalization motives and processes, risk management and crisis management. The findings revealed limited information on strategies used by SMEs during the crisis, however, much of the empirical material could be related to and identified in the presented theory. The observed SMEs demonstrated remarkable resilience, exhibiting minimal vulnerability to the crisis – an interesting discovery considering previous research. Moreover, they underscored the significance of maintaining a financial buffer and maintaining a keen awareness of global circumstances, to avoid potential future crises. Additionally, several new aspects of the initial topic emerged during the interviews; transparency, exchange rates, cost management, and business relations, which could be of interest for future research. The thesis explains the impact of the bank crisis on the examined SMEs, delving into the key strategies and processes used to sustain international operations. This research offers valuable insights to both academics and industry professionals on how to navigate turbulent waters as a Swedish SME during a global bank crisis.

Hosting the Tokyo 2020 Olympics during the COVID-19 pandemic presented a major crisis for the Olympic movement, both in Canada and around the world. The Pandemic led to an unprecedented postponement of the games and to widespread concern that the Tokyo Olympics could become a mega-spreader event. The purpose of the present study is to provide an empirical accounting of the Canadian experience prior to and during the Tokyo Games, specifically through a thematic analysis of content related to COVID-19 and the Olympic Games, as produced by major Canadian media sources and key Canadian sport organizations. Utilizing a communication centered view of crisis informed by Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) and narrative management, the present study examined the crisis response of major Canadian sport organizations, most specifically the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) (Coombs, 2007; DiSanza et al., 2018; Gigliotti, 2020). A unique methodological approach was used in the present study, beginning with both database and grey literature search strategies to collect data from Canadian media sources and sport organizations. Sources included the CBC, the National Post, and the Globe and Mail as media sources, and the Canadian Olympic Committee, Own the Podium, and Sport Canada as major sport organizations. Researchers then followed a data analysis process utilizing a framework of thematic analysis from Braun and Clarke (2006), collaborative analysis following Richards and Hemphill (2018), and the use of software and visual narrative analysis based on the work of Hoeber et al. (2017). This methodology allowed the researchers to analyze a large sample of 930 documents published between March 11th, 2020 and August 22nd 2021. The results of the present study revealed a complex and changing narrative in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent postponement of the Tokyo Olympics. The decision by the COCC to withdraw from the Olympics in March 2020 was portrayed as a principled stand that influenced the IOC into postponing the Games to a year later. The COC continued to focus on promoting athletes in their public messaging and presented a strong, coherent narrative that appeared consistent with the values of key stakeholders and minimized the reputational threat posed to the organization. The IOC however received substantial negative media coverage, especially in the lead up to the Games in 2021. During the initial period of the Games themselves, media coverage focused on new COVID-19 cases and the effect of strict safety protocols. However, by August 2021 there appeared to have been a significant shift in the narrative, with the focus becoming stories and performances of Olympic athletes. The results of the present study emphasize the importance of effective narrative management in crisis communications, and the consistently of this approach with SCCT (Coombs, 2007; DiSanza et al., 2018). Furthermore, the effectiveness of the COC’s crisis response also reinforces a communication centered view of crisis, where the perceptions of stakeholders are viewed as a key element of defining organizational crisis management (Gigliotti, 2020). To minimize the reputational threat to their organizations, crisis managers should ensure that stakeholder perceptions remain central to their crisis communication decision making, and managers should also consider the importance of crafting a strong and coherent narrative.

Businesses are increasingly using social media for crisis communication messages, and so do employees. Given the special relationship with employees, organisations should pay attention to understanding employee communication behaviour (ECB) during an organisational crisis. Drawing from the Situation Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) and the perspective of employees as active participants in crisis communication, this study proposes an evidence-based employee-focused conceptual framework of the anticipated ECBs on social media during an organisational crisis and in response to crisis type and the crisis response strategy utilized by organisations. This research aims to examine the impact of crisis types and crisis response strategies on employee communication behaviour outcomes in social media. The research employs a 2 (crisis type: victim crisis or preventable crisis) * 2 (crisis response strategy: accommodative or defensive) qualitative experimental design. 36 in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted in Kuwait with employees working in different industries in the private sector to investigate: 1) ECB on social media in response to defensive and accommodative crisis response strategies in a preventable crisis type, 2) ECB on social media in response to defensive and accommodative crisis response strategies in a victim crisis type, and 3)Employee-organisation relationship (EOR) influence on ECB on social media during an organisational crisis. This research argues that the anticipated ECB is within four classifications 1) Proactive advocacy ECB, 2) Reactive advocacy ECB, 3) neutral ECB, and 4) Adversary ECB. The findings show that employees are more likely to engage in advocacy ECB if the crisis response is informative, regardless of the crisis type. An adversary ECB is expected when the organisation faces a preventable crisis type and utilizes a defensive response strategy. Additionally, a positive EOR encourages a more advocacy ECB.

This paper examines the relation between competition in the banking sector and the financial stability on country level. Compared to previous research, it takes a different approach in that it uses realized systemic risk in the form of systemic banking crises instead of the total systemic risk. Theory provides us with two opposing theories regarding the role of competition on stability. Previous studies presented mixed results which leaves us with unresolved questions which this paper tries to answer. The results show that there is evidence for both views, but without giving an all comprehending answer.

Historically, any stigma surrounding sexuality places a burden on individuals who do not self-identify as heterosexuals collectively referred to as "sexual minority". Sexual minority university students possess multiple identities due to experiences of discrimination and victimization on university campuses (Mays & Cochran, 2000). These minority groups appear to have higher rates of anxiety, depression, substance use disorders and suicidal behaviour when compared to heterosexual students. This stigrnatisation and victimisation has led to the current study focusing on the psychological wellbeing, identity crisis and resilience of sexual minority students in a South African University. The researcher followed a narrative oriented design within the qualitative research approach. Data was collected through a narrative oriented design that allowed the researcher to dig deeper into the life experiences of the students from both individual and collective perspectives. Data was analysed thematically and feelings, values and meanings were connected through ideas and personal view points. Snowball sampling was used. The sample consisted of 11 African students, 4 gays and 7 lesbians with an age range between 19 and 24 years were recruited from different faculties and levels of study. Three major themes were extracted during analysis and the principal outcome of the study was that homosexuals have a major challenge in their future in the work industry. The results also indicated a poor psychological wellbeing with the students, some identity crisis and moderate resilience. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.(Clinical Psychology) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2014

The refugee crisis has escalated significantly in Europe, becoming one of the main destinations for refugees. Sweden is one of the largest European recipients for asylum applications and was taking in the largest number of refugees in Europe in 2015 in terms of per capita; at 15 refugees per 1,000 inhabitants. With this large flow of refugees into Sweden, a large number of needs arise among the refugees along with a number of challenges concerning integration. These needs and challenges could potentially become attractive business ideas and Sweden should, theoretically, be seeing a significant increase in entrepreneurial activity with a focus on these issues. However, the phenomenon that is observed is that this does not appear to be the case with this crisis. Entrepreneurial activity does not appear to have increased significantly in relation to the refugee crisis in Sweden. Why is that? What are the underlying barriers that hinder individuals from engaging in the entrepreneurial process during the refugee crisis in Sweden? This study finds that the three main barriers after having collected 52 responses are 1) no time/ other priorities, 2) capital requirements and 3) lack of information. Furthermore, many of the barriers that were identified have to do with the individuals’ reluctance to enter the entrepreneurial process. A total of 21 respondents identified such a barrier - that is 40.4% of the responses collected. If the majority of individuals in Sweden are unwilling or reluctant to present innovative ideas, then the difficulty that arises is finding an efficient solution that reaches a large part of the population.