Coping, Not Choking, Under the Pressure of a Terrorist Attack: A Crisis Leadership Coping Model

Organizational crises, especially those of an extreme nature that include threats to survival and mass casualties, are deeply psychologically challenging for leaders. Previous research has focused on the effectiveness of leaders’ crisis management without much consideration for how leaders manage their own crisis reactions. This study was carried out in the crisis management facilities at the headquarters of a multinational energy corporation while a terrorist attack was ongoing in one of its subsidiaries. The unique access and data provide insights into how leaders react to crises and seek support by using different coping strategies. We develop a three-phase model (acceptance, psychological flexibility, and commitment) that illustrates the in-situ creation of a holding environment to support leaders in coping, not choking, under the pressure of a life-threatening crisis.

Examining the influence of forgiveness and its antecedents on consumer behavior: the moderating role of service failure severity

PurposeThis study aims to investigate antecedents of forgiveness from the non-complainers point of view after a service failure in India.Design/methodology/approachThis study bases itself on the theoretical foundations of the Cognitive Emotive Coping model. In the first study, a survey-based design was used for soliciting responses from 291 respondents. An experimental research design was undertaken in the second study, and data were recorded from 120 respondents. Data were analysed using both SPSS and AMOS.FindingsAll the antecedent variables, except, affective commitment was found to influence forgiveness significantly. Further, forgiveness also positively influenced repurchase intentions and had a negative influence on negative word-of-mouth. The findings also suggest that the service failure severity effectively moderates the relationship between empathy and forgiveness.Originality/valueThis paper extends the cognitive emotive coping model from the non-complainers point of view by adding relational constructs to it. This study observes that affective commitment is not necessarily related to forgiveness in contrast to existing literature. The relationship between empathy and forgiveness is stronger when failure severity is low.

Everyday Agency: Rethinking Refugee Women’s Agency in Specific Cultural Contexts

This article proposes an interdisciplinary approach to refugee agency – the capacity to act within structural conditions – using the example of Syrian women rebuilding family and home in Turkey. Our broader objective is to prompt a re-thinking of refugee women’s everyday agency for scholars researching migration. The dominant manner of studying agency tends to be centered on refugees’ efforts to change their particular situations. Drawing on the latest theoretical propositions of cultural psychology (collective coping and the cultural coping model), we argue that agency can also be observed through examining how refugees rebuild their lives in the face of the many changes and challenges they have experienced. Guided by the cultural coping model, we describe stressors and coping strategies in context. With this approach, we can escape the trap of viewing refugee women in dichotomous ways, either as traumatized victims or as liberated from “traditional patriarchy.” A total of 33 semi-structured interviews were conducted in Turkey with Syrian, Arabic-speaking adult women. Interviews aimed to obtain comprehensive narratives on acculturation, daily stressors, coping strategies and everyday experiences of uprootedness. We used constructivist grounded theory (Charmaz, 2006) to identify significant themes (initial coding) and then code for more conceptual units of meaning (focused coding). The findings are structured around context specific themes: stressors and coping strategies. The study revealed three important types of stressors: family-related, role-related and place-related stressors. Each stressor can only be understood within the cultural context of inter-dependent agency, motherhood and neighborhood belonging, which are highly valued lived experiences of the refugee women. The study also identified three coping strategies: faith-based, home-making and identity building strategies. Our research shows that relying on Islamic understandings, creating the routines of a happy home and forging neighborly ties are important gender and culture specific manifestations of agency. The value of this research is that it provides migration scholars a useful model for designing research with female refugees. By identifying and writing about these specific and contextual forms of agency, researchers can provide better support to refugee women in their daily lives, while also challenging the image of passive “womenandchildren.”

How meeting centres continue to support people affected by dementia: report on UK COVID-19 impact

Purpose Because of COVID-19 restrictions, Meeting Centres (MCs) for people affected by dementia in the UK ceased to meet physically but continued to provide remote support. The aim was to understand the extent to which MCs were able to operate when physical meetings were not possible and how they achieved particularly in relation to the adaptation and coping model and practical, emotional and social adjustment. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with people affected by dementia, staff, volunteers, managers and trustees from MCs. Data were collected on the type and quantity of contact MCs had with people affected by dementia during lockdown. Data were coded and mapped against adaptation and coping strategies, i.e. practical understanding and empowerment, optimising emotional well-being and opportunities for social engagement. Findings A range of remote approaches, both technological (e.g. using online platforms) and non-technological (e.g. newsletters and post) were implemented alongside limited face-to-face contact. Regular MC activities were adapted using the different approaches. It was possible to map all the adaptation and coping model support strategies to the activities delivered in this way. MCs were able to adapt rapidly to continue to support people to adjust to change. Social implications Moving forward, combining approaches (usual MC and remote) means person-centred support could be optimized, addressing social isolation and reaching those who cannot attend MCs. Originality/value This paper offers new insight into the extent to which community-based support for people with dementia can continue when face-to-face contact is not possible because of COVID-19.