Crisis Leadership in the Modern Multi-National Corporation

Abstract: This paper attempts to define the qualities and skills that make up a successful crisis leader in a multinational corporate setting, with the objective of providing useful insight to both prospective and current leaders in this infrequently-addressed field. Theories of crisis leadership and management discussed in this paper include Perrow’s theory of Normal Accidents and Fink’s Crisis Cycles. Utilizing a case study format, a comparison/contrast is made between leading theory and current practice, with the opinions and experiences of those who make crisis leadership their profession balanced against the body of knowledge presented by international experts. After finding that practice tracks but does not exactly match theory, the result is a derivation of the attributes possessed by an “ideal” crisis leader.