Crisis Management in the Tech Industry

In previous blogs, I’ve written extensively about the nature of so-called "wicked messes" in the domain of crisis management. More importantly, their structure—something that has eluded me for years—has recently become clear.

To reiterate, in the field of crisis management, a "mess" is a term used to describe a whole system of problems that are so highly interconnected, and constantly changing in response to one another, that one cannot take any of the so-called individual problems and analyze them on their own—at least not without doing irreparable damage both to the nature of the problems and to the mess itself. The notion of “independent problems” in crisis management is thoroughly outdated and likely needs to be abandoned altogether. In turn, a "wicked" problem is one for which none of the known academic disciplines or professions has the final word in defining the problem. Further, unlike simple exercises, "wicked problems" do not have solutions—certainly not stable ones—in the traditional sense of the term. One copes with them as best one can. Thus, coping strategies are crucial. Indeed, coping strategies are key elements of every mess.

"Wicked messes" are the combination of the two. Many modern problems can be categorized as "wicked messes": racism, poverty, homelessness, etc.

Because it influences every aspect of our lives, the structure of the particular "wicked mess" that is, in my view, the modern tech industry demands our examination, however brief. A variety of factors need to be managed if we are to have any hope of thwarting the unintended consequences of technology as well as their abuses and misuses, thereby—hopefully—reaping their benefits.

First and foremost, proactive crisis management (CM) needs to be at the forefront of every organization, tech or otherwise. Indeed, proactive CM is so important that, in my view, it needs to be mandated as an absolute requirement before any company is allowed to operate. It cannot be left up to the whims of an organization to do as it pleases.

This not only includes planning for internal crises and threats, but external ones as well. Furthermore, it has to be part of a larger effort of looking at the potential disbenefits of a technology—not just its benefits, as its developers are largely predisposed to do. To do so demands a large degree of social maturity and social awareness.

To guard against the unintended consequences of a technology and a host of other crises, one needs to think and act systemically. In other words, systems thinking is an absolute requirement. This not only means looking at the interactions between the various components of a technology, but its interactions with society, especially with those aspects that seem the least likely to be affected by and in turn affect a technology. In short, it not only demands thinking the unthinkable, but a basic commitment to the truth no matter where it leads.

It also requires that as much as possible the developers of a technology have a stable professional and social life. It necessitates a strong commitment to one’s organization so that they will be there to monitor the long-term effects and consequences of their marvelous creations. A fundamental part of social awareness is civics education, which typically imparts both the understanding and respect for societal institutions that are necessary for the functioning of democratic societies.

Notice that if any one of these is missing or compromised, then it ups considerably the odds of the unintended consequences. One cannot stress enough that all of the factors influence whether a tech company—or any company—practices proactive CM or not. Once again, the interactions are the key defining attribute of every "wicked mess."

Finally, notice that the underlying structure is an intense combination of highly personal and individual social-emotional and organizational/societal factors. The trouble is that far too much of the time, the organizational/societal factors are ignored or taken for granted. The result is that ethics, or its lack thereof, is an integral part of every "wicked mess."