Resilience (organizational)
Encyclopedia
Resilience is defined as “the positive ability of a system or company to adapt itself to the consequences of a catastrophic failure caused by power outage, a fire, a bomb or similar” event.
In recent years the term has been used to describe a burgeoning movement among entities such as businesses, communities and governments to improve their ability to respond to and quickly recover from catastrophic events such as natural disaster
s and terrorist attacks. The concept is gaining credence among public and private sector leaders who argue that resilience should be given equal weight to preventing terrorist attacks in U.S. homeland security
policy.
One of the earliest uses of the term in this context was by Council on Foreign Relations
Senior Fellow Stephen Flynn in the book America the Vulnerable: How Our Government is Failing to Protect Us from Terrorism. Dr. Flynn argued that America’s critical infrastructure
– including bridges, tunnels, electrical grids, ports, chemical plants, and water systems – represents a key potential target to terrorists because a strike that impaired the infrastructure could severely disrupt important social and economic activity in the country. Making U.S. infrastructure more resilient was a key recommendation. With some 90% of U.S. critical infrastructure in private hands, such an emphasis will require strong public-private cooperation.
have embraced resilience and have tied economic competitiveness to security. The Reform Institute
has highlighted the need to enhance the resilience of the supply chain
and electrical grid against disruptions that could cripple the U.S. economy. Many corporations are adopting resilience and business continuity initiatives and sharing best practices.
Many experts and leaders see resilience as a vital component to a comprehensive homeland security strategy. Hurricane Katrina
demonstrated that not all catastrophic events can be prevented and a focus on response and recovery is needed.
The Quadrennial Homeland Security Review, released by the Department of Homeland Security in February 2010, made resilience a prominent theme and one of the core missions of the U.S. homeland security enterprise.
, resilience is often referred to as the maintenance of positive adjustment under challenging conditions. Here, resilience emerges as the response to specific interruptions of the normal. Sutcliffe and Vogus argue that resilience should rather be viewed from a developmental perspective, as an ability that develops over time from continually handling risks. Resilience, then, is "the continuing ability to use internal and external resources successfully to resolve new issues". Thus, "resilience is the capacity to rebound from adversity strengthened and more resourceful".
In recent years the term has been used to describe a burgeoning movement among entities such as businesses, communities and governments to improve their ability to respond to and quickly recover from catastrophic events such as natural disaster
Natural disaster
A natural disaster is the effect of a natural hazard . It leads to financial, environmental or human losses...
s and terrorist attacks. The concept is gaining credence among public and private sector leaders who argue that resilience should be given equal weight to preventing terrorist attacks in U.S. homeland security
Homeland security
Homeland security is an umbrella term for security efforts to protect states against terrorist activity. Specifically, is a concerted national effort to prevent terrorist attacks within the U.S., reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do...
policy.
One of the earliest uses of the term in this context was by Council on Foreign Relations
Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations is an American nonprofit nonpartisan membership organization, publisher, and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs...
Senior Fellow Stephen Flynn in the book America the Vulnerable: How Our Government is Failing to Protect Us from Terrorism. Dr. Flynn argued that America’s critical infrastructure
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
– including bridges, tunnels, electrical grids, ports, chemical plants, and water systems – represents a key potential target to terrorists because a strike that impaired the infrastructure could severely disrupt important social and economic activity in the country. Making U.S. infrastructure more resilient was a key recommendation. With some 90% of U.S. critical infrastructure in private hands, such an emphasis will require strong public-private cooperation.
Business Continuity and Competitiveness
MIT Professor Yossi Sheffi extended the resilience concept to business continuity initiatives in his 2005 book The Resilient Enterprise. Dr. Sheffi analyzed how disruptions can adversely affect the operations of corporations and how investments in resilience can give a business a competitive advantage over entities not prepared for various contingencies. Business organizations such as the Council on CompetitivenessCouncil on Competitiveness
The Council on Competitiveness is an American non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. The Council’s goal is to increase the United States' economic competitiveness in the global marketplace...
have embraced resilience and have tied economic competitiveness to security. The Reform Institute
The Reform Institute
The Reform Institute is a non-partisan, not-for-profit think tank based in Alexandria, VA that describes itself as centrist oriented. According to its website it is an “organization working to strengthen the foundations of our democracy and build a resilient society...
has highlighted the need to enhance the resilience of the supply chain
Supply chain
A supply chain is a system of organizations, people, technology, activities, information and resources involved in moving a product or service from supplier to customer. Supply chain activities transform natural resources, raw materials and components into a finished product that is delivered to...
and electrical grid against disruptions that could cripple the U.S. economy. Many corporations are adopting resilience and business continuity initiatives and sharing best practices.
Many experts and leaders see resilience as a vital component to a comprehensive homeland security strategy. Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
demonstrated that not all catastrophic events can be prevented and a focus on response and recovery is needed.
Growing Support in Washington, D.C.
Prominent members in the United States Congress are embracing resilience. The Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, Bennie Thompson (D-MS) declared May 2008 “Resilience Month” as the committee and its subcommittees held a series of hearings to examine the issue. President Obama and the Department of Homeland Security have also made resilience an integral component of homeland security policy.The Quadrennial Homeland Security Review, released by the Department of Homeland Security in February 2010, made resilience a prominent theme and one of the core missions of the U.S. homeland security enterprise.
Making Resilience Reality
More scholarship is turning towards examining how to achieve resilience. Some have identified the four facets of resilience as preparedness, protection, response and recovery. Other countries, such as the United Kingdom and Australia, are adopting the resilience concept.Measuring Resilience
As part of the Canterbury University Resilient Organisations programme, ResOrgs have developed a tool for benchmarking the Resilience of Organisations.Resilience as an Acquired Skill
In Organizational StudiesOrganizational studies
Organizational studies, sometimes known as organizational science, encompass the systematic study and careful application of knowledge about how people act within organizations...
, resilience is often referred to as the maintenance of positive adjustment under challenging conditions. Here, resilience emerges as the response to specific interruptions of the normal. Sutcliffe and Vogus argue that resilience should rather be viewed from a developmental perspective, as an ability that develops over time from continually handling risks. Resilience, then, is "the continuing ability to use internal and external resources successfully to resolve new issues". Thus, "resilience is the capacity to rebound from adversity strengthened and more resourceful".
External links
- Community and Regional Resilience Initiative
- The Infrastructure Security Partnership
- Resilient Futures
- Institute for Resilient Infrastructure (UK)
- CERT Resiliency Management
- http://www.incose.org/practice/techactivities/wg/rswg/
- http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470405031.html
- Resilient Organisations