Three Crisis Situations in Taiwanese Information Technology (IT) Departments:

Crisis situations present a difficult problem for organizational information technology (IT) functions. In many companies, the management of IT services has developed to provide for the data processing needs of the business by offering a stable and reliable technology base. Risks related to the disruption of this technology base have often been well considered through elaborate contingency plans, early warning systems, and alarm systems. However, there has been much less attention to the management of people issues in crisis situations related to the IT function. As many crises are surprising and sudden, contingency plans and systems for specific purposes can prove to be insufficient. Therefore, the ability to reduce the confusion and rally people to work for a unified purpose should not be overlooked. This research sought to explore the leadership roles that IT managers play in crisis situations. It did so by interviewing IT managers and their immediate followers in three very different Taiwanese companies, all of which faced a crisis situation related to a natural disaster. The research provides a rich description of each of the cases, respecting their unique nature. In the discussion, however, conclusions are considered regarding IT manager crisis leadership roles, and future research opportunities are offered.