The Competence for the Unforeseen– The importance of human, social and organizational factors

Organizations increasingly rely on the ability to manage and adapt to multifaceted and demanding situations (Roux-Dufort, 2007; Weick, 2015). When facing unexpected events, which involves risk, this becomes particularly imperative (Bechky & Okhuysen, 2011; Cunha, Clegg, & Kamoche, 2006). This accentuates the importance of identifying individual, social, and organizational factors which is associated to preparedness for unforeseen events. This study examines differences in how various groups and individuals consider preparedness for unforeseen events, based on their role and function within the organization. The main aim was to analyse the role of self-efficacy, competence in demanding situations, social support, samhandling (interaction) and emergency exercise in preparedness for the unforeseen, and to examine differences in these factors due to professional experience. Age and sex were covariates in these analysis.