Assignment on Covid 19 PDF

Introduction
Crisis can happen in any organization at any time.
It can happen because of internal or external forces.
Covid 19 has created a crisis situation for companies
across the world. Manager requires array of skills to
lead the organization during crisis. Creative strategies
are essential to manage the organization through a
crisis. Range of skills has to be applied to manage the
firm during this period. In a crisis situation role of the
leader is to enhance company’s credibility as well as
trust among key stake holder and important role is to
ensure company gets back to productivity as soon as
possible. It is essential that brand value as well as
reputation of the leader is protected. Strategic focus of
the leader has to be on communication, trust,
empowerment as well as integrity (Gajda, W., 2017).
Organisation;
Aldo is a Canadian Brand founded by Albert Aldo
Bensadoun. The company has almost 3000 sales
channels spread in 102 countries across the world.
Company has 17 stores in United Kingdom including
one at Oxford Street London. Company has also
developed E-Commerce platform from which accounts
for 15 % of the company’s total sale. Company invests
large amount money each year to enhance customer
experience as well as quality of its operation (Strauss,
Marina 2010).
As operation manager I was in charge of
monitoring staff performance especially new ones,
helping in product audit, helping in product movement

and for reducing wastage. Working in a great brand
during crisis has helped me given understanding about
various skills need for a manager.
Literature review
Crisis management is the process of strategic
planning, aim of which is to reduce impact of crisis and
negativity during crisis further to plan and care for
crisis situation. For example many countries announced
lockdowns to delay spread of corona virus. This
allowed them time to plan and develop infrastructure
for dealing with Covid 19. Communication is a care skill
for managing a crisis (Sheth, J., 2020). Crisis
communication is a central aspect in this stake holder
reaction to crisis situation is important. Contingency
plan of a firm needs to incorporate plan to manage
crisis as well (Verma, S. and Gustafsson, A., 2020) .
Crisis can be stated as risk arising to company which
puts, assets, revenue as well operation of firm at a risk.
Timely as well decisive actions are essential is crisis
management. Kim, J., (2020) “notes that effectual
crisis management approaches are beyond daily
management activities. Crisis management is about
preparing for unforeseen events.
The main aspect of crisis management is that crisis is a
negative event. Crisis communication is a core aspect
which keeps it different from calamity. Company’s
long-standing reputation can be derailed by crisis and
can negatively impact stakeholders. Crisis provides
learning opportunity which should not be avoided by
leaders. Barnett & Pratt, (2000, p. 76) states “crisis
result in increased organizational vitality and

longevity”. Mitroff (1988) developed five step models
for crisis management. These five steps are “signal
detection, preparation, prevention, containment,
damage limitation, recovery, and learning”. It is
important that companies detect warning signals
before crisis happens and this is important to prevent
further damage and to develop short- and long-term
recovery strategies.
Herrero & Pratt (1996) proposed Crisis Management
Model which has three different stages of crisis
‘Diagnosis of Crisis, Planning, was adjusting to
Changes”. In this importance is given to understanding
the crisis, planning as well crisis plan. Stafford et al
(2002) propose a four step organizational crisis
management model. Signal related to crisis has to be
detected by organisation at an early stage for this
monitoring of key indicators is essential. Preparing the
firm, developing a change management team, third is
planning as well as resource allocation. Next stage is
developing strategies to curb losses. Mitroff, I. I. (2005)
States that clear communication with key stake holders
is important during a crisis period. In Mitroff, I. I. (2005)
crisis model during Business Recovery firms begins
work to resume operations. Next stage is learning
stage in which organisation learns from the crisis
without blaming others. Redesign stage is linked to
organizational learning, reflection of the experiences
during crisis and influence on the system and
adaptation to new changes.
Crisis management becomes successful when the
operations are resumed. As Covid is spreading