Managing industrial crises successfully (dissertation)

This scientific project was intended to clarify the question of corresponding principles in managing industrial crises. A hypothesis developed from management and reorganization literature was checked out using reports of successful reorganizations, and was verified by hands-on experience with 15 successful reorganizations. Essential perceptions were: Long-lasting faulty decisions by management lead to crises which threaten the existence of the venture; external causes are of minor importance. In order to have a successful reorganization the crisis must be identified and crisis management must be initiated. In most cases, this step is not undertaken by management. The crisis manager, of whom exceptional demands are made, is brought in from outside. From a preliminary and quickly done rough analysis (situation, existing potential and strategic options) the reorganizational concept is formed. Immediate measures serve to stabilize the situation and to regain confidence. After a detailed diagnosis is made, reorganizational strategies are formulated, which utilize existing products, provide for a concentration of the strongpoints and a require a strategic reorientation in order to achieve a lasting, defendable competitive position