Chair of Crisis Governance: Issue papers

The CCG Issue Paper Series offers a growing collection of essays, research briefs, and case studies centered on the core topic of crisis governance. Edited by CCG professors Peter Verhezen, Hugo Marynissen and Sascha Albers, the issue papers aim to contribute to the collective knowledge base on crisis governance and stimulate the conversation with policymakers, scholars, and practitioners alike.

In the aftermath of complex disruptions, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, public

organizations are increasingly focusing on strengthening their organizational resilience. Although

resilience is gaining more attention in both academia and practice, turning theoretical insights into

practical strategies remains difficult, especially in the area of public safety. This article explores how

organizational resilience was evaluated and improved within a Dutch safety region. Using a

capability-based conceptualization of organizational resilience that differentiates between

anticipatory, coping, and adaptive skills, we surveyed members of the management team of a safety

region in the Netherlands. The survey focused on perceptions of organizational skills and resilience

factors. The findings show differing views across skill domains, underscoring the importance of both

tangible and intangible factors, such as culture, resources, and leadership. Furthermore, the survey

results provide crucial insights for prioritizing factors that help the organization better prepare for

undesirable events. In the second phase of the case study, facilitated workshops assisted in

interpreting these findings collaboratively and supported strategic decision-making. This article

demonstrates the practical application of resilience in public organizations and promotes a

participatory approach to implementing and embedding resilience at a strategic level.

Organizations seeking to enhance crisis preparedness and resilience can draw on a wide range of trainingformats, yet often default to a narrow repertoire of familiar sessions. This article introduces the “crisis trainingtoolbox,” a simple framework that distinguishes four primary forms of crisis training: courses, training,simulations, and games. While games have long been part of crisis-related practice, from early wargaming tocontemporary crisis games, we argue that they remain undervalued and underutilized. We identify two recurringpitfalls: overreliance on a single training type and rigid adherence to standardized formats. To address thesechallenges, drawing from our experience in game design, this article proposes ten key considerations for designingeffective crisis simulations and games. These considerations are presented as parameters, or levers, that can beadjusted to align sessions with organizational needs. We argue that a deliberate, goal-oriented, and reverseengineered approach to exercise design is essential to move beyond “check-the-box” training practices, fosteradaptability and creativity, and realize the full potential of simulations and games