Power and Its Use in Periods of Organizational Crisis
Chapter from the book: Ağraş, S. (ed.) 2025. Power Struggles and Political Behaviours in Organizations.

Ayşegül Akmeşe
Harran University

Synopsis

A crisis is defined as an environment of uncertainty and pressure created by sudden events. Crises disrupt the normal functioning of both individuals and institutions. Crisis management is defined as a process encompassing maintaining order and stability in these uncertain situations, making the necessary planning and preparation to minimize the impact of the crisis, intervening in the crisis, and post-crisis recovery activities. In this context, the concept of power emerges as a prominent element in crisis management. During crisis periods, leaders can utilize these power resources at the right time and place to mitigate the effects of the crisis and develop future strategies. Leaders can guide team members using their power resources. The relationship between crisis management and leadership is shaped by the concept of power. Demonstrating effective leadership performance during a crisis requires both mitigating the negative impacts by utilizing existing resources and increasing organizational resilience by learning from the crisis. The holistic approach and implementation of these concepts stands out as the fundamental element that enhances the success of both the leader and the organization. When evaluated from this perspective, crisis is not only seen as a threat but also as a situation that enables an organization to learn and strengthen when managed correctly.

How to cite this book

Akmeşe, A. (2025). Power and Its Use in Periods of Organizational Crisis. In: Ağraş, S. (ed.), Power Struggles and Political Behaviours in Organizations. Özgür Publications. DOI: https://doi.org/10.58830/ozgur.pub892.c3677

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Published

October 21, 2025

DOI