Work

Must the Shit Hit the Fan Before Anyone Responds? Response‐Activating Texts as Catalysts for Organisational Responsiveness

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT The article examines how ‘soft’ information functions in rational organisations that emphasise hard information, and how this affects safety. Drawing on fieldwork in a high‐security prison, we analyse how frontline personnel interpret soft information about potential disturbances. We identify three coexisting institutional logics shaping these interpretations: precaution, laissez‐faire and legality. Based on these logics, we find a tension between anticipation and verification in organisational responses, where verification tends to dominate. Verified information drives formal response and information must typically conform to the format of an incident report to be considered valid by decision‐makers. As a result, incidents often need to materialise before formal action is taken. We introduce the concept of ‘response‐activating text’ to describe documents that trigger organisational action. The study highlights how historically rooted legal norms shape the handling of soft information, raising the question of whether the dominance of legal logic may come at the expense of safety.

Source: Risk Hazards & Crisis in Public Policy

DOI: 10.1002/rhc3.70061

Authors: Grethe Midtlyng, Knut Mellingsæter Sørensen

Institutions: University College of Norwegian Correctional Service, Norwegian Police University College

Language: English

Topic: Management and Organizational Studies

Subfield: Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,900