BABM3006 Crisis and Risk Management Assignment Brief 2026 | DMU

This assignment is an individual assignment.

The assessment requires you to write a 4000-word essay based on a global crisis case of your choice. Your essay should demonstrate critical reflection on the key topics covered in the module, particularly focusing on the crisis and risk management principles, concepts and theories and the role of emerging technologies (such as AI, automation, data analytics) in Crisis and Risk Management. This portfolio assesses your ability to apply crisis and risk management theories to a real-world crisis case. Your chosen case must be well-documented and provide scope for analysing organisational response, systemic vulnerabilities, and communication strategies within the global and business environment. Example of suitable crisis cases may include data breach, supply chain disruption, industrial accident, financial scandal, defective product, terrorism, business disruption, bankruptcy, defective product, corruption, industrial accident (such as BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, 9/11 twin-tower terrorist attack, the 2008 financial crisis, the Boeing 737 MAX accident, COVID-19, Volkswagen emissions scandal,

Volkswagen emissions scandal, Toyota car recall, Wells Fargo fake accounts crisisCovid-19, WannaCry, NHS cyberattack, Colonial Pipeline breach etc., you may choose another crisis case of your choice).

The assessment is divided into three key components, and the entire portfolio should be submitted as a single document. The essay should be well structured, incorporate pertinent theories and scholarly sources, and demonstrate a high level of critical thinking and analysis. A reference list in the DMU Harvard referencing style is required. Detailed instructions for each component are provided below:

Component 1

Analyse your chosen crisis across the three main phases:

1. Pre-crisis – early warning signs, risk assessments, preparedness measures.

2. Crisis – unfolding of the event, immediate responses, decision-making under pressure.

3. Post-crisis – recovery actions, long-term impacts, lessons learned.

Create a flowchart/timeline mapping critical events and decisions in each phase. (750 words)

Component 2

Apply eit  Normal Accident Theory (NAT) – to explore how system complexity, tight coupling, and interdependencies contributed to the crisis.

OR

• High Reliability Organisation (HRO) Theory – to assess whether the organisation demonstrated (or failed to demonstrate) high-reliability characteristics, such as preoccupation with failure, commitment to resilience, and deference to expertise.

Tasks:

• Explain the theory and justify why it is appropriate for your case.
• Analyse the crisis in the global context considering sector-specific regulations, safety culture, and organisational norms.
• Evaluate whether the crisis was inevitable (NAT view) or preventable through high reliability principles (HRO view).

To accomplish this, you are expected to extensively integrate the relevant theories, frameworks, real world examples and scholarly literature into your analysis. Your objective is to delve deep into the complexities of crisis development, offering insightful analysis that resists simplistic solutions and encourages a nuanced understanding of the subject matter and indicate whether the crisis was either predictable or perhaps largely unavoidable (1250 words).

Component 3

Firstly, based on the same crisis case study, create a detailed Bowtie diagram to visually assess and manage risks. Focus on 2-3 key elements for threats, consequences, and control/recovery measures. Analyze how these threats manifest their potential consequences and evaluate the effectiveness of controls. Give the diagram an insightful title that reflects the risk scenario. Secondly, critically reflect on the module, considering how emerging technologies (AI, automation, data analytics) impacts Crisis and Risk Management. Discuss the benefits, challenges, and critically evaluate their implications for stakeholder trust, privacy concerns, and ethical decision-making of integrating these technologies, and reflect on personal and professional learning from the module (2000 words).

Suggested Structure

Component 1: Crisis Case Study Evaluation

Select a well-documented GLOBAL crisis case study (you are free to use a crisis case of your choice) Identify and Evaluate Crisis Phases

Three phases: pre-crisis, crisis, and post-crisis.

Pre-crisis: Discuss early warning signs, risk assessments, and preparedness efforts. Crisis: Analyse the unfolding of the crisis, immediate responses, and management. Post-crisis: Evaluate the recovery efforts, long-term impacts, and lessons learned. Flowchart Creation

Develop a timeline of events highlighting key events and decisions during each phase of the crisis, accompanied by a flowchart to illustrate the progression of the crisis.

Component 2: Application of NAT or HRO Theory

Using the same crisis case study from Component 1, apply either Normal Accident Theory (NAT) or High Reliability Organisation (HRO) Theory or both depending on your arguments to critically evaluate the development of the crisis. Clearly identify how the crisis evolved from early warning signs to full-blown disruption and assess the organization’s response within the global/sectoral context.

Component 3 Task Overview

3. Use the same crisis case to construct a Bowtie diagram to visually assess and manage risk. Focus on 2-3 key elements of threats and consequences. Map out preventive and mitigative controls, as well as recovery strategies.

Critical Analysis

• Discuss how the identified threats could manifest, and the potential impacts critically analyse threats, consequences, and control measures.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of controls and recovery measures using suitable crisis and risk management Frameworks
• Craft an insightful title that reflects the essence of your analysis/risk scenario.
• Reflect on the module focus, considering how emerging technologies (AI, automation, data analytics etc) impacts crisis and risk management.
• Provide comprehensive reflection of the benefits and challenges of integrating these technologies with critical and global insights into ethics, trust, privacy concerns and decisionmaking.
• Deep, critical reflection on personal and professional learning with strong links to crisis management practice
• Reflect on personal and professional learning from the module using suitable reflective models such as Gibbs, Kolbs, Driscol etc, highlighting how the module has informed or influenced your understanding of crisis and risk management. (students may reflect on various aspects of the module/assessment/themselves but there are important aspects to look out for i.e., students reflect on emerging technologies with critical and global insights into ethics, trust, and decision-making, what they have learnt on the module, why they found something interesting (or not), how the module might (or it already has) inform their personal and/or professional practice (e.g., will it/has it changed their behaviour or attitudes towards something)? So, for example, if a student says they found the module interesting, they should explain why and discuss the aspects they enjoyed the most, and whether it changed or developed an attitude they had about themselves or the role of crisis managers in organisations.

Structure, Coherence, Clarity, and Presentation: The submitted essay should demonstrate a flawless presentation and logical structure, ensuring smooth flow and easy comprehension of ideas. It must reflect critical engagement with the subject matter, supported by a brief introduction and summary to provide context. Appropriate and adequate use of DMU Harvard referencing styles including a reference list is required.