Abstract
BackgroundIdentification of the experience of senior managers in tackling biological crises can be a roadmap for future crisis management planning. The aim of the present study was to investigate the experiences of senior managers during the COVID-19 crisis.MethodsThis is a descriptive qualitative research. Data were collected using in-depth and semi-structured individual interviews. Accordingly, 20 senior managers of medical universities with experience in managing the COVID-19 crisis were enrolled in the study using purposive sampling. Data were collected from February 2020 to May 2021. For data analysis, qualitative content analytical approach was used.ResultsAccording to the results, 4 main themes and 10 sub-themes were obtained; they included dealing with issues and challenges in the face of COVID-19 disease (Structural challenges, Cultural challenges, Educational challenges, COVID-19 complexity); individual and managerial competencies (Individual competencies, Managerial competencies); comprehensive, accountable, and efficient management (Comprehensive and accountable management, efficient management); and professional and organizational self-efficacy (Professional self-efficacy, organizational self-efficacy) were obtained.ConclusionsIn the present study, a number of senior managers’ experiences in the COVID-19 crisis management were identified. Managers and policymakers of the health system are suggested to use the results of the present study to effectively manage the crisis and improve crisis management in various health-related areas by providing an effective cultural and organizational context.
Highlights
Crisis management is a major part of strategic management and ensures the success of an organization; if it is neglected, it leads to irreparable damage to the country [1]
Interviews began using general questions, including “Describe your managerial experience with the COVID19 crisis management”; we continued with more specific questions, such as “What are some challenges and barriers to the COVID-19 crisis management based on your experience?“ and “What solutions do you suggest to improve the COVID-19 crisis management?“ In order to increase the clarity of information, probing questions such as “Can you explain more?“, “What do you mean?“, and “Can you give an example?“ were raised
The results of the present study showed that senior executives in the Iranian health system encountered several issues and challenges in the COVID-19 crisis, which could lead to the spread of disease and increased mortality
Summary
Crisis management is a major part of strategic management and ensures the success of an organization; if it is neglected, it leads to irreparable damage to the country [1]. Bijani et al BMC Health Services Research (2021) 21:1071 crisis, it is important to evaluate health crisis management since it can provide rich experiences for other crises. The aim of the present study was to investigate the experiences of senior managers during the COVID-19 crisis. The government of Iran established specialized health centers to control COVID-19. A study on clerics in confrontation with the COVID-19 Crisis in Iran demonstrates that clerics can be effectively used during health crises. They can act on the opposite front and contribute to disease transmission, or disrupt the scientific interventions performed for disease prevention and treatment [9]
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