Emergency management in organisations? The answers provided by Napoleon Bonaparte

Abstract

In the literature, emergency management has been developed mainly to respond to disasters. It is based on the definition and implementation of an organisation to respond to a specific emergency. As emergency management becomes a permanent management situation in organisations, it may be interesting to analyse the managerial thinking and organisational modes that are able to deal with an emergency on an ongoing basis.
This article examines whether it is possible to describe some modalities of a permanent emergency management, applicable in organisations. As military management is often characterised by a permanent level of emergency, especially in times of war, we attempt to approach the modes of organisation and administration that Napoleon Bonaparte adopted during his main military campaigns. We apply a method of historical analysis of the main works and writings dealing with events and Napoleonic military organisation under the Directoire (1795–1799), the Consulate and the Empire (1799–1815). The description and managerial analysis of Napoleon’s military organisation during this period allows us to highlight a certain coherence and continuity in the management of emergencies, applied by Napoleon, which can inspire managers in their daily management. Our main results thus highlight a little-known but fertile managerial thought as well as the means of action adapted to this thought, which make anticipation a dynamic and catalyzing principle of Napoleonic emergency management.