Data Evolution in Times of Crisis: an Organisational Mindfulness Perspective

The Covid-19 pandemic illustrates that we are never far away from situations that have a scale and impact, which are difficult to predict. Positioned at the intersection of crisis management and resilience, this insider case-study provides the opportunity for a more complete understanding of the organisation-adversity relationship (Williams et al., 2017), by focusing on the third Covid19 wave in Ireland (Dec 2020) and resulting response by an Intensive Care Unit crisis team. The study examines the evolution of seven data supply chains that were developed to support the ICU crisis team through the surge of cases which put the highest level of strain on the Irish health system since the pandemic began. The study focuses on 289 data reviews, which triggered 63 changes each requiring a new iteration of a data supply chain. Incorporating Organisational Mindfulness as the theoretical framework, the study provides an insight into the realities of data management during a crisis but also provides a rich awareness of the complexities of data management that often go unrecognised. In doing so, the study contributes the concept of ‘mindful data’, which aids managers to understand the key characteristics of resilient data supply chains. The study also provides a rare first-hand insight into how mindful data was constructed, presented, and evolved into an essential element within the critical care environment.