This study examines differences in how various groups and individuals considers preparedness for unforeseen events, based on their role and function within the organization. The objective is twofold. Firstly, to analyse the association between social support, self-efficacy, and perceived competence in demanding situations on the one hand. On the other hand, assessment of efficiency in social human interactions in organizations and overall assessment of satisfaction with preparedness for the unforeseen. The second aim is to examine differences in these factors due to personal practical experience with such events.
A self-completed survey was carried out, with a total of 800 participants responding to the questionnaire. They were all male and female employees of different competence levels and units in the Norwegian Armed Forces, including commissioned and non-commissioned officers, officer cadets, as well as conscript soldiers. The response rate was 80 percent. The result showed that there were significate differences in the response evaluation of social support from colleagues and their own leaders, in self-efficacy, and competence in demanding situations due to education, gender and organizational experience. Furthermore, these factors were found to predict assessment of social human interactions and preparedness for the unforeseen.
The security policy picture suggests that the future is characterized by great uncertainty, with complex challenges, in which development can follow several paths. Many countries and organizations have therefore an ambition to develop flexible establishments that are able to fill multiple roles and solving a wide range of tasks. However, these organizations is largely grounded on presumed scenarios and known quantities. Thus, unforeseen events represents a particular challenge, involving several levels of competence. How the individual human handles the unforeseen, will on the one hand, depend on individual factors. On the other hand, the dynamic between social and organizational factors affects the individual. At the same time, there`s little knowledge of these relationships, and how an organization methodically can identify relevant factors. Therefore, these results should be particularly relevant for those involved in acquiring, mobilizing and developing competence in educational-, crisis- and military organizations.