ABSTRACT This study operationalized Weick’s [(1988). Enacted sensemaking in crisis situations. Journal of Management Studies 25(4), 305–317 and (1993). The collapse of sensemaking in organizations: The Mann Gulch disaster. Administrative Science Quarterly, 38, 628–652] theory of enacted sensemaking to examine the communication processes associated with the Flint Water Crisis of 2014–2015. A content analysis of 389 emails and attachments from a total population of N = 37,376 pages of publicly released e-mails and documents pertaining to Flint’s water issues, identified examples of failed sensemaking by government officials. These failures hastened and intensified a growing crisis of lead contamination and an outbreak of Legionnaires disease associated with Flint’s municipal water system. Analysis of email messages suggests that strong commitments by top leaders and limited capacity were important factors as were efforts to create and maintain consensus among officials. The Flint Water Crisis offers an important application of sensemaking theory and its utility for both organizational and risk communication scholars and for practical application. The authors emphasize the importance of questioning previous assumptions and commitments, insuring that communication practitioners are involved in decisions, and avoiding over reliance on image repair as a strategic response.

中文翻译：

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重新审视意识和危机：在弗林特水危机期间意识丧失

摘要这项研究使Weick [[1988]。在危机情况下制定意义。管理研究杂志25（4），305-317和（1993）。组织中的理性意识崩溃：曼恩峡谷灾难。《行政管理科学季刊》，第38卷，628–652页]制定理性分析理论，以检验与2014-2015年火石水危机相关的沟通过程。对来自N = 37,376页与弗林特水问题有关的公开发布的电子邮件和文档的总数进行的389封电子邮件和附件的内容分析，确定了政府官员的失败感官实例。这些失败加剧和加剧了铅污染的日益严重的危机以及与弗林特市政供水系统相关的军团病的爆发。对电子邮件的分析表明，高层领导的坚定承诺和有限的能力是重要的因素，而在官员之间建立并保持共识的努力也是如此。弗林特水危机为组织和风险沟通学者以及实际应用提供了意义分析理论及其实用性的重要应用。作者强调了质疑先前的假设和承诺，确保传播从业人员参与决策以及避免过度依赖图像修复作为战略对策的重要性。弗林特水危机为组织和风险沟通学者以及实际应用提供了意义分析理论及其实用性的重要应用。作者强调了质疑先前的假设和承诺，确保传播从业人员参与决策以及避免过度依赖图像修复作为战略对策的重要性。弗林特水危机为组织和风险沟通学者以及实际应用提供了意义分析理论及其实用性的重要应用。作者强调了质疑先前的假设和承诺，确保传播从业人员参与决策以及避免过度依赖图像修复作为战略对策的重要性。