In 1996, a plane crash in Croatia killed 35 passengers, including government officials, air force pilots, and top executives from various organizations. The most notable death was that of U.S. Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown. Ron Brown, in his first term of service under President Bill Clinton, had been assembled with various influential U.S. executives for an official trade mission. On their route back, the plane crashed into a mountainside, leaving no survivors.
Though shocked, the government was able to fill Ron Brown’s position rather quickly due to a strong structure of precautions and emergency plans. However, in the aftermath that followed this tragic event, it was evident that many of the organizations affected by this crash were not as prepared for disaster as the U.S. government.
Many of the organizations did not have an effective succession plan, or a potential successor identified. This disaster caught most of the organizations off-guard, leaving them scrambling to fill the position before the vacancy affected their competitive advantage. This well-publicized plane crash also prompted many organizations around the United States to wonder what their company would do in the wake of such a disaster. As such, organizations began to seek out ways to prepare for other unforeseen circumstances such as death, lawsuits, resignations, and disabilities. In addition, many organizations implemented safeguards that specifically forbid top executives from riding on the same plane together.
In this Discussion, further explore the negative effects the Ron Brown plane crash had on the organizations involved. First, select an organization, then conduct online research to gather information about the ways in which your chosen organization handled the processes of choosing a successor. Finally, synthesize this information to analyze how succession plans can mitigate the negative consequences of unforeseen disasters.
Post by Day 3 a cohesive and scholarly response based on your readings and research this week that addresses the following:
All work must original and in APA format. Please answer all questions.