Technological crises are caused by human application of science and technology. Technological accidents inevitably occur when technology becomes complex and coupled and something goes wrong in the system as a whole (Technological breakdowns). Some technological crises occur when human error causes disruptions (Human breakdowns[7]). People tend to assign blame for a technological disaster because technology is subject to human manipulation whereas they do not hold anyone responsible for natural disaster. When an accident creates significant environmental damage, the crisis is categorized as megadamage.[7] Samples include software failures, industrial accidents, and oil spills.[7][8]
Examples: Chernobyl disaster, Exxon Valdez oil spill
Confrontation crisis[edit]
Confrontation crisis occur when discontented individuals and/or groups fight businesses, government, and various interest groups to win acceptance of their demands and expectations. The common type of confrontation crisis is boycotts, and other types are picketing, sit-ins, ultimatums to those in authority, blockade or occupation of buildings, and resisting or disobeying police.
Example: Rainbow/PUSH’s (People United to Serve Humanity) boycott of Nike
Crisis of malevolence[edit]
An organization faces a crisis of malevolence when opponents or miscreant individuals use criminal means or other extreme tactics for the purpose of expressing hostility or anger toward, or seeking gain from, a company, country, or economic system, perhaps with the aim of destabilizing or destroying it. Sample crisis include product tampering, kidnapping, malicious rumors,terrorism, and espionage.[7][8]
Example: 1982 Chicago Tylenol murders
Crises of organizational misdeeds[edit]
Crises occur when management takes actions it knows will harm or place stakeholders at risk for harm without adequate precautions.[7] Lerbinger[8] specified three different types of crises of organizational