Contact Professor Elmar Kutsch
- Tel: +44 (0) 1234 754209
- Email: elmar.kutsch@Cranfield.ac.uk
- ORCID
Background
To be uncertain is uncomfortable, but to be certain is ridiculous.' (Chinese Proverb)
For Elmar, the discomfort associated with uncertainty serves as both a challenge and a catalyst for opportunity. As an avid skydiver, his personal and professional pursuits centre on navigating the unexpected. Elmar's initial immersion into the enigmatic realm of uncertainty dates back to 1998, during his tenure in various senior roles within Germany's IT sector. Tasked with the successful execution of large-scale projects, including pivotal roll-out and outsourcing strategies, he liaised with noteworthy clients like Commerzbank, Deutsche Börse, and the Polizei Rheinland Pfalz.
This enduring fascination with risk and the unpredictable steered him toward academia. Initially a Lecturer in Operations Management at the University of Surrey, Elmar has been affiliated with Cranfield since 2007, continually exploring the intricacies of managing the unexpected.
Current activities
To foster enthusiasm for his specialism in the management of risk and uncertainty, as well as the development of resilient organisational strategies, Elmar actively engages with the industrial sector and has a prolific publishing record on topics related to managing the unforeseen. His recent publications include:
Kutsch, Elmar. (2022) Organisational Resilience: Navigating Paradoxical Tensions. Abington: Routledge.
Kutsch, Elmar, & Hall, M. (2020) Mindful Project Management: Resilient Performance Beyond the Risk Horizon (2nd edition). Abington: Routledge.
Kutsch, Elmar. (2018) The Art of Organisational Resilience: Revisiting the Fall of France in 1940. Abington: Routledge.
In recent years, Elmar has been instrumental in the conceptualisation and orchestration of Graduate (Apprenticeship) Programmes and Tailored Executive Development courses, employing intuitive and outcome-focused learning methodologies. In recognition of his excellence in the research, development, and publication of impactful case studies, he was awarded the Cranfield SOM Teaching and Learning Faculty accolade in 2017. As a visiting scholar at emLyon in France and Warwick School of Engineering in the UK, he engages learners through experiential activities and paradoxical learning that are not only enjoyable but also induce transformative shifts in attitudes towards managing the unexpected.
Publications
Articles In Journals
- Kutsch E, Siala H, Cantarelli C & Djabbarov I. (2025). Categorizing errors in high‐reliability organizations: adaptive range and adaptive capacity in incident response. Risk Analysis, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print)
- Kutsch E. (2023). Through a glass darkly. Risk -London- Risk Magazine Limited-, Spring 2023,
- Wilkinson E, Kutsch E, Parry E & Turner N. (2023). Two world views? How regular and reserve Royal Marines perceive each other. Armed Forces & Society, 51(1)
- Kutsch E. (2023). Maximum headspace. Enterprise Risk, Winter 2023
- Cowley CI, Denyer D, Kutsch E & Turnbull James K. (2021). Constructing safety: reconciling error prevention and error management in oil & gas and petrochemicals operations. Academy of Management Discoveries, 7(4)
- Kutsch E, Djabbarov I & Hall M. (2021). How managers frame and make sense of unexpected events in project implementation. International Journal of Project Management, 39(5)
- Kutsch E. (2021). Book Review: Useless Mouths – The British Army’s Battles in France after Dunkirk May-June 1940. War in History, 28(1)
- Razmdoost K, Alinaghian L & Kutsch E. (2020). Unanticipated practice disruption: experiencing purgatory. Advances in Consumer Research, 48
- Turner N, Kutsch E, Maylor H & Swart J. (2020). Hits and (near) misses. Exploring managers’ actions and their effects on localised resilience. Long Range Planning, 53(3)
- Siala H, Kutsch E & Jagger S. (2019). Cultural influences moderating learners’ adoption of serious 3D games for managerial learning. Information Technology & People, 33(2)
- Turner N, Kutsch E & Leybourne SA. (2016). Rethinking project reliability using the ambidexterity and mindfulness perspectives. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 9(4)
- Kutsch E, Ward J, Hall M & Algar J. (2015). The Contribution of the Project Management Office: A Balanced Scorecard Perspective. Information Systems Management, 32(2)
- Kutsch E, Maylor H, Weyer B & Lupson J. (2014). Performers, trackers, lemmings and the lost: sustained false optimism in forecasting project outcomes—evidence from a quasi-experiment. IEEE Engineering Management Review, 42(3)
- Turner N, Maylor H, Lee-Kelley L, Brady T, Kutsch E, .... (2014). Ambidexterity and Knowledge Strategy in Major Projects: A Framework and Illustrative Case Study. Project Management Journal, 45(5)
- Ahmet Erkoyuncu J, Roy R, Shehab E & Kutsch E. (2014). An innovative uncertainty management framework to support contracting for product-service availability. Journal of Service Management, 25(5)
- Kutsch E, Browning TR & Hall M. (2014). Bridging the Risk Gap: The Failure of Risk Management in Information Systems Projects. Research-Technology Management, 57(2)
- Kutsch E, Denyer D, Hall M & Lee-Kelley EL. (2013). Does risk matter? Disengagement from risk management practices in information systems projects. European Journal of Information Systems, 22(6)
- HALL M, KUTSCH E & PARTINGTON D. (2012). REMOVING THE CULTURAL AND MANAGERIAL BARRIERS IN PROJECT‐TO‐PROJECT LEARNING: A CASE FROM THE UK PUBLIC SECTOR. Public Administration, 90(3)
- Kutsch E & Maylor H. (2011). Risk and error in IS/IT projects: going beyond process. International Journal of Project Organisation and Management, 3(2)
- Denyer D, Kutsch E, Lee-Kelley EL & Hall M. (2011). Exploring reliability in information systems programmes. International Journal of Project Management, 29(4)
- Geraldi JG, Kutsch E & Turner N. (2011). Towards a conceptualisation of quality in information technology projects. International Journal of Project Management, 29(5)
- Woerndl M, Powell P, Vidgen R & Kutsch E. (2010). From ASP to Saas: Diffusion and the software rental market. Information and Communication Technologies for the Advanced Enterprise: an international journal, 1(1)
- Kutsch E & Hall M. (2010). Deliberate ignorance in project risk management. International Journal of Project Management, 28(3)
- Zainol NA, Lockwood A & Kutsch E. (2010). Relating the Zone of Tolerance to Service Failure in the Hospitality Industry. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 27(3)
- Geraldi JG, Lee-Kelley L & Kutsch E. (2010). The Titanic sunk, so what? Project manager response to unexpected events. International Journal of Project Management, 28(6)
- Kutsch E & Maylor H. (2009). From failure to success: an investigation into managers' criteria for assessing the outcome of IT projects. International Journal of Manufacturing Technology and Management, 16(3)
- Kutsch E & Hall M. (2009). The Rational Choice of Not Applying Project Risk Management in Information Technology Projects. Project Management Journal, 40(3)
- Kutsch E. (2008). The effect of intervening conditions on the management of project risk. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 1(4)
- Kutsch E. (2007). The measurement of performance in IT projects. International Journal of Electronic Business, 5(4)
- Kutsch E & Hall M. (2005). Intervening conditions on the management of project risk: Dealing with uncertainty in information technology projects. International Journal of Project Management, 23(8)
Conference Papers
- Cantarelli CC, Davis K, Kutsch E, Turner N, Denyer D, .... (2024). Touching the void: The loss of containment and the space between operational and entrepreneurial leadership in the K2 disaster
- Kutsch E, Siala H, Djabbarov I & Whaley A. (2023). Learners are from Mars, educators are from Venus: A Study on centripetal and centrifugal forces in management education
- Kutsch E, Djabbarov I & Siala H. (2022). Mindful Action in Tension: Responding to Errors in High Reliability Seeking Organization
- Kutch E, Djabbarov I & Siala H. (2022). Mindful action in tension: responding to errors in high reliability seeking organization
- Hall M, Kutsch E, Denyer D & Turner N. (2019). Managing operational tensions in reliability-seeking practices
- Cowley C, Denyer D & Kutsch E. (2019). Perceptions of process safety
- Delf J & Kutsch E. (2019). The ‘Distinction Problem’: Searching for the limits of foresight and cognition
- Turner N, Kutsch E, Maylor H & Swart J. (2018). Towards an understanding of ‘dynamic ambidexterity’ in supporting managerial resilience
- Kutsch E, Turner N, Denyer D & Hällgren M. (2017). A case of dying leadership: Examining the K2 disaster of 2008
- Turner N, Kutsch E & Swart J. (2016). Learning to be resilient? Taking the ambidexterity view
- Turner N & Kutsch E. (2016). Understanding Resilience in Organizational Operations - An Ambidexterity Perspective
- Gallagher P, Kutsch E & Turner N. (2015). The diversity of routines: Towards resilient performance in defence projects
- Kutsch E & Turner N. (2015). The internalization of mindfulness at 28,000 feet: Revisiting the K2 2008 disaster
- Hall M, Kutsch E & Hussels S. (2014). Making sense of uncertainty in start-up companies: the resilience funnel
- Kutsch E, Denyer D & Hall M. (2014). Sensebreaking and meaning voids in IS change initiatives
- Hall M, Kutsch E & Eastment R. (2014). Sensemaking: risk and opportunity
- Runswick F & Kutsch E. (2014). When there is no plan B: Business team improvised response to an urgent incident
- Kutsch E & Hallgren M. (2014). The mindful organisation: A breakdown at 28,000 feet
- Joy S, Hall M & Kutsch E. (2013). Decision making in projects - The use of expertise to generate High Reliability
- Koryak O, Hussels S & Kutsch E. (2012). Resource Orchestration: Internal Governance as a Mechanism of Synchronization
- Kutsch E & Hall M. (2012). From process-based risk analysis to organisational attention - Learning from Fall of France 1940 and K2 2008
- Kutsch E & Hall M. (2011). Centralisation in temporary organisations: The importance of operational common sense during the Fall of France 1940
- Dickel H, Turner N, Lee-Kelley L & Kutsch E. (2011). Going for Gold? Knowledge management and learning at the London 2012 Olympics
- Hussels S, Tobias J, Reinnoeller P & Kutsch E. (2011). Entrepreneurial mindfulness - An exploratory study
- Kutsch E, Maylor H, Weyer B & Lupson J. (2011). Performers, trackers, lemmings and the lost: Sustained false optimism in forecasting project outcomes - Evidence from a quasi-experiment
- Kutsch E, Lee-Kelley L, Hall M & Denyer D. (2010). Overcoming paralysis: Aspects of reliability in information systems projects
- Kutsch E, Geraldi J, Hall M & Lee-Kelley L. (2009). The (non-) adoption of risk management processes in projects
- Partington D & Kutsch E. (2008). How project failure can remove cultural barriers to future project success
- Partington D, Maylor H, Kutsch E & Lupson J. (2008). Sustained false optimism in project performance tracking: Evidence from an MBA project management simulation
- Kutsch E & Lupson J. (2008). Ignorance and uncertainty: The case of irrelevance in project management
- Kutsch E & Hall M. (2007). A culture of fatalism in IT projects? The curious case of (the lack of) risk management
- Kutsch E. (2007). Over- and underestimation of risk: How effective are project managers in managing risks in information technology projects?
- Kutsch E. (2006). The influence of intervening conditions on the over- and underestimation of risk
- Kutsch E & Maylor H. (2005). If it ain't broke ... Recognising failure as a first step to realising improvement opportunities in IT project processes
- Razmdoost K, Alinaghian L & Kutsch E. Practice disruption in service ecosystems: the case of K2 2008 disaster
Books
- Kutsch E. (2022). Organisational Resilience
- Kutsch E. (2022). Chapter 5: Following procedures, processes, or policies In Organisational resilience: navigating paradoxical tensions. Routledge.
- Kutsch E. (2020). Mindful project management: resilient performance beyond the risk horizon (2nd)
- Kutsch E. (2018). The Art of Organisational Resilience
- Kutsch E & Turner N. (2016). The Internalization of Attention at 28,000 Feet: Revisiting the K2 2008 Disaster In Bodea CN, Purnus A, Huermann M & Hajdu M (eds), Managing Project Risks for Competitive Advantage in Changing Business Environments. IGI Global.
- Kutsch E & Turner N. (2016). Project resilience – moving beyond traditional risk management In Dalcher D(ed.), Further Advances in Project Management: Guided Exploration in Unfamiliar Landscapes. Routledge.
- Kutsch E, Hall M & Turner N. (2015). Project Resilience - The art of noticing, interpreting, preparing, containing and recovering
- Kutsch E. (2008). Barriers to Project Risk Management: Processes, Techniques and Insights
