This study adopts Complexity Science Perspective to examine
organizational adaptive processes under major disaster crises. It analyzes how
organizational members search for and establish new order amid chaos. Using the case of
Company A’s warehouse fire incident, this research employs a
participatory observation method to document organizational operations and
decision-making across three stages: crisis outbreak, aftermath, and
resolution. The findings indicate that, in the outbreak phase, the
supply
chain and operational order collapsed rapidly. The organization sustained basic
operations through cross-departmental collaboration, ad hoc decision-making,
and external resource inputs. This reflected characteristics of Dissipative
Structures, wherein resources and processes were reconfigured to
form temporary order under disequilibrium. Self-Organization mechanisms enabled
members to restore overall operations through localized actions. From Complex
Adaptive Systems perspective, the study further revealed the organization’s
capacity for dynamic adjustment and learning under conditions of limited
information and resources. Moreover, External Energy Input, including supplier
support and the intervention of a new management team, played a critical role
in generating new order. Overall, under conditions of high uncertainty and
cascading crises, organizations must develop capabilities in rapid
decision-making, resource reallocation, cross-departmental collaboration, and organizational
learning to achieve order out of chaos. This study provides empirical support
for crisis management theories grounded in Complexity Science, while
deepening the understanding of organizational resilience and dynamic adaptation.
