Performativity in place of responsibility?

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to question the common conviction that responsibility is the major factor influencing performance. Design/methodology/approach The paper takes the form of a comparison of two recent cases of ecological catastrophes. Findings In emergency situations, locating parties able to perform gives better results than establishing responsibility for the accident. Research limitations/implications More similar cases should be examined systematically. Practical implications If the conclusions are accepted, the conventional mode of acting in emergencies may change. Social implications Hopefully, the paper may redirect attention from responsibility to performativity. Originality/value The paper opposes a commonly accepted belief and the corresponding mode of acting.