Network performance assessment for collaborative disaster response

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a modified network performance assessment method to address issues of coordination among organizations in the context of disaster response.

Design/methodology/approach

The study introduces affiliation networks to map disaster response system integrated with task/function and unit identifications. The study also assesses performance in two successive procedures including ineffective networks identification and assessment on organizational effectiveness.

Findings

The study emphasizes problems in the current emergency management system in China with a focus on Sichuan earthquake experience. Specifically, some problems with the traditional central planning and control mechanisms in coordination across boundaries are highlighted, including participants’ inexact perception of information or resource accessibility, confusion of functional designation of organizations.

Originality/value

The study builds network performance assessment method to other contexts where different emergency management systems exist and modifies them to facilitate quick complex networks evaluation. The theoretical insights from affiliation networks and cognitive accuracy provide additional contributions to the literature.

Citation

Guo, X. and Kapucu, N. (2015), "Network performance assessment for collaborative disaster response", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 24 No. 2, pp. 201-220. https://doi.org/10.1108/DPM-10-2014-0209