ICTs in the context of disaster management, stakeholders, and implications

Pages32-52
Date13 March 2017
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/JICES-11-2015-0038
Published date13 March 2017
AuthorSreedhar Madhavaram,Victor Matos,Ben A. Blake,Radha Appan
Subject MatterInformation & knowledge management,Information management & governance,Information & communications technology
ICTs in the context of disaster
management, stakeholders,
and implications
Sreedhar Madhavaram
Department of Marketing, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Victor Matos and Ben A. Blake
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Cleveland State University,
Cleveland, Ohio, USA, and
Radha Appan
Department of Information Systems, Cleveland State University,
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Abstract
Purpose This paper aims to focus on the role of informationand communication technologies (ICTs) in
preparationfor and management of human and/or nature induced disasters.
Design/methodology/approach Drawing from the phenomenal growth of ICTs, initiatives aimed at
disaster management,stakeholder theory, prior research and thesuccessful development and implementation
of 9-1-1 (emergency telephone serviceof the USA), this paper explores ICTs in the context of human and/or
nature induceddisasters.
Findings This paper discusses a new ICT for mitigatingdisaster management, scans, using stakeholder
theory, relevant initiativesand prior research to identify the stakeholders relevant for successfulpreparation
for and management of disasters,and draws from the 9-1-1 example to discuss how ICTs can be successfully
developedand adopted.
Research limitations/implications There are opportunities for researchers to develop ICTs that
can make countries, developing and developed, more efcient and effective in their preparation for and
management of nature and human induced disasters. In addition, researchers can investigate the role of
stakeholders in faci litating the adoptio n of new ICTs developed for d isaster management . Researchers
could also help public policy in designing the most efcient and effective programs for the adoption of
new ICTs.
Practical/implications As an example of new ICTs thatcan potentially mitigate the effect of disasters,
this paper discusses the E711 text-message mobile phone service (named IamOK) and provides a
description of how this protocol operates and can be implemented. There are tremendous opportunities to
developnew ICTs in the context of disaster management.
Social/implications This paper arguesthat ICTs such as E711 can have a major impact on all countries
in general and poor and developing nations in particular. Specically, in the bottom of the pyramid (BOP)
markets, developing ICTs for BOP marketin the context of managing human and nature induced disasters
and ensuringthe diffusion of such ICT innovations is both critical and challenging.
Originality/value This paper discusses the role and importance of ICTs in disaster management,
identies relevant stakeholders, discusses how ICTs can be diffused and implemented and calls on and
hopes to provide an impet us to research on ICTs that can aid in t he preparation for and the manag ement of
disasters.
Keywords Stakeholders, ICTs, Disaster management, E711 emergency protocol,
ICT adoption and implementation
Paper type General review
JICES
15,1
32
Received 3 November 2015
Revised 15 A pril 20 16
Accepted15 April 2016
Journalof Information,
Communicationand Ethics in
Society
Vol.15 No. 1, 2017
pp. 32-52
© Emerald Publishing Limited
1477-996X
DOI 10.1108/JICES-11-2015-0038
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/1477-996X.htm
1. Introduction
Since the beginning of this century, humanity has been hit hard by violent forces of nature and
the irrational behavior of human beings. Devastating hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes,
typhoons, wars and senseless acts of terrorism have caused irreparable losses of human life
and property. Specically, the genocide in Sudan; Hurricane Katrina; Indian Ocean tsunami;
Myanmars cyclone; terrorist attacks targeting the US World Trade Center, London buses and
Madrid train station; and Americas war on Iraq share the common denominators of shock,
suffering, horror, despair and insufcient capabilities for disaster management. How can
countries manage such crises and recover quickly? For Schultz (2005), countries with well-
developed systems that feature the following will suffer less damage and can recover fast:
better infrastructure;
advanced distribution, transportation and communication networks;
more goods and services;
more highly trained personnel;
better crisis management; and
political leadership genuinely committed to peoples welfare.
Although one could argue that the USA has one of the better systems in the world,evidence
from the past few years suggests that even in the case of the USA, much more needs to be
done. In fact, in the decade since hurricane Katrina, the criticisms of the crisis management
efforts continue(Comfort et al., 2010).
The unpredictability of human- and nature-induced disasters makes the subsequent
recovery management effortsextremely difcult. In addition, there have been several efforts
from governments and the scientic communityall over the world to encourage researchers
to prepare their nations to become more effective and efcient in managing disasters. For
example, in the USA, Department of Homeland Security, National Science Foundation,
National Institute of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of
Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency instituted several grants for stimulating
research efforts. With this background, this researchs motivation is undergirded by the
exploration of threeessential questions:
Q1. What kinds of roles can informationand communication technologies (ICTs) play in
disaster management?
Q2. Who are the relevant stakeholdersfor the successful development, adoption and use
of ICTs for disasters?
Q3. What are the implications of ICTs for disastermanagement and the identication of
relevant stakeholdersfor research and society?
Most studies of disaster managementcases reveal extremely poor to unacceptable responses
to the situations (Patterson, 2005). One area of incompetence highlighted by recent
worldwide tragedies is the collapse of the traditional communication infrastructure. In
particular, there is no universally accepted protocol to facilitate standardized
communication between victims of a tragedies and concerned authorities, their friends and
family members; much less, one that is rapid, simple, reliable and efcient.
Telecommunications and Web technologies could and should provide a great deal of
support in coordinating relief, warning potential victims of imminent dangers, reuniting
people and informing quickly the rest of the world about the reality of a catastrophic event
ICTs in the
context of
disaster
management
33

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