Business Processes and Standard Operating Procedures: Two Coins with Similar Sides

Abstract

Concepts and tools for process management have often been transferred to emergency management projects. The driving objective has been to bring assistance to planning procedures and quality assurance. This seems rather natural, since idea and concept of business processes and standard operating procedures appear like siblings. In this paper we discuss whether the concepts of process modelling are adequate for managing standard operating procedures and whether emergency management organisations can capitalize on off-the-shelf business process modelling tools to prepare for disasters more effectively. This paper presents ample evidence that prevailing business process means are inappropriate for emergency management in light of organisational as well as technology issues. In a nutshell, business process concepts are utilized as a golden hammer in many emergency management projects, a suitable tool for all purposes. Yet, the question rises whether emergency management issues are always fitting nails.