Coordination analysis in disaster management: A qualitative approach in Türkiye

Abstract

Disaster management is a multi-disciplinary field in which different fields of expertise and institutions work together internationally. The coordination of divergent institutions is necessary for their everyday functioning. However, these persistently vexing phenomena are exacerbated by uncoordinated processes. This study aimed to explore and describe the coordination experiences of the professionals involved in the disaster management process. A phenomenological pattern was applied, a method that tries to make sense of experiences. A purposive sampling method was used, and interviews lasting 977 minutes with 31 people were conducted. The results revealed that disaster drills and training are held to ensure inter-institutional coordination. However, coordination is explained with the concepts of communication. The differentiation between the theoretical knowledge of coordination and its practical application is noteworthy. The most common issues that caused coordination problems were related to the incident command system, leadership, resource management, communication, and the use of social media. More specific problems codes are uncertain assignments, multi-authority, lack of language unity, and leadership gap. Disinformation in the social media category appears as a coordination problem. However, it has been intensely stated that social media should be used for rapid information sharing. It is advisable to receive leadership training and incorporate social media into the coordination process to improve disaster risk management. This will aid in better comprehension and implementation of the measures needed.