On Disaster Response and Emergent Systems: A New Taxonomy for Operations Management

Abstract

Disaster response is not readily categorized by the influential taxonomies of operations management (OM). Through the inductive research process of iterative triangulation, we identify patterns of evidence in case studies and other literature to develop a new taxonomy for OM, one which explicitly positions disaster-related operations relative to other industries. This new taxonomy divides the OM domain into the four categories of prescriptive, compliant, swarm and emergent systems. Closer examination of those systems grouped into the emergent sector reveals intriguing similarities between operations such as disaster response and endeavors such as rapid software development and artistic ensembles. These similarities include the simultaneous use of hierarchical and collaborative organizational structures, dual reliance on well-developed rules and provisions to break them, the concept of trajectory as a performance metric, the use of short, iterative planning cycles and a reliance on unstructured communication through some open forum. Each of these patterns suggests research opportunities to further OM’s understanding of how best to operate in a highly uncertain environment, findings of potential value to both disaster response and any ‘normal’ business that might suffer disruption.