Resource mobilization and contributing resources to a collective task by emergency responders: an experimental study on collaboration in crisis response

Roshni Pramanik

doi:10.1108/crr-03-2021-0010

Abstract

PurposeTwenty-first century crises reaffirm the need of faster mobilization of resources during crises. Without interorganizational collaboration and resource mobilization, organizing efficient response is not possible. Resource mobilization is an essential aspect of response. It ensures a faster and better response. Collaboration between teams of emergency responders may include commonly known boundary spanning activities such as resource sharing, information sharing and communication. The purpose of this paper is to contribute our knowledge of how to organize a better crisis response through collaboration. More precisely, what strategies work as drivers for emergency responder teams during collaboration in crisis scenarios.Design/methodology/approachThrough design of experiments, using tabletop exercises and online surveys, this study investigates the drivers of collaboration during a crisis scenario. Participants of this study are decision makers and emergency responders from various public actors in crisis management from Sweden.FindingsCollaboration is essential to manage cross-functional services in normal times, as well as meet the growing needs during crises. In absence of collaboration, boundary spanning activities such as sharing resources or information to provide any kind of service will not be possible. For teams to survive in fast-changing environment, they must be able to adapt to the changing demands accordingly. This paper demonstrates which factors are drivers for emergency responders to mobilize resources, especially during crises. It captures the tension between individual and collective goals in crisis response and highlights the drivers that affect decision-making during crises.Originality/valueThe novelty of the paper lies in its methodology using tabletop exercises, design of experiments as part of Six Sigma toolbox and online surveys in combination with weightage of agreements and disagreements and free text answers. Although scientific research so far has demonstrated the need for collaboration during crises, however, which factors act as drivers for emergency responders to collaborate, is lacking scientific evidence. Incentives for collaboration have not been studied enough. These can tell us which strategies can improve collaboration during crises. This research paper is a scientific contribution in that direction.

Highlights

Modern day crises are transboundary in nature owing to their effects that are not limited to geographical, economic, social or functional boundaries (O€dlund, 2010)
This means, Extent of contribution (EOC) has a higher effect of familiarity than expectation of future cooperation (ECFI), both ECFI and familiarity are perceived to be significant as two
Results from the first part of the experiment suggested that higher familiarity leads to lower EOC the survey results from the Likert scale response, the qualitative answers and the distribution of EOC across different scenarios indicate that familiarity is perceived as a motivating factor by actors in collaboration and that they consider familiarity to be an important determinant to decide the EOC

Summary

Introduction

Modern day crises are transboundary in nature owing to their effects that are not limited to geographical, economic, social or functional boundaries (O€dlund, 2010). Considering our modern society which is gradually becoming crisis prone, it becomes essential for these organizations to collaborate, create mutual ties for similar future interaction in crisis response while simultaneously working with their individual goals and mandates (O€dlund, 2010; Ansell et al, 2010; ’t Hart et al, 2001). Under this light, scholars such as Van Santen et al (2009), Alberts and Hayes (2006) describe response to modern day crises as a network of actors that cooperate to achieve collective goals. Recent studies on crisis response (Alberts and Hayes, 2006; O€dlund, 2010; Boersma et al, 2014; Boin and McConnell, 2007; Helsloot, 2005) indicate that there is lack of collaboration among different organizations, information are most often not shared or optimally used, there are instances of goal conflicts which make fulfilment of collective goals a challenge

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