The Role of Resilient Information Infrastructures

Abstract

In the unfolding of a catastrophic incident, also known as extreme event (EE), resilient information infrastructures (RIIs) have the capacity to continue providing actionable information, which is a time-critical resource of greatest value. Despite the recognized importance of RIIs, however, their role in providing actionable information under the conditions of an EE has not been empirically studied and assessed. This study analyzes the case of a local radio station (Radio Fukushima), which resourcefully and rapidly adopted social media as a new II to switch from routine commercial radio broadcasting to disaster information broadcasting during and in the aftermath of the 2011 Japan EE. This theory-building study illustrates the critical role of RIIs and further builds theory that helps explain the impact of disturbances to an existing information infrastructure. It also develops a better understanding of the contribution and importance of social media-based near-real time co-production of actionable information in an unfolding catastrophe.