Disease, Disasters and Decisions A Multi-Method Analysis of Temporary Response Organizations

Mehr zum Buch

Disasters and diseases have profoundly influenced history, from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius to the ongoing challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. These events lead to significant economic and human losses, often altering political dynamics. Their importance is underscored by extensive academic research and their presence in major religious texts. This dissertation seeks to enhance our understanding of the performance of temporary response organizations by identifying key performance predictors. By improving responses to these global issues, we may significantly reduce economic costs and save lives. The central research question is: How can the performance of temporary organizations responding to disasters and disease outbreaks be predicted? The dissertation is organized into six chapters, beginning with an introduction in Chapter 1 and a discussion of theoretical backgrounds, terms, and definitions in Chapter 2. Chapter 3 introduces organizational performance predictors, which are then used to formulate hypotheses tested against various data sets in Chapters 4 and 5. Chapter 6 concludes by summarizing insights, offering theoretical and practical recommendations, acknowledging limitations, and suggesting avenues for future research.