Information based approach for disaster risk management

Purpose of this paper: With increased natural and man-made disasters disrupting the supply chain and logistics network, it has become vital for disaster relief operations to proactively identify and mitigate the risks. Mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery are four stages during any disaster management. Each stage faces different challenges in terms of information gathering, interpretation and dissemination for the quick relief operations. In the modern internet era, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is proving to be critical throughout the disaster management cycle. Systems thinking concepts are applied in this research for capturing various activities involved during disaster management cycle. ICT based applications are identified for each stage to propose a conceptual model for disaster risk management. The research attempts to provide a holistic, systematic and technology driven risk mitigation approach for robust disaster management. Design/methodology/approach: The extent of relief operations is very much dependent on the information availability and sharing. Challenges within disaster management do not only depend upon the nature of disaster but also on the activities involved in different stages of the relief operation. In order to develop new strategies for disaster management, understanding of different activities and up-to-date information regarding modern tools and techniques is vital. In this research natural and man-made disaster data for past decade is holistically studied to understand different set of activities involved during each stage of the disaster cycle. These activities are further classified based on sources of disaster and speed of occurrence. Appropriate ICT techniques are identified for each stage following recent disaster cases. Following systems thinking approach, a conceptual ICT based disaster management model is proposed for robust relief operations. The research intends to test the viability of model during future disaster events. Findings: The systems concepts for modelling disaster cycle activities and mitigation strategies provide answers to the complex behaviour of risks. By combining holistic and structured approaches for conceptual modelling, the research provides a unique platform for Information based disaster risk management. ICT approach provides real time networking for participation, coordination, planning and monitoring during disaster management. Value: The outcomes of this research will help academicians and practitioners in closing the gap of understanding the complex behaviour of entities interacting during disaster management. Research limitations/implications: The model will be further developed and tested during future disasters. Practical implications: The ICT based approach to disaster management is expected to help supply chain and logistics practitioners in providing robust relief operations