^|^ldquo;DISASTER IMMUNITY^|^rdquo; - A NEW CONCEPT FOR ADAPTATION TO DISASTER HAZARD INTENSIFICATION

Abstract

We introduce a new "disaster immunity" concept in place of conventional "disaster management capacity" that reflects dynamic transitions in society and nature more accurately than the fixed conventional "disaster management capacity" concept. Because awareness deeply impacts on disaster management, the new concept captures disaster dynamics and could play an important role in disaster reduction. Since global warming involves disaster hazard intensification, it is not enough to simply strengthen existing measures. As an example, Japan responds to particular temperate zone patterns through long-term disaster management infrastructures. Society and nature in Japan have disaster management capacity matching typical temperate zone hazards. A rapid transition to subtropical climate patterns within the next several decades to a century is expected to generate large gaps between disaster hazards and disaster management capacity of human society and nature, leading to an imbalance. Under unstable conditions, society and nature have become increasingly vulnerable due to decreased "immunity." Increasing "disaster immunity" is thus an urgent and important issue.

Absorptive capacity and disaster immunity: the mediating role of information quality and change management capability

“…DI refers to an organization's ability to avoid disasters, minimize disaster effects and recover quickly from disasters when compared to competitors (Christopher and Peck, 2004;Ojha et al, 2014). DI plays an important role in maintaining performance at both firm and supply chain levels and reflects dynamic transitions in society and nature more accurately than the fixed conventional response (Komatsu and Oshikawa, 2012). DI encompasses the improvement of operational resilience and the reduction of operational vulnerability.…”

“…As a firm experiences and survives tides of external forces or stimuli of disruptions, it develops an endogenous capability to resist the impact of such forces. This resistive capability implies immunity (Komatsu and Oshikawa, 2012). Ponomarov and Holcomb (2009) addressed the importance of building organizational and interorganizational resilience through lenses of both psychology and ecosystem.…”

“…DI is the ability to avoid disasters, minimize disaster effects and recover quickly as compared to competitors (Ojha et al, 2014). DI capability is developed over time and has been found to positively influence performance (Christopher and Peck, 2004;Komatsu and Oshikawa, 2012;Ojha et al, 2014). It makes sense that effective information exchange would positively influence partnership performance (Malhotra et al, 2005, p. 1).…”

“…DI plays an important role in maintaining performance at both firm and supply chain levels and reflects dynamic transitions in society and nature more accurately than the fixed conventional response (Komatsu and Oshikawa, 2012). The impact of disaster is broad and affects not only business but also human life.…”

“…To remain competitive in a global market, organizations and their ecosystems must be robust enough to weather the impact of disasters (Reeves et al, 2016). A viable approach is the development of resilience capability for managing disastersdisaster immunity (DI) capability (Beheshti and Worley, 1995;Komatsu and Oshikawa, 2012;Ojha et al, 2014). DI refers to an organization's ability to avoid, recover and mitigate negative impacts from disasters (Ojha, 2008).…”