Preparing for the Real Storm during the Calm: A Comparison of the Crisis Preparation Strategies for Pandemic Influenza in China and the U.S.

Coordination Structures and Mechanisms for Crisis Management in China: Challenges of Complexity

“…The data used for case studies are from multiple sources, and we primarily draw on media reports and in-depth research reports to trace the processes and key attributes of the cases. We also interviewed two civil servants The challenges of this crisis were inadequate preparation and prevention rather than handling and rescue (Peng, 2008). Because such incidents occur so seldom, preventive efforts are unlikely to be good, because alertness is low.…”

“…all four types of scenarios outlined. Overall, preparation and prevention problems are more evident than handling problems (Peng, 2008). There are, however, cases where the handling was relatively good, like the flood and air pollution, or partly successful, like the explosion, so bad preparation did not always lead to bad handling.…”

Managing the Unexpected: Sense‐making in the Chinese Emergency Management System

“…During an emergency, local governments generally prefer not to report negative information that might show their lack of capacity to deal with the crisis as this may erode promotion opportunities for local officials. This appears to be especially true for man‐made disasters, such as industrial accidents, food crises, or social riots (Zhong ; Peng ). When local governments cover up crisis situations, they effectively slow down or paralyse the sense‐making process (keeping central government in the dark).…”