Shifting Structure of One National Disaster Management Network in the Caribbean

Abstract

Abstract-This research investigates a cross-sector national disaster management network in the Caribbean. It seeks to provide a better understanding of the evolution of a network structure and how that structure affects operations and member relations. Data collected for this case study from interviews with network participants reveal that the network constitutes a dynamic system that shifts its structure based to some extent on the disaster management cycle. The findings indicate that the network is most productive when it employs a hybrid governance structure in the preparedness and response stages and is least productive when it assumes a lead organization-governed form during the recovery and mitigation stages.