Why Worry? Motivation for Crisis Preparedness Work among Municipal Leaders in Sweden

Abstract

Much of the responsibility for societal safety and crisis preparedness rests with local municipal leaders. These tasks are demanding, and often insufficiently prioritized and supported. The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing motivation to work with these issues, and to explore relationships among such factors. Two datasets, formed the basis of the analysis. From the qualitative analysis, a model was developed describing three main categories of motivational factors: person-related, organizational and activity-related. Actual crisis experience was found to influence factors in all three categories. Differences regarding motivational forces could be identified among different roles among officials. Self-determination theory is applied to the model, illustrating possible ways to influence motivation for work with preparedness issues.

Organization and Decision‐Making in Enforced Networks: The River Groups in Northern Sweden

“…Again, we can draw parallels to the study by Enander et al. (). The experience of recurring floods and high river flows implies previous experience with crises, which increased the motivation to work with risk analysis and crisis management and to include all actors in the networks.…”

“…Crisis management is also dependent on leadership for cooperation and coordination. In a study of crisis preparedness work among municipal leaders in Sweden, Enander, Hede and Lajksjö () identify three categories of factors that explain the motivation to work, with issues related to risk, societal safety and preparedness for crisis among officials at the municipal level in Sweden. Based on the results of the study, a model was developed that aimed to identify opportunities and barriers to crisis preparedness at the municipal level.…”

“…The model includes factors related to the organizational and environmental context, activities that have been undertaken, and individual‐related factors. All three categories are influenced by actual crisis experiences (Enander et al., ).…”

Emergency Preparedness in Elderly Care in Sweden: A Study of Staff Perspectives

“…, 14 Yet, little is known about the role of the municipal Social Services, as well as of elderly care, in a Swedish context in general 9 . There are, however, some studies shedding light on the experiences of executives, 15 cross-sectorial collaboration, 10 support to persons with functional disabilities, 16 and interventions in traumatic events 17 . Internationally, a lack of clear plans for reaching older populations during emergencies has been identified 18 because of the disproportionate impact of emergencies on seniors 19 .…”

The Swedish Psychotrauma Society: joining forces for a national psychotrauma platform from a multidisciplinary and holistic approach

“…Research on disaster psychology is also conducted at Karolinska Institutet in collaboration with the Crisis and Disaster Psychology Unit at Academic Primary Care Centre, Stockholm County Council (Wahlström, Michélsen, Schulman, & Backheden, 2013 ; Wahlström et al, 2013 ), and at the Prehospital and Disaster Medicine Center in Region Västra Götaland (Khorram-Manesh et al, 2015 ). Also at the Swedish Defence University and CRISMART—Crisis Management Research and Training—researchers contribute towards advancing the field of crisis management and psychosocial support after trauma (Boin & Bynander, 2015 ; Enander, Hede, & Lajksjö, 2015 ; Fischbacher-Smith, Stern, Deverell, Fors, & Newlove-Eriksson, 2014 ; Nilsson, Sjöberg, Kallenberg, & Larsson, 2011 ).…”